We parents worry about our babies, and we? should! With every night waking, as we have been tending to our child's nightly? needs, we have also been reassured that our baby is doing fine - every hour or? two all night long. We get used to these checks; they provide continual? reassurance of Baby's safety.

"The first time my baby slept five? straight hours, I woke up in a cold sweat. I nearly fell?out of bed and ran down the hall. I was? so sure that something was horribly wrong. I nearly wept when I found her sleeping? peacefully." - Azza, mother of seven-month-old Laila

Co-sleeping parents are not exempt from? these fears. Even if you are sleeping right next to your baby, you'll find that? you have become used to checking on her frequently through the night. Even when? she's sleeping longer stretches, you aren't sleeping, because you're? still on security duty.

These are very normal worries, rooted in? your natural instincts to protect your baby. Therefore, for you to allow your? baby to sleep for longer stretches, you'll need to find ways to feel confident? that your baby is safe-all night long.

Once you reassure yourself that your baby? is safe while you sleep, you'll have taken that first step toward helping her? sleep all night.

Belief That Things Will Change? on Their Own

You may hope, pray, and wish that one fine? night, your baby will magically begin to sleep through the night. Maybe you're? crossing your fingers that he'll just "outgrow" this stage, and you won't have? to do anything different at all. It's a very rare night-waking baby who? suddenly decides to sleep through the night all on his own. Granted, this may? happen to you-but your baby may be two, three or four years old when it does!? Decide now whether you have the patience to wait that long, or if you are ready? to gently move the process along.

Too Fatigued to Work Toward? Change

Change requires effort, and effort requires? energy. In an exhausted state, we may find it easier just to keep things as? they are than try something different. In other words, when Baby wakes for the? fifth time that night, and I'm desperate for sleep, it's so much easier just to? resort to the easiest way to get him back to sleep (rock, nurse, or replace the? pacifier) than it is to try something different.

Only a parent who is truly sleep deprived? can understand what I'm saying here. Others may calmly advise, "Well if things? aren't working for you, just change what you're doing." However, every night? waking puts you in that foggy state where the only thing you crave is going? back to sleep-plans and ideas seem like too much effort.

If you are to help your baby sleep all? night, you will have toforce yourself to make some changes and? follow your plan, even in the middle of the night, even if it's the tenth time? your baby has called out for you.?

So, after reading this section and you're sure you and your baby are? ready, it's time for you to make a commitment to change. That is the? first important step to helping your baby sleep through the night.

Excerpted with permission by McGraw-Hill/Contemporary? Publishing from The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby? Sleep Through the Night by Elizabeth Pantley, copyright 2002 Website: http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth">http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth>