It can be a challenge to put your baby or toddler to  bed. However sometimes parents actually contribute to this problem.

Baby sleep mistakes and how to avoid them

• Letting your child stay up late : Some parents let their children stay up late for so many reasons such as not having  enough time to play with them after work. It could also be that the child is in a habit of staying up  late. However the problem is,  late bedtime leads to an over tired child  who is cranky and refuses to sleep.

How to Fix it : Set a time for going to bed and stick to it.  You should also watch for signs of getting tired in your child  such as droopy eyes or rubbing eyes and tuck him into bed.

• Introducing distractions during bedtime : Things such as a cheerful nighttime light or quiet music can distract a child and keep him awake instead of putting him to sleep.

How to fix it : Remove anything that entertains your baby remotely from around the crib. Infants and toddlers sleep well when the room is nearly pitch black. Keep all screens such as TV, smartphones and tablets from the bedroom.Use a fan or white noise machine to muffle house or street sounds.

• Not setting up a bedtime routine : Babies and toddlers need a routine to wind down at the end of the day.  They need a consistent bedtime routine to help them settle down for bed.

How to fix it : You have to get a bedtime ritual and stick to it . An example of bedtime ritual for babies is  bathing, changing into pajamas, cuddling, a story or lullaby .

• Picking up the baby when he starts crying : It is normal for you to pick your baby up as soon as he starts crying at night. However this doesnt give the child the chance to sooth himself back to sleep.

How to fix it : Wait for a few minutes before going to your baby. Babies  don’t know how to soothe themselves to sleep so you have to give the baby the chance to learn. With time the baby will learn to soothe himself.

• Putting your baby to bed with a bottle :  Having your baby take a bottle to bed may  help him sleep. However it has the following risks.
• He will rely on the bottle to fall asleep .
• He may choke on the liquid.
• It will make it harder to wean the baby of the bottle .
• He is more likely to get ear infections .
• He has a greater risk of tooth decay.

How to fix it : You should rely on consistent bedtime routine and the baby will learn to settle down without using a bottle.

• Sending mixed messages as to where the child should sleep : If you let your baby get into your bed a couple of times a week, this can be confusing to the child as to where he should sleep.

How to fix it : If your child has been sharing your bed and you want it to stop, you have to explain to the child why he needed to sleep in his own bed. Let him  know that it helps everyone sleep better. Don’t scold or scream to your child when he comes to your room. Just lead him back gently to his room, tuck him into bed and say good night and leave. Doing this consistently for about 2 weeks will help your child learn to sleep in his room by himself.