When Jettie was born I had all of the preconceived notions about what kind of parent I was going to be. I knew there were things that were non-negotiable for me, and then I knew there were others that would be purely trial and error. One of our non-negotiables was sleep training.

Sleep training. A somewhat controversial topic. To cry it out, or not? To co-sleep, or not?

***Disclaimer: These are tips that have help us with sleep training Jettie and the Twins. Every child is different and ultimately each family needs to do what works best for them.

Now Jettie was early so for the first couple of months she ate every two hours. Once Jettie got to a point where she could sleep extended hours, around 5 months old, we began our journey with sleep training. Throughout our journey there were 3 things that helped us in our sleep training success with Jettie and the twins.

TIP #1: Our Why

With anything that is challenging, it is imperative that you have a why behind whatever you are doing, or it will fail. John and I both work full time. Our nights together are very important to us and our relationship. We both agreed before the kids were born that our bed was just that “OUR BED.” Because of this, it was in vital to us to instill good sleeping habits with each of our children from the very beginning.

TIP #2: Routine and Consistency

When we decided to start sleep training, we knew that a routine would be a key factor in its success. I knew that I didn’t want to implement something in our routine that I might not be able to do on a consistent basis. For example, reading a book before bedtime wasn’t something that we could commit to doing every night, so we didn’t put this in our night time routine. Our routine with Jettie at age 2 is almost identical to our routine with her at 5 months. Pajamas, prayers, and pink baby (a doll that I had as a little girl that Jettie has assumed ownership of.)

TIP #3: Follow Through

The first night was hard. Jettie cried for about an hour. I cried for about an hour. John literally made me go down stairs so that I wouldn’t go get her out of her crib. He said that if I got her out the first night, the second night would be next to impossible. Even though every part of me as a mommy wanted to pick her up and comfort her, looking back I am so glad that I listened to him. The second night was easier, and by the third night she was asleep within 5 minutes.

I have realized that as a parent it is easy to try and over complicate issues when it comes to raising our kids, but it was these 3 simple tips that made sleep training our children almost effortless.

THE END…

#loveyoulikepeaches