One of the questions that parents most often ask is how they can get their baby on a sleep schedule that’s more compatible with their own lives. The fact of the matter is that babies sleep differently than adults, and it takes time for a baby’s system to get to the place where it’s on a schedule that’s going to fit your schedule. That’s just part of being a parent. Losing sleep is something that comes with the package, and if you didn’t expect it then you probably weren’t really listening to everyone around you talking about how new parents don’t get any sleep.

There are some things you can do to help adjust your baby’s sleep schedule. For some babies, it’s just a matter of eliminating all of the potential sensory distractions around them. Getting some room-darkening shades, or using a white noise sleep CD or MP3 might be just the thing that your little one needs in order to shut out all of the various experiences that are constantly bombarding his senses.

What you can’t do is to try to manipulate your baby’s sleep schedule just by waking her up before she’s ready or by forcing her to stay awake longer than what she wants to. Doing these kinds of things will only make your baby cranky. She’s cranky because she’s overly tired. When a baby is overly tired, she may have even more trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, which only compounds the problems you’re having when trying to adjust your baby’s sleep schedule.

In the end, you need to be able to focus on what your baby truly needs and wants. If you can meet your baby’s needs, he’ll eventually fall asleep. Before you know it, he’ll be sleeping longer and longer at night, and sleeping less and less during the daytime. Eventually, he’ll even be on a schedule that tends to work for your lifestyle.

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