• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Because dads don’t always think like moms™

  • Dad
    • Celebrities
    • Gay Dads
    • Sex
    • Single Dads
  • Pregnancy
    • Labor or Delivery
    • Pregnant Wife
  • Baby
    • Baby Naming
    • Feeding
    • Sleep
    • Toilet Training
  • Kids
  • Teens
  • Activities
    • Local
    • By Age
    • Movie Reviews
    • Celebrations
  • Toys
    • We Recommend
    • Toys
  • Coaching for Dads
  • Great Dad Talks Podcast

Falling Asleep on Her Own

November 4, 2007 by GreatDad Writers Leave a Comment

Question“My baby wakes up almost every night and cries until I go to her. Then she wants to play instead of sleep. What can I do?”

Answer If she wakes in the night and cries for you, wait for about five minutes. She may be able to fall back to sleep by herself. If her crying continues, go to her. Speak softly to her to comfort her. You can rub her stomach, but don’t pick her up.

If she needs a diaper change or seems sick, take care of that. Avoid feeding her unless you think she is truly hungry. Then tell her it is time to sleep, and leave her alone. Don’t play with her, or she will begin to expect you to play every night.

Most babies will learn to fall back to sleep by themselves. Babies who wake up a lot or cry for a long time during the night may be sick. Talk with your doctor or clinic about what to do.

Try this idea as you train your baby to fall asleep on her own:


Your baby needs to learn how to fall asleep by herself. You can help her by doing the same things each night when you put her to bed. Doing the same things before bedtime will help her know that it is time to sleep.

At the same time each night, rock her for a few minutes and sing to her or read her a book. Don’t let her fall asleep in your arms. As she gets sleepy, put her down in her bed. Put a favorite toy in bed with her. Stay with her for a moment. Then leave her alone to fall asleep by herself.

This content has been provided freely by CMC. Click Healthy Start, Grow Smart—Your-Six-Month-Old for your free download. Click GreatDad Free Ebook to download the entire Health Start, Grow Smart series.

Note: For info on sex after delivery, subscribe now to the GreatDad newsletter for new dads.

Previous / Next: Grandparents and Other Adults

Filed Under: Baby

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Great Dad Talks

Great Dad Talks
Great Dad Talks

Great Dad Talks is a series of conversations with experts on all aspects of the family adventure. With the perspective that “dads don’t always think like moms,” our mission is to support dad voices and our slightly different approaches to parenting. We’ll try to find solutions to every day challenges like getting kids off the couch and making STEM classes available for both boys and girls. But we’ll also tackle bigger issues when they come. The one main theme will be to support dads in the most important role of their lives that of being a great dad. Connect with us at greatdad.com and watch the video version of these podcasts at YouTube.com/greatdadnews

145. Understanding Children’s Emotional Needs with Dr. David Marcus
byPaul Banas

Today we delve into the complexities of fatherhood with David Marcus, Ph.D., an expert with over forty years of experience working with families and children. In this enlightening conversation, we explore the essential components of communicating with your child, focusing on the development of a common emotional language. Learn about the four assumptions of emotionality that parents often make and discover strategies to foster a safe and open environment for meaningful conversations at any age.

Check out Dr. Marcus’ website at parentrx.org

Visit these links and embark on the path to becoming the best parent you can be:

– GreatDad.com/coaching 

– GreatDad.com/pq 

– Gratitude course: bit.ly/3NMLDNC  

50% off for podcast listeners with code PODCAST50

145. Understanding Children’s Emotional Needs with Dr. David Marcus
145. Understanding Children’s Emotional Needs with Dr. David Marcus
May 13, 2025
Paul Banas
144. Exploring Mindful Fatherhood with Odeani Mc Bean
May 6, 2025
Paul Banas
143. Overcoming Dad Burnout with Scott Anderson
April 29, 2025
Paul Banas
142. Building Resilient Kids with Dr. Richard Oelberger
April 24, 2025
Paul Banas
141. Exploring Men’s Sexual Health with Dr. Elliot Justin
April 22, 2025
Paul Banas
140. Instilling Values and Financial Literacy with Barclay Roper
April 15, 2025
Paul Banas
139. Adaptive Cooking Tools and Techniques with Douglas Katz
April 8, 2025
Paul Banas
138. Exploring Masculinity and Men’s Groups with Jason Lange
April 1, 2025
Paul Banas
137. Modern Tech for Kids with Damien Schreurs
March 25, 2025
Paul Banas
136. Addressing the Gender Education Gap with Sean Kullman
March 18, 2025
Paul Banas
Search Results placeholder

More to See

Adaptive Cooking Tools and Techniques with Douglas Katz

April 24, 2025 By Paul Banas

Lingo and Stelo CGM kits

How Dads Can Master Glucose Monitoring in 2025

May 14, 2025 By Paul Banas

Copyright © 2025 . GreatDad