Tips for getting your baby to sleep and to keep them sleeping through the night.

Bedtime routines mean that babies routinely sleep.

Bedtime routines mean that babies routinely sleep.

Nothing is more frustrating than a baby crying through the night. By the end of an hour you are feeling like crying right along with them. Exhaustion is expected in the first weeks after the birth of your baby as they need to feed more often at this stage in order to grow. This should only last a few weeks until the baby is able to consume enough during the day to get them through the night.

The trouble is that there are other factors besides hunger that may be waking your baby during the night or keeping them from falling asleep in the evening. Here are some tips to help you get your baby into a routine of a sleep filled night so you both can get some rest.

  1. Stick to a routine. Pick a time when you want your baby to go to bed and plan YOUR time around that. Let’s face it. Babies go to bed when we put them there. So make it the same time every night and stick to it.
  2. Do not over-stimulate your baby before bed. Don’t turn the last hour before bed into playtime. Your baby will be too over excited and will need time to unwind before they can settle to sleep. So let your baby’s day wind down in the evening.
  3. The start of your baby’s bedtime routine should start with a nice warm bath. You know how relaxing a bath can be for you, it is the same for baby.
  4. At this point I usually warm a heat pack or heating pad and place it in the bed under the blankets where you will be placing your baby to sleep. Nothing is worse than climbing into a cold bed and this may make it uncomfortable for your baby and make it harder for them to fall asleep. By warming the bed ahead of time it keeps the baby more relaxed. You remove the heating pad or hot pack just before placing the baby in bed.
  5. Once the baby is bathed, it is time for a final feeding. This feeding should be given in the baby’s bedroom away from the hustle and bustle of the house.
  6. During the final feeding, keep the lighting in the bedroom to a minimum. You want to keep the atmosphere calming and relaxing.
  7. Play soft music or a  lullaby during this time. The baby will begin to associate this music as a signal that it is time to go to sleep.
  8. Once baby is fed, it is time for a final diaper change and bundling for bed.
  9. Often babies wake in the night not because they are hungry but because they are cold. Babies travel around the bed during sleep and will rarely stay covered up with blankets. They are unable to cover themselves back up if they are cold so they wake and cry. It is best to dress your baby in a blanket instead of covering them. You can do this by putting them in a blanket weight onesie or a bunting bag. Place warm socks on their little feet. Do not overdo it because you do not want them to be too warm either. This may take a bit of experimenting to find out when your baby is comfortable.
  10. Place the baby in bed and allow them to fall asleep. You may wish to keep the music playing for a short time while they fall asleep.

If baby cries, allow them to cry a short period of time before going to them. You already know that they are well cared for because you looked after all of their needs before placing them in bed. You do not want to run to them at bedtime every time they make a peep or this will become a game that they will play to their fullest advantage.

If they do wake during the night, change their diaper and make sure they are warm, give them a pacifier and place them back in bed. Do not feed them unless they simply refuse to sleep. Often babies wake during the night for a feeding because it is routine for them. You are trying to break that routine. If they are eating sufficient amounts during the day they need to be weaned off the night feeding. If they require a feeding to go back to sleep then you should gradually decrease the amount they are being fed during the night and in a short time they will no longer require that feeding.

Keep their bed a toy-free zone. Remember you are trying to encourage sleeptime, not playtime. You may put a baby mirror on the side of the crib and maybe a mobile, These are items they can watch but not interact with. Do not place play toys in the bed. You want them to recognize their bed as a place to go to sleep.

I hope these tips will help you get your baby to sleep through the night and get you many good nights of sleep too. If these tips do not work you may want to ask your doctor for advice or find a more detailed sleep advice book.

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