
We all need some sort of association to fall asleep at night. I need a pillow or I need to be on the left side of the bed or it doesn’t really matter. If I don’t have my pillow tonight, I’m definitely going to struggle falling asleep and staying asleep. Once I get my pillow back, I’ll have the best night sleep ever.
The same happens with babies. Babies also need some sort of association to fall asleep and stay asleep. The problem however is, parents tend to help babies form their associations instead of the baby forming his own independent association.
So the follow scenario happens:
The problem is…. as adults we have sleep skills, so when we wake up briefly, we can just sooth ourselves back to sleep and we don’t even remember waking in the first place BUT….. as babies, if they rely on a sleep prop like:
- You feed your baby
- You change the nappy
- Burb the baby
- Everything is perfect…..
- You rock and pat him or
- You give him a dummy or
- You give him another feed (maybe he is still hungry)

- Dummies
- Bottles
- Rocking/Patting/Singing
- A parent laying down with the baby
- Nursing to fall asleep it can be a big problem