Sleep Strategies for Strong Willed Babies

Have a Routine

• Having a relaxing bedtime routine lets your child know when it's time to sleep. Since communication with young children can be difficult, developing a routine is very important. Make sure that your routine is the same every night, suggests the Zero to Three. Since this routine is customizable, develop one that fits in with your lifestyle. Parents often include a bath, cuddle time and a bedtime song or story in their children's routines.

Look for Irritants

• In some cases, external sources could keep your baby awake, rather than a strong will. If your baby has a cold or a stuffy nose, it can make sleeping difficult. This is particularly true for babies less than 6-months-old, as they struggle to switch between nose-breathing and mouth-breathing, notes the AskDrSears website. Keep nasal irritants, such as dust, perfume, smoke and hairspray, away from where the baby sleeps. You can also use salt-water nose drops to clear your baby's nose before bed. Keep in mind that your infant's sleepwear can also hinder her sleep patterns. Dressing her in 100 percent cotton can reduce irritations, which could improve her sleep.

Responding

• When your baby wakes up during the night, the way in which you respond helps determine how your baby will sleep afterwards. Some parents find that rushing to the child's side immediately is the best way to calm him. Other parents will delay their response in hopes that the baby will calm himself and go back to sleep. Monitor your baby to see how he responds after waking up and come up with a plan based on his reaction. If he's likely to calm himself, let him do it. If you do go to him, it's important that you don't stimulate your baby at night, as this acts as a reward for waking up, notes the AskDrSears website. This means that you don't want to turn on the lights or act all happy and chipper when you see your little one. Instead, speak in hushed whispers to try to cajole him back to sleep. If you're still nursing, nurse him and then try to get him right back to sleep.

Weaning

• High-need babies often want to nurse throughout the night, notes the AskDrSears website. If your strong-willed baby is also a child with high needs, you might have to work at weaning her off nighttime feedings very gradually. You can begin by moving her crib away from your bed -- and into her own room. You'll also want to offer more meals during the day. Once your strong-willed baby is 1-year-old, try offering cow's milk -- first in a bottle and then in a sippy cup. Follow your baby's cues. Try comforting her without offering your breast. Provide a snugly blanket, a cuddly toy or pacifier for comfort instead. Keep in mind that weaning a baby from nighttime feedings is not a fast process. It can takes many weeks or months, especially with an strong-willed baby.

Plan Ahead

• Remember that your baby will likely cry as you attempt to teach her good sleep habits, but do not interpret this as a failure. A strong-willed baby could cry more than others, but she will eventually settle into new habits. Develop a plan ahead of time for checking on her when she cries during the night, so that you know how you will respond. If you plan to let her cry for 10 minutes before checking on her, set a stopwatch and stay out of her room until that time elapses. Talk about your plan with your partner and stick with it every night.