Will we have to teach our child to fall asleep on its own in order to improve its sleep pattern?

The inability to fall asleep on one’s own is often the cause of sleeping problems; however, a number of children who do not fall asleep on their own do not have any trouble with their sleep. Sometimes, taking care of the following aspects of sleep hygiene brings incredible results (children fall asleep faster and wake up at night less often, thus they do not need to learn to fall asleep on their own):

• correct, age-appropriate nap, awake and asleep times
• introducing a regular, relaxing bedtime ritual
• providing an optimal place to sleep
• avoiding caffeine and other stimulants (applies to older children and breastfeeding mums)