Practical Sleeping Tips for Babies
Newborn babies and poor sleep are two things that are often thought to go hand in hand, and it's expected that new parents are subject to at least some rough nights of sleep or even entirely sleepless nights as they work out a new routine and start to raise and nurture their new addition.
Sadly, sleep issues can be ongoing for a number of months and even years for many parents. In fact, it's such an issue that there are many books, methods, and experts all on the topic of getting your baby to sleep through the night and creating a consistent sleep schedule.
It's crucial to understand that every baby and family is unique. What works for one may not work for another. As a parent, you have the freedom to choose the method that best suits your family, whether it's the cry-out approach, safe co-sleeping, or a personalised routine. There's no one-size-fits-all solution, especially in the early days of newborn sleep. Your comfort and your baby's well-being should be your guiding principles.
If you're struggling with your baby's sleep, remember that there's always help available. These tips are here to guide you and your baby towards a better sleep routine. With patience and perseverance, you can find what works best for you and your little one.
Find The Right Sleeping Setup
This means what is right for you. Some might prefer their baby to fall asleep and then put them down. Others might prefer the self-soothing method. It's about finding what works best for you, so don't be afraid to try different things out. You can't spoil a baby by allowing them to sleep on you, nor are you neglectful by allowing them to fall asleep on their own. Each baby is different, and you need to find what works for your sleep routine. Be it a Moses basket or crib in the room with you until you go to bed and transfer them to a cot, or having a crib attachment on your bed so they are close to you. Don't be afraid to experiment to find that sweet spot that allows you all to get sleep.
Swaddling
Swaddling is a trick that can be hard to get right, but I can help a baby to get to sleep. Follow guidelines on how to swaddle a baby correctly so you do not often cause any safety or heating corners.
Establish A Routine
A bedtime routine can be instrumental in signalling bedtime, especially as your baby gets older. In the early days, you might not find a routine helps as much, but once you get past those newborn days, it can be helpful to create a schedule signifying bedtime and it's time to relax and wind down for the day.
A bedtime schedule can look like anything you need it to, but it can include things like a story, bathtime, taking them to bed (babies should sleep in their parent's room until they're 6 months), singing a lullaby or brushing their teeth if they have them.
Sleep Environment
A good sleeping environment does not need to be super quiet and sterile; in fact, encouraging your child to sleep around normal daytime noises can benefit you and avoid fussy sleepers who need silence.
But things like knowing when to use and when to stop using a sleep sack for comfort can be helpful. As can finding the right room temperature, level of blankets (no pillows for babies), securing the blankets, and the right sound setup, lighting, and ambience can help you to create a sleep environment that encourages your baby to sleep and signals this is when they sleep.
Again, this isn't a strict rule, but keeping the room between 16 and 20℃ is recommended. Lying them on their back, securing blankets so they cannot crawl underneath them, and reducing light entering a room are guidelines to follow for safe sleeping environments.
Dream Feeding
Avoiding waking your baby up for a feed and dream feeding means you can alleviate their hunger without them having to wake up and be resettled again. Parents often give this feed between 10 pm and midnight to deliver the last feed. The trick is to not fully wake the baby but to use them slightly before their scheduled feed, so they're not waking with hunger. This can be done for both bottle-fed and breastfed babies.
Keep Day and Night Clear
Your newborn won't understand this early, but your body clock will, and this can massively help you settle your baby until they start to understand the difference between day and night. Getting out for some fresh air, letting daylight in, and closing the curtains to make it dark overnight can be massively helpful, especially in those early days when your sleeping pattern is massively different from what you're used to pre-baby.
Some studies have found that babies who are exposed to daylight, especially in the afternoon, can sleep longer overnight. But it's important to not try to make your baby go too long without sleep to get them used to daylight and nighttime, as this won't help foster an effective sleeping schedule.
Don't Drop Naps
In the early days, your baby should wake every 3 to 4 hours for a feed and can sleep as much as 18 hours per day. As they get older, this will drop, and at around 3 to 6 months, you find them needing less sleep in the day, and they start to sleep slightly longer overnight.
However, it's important to understand that dropping naps and forcing them to stay awake to get them to sleep longer won't actually work. You need to keep to their sleeping schedule and follow their lead when it comes to how long they are able to stay awake. Look out for visual clues of tiredness in a baby and ensure that you do not keep them awake too long, as this could disrupt their sleeping pattern and have the complete opposite effect.
