Your baby goes through lots of changes in his or her development stages. In the first year, in particular, these changes will be prominent and in a short time period you’ll witness your bundle of joy growing up fast that you’ll be amazed how time flies.
Your baby will sleep whenever his/her body needs rest and will wake up when he is recharged. As for healthy development the baby will need sufficient sleep it’s always handy to follow good sleeping habits.
How do I know my baby is ready to sleep?
Let’s focus on the key cues of sleepiness that your baby gives to show that he/she is ready to sleep. They are:
- Pulling his/her ears
- Grimacing
- Jerky movements
- Crying
- If he/she is an older baby rubbing of eyes
Now that your baby is ready to sleep let’s see a healthy approach to sleep
Having a routine
Most mothers adopt a routine to put their baby to sleep as babies react well to it. We advise all mothers to make this routine flexible because when the routine varies the baby will be confused which will make it hard to put your baby to sleep if this routine is changed in certain circumstances such as an evening out, a trip or even a visit to the theaters.
To follow a routine you can adopt several comforting signs such as a warm bath, gently rocking your baby, singing a lullaby or massaging his/her body soothingly. Using these signs you can tell your baby that it is time to sleep.
Also keep these routines predictable and consistent.
Avoid eye contact when the baby is about to sleep
Babies are very observant. They respond to every hint that gets in their way which can distract them easily. One of the major diverts is eye contact. When you look into your babies eyes it gives him/her a boost that’ll stop him from falling asleep as his/her heart rate speeds up and blood pressure rises. So when you are about to put your baby to sleep always avoid eye contact.
Pick the right place to put your baby to sleep
The minimal noise and light the better the baby’s sleep. Always make sure that there aren’t any disturbances that will interrupt your babies sleep. As most parents are comfortable with co-sleeping with the baby make sure that you have enough space for the baby, your partner and you in the bed as we don’t want the baby to be squashed. Also don’t use pillows, heavy sheets with your baby always wrap him/her up with a soft, stretchy and light cloth.
Lessen physical discomforts
This can be done by cleaning the nose of the baby every night as babies need a clear nasal passage to breathe. Also make sure that the room the baby sleep in is dust free as it will cause the baby’s nose to be stuffy.
Also, make sure that the baby is not put to sleep in irritating sleepwear. Most babies prefer cotton so we advise our moms to use cotton for your nightgown and beddings.
Furthermore if your baby is teething massage his/her gums or give a cold rubber to chew on till the baby sleeps. If the crying and uneasiness continues, consult your doctor.
Avoid smoking in the house, usage of hair spray, paint fumes and baby powder as these can be irritating to the baby. Also if your baby develops allergies to dust make sure you remove clothing, stuffed animals, excess pillows and other objects that’ll collect dust from the room.
Use of dimmers
Light can regulate the circadian rhythm or the human biological clock. To reinforce sleep make sure you dim your lights at night even if the baby is not in the mood of sleeping and keep the day time brighter as this will help the baby to distinguish between day and night.
Let the baby learn how to sooth him/herself to sleep
When the baby learns to sooth him/herself then the baby can always go back to sleep when he/she wakes up without any support from the parents. At first this will prove to be a stressful procedure but later the baby will fall back to sleep quite easily making it less exhausting for the mother or father.
Stay away from caffeine
We drink a cup of coffee to stay up late when we are working or reading a book. However for a mother who is breastfeeding this can end up being a nuisance as it can also keep your infant awake during the night. Caffeine can accumulate in your baby’s body and remain in him/her for a longer time period than it’ll do with you.
Skip nappy changing
Nappy changing can get in the way of your baby’s sleep if you start to change it after every feed. If the nappy is not wet or soiled there is no necessity to change it if your baby hasn’t developed nappy rash. Using a good cream to protect the baby’s skin you can cut down the number of times you change nappies.
Feed the baby more during daytime
As day time is for playing and eating and night time is for sleeping try to induce your baby to consume more during the day time by feeding your older baby at least once in three hours during the day time as he/she will forget to eat as he/she will be busily playing. This way the baby will not get hungry at night and have interrupted sleep.
Bedtime battles
When your baby is older he/she will have plenty of distractions as he/she will start to perceive the world better. To calm your baby down during bedtime read him/her a story. Even giving her a teddy bear, a soft toy or a blanket will also soothe and relax your toddler then kiss him goodnight with an assuring hug.
Early waking
When toddlers go to sleep early, they tend to wake up early like a normal adult. To avoid this you can postpone sleep time by staying for 10 minutes every night before putting the toddler to sleep. If your curtains are too thin change it to heavier and darker ones so that the sunlight wouldn’t stream in the mornings and wake your toddler up. Also leave some toys for him/her to play in case he or she wakes up before you do.