I think that sleeping needs to be a pleasant experience. It doesn't matter if its for a small baby or a toddler. Either one needs to feel safe and secure and well loved to drift off to a peaceful sleep. I do not approve of parents who place their babies into cribs and let them cry themselves to sleep. I'm shocked at how many parents and others advocate this as the best idea for getting their babies to sleep. How can that foster a pleasant sleeping experience? I would think that lying in a crib crying and afraid with no parent to answer your tears would cause a baby to end up having a fitful night and possibly nightmares.

With my daughter I would always hold her in my arms until she feel asleep. She would have a nice bottle and then I would gently hold her against my chest so she could hear my heart beat. Sometimes I would hum to her and sometimes I would just sit and quietly hold her. She never had any problem drifting off to sleep. Then I would tuck her into her sleeping foam and she would sleep until time for another bottle and then I would repeat the entire process. I always used foam to make sure she didn't roll onto her side or tummy. You can by the baby breathable foam at any Wal Mart, Target, or Baby's R Us. I think it also gives a baby a sense of security because it sits nicely under their arms and down their sides.

As my daughter grew I would always repeat the same process and soon she was sleeping through the night with no problem. Now that she is a toddler I have incorporated my different things into her night time program. She no longer drinks a bottle. She gave up the need for a bottle at twelve months old. So now I give her a nice warm bath. Then I put a comfortable nightie on her. After bath time she snuggles next to me and I read her a book in a soothing tone. Then I let her hold one of her many stuffed animals and I lay beside her and stroke her hair in the dark. I tell her a story or I just talk softly to her and tell her little things about the day. Soon she drifts off to sleep with absolutely no problem. I slip out of the room and the rest of the evening is 'mommy' time.

But I think that whole routine and surrounding her in love each and every night has made her have excellent sleeping habits. She has never cried like so many toddlers when it comes to bedtime. She actually seems to look forward to bedtime when she is tired. Its a nice snuggling time and she is always so calm when it comes to sleepy time. It is a pleasant and bonding experience for both of us.

Learn more about this author, Kim Sharpe.
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