May 8, 2024
Learning to fall asleep without being rocked, fed or held is an important way that a baby practices self-regulation skills - and can help with consolidated sleep.
In the exam room, try talking to parents about the unique window when babies are drowsy, but awake. This means caregivers do 90% of the soothing and then let the baby practice the last 10% of falling asleep on their own. This may involve a little fussing or crying, but parents can be encouraged that they are helping their baby develop a new skill that will improve quality sleep now and in the future.
