Start a Sleep Log

I know you're totally anxious to get your kid sleeping (like 12 hours in a row, PLEASE!) but before you can help her learn how to do that, you need to understand how she's sleeping now. Keeping a log of your kid's sleeping patterns is important because it gives you a vivid picture of your child's sleep schedule. It also helps you identify her sleep crutches as well as your scheduling flaws so you can help correct them! Writing everything down will also help you detect her good patterns—what you are doing right—and that's a foundation upon which you can build to create a great sleeper!
Grab a notebook and a pen, nothing fancy, and keep the log somewhere you can easily access it at 3 AM. Some parents find it best to keep the log right next to baby's bed so they can groggily scribble notes in the middle of the night. Here's what to put in the log:

• Where and at what time your baby or kid goes to sleep at night
• What time and for how long she naps
• What time she wakes up in the morning
• When she cries, for how long, what kind of cry (i.e., a whimper or a full-out screaming fit)
• The timing and frequency of night awakenings. What time did she wake up? How long does it take you to get her back to sleep?
• What do you do to get her back to sleep? Do you rock her, walk her, nurse her, sing to her, rub her back or take her into your bed?

Keep it simple enough so that it's manageable for you, but detailed enough so that you can see patterns emerge. Tracking your kid's sleep patterns will help you better read the cues she sends when she's tired so you can seize a sleep opportunity before that lethal second wind of energy kicks in. The log will also help you detect what situations or circumstances throw your child off so you can figure out how to avoid them or compensate for them in the future. And finally, the log will help you see much more vividly those little steps of progress that might not be so clear to you from day to day—or night to night. And seeing progress helps keep you consistent and committed!
Do you feel like you have a handle on your kid's sleep habits? Are you ready to face the music? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
More sleep advice articles:

• Commit to Getting Your Kid to Sleep
• Educate Yourself About Your Child's Sleep
• The Importance of Consistency When Sleep Coaching
• Create a Soothing Bedtime Routine
• Create a Sleep-Friendly Bedroom
• The Importance of Putting Your Kid to Sleep "Drowsy but Awake"
• The Sleep Lady Shuffle: What It Is and How To Do It
• Do Step 1 of the Sleep Lady Shuffle
• Do Step 2 of the Sleep Lady Shuffle
• Do Step 3 of the Sleep Lady Shuffle
• Be Your Kid's Nap Coach
• Check Off Your Sleep Coaching Checklist
• Create a Solid Sleep Plan
• Nightmares and Night Terrors (And How to Tell the Difference)
• Potty Training and Sleep
• End Early Rising
• The Sleep Lady on Transitioning Your Kid from a Crib to a Big-Kid Bed
• Ending Bedtime Stalling