Are you having trouble with baby sleeping through the night or naps during the day? Mother’s know how hard it can be to get some shut eye when their baby has a sleep problem at night or during the day. This is especially common with newborns as they are used to sleeping during the day when in the womb and awake at night so getting them on the same schedule and routine as everyone else does take some doing.
We have done some research and had several mothers and pediatricians weigh in with their baby sleep advice and what they recommend for a baby sleeping problem. Because each child has a different temperament and has varying needs, the phrase, “mother knows best” pretty much sums it up when it comes to caring for your child. What works for one may not work for another but there seems to be enough on our list to try that you should have no problem getting your babies sleeping through the night. Most of these do vary with your baby’s development stages which are ever changing. Without further ado here are our top ten
Baby Sleeping Tips:
1. Nighttime Rituals- Babies learn by association and routine –therefore, bedtime rituals are key to giving your baby the signal that it is time to go to bed. Babies sleep patterns are learned early and giving them signals such as a warm bath, dimmed lights, and nursing just before bed are great ways to get them settled down for a good nights sleep.
2. Fill up the tank- Moms and experts agree that feeding baby before bed time not only helps baby relax and dose off to sleep but can actually keep baby asleep longer. Older babies that are able to eat cereal keep a full belly longer when given cereal before nursing or another option that many moms use is adding rice cereal to a bottle of formula.
3. Create a sleeping Environment- When it comes to bedtime a room that is clutter free of toys and is dark and cool in temperature- babies sleeping best at temperatures between 68 and 72 degrees- is a known solution to help a baby sleep. Toys and clutter that is put away tells baby that it is not time to play but rather time to sleep. Nighttime shades over windows or a simple blanket work wonders in creating a room ready for sleeping for you and for baby.
4. Soothing Sounds- Some baby noise machines have soothing lullabies or even sounds of the ocean that are great for blocking out other household noises( older children, etc.) so that babies sleep is not interrupted. Some white noises such as a household fan can work wonders for helping baby fall to sleep or blocking out other noises.
5. Consistent Daily Naps and routines- This is one of the most important baby sleep tips as it is all about consistency when it comes to raising children. Daily routines that are mellow with scheduled naps lead to a very successful nights sleep. If baby has not had consistent naps during the day and your routine has been hectic during the day- baby will be over tired and not ready for bed when evening comes.
6. Lay off the Caffeine- If you are breastfeeding this is definitely one that applies to you. The caffeine in a large cup of coffee or soda is enough to affect your baby and it lasts a lot longer in their system then you would think- over 72 hour. This can be another obstacle in creating good sleeping habits for your baby as caffeine can make them restless and irritable. If you are looking for a better alternative to staying a wake and finding some energy make sure you are taking a good multi vitamin and eating right and you are sure to get some energy back. There are several store multi-vitamins- especially Costco brand vitamins- that are very inexpensive and healthy way to vamp up that energy and are good for your baby.
7. Diaper Duty- It is something that most moms are told when they have a newborn- change them with each feeding but the truth is that unless your baby has super sensitive skin or tends to get diaper rash easily- it is not necessary to change them unless they diaper is noticeably soiled. This will save you an extra step in the nighttime and daytime routine as every little step adds up when it comes to sleep for you and your baby.
8. Cry it out- This one is by far one of the hardest and trickiest sleeping tips for most moms. There are differing opinions on whether you should let your little one "cry it out" and learn to fall asleep on his or her own or if you should come to the rescue every time they cry and comfort them back to sleep. Since mom knows best we will give you the facts and leave it up to you to decide what is best for your baby. Recent studies show that by about six months of age, babies that are healthy and full term are capable of fasting up to ten hours through the night. Rest assured- as long as they have been fed enough during the day and right before bedtime they should not be waking up for a snack at night. So brake the late night habit while you can and try letting them fuss for about five minutes and see what happens. You may have to repeat this process several times but start with five minute intervals and comfort them in between with a back rub or lullaby. Most moms have seen results by day 2-4 so hang in there it is worth it.
9. More sleep please- On average babies three to six months of age need 15-16 hours of sleep a day- including 2 naps during the day. Older babies from 6-12 months typically need 14 hours which also includes 2 naps during the day. It is recommended that you have the 2nd nap for your baby during the day no later than 3 in the afternoon as it can throw bed time off schedule if baby is not tired come 8 at night. Most moms will schedule their naptime from 10-12 AM for the first nap and 2-4 for the last nap of the day- but with busy schedules these times are definitely flexible but need to be somewhat frequent to establish a good sleeping routine.
10. Wrap them up- Swaddling is a great way to get your tired and anxious infant to relax and go to sleep. Newborns especially are used to being in a tight environment in the womb and when they are born tend to get anxious and upset when their arms and legs are flailing about. So next time your baby is tired and fussing try swaddling them and relaxing the tension in your arms while holding them if you are stressed as babies tend to feed off of the signals you sometimes don't even know you are sending them.
