Having a baby is considered to be one of the biggest miracles in life. A little bundle of joy created with love. Unfortunately, that little bundle of joy has not quite yet quite grasped the concept of sleep! If you’re already a parent you will understand the woes of losing sleep, and if you’re just joining this adventure of becoming a parent, good luck!
But not to worry, here at Silentnight, we have curated our top ten tips on getting your baby sound asleep (well as close as!), from newborn to beyond!
White Noise
When your baby leaves the womb, they face a pretty tough readjustment period; after all, they have just left the comfort of the womb and have entered this big, wide world! Playing some white noise whilst they sleep can often mimic the sounds of the womb and can be of some comfort to your baby whilst helping them get to sleep.
Swaddling
Swaddling is the practice of wrapping up your baby in a blanket tightly. This provides them with a sense of comfort and warmth, which again can mimic the security and safety of the womb, and can comfort them when they feel overstimulated from a long day.
Lights Down Low
Just like grown-ups, babies recognise that bright light can simulate daytime, and being awake. An hour prior to bedtime, dim the lights to relax and calm your baby down, so they recognise that it’s time to go to sleep.
Check For The Obvious
Don’t expect your baby to settle and have a night time routine straight away, but if you find that they are restless at night, have a check for the obvious; do they need a change? A feed? Colic? All little things, but these things can contribute to a restless night.
Soothe & Feed
All babies are different. You may find that your baby is often restless at night, and that’s okay. They may be experiencing some separation anxiety being away from you; to combat this soothe your baby with cuddles and hugs before bed. Another key cure to restlessness is feeding your baby, some days they may need more food than others.
Familiarise
Familiarise your baby with their environment and let them explore their surroundings. If you are expecting, you and your partner could sleep with a stuffed animal or security blanket, in order to familiarise your newborn with the scent of their new surroundings.
Teething
As your baby gets older they may experience teething, which is said to be so painful adults could not go through it now! Soothe the pain in their gums with a cold teething toy, or a teething gel.
Zen Mode For Babies
Before bedtime gets your baby into zen mode. Turn the lights down, and read a bedtime story or sing a lullaby. All of these aspects can contribute to a calm, relaxing environment for your baby to wind down and get to sleep.
All Grown Up
It is recommended that your baby sleeps in the same room as you up until the 6-month mark. After this point, while you could still let them sleep in your room, you might consider putting them in their own room. Even the sound of a grown-up turning in bed is enough to wake your baby up from their sleep!
Consistency Is Key
If you have a sleep routine that works for both you and baby, stick with it! Nothing is worse for your baby’s sleep than to make a drastic, unfamiliar change in their daily pattern. Whatever you choose to do, be consistent and familiar with it.
Whilst your baby is never going to have a fully fledged night time routine we hope these tips and tricks will help!
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Check out our blog on ‘Understanding your babies sleep timeline’.
