As a working mom, getting your baby to sleep can be a challenge. These baby sleeping tips can help you establish a healthy sleep routine for your baby that will help you rest too.
Each baby will have a pattern of sleeping and waking.
Some babies sleep much more than others. Some sleep for a long period while others rest in short bursts. Your baby’s sleeping habits are unlikely to be the same as other babies you know. It’s common for babies to resist when being soothed to sleep. Babies waking up crying after a few minutes or hours after falling asleep is also not unusual. Has this been your life lately? Worry not, mom! We’re here for useful tips that will help your baby sleep better.
Baby sleeping tips
Have a routine
Starting a sleeping routine is the first step to helping your baby sleep. You can turn the light low, sing a lullaby, or read a bedtime story. Consistency will help your baby learn what to expect. Do the activities at the same time and in the same order every night. Environmental cues assist your baby in understanding when it’s time to sleep. Keep your voice low and reduce the distractions such as loud music and television. Avoid playing with your baby right before bedtime. Limit how stimulated your baby is by your presence.
Put your baby to bed drowsy but awake
Putting your baby drowsy will help them learn to self-soothe and fall asleep. When you put your baby in a crib when drowsy, they will recognize the surroundings when they wake up at night. This will help them go back to sleep without your help. You can practice putting your baby to bed while awake, especially during nap time.
Let your baby work it out
Don’t hurry to put your baby back to sleep with the slightest cry you hear. This can create a cycle that will be hard to break. As long as your baby is not hungry, and the nappy is not wet, pause for a minute and see if they can work it out. Give your baby space to allow self-soothing skills to develop naturally, over time. If they can’t, go in and soothe while still in the crib but don’t pick them up.
Take early bedtime and naps seriously
A well-rested baby will sleep better than a tired one. Skipping nap time during the day in hopes that your baby will sleep longer at night doesn’t work. When a baby is tired their stress hormones rise. A tired baby will fall asleep for a short time due to stress hormones which wake them in a light sleep stage. The daytime naps are important for getting a baby to sleep at night.
Bedtime timing is also as important as routine. Babies have a rise in melatonin, also known as the sleeping hormone, with the evening darkness. That means they are ready for early bedtime consistent with the sun setting. Keeping them up late has them stimulated and makes it hard to put them to sleep.
Don’t feed to sleep
Most babies fall asleep when eating. If your baby dozes off often while feeding, they will think that they need to eat so that they can sleep. To prevent this issue, feed them early until they get through it. If they need nighttime feeding let it be because of hunger but not soothing back to sleep.
Getting your baby to sleep is a skill that needs consistency and patience. Your baby needs many tries to get into good sleeping habits. Give the technique you choose a chance to work. You will get there if you keep at it. Remember: help your baby with the practice of falling asleep, but also leave them some space to show their capability.