A false start bedtime is when you find it difficult to put your baby to sleep right away at bedtime, and after 20 to 30 minutes: Surprise! Your baby wakes up. The irony is that you spend a lot of time and effort putting her to sleep only to have her wake up crying, I know it can be stressful, you might consider contacting experts for managing your stress. Anyway, this phenomena can happen to babies of any age, we will concentrate on 6 month old babies, because this issue primarily affects infants between the ages of 6 and 12 months since they go through considerable developmental changes at this time. Our goal is to examine the scientific research on this sleep pattern behaviour and reveal some practical solutions for resolving it so that your baby can sleep better.

Data on Sleep Challenges for 6-Month-Old Babies:

Do you know that approximately 25% of infants between the ages of 6 and 12 months have trouble falling asleep right away when placed in bed? If your toddler is having sleep problems, it’s completely normal because it’s common for 6 month babies. In addition, a National Sleep Foundation research indicated that 70% of infants experience sleep disturbances, such as false starts bedtime, repeated night awakenings, or trouble getting back to sleep after waking up.

Why False Start Bedtime Occurs Anyway?

We will talk about the three main causes of false start bedtime.

1. Consistent Bedtime Routine as a Solution for False Start Bedtime:

A research article published in the Journal Sleep Medicine found that parents who set a constant bedtime routine for their infants, were able to asleep faster and experienced fewer night awakenings. The study also advises parents to follow a ritual before putting infants to bed, the activities can be a simple warm bath, gentle cuddling, sing songs, massage. So maintaining a constant bed time for your infant and having simple ritual before bedtime can work best to resolve false start bedtime.

2. Optimal Sleep Environment:

We don’t need to stress the importance of creating an optimal sleep environment as you already understand. The American Academy of Paediatrics advises providing newborns with a secure and comfortable sleeping environment. Ensure your room is cool and distraction-free. You can also install lamps that emit softer illumination. Make sure the crib mattress is comfortable and keep soft items and toys out of the crib.

3. Responding to Separation Anxiety:

What can you do to handle your baby’s separation anxiety? In order to help your infant form the habit of sleeping independently, leave the room briefly and enter again to comfort her. Your infant will get self-soothing skills and feel comfortable during bedtime.

4. Managing Teething Discomfort:

Although not all newborns under the age of six months experience teething, but just in case, you can help your baby’s gums feel better by giving her cold teething toys or teething rings. It is best to speak with your child’s paediatrician about the appropriate pain relief options. You can also check out baby teething symptoms published in NHS website.

Data on Sleep Training:

Finally, you can train your little one to sleep. According to a research in the journal Paediatrics, the Ferber Method and Chair Method among other sleep training techniques have increased sleep quality and reduced false start bedtime.

Conclusion:

False start bedtime is common sleep disorder for 6 to 12 month old, which is backed by contemporary studies. When you are aware about the factors that are responsible for false start bedtime and you put practical, research-supported practices into practice, you can help your baby to develop healthy sleeping habits. Be creative, have patience and be consistent with your approach to perfectly tailor to your baby as she has different needs and routines. Keep in mind, that promoting sound sleep is helpful for your baby’s growth, development and general health and it is beneficial not only for your baby but for your mental health and wellbeing.