Sleep is very important to babies’ health and development. If your baby does not get enough sleep, he may have trouble getting through the day and especially a night.
As a parent, it is good to know that napping actually helps a baby to sleep easily at night, so it is a wrong belief that keeping your baby awake during the daytime will make him sleep better at night.
Getting baby to sleep may be a difficult time for most parents. Most parents look forwards to the night they can put their baby to sleep in the crib and get some undisturbed sleep for themselves.
If the baby frequently wakes during the night, the parents get easily exhausted too.
So, it is very essential to overcome your baby’s sleeping problems as soon as you can to assist your baby into a health growth and development. Getting your baby to sleep is not an easy job and comprehensive baby sleep training is required.
Here are 10 simple but effective things you can do to help your baby get more sleep:
1. A Tired Baby Makes a Sleepy Baby
When are you the most tired and sleep soundly? After you have had a full day. When you are active and busy, you fall asleep quickly and sleep better. The same can be said for your baby. When they are active, they get tired and sleep. Don’t expect your baby to have a nap a couple of hours before bed and expect them to sleep all through the night. Give them activity and get them tired.
Take them for a walk after dinnerPlay games with themAllow them to play with their favorite toys
2. Decide Where Baby Sleeps Better
Unfortunately, you will need to adapt to your baby’s rhythm because the child will constantly change his preferences and sleep tastes. Therefore, there is no ideal place for a baby to sleep comfortably: some babies will calm only when they are in the mother’s arms, others will feel best when placed in the baby crib, others sleep better in the parent’s room. Learn to adapt on the fly and try various locations because they will change as the baby passes from one stage of growth in another.
3. Check The Clothing
Some babies sleep better when wrapped because they feel safer, others do not bear tight clothes or bedding and prefer to sleep dressed lighter. High temperature in the room can be a disturbing factor for the small one. Test different styles of dressing and observe which one works better.
4. Get The Best Baby Crib You Can Afford
Remember that the baby will sleep for a long time in his crib, so it’s important to choose the best baby crib you can afford. You can opt between iron baby cribs or wooden baby cribs. Both types have advantages and disadvantages, but you will only have to buy it once. So my advice is to choose wisely.
5. Bedtime Routine
Children love routines. They have to have them. Give them a bedtime routine. They will be more receptive to sleep and staying asleep.
Begin bedtime activities around the same time every night.Nightly bathsRead a story before bedEstablish a calm and soothing routine that will create memories in the years to come.
6. Keep The Baby Calm Before Bedtime
If the baby was fussy during the day, do not expect him to sleep as soon as you lay him in bed. Give him a helping hand and calm him as much as you can before sleep. For example, let him sit in your arms or baby swing them in a baby sling for 20 minutes ( Read this post to choose best baby swing). It’s important to feed your baby before bedtime, this way he will learn that he should eat during day and sleep at night. This one of the most important sleeping tip I can give you.
7. The Room Need To Be Clean And Airy
You need to ensure that the room of the baby is clean and airy. The temperature of the room should be comfortable enough – neither too chilly, nor too warm.
Check to ensure that the blankets available with bassinet baby bedding is not wrapped very tightly around the baby’s body and that it is providing the baby adequate space to sleep comfortably. The clothes of the baby should also be checked and in case they are too tight, they should be loosened to allow the baby to sleep comfortably.
Another interesting factor, which can ensure that your baby sleeps well, is related to its hunger patterns. Many Moms fail to understand that the baby does not want to sleep because it is hungry. Therefore, you need to ensure that your baby is not hungry and its tummy is reasonably full.
8. Solid Foods Can Help
What your child eats can affect their sleep patterns. You’ll notice a big change once your baby is read to get on more solid foods. Just a little cereal in their milk can make them sleep better at night. I began introducing cereal in the evening feeding and they slept much better. Don’t you get sleepy after a heavy meal? It doesn’t take much to make a baby sleep. Just a little solid food helps a lot.
Introduce cereal in the milkAdd baby food at the evening meals before the other meals of the dayGive baby a snack an hour or two before bed
9. Remove Noise Sources
It is indicated for the baby to sleep in a room that will not be disturbed by the noise of outside cars, the TV in the living room or bigger brother playing around. However, you can use rhythmic sounds at low levels. These factors will induce a state of sleepiness: the ticking clock, flowing tap water noise, a quiet song or recorded with mother’s voice.
10. Peaceful Sounds and Smells
I found success with my children by playing peaceful sounds. The sound of the ocean or of birds can be soothing. Even the soft music of classical music can work. A baby is always soothed with pleasant sounds. Remember that they slept for many months with the sound of mama’s heartbeat. Sounds help them even after they are born.
A pleasant smell can help your child sleep. Ask anyone who is familiar with aromatherapy. Scents impact you. They help you relax and to sleep. Don’t be too overpowering with the smells. Floral sounds are good to start with.
In case the baby continues to cry constantly in the toddler baby bedding, or the baby bedding crib set, you can take the little one in your arms and hold it close to your body. You can also rock the baby gently either in your arms, or in a rocking chair. Rocking will make your baby comfortable and induce sleep.
Children have to learn to sleep on their own throughout the night. Help them by being flexible and willing to experiment with many different things. Using all of the tips above at once won’t work. Using just one might not work. Try using a variety of these tips and see which ones work the best for you and your baby.