5 Important Tips For Your Baby's Sleep
- Linzi Whittaker
- Feb 25, 2019
- 3 min read
Introduction
Dreaming of a better night’s sleep for you and your child? Whether you’re dealing with bouts of teething or illness, or just general night-wakings, you might feel as though you’re in a never-ending cycle of sleep deprivation.
The good news is, no matter how many “bumps or hurdles” you and your baby encounter on the road to better sleep, there are some tried-and-tested sleep strategies that’ll help to instil good sleep habits. Let's have a look below and see some amazing tips.
Tip 1
Steer clear of sleep props
Although you can cuddle and hold your baby as much as you like, little one’s also need the chance to develop self-soothing strategies (such as sucking on their fists when they’re tiny) so that they’re able to fall asleep independently and put themselves back to sleep when they wake in the night. If they depend on a sleep prop to fall back to sleep, chances are they’ll need your help every time they wake in the night.
Some examples of sleep props are: nursing or a bottle, pacifier, rocking, bouncing, patting or riding in the car. Soft toys and blankets are OK as they help your little one feel more secure and it’s easier for them to snuggle a toy or blanket all night.
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Tip 2
Keep your baby awake while feeding
Many sleep experts have researched that feeding to sleep is one of the most certified methods to create a lasting habit where your little one relies on you to fall asleep. While this might be fine when your baby is under six months, it starts to become a problem later on as they grow, even when you technically don’t need to feed at night anymore. If you’re feeding your baby in the night, do your best to keep them awake. This will help significantly break the association that sleeping and eating go hand-in-hand.
Tip 3
Use dimmers.
Light is one way to regulate babies' circadian rhythm – the body's internal clock. Plug your lamps into dimmer units, and when the sun goes down in the evening, lower the lights – even if your baby isn't going right to bed. To reinforce these rhythms, make sure your home is brightly lit during the day, even if he's napping.
Tip 4
Cut the caffeine.
You know too much java can rev you up and leave you wide-eyed. It can do the same for your little one, specifically if you're breastfeeding. Caffeine from coffee and soda can turn up in breast milk. "A large coffee drink can provide enough caffeine to affect a newborn," Dr. Greene says. "It accumulates in his body quickly and stays with him longer than it does with you – about 96 hours."
Tip 5
Do a quick spa treatment.
Studies done at the Touch Research Institutes at the University of Miami School of Medicine found that newborns who had a bedtime massage fell asleep faster and slept more soundly than those who didn't have one. Before bed, give your child a 15-minute massage using slow strokes, moderate pressure, and a baby-safe oil. This should certainly help them with sleeping faster.
Did this guide help you? If so, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Good luck!
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