The Best Way to Get Your Baby to Sleep
New parents are always excited about the arrival of their little bundle of joy. Once the baby gets here, it doesn’t take long for new parents to realise it isn’t all fairy stories and fluffy rainbows. Some babies do fall asleep easily and sleep through the night, if this is your child you are really lucky. It often takes a quick rub on the back and the singing of a lullaby before they drift off for the night. Others have to cope with a bedtime battle every night. Hopefully, some of these tips will help you with the best way to get your baby to sleep.
Newborns constantly wake through the night, and then the parents are exhausted throughout the day. Trying to function and even go to work, when you are deprived of sleep is hard. You need to really find a good balance between being a good parent and living your life as normally as possible.
Swaddle your baby To Get Your Baby To Sleep
Swaddling your baby is the best way to calm your newborn and help them sleep. Your newborn baby is used to being in your tight tummy. So it is a shock when they come out into the big wide world and they don’t feel so secure.
To swaddle your baby, you lay down their muslin or blanket on a safe surface. Fold it into a diamond shape and smooth it down. Lay your baby on the diamond shape and put your baby’s right arm down by its side. Then wrap the right side of the blanket over the right arm and across to the left of its body. Tuck the blanket under their left side to keep it secure. Then take the bottom of the diamond and up towards the shoulders, but do not cover their face. Place your baby’s left arm down and take the blanket over to its right side. Then tuck the blanket under your baby. Your baby is secure and will sleep better at night, as well as be safer as they sleep.
As your baby gets older, you can change the swaddling to giving them a sleeping bag instead. A sleeping bag stops them from pulling a cover over their head and suffocating. It also keeps them warm and stops them from kicking blankets off throughout the night.
Creating Good Sleep Habits
As soon as your baby is born, try and stick to a decent sleep routine. Even from a newborn, have an evening routine with a bath, cuddles and then bed at a certain time. This creates consistency for your baby and they will feel safe if they know what is going to happen at bedtime. Having a routine will also help you to be able to relax in the evening and have some time for yourself.
However, you decide to put your child to bed it is totally up to you. Some parents choose to have a bedside sleeper for their baby, which is easy for nighttime feeds. Others choose to put their baby in their own bedroom as soon as they can. Some parents co-sleep with their babies and that is okay too. You will find your own way to create a good sleeping habit and find the best way to get your baby to sleep.
If you give your baby a bottle or breastfeed before you go to sleep at night, whether it is 10 pm, 11 pm or whatever. This helps them to sleep for longer through the night and gets them out of the habit of nighttime feeds.
Sing To Your Baby Or Read A Book To Help Them To Relax At Bedtime
When your baby is ready for bed and swaddled or in their sleeping bag, a story or gentle sing-song is a good idea to help your baby relax. It helps to turn bedtime into something to look forward to, as well as saying to them that it’s bedtime. Sing gentle songs and lullabies and find a book that isn’t too boisterous.
You could also try some baby massage with some baby lavender body lotion before you swaddle your baby. This will help them to relax with the massage as well as the aroma of the lavender.
You will find your own routine with your baby. And all babies are different so what works for you, might not work for someone else. So if your friend recommends a way to help settle your baby and get them ready for bed, and it doesn’t work – it’s okay. You will find your own way between the two of you and remember things will always get better.
