Is your baby learning to stand up causing a sleep disruption? Learn to get baby back to sleep when learning to stand in 4 easy steps!
Anywhere between the ages of 7 and 15 months, babies learn how to pull themselves up to stand. They can be so proud of themselves! It is so exciting because you know that pulling up to stand is usually the first step in learning how to walk! It can also be one of the toughest milestones on sleep! Often baby gets in a standing position only to not know how to get back down again! Read on to learn the 4 steps needed to get baby back to sleep when learning to stand!
What better place to practice pulling themselves up than in the crib?! At 10pm, 2am and then again at 3am…I’m sure you get it. If you have a toddler already, you probably remember this stage!
It is very easy to get into the routine of lying your baby back down again and again, but it can easily become a game.
‘I stand up, you lie me down.
I stand up, you lie me down.’
Over, and over again! So much fun! For baby, not you!
Every child will go through this. It is one of those “this too shall pass” phases, but there are steps you can take to prevent this from becoming a new association. Before you know it, you will be back to waking numerous times a night and your little one is taking longer and longer to settle while waiting for you to come in and help them back down.
But, it doesn’t have to go on any longer than necessary! We’ve created a step by step plan of action to help your baby adjust as quickly as possible to get everyone back on track with sleep.
Step 1: Practice outside of the crib!
Seriously, it’s really the one thing you want to focus on the most for the next 2-4 days. During the day, at non sleep times you can work with your child while sitting together on the floor or while your child plays in their crib.
When on the floor together you can help your child pull himself up while holding your hands and then gently guide him into a sitting position. If you are practicing in the crib you would encourage him to pull himself up on the bars and then take his hands and guide him into a sitting position.
Step 2: Remove one hand
Once your little one is comfortable pulling him/herself up and sitting with your guidance you will then do the same thing as step 1, but this time you will remove one hand to help get him into the sitting position. This will allow your baby to learn to use his/her hands to help themselves to sit.
Taking little steps builds your child’s confidence in their own ability and allows you to support them while they are learning.
Step 3: Encourage them to a sitting position
You will continue with the same pulling up however this time you will help them stand independently and then encourage them into the sitting position with your words only. This can take many tries so if they don’t get it right away, use the one hand method a little longer until they can do it.
Step 4: Confidence Kicks In!
At this point you have built up their confidence in themselves enough that you can now know for certain that your child is capable of lying themselves back down. This means at bedtime, they will be able to get back to lying down on their own and eventually, they will have practiced standing enough that the novelty will wear off and sleep will get back to normal!
Follow your child’s cues and take it one day at a time. Each baby is different and repeating the steps may be needed. How long that takes will vary for each baby as well, so be patient. Practice, practice, practice! Outside the crib that is! You will all be back to sleeping through the night in no time!
If you find yourself needing more help getting baby to sleep through the night, check out our services page to see how you get can a program tailored for you with our Sleep Consultant services!
Leave a Reply