
When Do I Start Baby Sleep Training if My Child is Chronically Sleep Deprived??
Would you like to have me answer your sleep question in my next video? If so, scroll down and submit your question in the comment section below. I will pick several questions a month to answer and post them here on the blog!
If you would rather read than watch my above video then here is the transcript of this week’s video:
Hi! Kim West, The Sleep Lady. And today, I’m going to answer Brandy’s question.
Brandy wrote in the following, “We’re stuck in a terrible cycle of overtiredness. My eight and a half month old used to be able to put himself to sleep but now, he fights with a vengeance. I’ve even tried driving all around starting two hours after he wakes from his second nap but that doesn’t work either. He takes two 45- to 70-minute naps a day and refuses to take a third. We put him to bed at 6:30 but he’s usually been up for five hours at that point. He wakes regularly through the night and he is up between 6:00 and 6:30 for the day. We are ready to sleep train but everything says not to start when the baby is overtired. I don’t know how to break this cycle. Brandy”
It is true that the ideal time and place to start sleep training is when you have three weeks at home that you can dedicate to sleep coaching. You are right that I also recommend that we start sleep coaching at night sleep first and that you start on the first night at bedtime after a great day of naps any way you can get them.
Sometimes, that doesn’t work because our child has outgrown their sleep crutch for their naps and we have no choice but to start sleep coaching with an overtired child and parent! If possible, pick a day where he’s had two 70-minute naps that you talked about. Make sure the first one is not before 8:00 a.m. and ideally that the second one is not before 12:00 noon.
If your baby will no longer sleep when you take him for a car ride, then you will have to put him to bed at 6:30 or 7:00 p.m. awake and start the Shuffle. And then, of course, the next day, you’re going to have to start nap coaching.
It won’t be ideal but I want you know Brandy, you’re not alone. I have plenty of parents where we have to do everything together. We have no backup desperation nap plans like cars, swings, stroller and we just have to do all of the naps in the crib. It’s not easy but I want you to know that eight and a half months is a great age to sleep coach. Children this age learn very quickly and it should take approximately seven to ten nights for him to start largely sleeping through the night. In two to three weeks, naps are greatly improved.
I hope that helps. Keep up the good work!
Sweet dreams,
Kim, The Sleep Lady
If you have successfully sleep coached your baby for night and day sleep at the same time, please encourage Brandy to get started! Please feel free to click the “reply” link under this article and leave them a comment. Supporting each other makes parenting so much easier!




We have tried the sleep training off & on for what seems like forever now. He never really napped once he got past the newborn stage. He started sleeping thrugh the night around 2 mos but then around 4 mos I got sick 7 when he would awake I didn't want to take the time to shush him back to sleep so I started putting him in bed & nursing. So we went from sleeping all night to part co-sleeping to co-sleeping attached t my boob all night. Around 8 mos we moved him to his own room & I would nurse in there a few times a night. After Easter I decided that if I was ever going to make it that we had to get things figured out & get serious. I had read the book several times but was never consistent in my training. We couldn't start with a well rested baby b/c he wouldn't nap no matter how many crutches we tried. A friend of mine was a huge support & told me she sleep trained her 3 boys & despite a few days of crying for long periods of time they all learned to sleep & are well adjusted & mentally unharmed :) So I jumped in full fledged & just did it. As I am typing this he is into his nap for
1 hr 45 min & it is such a relief! Yes, he still wakes occasionally & I can't run the vacuum whiles he's sleeping as he is a very alert baby but Kim is a God-send & I can't thank you enough. I have a friend who has a 7 mo old who also has sleep issues & she told me yesterday that our babies just weren't ready before. I told my husband last night that when I thought about it it wasn't our son that wasn't ready but it was us. You have to get to that point where you decide that you will do what it takes & that it will be ok. Believe me, it was hard & there was alot of tears. by the time I started Ean had started standing in his crib & would scream & reach for me. But now at 11 & 1/2 mos old, he is a much more well rested baby who is alot happier to be around & I have my life back. Please everyone, stick with this & you will see results. It's still hard. Last night I was getting in the bath & he woke up & was crying for 10 min & my husband patted him then let him go back to sleep on his own. I was still almost in tears over hearing him cry but now I know that he will survive & how cruicial this is to his devolopemnt. Well I hear him waking so i will end. Good luck to all & thanks again Kim!
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