Our Sleep Training Journey: How We Used a Routine to Help Our Babies Sleep Through the Night

Sleep training can feel overwhelming for new parents, and finding the right approach for your family is essential. My wife and I embarked on our sleep training journey starting with our daughter, learning and adapting along the way. While we’re aware that every family has unique circumstances, we’re sharing our experience, including the tools and resources we used, to help guide others considering sleep training.

Why We Chose to Sleep Train

Sleep is crucial for a baby’s development, and as parents, getting some rest ourselves was just as essential. We wanted a system that could bring some predictability to the chaotic early months of parenting. After a lot of research, we decided to follow the structured schedule outlined in Mom’s on Call: 0-6 Months—a book focused on helping parents establish routines with their babies.

The Mom’s on Call method provided us with a consistent routine that helped us predict our baby’s needs, making it easier to know if they were crying for food, their diaper was soiled, or simply tired. By following the schedule, we found our babies were more content, and as parents, we had a greater sense of control over our days and nights.

Our Experience and Unique Circumstances

Our sleep training experience was influenced by several factors unique to our family, and acknowledging these elements is essential, as no two sleep training journeys look exactly the same. Here’s what we think helped us:

• Bottle Feeding and Nighttime Duties: My wife pumped because our kids weren’t able to latch for breastfeeding. This arrangement allowed me, as the dad, to take on the nighttime routine of feeding and focus on the sleep training when it was time. Each parent is going to handle the sleep training a little different. I would determine which of the parents will adhere more stricly to following the training method and not "give in" to some of the challenges you'll run into during sleep training. For us, that was dad.

• Dedicated Bedroom with an Adult Bed: We were fortunate to have a separate room for each baby, complete with an adult bed. This arrangement allowed me to sleep in the room with our daughter, helping her with nighttime feedings and providing comfort during the early sleep training stages. Don't get me wrong; the sleep training was hard and meant I would loose sleep in the process. However; I knew that the hard work during this time would pay off in a solid 8 hour uninterrupted sleep after a few weeks of this training.

• A Predictable Schedule: Mom’s on Call helped us establish a predictable schedule that our babies quickly adapted to. This made it easier to read their needs—whether they were crying due to hunger, a diaper change, or tiredness. Having this routine added consistency to our daily life, which we found helpful in adjusting to this new life.

How We Implemented the Mom’s on Call Schedule

The Mom’s on Call routine is centered around the idea of feeding, napping, and bedtime at set intervals. This schedule doesn’t just guide feeding times but also includes wake times, playtime, and a calming bedtime routine, all designed to help babies differentiate between day and night. Here’s how we applied this in our home:

1. Setting Up a Calming Bedtime Routine: We stuck to a simple, calming bedtime routine that involved dim lighting, a lullaby, and a cozy swaddle. This helped our babies associate the routine with winding down and prepared them for sleep.

2. Night Feeding and Soothing: Following the Mom’s on Call advice, we would do a final feeding at a specific time each night. I would feed and soothe our daughter, and eventually, she became used to the routine, which allowed her to sleep longer stretches between feedings.

3. Consistency: Consistency was our biggest takeaway from Mom’s on Call. The book recommends keeping as close to the schedule as possible each day, which helped our babies develop their own internal rhythm. Over time, our babies began to sleep longer at night and required fewer nighttime feedings.

What Worked and What Didn’t

While Mom’s on Call was immensely helpful for us, we found that flexibility was also necessary:

• Adjusting for Growth and Development: Babies go through growth spurts and developmental changes, which sometimes disrupted their sleep. During these times, we allowed for extra feedings or comfort when needed. The schedule provided structure, but we adjusted as necessary to meet our babies’ needs.

• Patience and Persistence: Like any routine, it took a few weeks before we saw consistent results. Having the patience to keep following the schedule—even when it was difficult—was key to our success.

Sleep Training Tools We Used

Besides the Mom’s on Call routine, we also used a few other tools that helped support our sleep training journey:

• White Noise Machine: White noise helped create a soothing environment for our babies and muffled household sounds that might wake them. We opted to use the Hatch white noise machine and have been very happy to this day!

• Swaddles and Sleep Sacks: We found that swaddling helped our babies feel secure, especially in the early weeks. As they grew, we transitioned to sleep sacks, which continued to provide comfort while allowing for movement. By far our favorite swaddle was the Ollie.

• Feeding Bottles with Vent Systems: Since we bottle-fed, we chose bottles with vent systems to reduce air intake, which helped minimize gassiness and discomfort that might disrupt sleep. We ended up finding that the traditional Gerber First Essentials worked the best for our kids; and adjusted the nipples as needed based on their age.

Final Thoughts: Do What Works for Your Family

While sleep training was the right choice for our family, we recognize that it may not work for everyone. Each baby is unique, and parents must consider their family’s specific circumstances, needs, and preferences. Flexibility, patience, and consistency are critical, but ultimately, each family has to find what brings them the most peace and rest.

If you’re considering sleep training, I recommend giving the Mom’s on Call method a try. It gave us the tools we needed to establish a routine, and I was grateful for the opportunity to play an active role in my children’s nighttime care. We hope that by sharing our journey, we can offer a bit of encouragement to others navigating the wonderful, albeit challenging, path of parenting.