A sleep expert says parents should start sleep training their babies as early as just THREE MONTHS - rather than "waiting until you're desperate".<br /><br />Catherine Hart, 40, specialises in sleep and has helped thousands of exhausted parents get their little one snoozing.<br /><br />While there are endless suggestions for the best way to do it, she warned there is a common mistake parents often make.<br /><br />She claims it's often suggested the right age to start sleep training a little one is between four and six months.<br /><br />But Catherine suggests it's actually better to do much earlier - at just three months old.<br /><br />She says this is because the older babies get, the more their habits become firm and more difficult to correct.<br /><br />Catherine - who is mum to Annabelle, six, and Evelyn, four - from Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, said: "A lot of parents don’t realise how much of an impact they can have on their children’s sleep.<br /><br />"There’s a lot of misconceptions and it's a hugely controversial topic - but parents underestimate what they can do.<br /><br />"Lots of parents get themselves in a position that is not sustainable at all - and then they can’t get out of it.<br /><br />"Lots of families these days are already so stretched - raising a child is hard enough then you throw sleep deprivation on top of that."<br /><br />Catherine said three months is a "great age" to start "getting onto things early" with sleep training.<br /><br />She claims the older babies are, the more aware they are of their surroundings and can start developing sleep anxiety, compared to at a younger age.<br /><br />The younger they are, the less likely they are to have hit milestones which add challenges, she says - such as being able to stand in their cot.<br /><br />Her expert other tips include establishing a consistent nap routine, using a white noise machine, and making sure the room is pitch black.<br /><br />She said: "People can underestimate the importance of a good sleep environment.<br /><br />"When they're no longer newborn, they know day versus night, so I'd recommend a pitch-black room - light plays an important role in the sleep and wake cycle.<br /><br />"A white noise sound machine will also keep a consistent environment and mask any household or external noises.<br /><br />"You should also pay attention to the room temperature, and ensure the baby is dressed appropriately for it.<br /><br />"I would say wake them up at a similar time each day, put them down for their naps at the same times each day, then put them to bed in the evening at the same time."<br /><br />With Catherine and her partner, Conan Dickie, 42, having been through the experience twice with their daughters, she knows firsthand how tough it can be.<br /><br />She encouraged parents not to be too hard on themselves - and reminds even if they are struggling, it won't last forever.<br /><br />Catherine said: "With my plans, I think some parents wait till they're desperate - then buy them at 3am when they are wide awake.<br /><br />"But I promise, even when it feels like they'll never sleep again, eventually they will.<br /><br />"The short-term phrase going through sleep training is hard, but eventually the family will get to sleep again.<br /><br />"The days are long, but the years are short - it will get better."<br /><br />CAT'S TOP FIVE TIPS TO GET BABIES TO SLEEP:<br /><br />1. Get on a consistent and predictable sleep schedule -babies LOVE routine and thrive on them.<br /><br />2. Put your baby down for sleep within their age-appropriate awake window.<br /><br />3. Don't put your baby to bed too late -they get their best sleep in the first 1/2 of the night.<br /><br />4. Do a bedtime routine -We know from studies children with a consistent bedtime routine from an early age are more likely to go to sleep earlier, take less time falling asleep, sleep longer and wake up less during the night.<br /><br />5. Teach your baby how to fall asleep on their own. It's that biggest factor that I've faced working with families that will significantly reduce night wakes and ensure longer naps.
