Sleep "conditioning" from day 1

aysheschayel

Tue, Aug 06 2024, 10:01 pm

I've heard the idea that if from day 1 you encourage good sleep habits, you are less likely to need sleep training later on. I'm due pretty soon and wondering if anyone has any tried and true tips to incorporate with my newborn b"eh to hopefully get good sleep habits

amother

Feverfew ↓

Tue, Aug 06 2024, 10:06 pm

aysheschayel wrote:

You can take a newborn shaping course. I think sleepbabynaven has one. It’s not sleep training bc you can’t sleep train a newborn but it’s sleep shaping, wake windows, routine etc I think.

amother

Crimson ↓

Tue, Aug 06 2024, 10:08 pm

Never heard this term but this is similar to what I did with my kids .
Never rocked or nursed to sleep, always but them in the crib awake and let them learn to fall asleep on their own.
I always did an eat-wake-sleep schedule (read that in a sleep training book)
In the morn they eat, they “play” which as newborns is just awake time, maybe some tummy time and then they wear out and they take a nap. As they get bigger they start dropping naps but also dropping meals so this works till toddler age…

amother

DarkOrange ↓

Tue, Aug 06 2024, 10:09 pm

Get them on a good cycle of feeding, awake windows and sleep. Put them down awake before they are too tired. Get Velcro swaddles helps them feel more secure and they sleep better.

amother

Charcoal

Tue, Aug 06 2024, 10:12 pm

I sleep trained all my babies like this, but not from day 1. It doesn’t work. They’re not awake for long enough for you to even put them down, lol. They sleep tons. They’re basically either eating or sleeping. Just telling you this so you don’t get nervous when it’s not “working”. It’s totally fine to start a bit later, like a few weeks or even a few months. Still works well.

amother

Denim ↓

Tue, Aug 06 2024, 10:25 pm

amother Crimson wrote:

I tried this with my first. It just simply didn't work. She never showed signs of tiredness, she went from awake to over tired. She always wanted to be held, would scream if I put her in the bassinet. She didn't sleep well until a year old.

So OP just know if it doesn't work that it's not you. Every baby is different

amother

↑ Crimson

Tue, Aug 06 2024, 10:32 pm

amother Denim wrote:

3 out of my 4 children were born 3-6 weeks early… I know not all newborns are like this but my kids slept a ton so that was a big advantage..

amother

↑ Feverfew ↓

Tue, Aug 06 2024, 10:41 pm

amother Denim wrote:

Right I believe it really is temperament dependent. Some babies have no problem falling asleep by themselves, while others need to be rocked. Nursed etc.

Sarah Stein

Wed, Aug 14 2024, 4:07 am

I did exactly this with my baby. From day one ate played slept. In the beginning after eating play is only around half hour til they nap again but this way when they cry you always know their need. Are they hungry, tired or bored etc. Always put down awake and have a bedtime routine eg shema so they know you mean bedtime.
My baby also never shows signs of major tiredness even now at 8 months, I always put him down before he gets to that stage

amother

↑ Feverfew

Wed, Aug 14 2024, 6:09 am

Sarah Stein wrote:

I’m just curious how that works from day one? Like literally right away? Aren’t they usually so sleepy newborns?

the world's best mom

Wed, Aug 14 2024, 7:58 am

I did my own technique, called hold your baby as needed and nurse on demand. Sleeping is not easier, but this is important for babies. They will learn to sleep on their own later, when it's age appropriate.

amother

Jasmine

Wed, Aug 14 2024, 8:01 am

I’m general I believe newborns should sleep. There is a philosophy you put them to sleep before tired.
But it doesn’t sleep train them for later. Just makes them happier newborns. I feed on demand always. And put to sleep soon after tightly swaddled.

All my newborns slept well and were really good on this method until around 3 months.

And after 3 months everything was different.

amother

Buttercup

Wed, Aug 14 2024, 8:03 am

Being that my newborns were colicky and crying almost all the time, this thread is making me LOL

.

Sleep conditioning? Survival is my goal.

amother

↑ DarkOrange ↓

Wed, Aug 14 2024, 8:20 am

amother Denim wrote:

You don’t wait for tiredness. You use awake windows.

amother

Cantaloupe ↓

Wed, Aug 14 2024, 8:23 am

I never sleep trained & most my babies slept well.

I keep them in natural sunlight during the day (even when sleeping- open shades etc.) & keep the house really dark in the evening & don't talk/ play with them much then.. No wet diaper changes at night. By day I don't allow more than 3 hours between feeds.

I'm ok with a bit of low whimpering while baby falls asleep, no need to pick up at the first sound.

amother

↑ Cantaloupe ↓

Wed, Aug 14 2024, 8:26 am

amother DarkOrange wrote:

You don’t wait for tiredness. You use awake windows.

The first several months I just put to sleep automatically after they're up for a bit or even right after feeds. They really need to sleep most of the time. No need to wait for signs of tiredness.

amother

↑ Denim ↓

Wed, Aug 14 2024, 9:24 am

amother Jasmine wrote:

So what did you do after 3 months
My newborn sleeps beautifully now BH
But I'm afraid once he isn't swaddled he will stop sleeping

amother

↑ Denim ↓

Wed, Aug 14 2024, 9:26 am

amother DarkOrange wrote:

You don’t wait for tiredness. You use awake windows.

Meaning never. I'd follow the wake windows and put her in the bassinet. She'd be wide eyed and she just wouldn't sleep, she'd cry and cry. She would not sleep on her own no matter what

tichellady ↓

Wed, Aug 14 2024, 9:35 am

You can try these methods but if your babies are like mine they will fall asleep while nursing and cry when you put them in their bassinet, no matter how many books you read on the subject