What Helped our Baby Sleep Through the Night
Ah, sleep -- something you take for granted until your newborn comes along. Then, it's something you feel that you will NEVER experience again. My youngest is now four and despite the odd nightmare, our household generally gets a good night’s sleep. We may still get up at 6am every single day, but that's not so bad when you've had 8 hours straight. So here are a few important how to make baby sleep tips to help other exhausted new parents.
1. Routine
For the first few months it would be really hard to get a good routine going, but stick to it. For example, a bedtime routine that is similar to the one you practiced with your children when they were newborns, a nice, warm bath, or a cuddle in bed with warm milk. It is also recommended for your children to wear comfortable pyjamas at night. Given the fact that bedtime would be the longest time for them in the same nappy, it is also a good idea to use a nappy care ointment at every bedtime nappy change. It really helps to protect against the causes of nappy rash, which can not only cause soreness of the skin, but also could disturb their sleep.
2. Settling Down
A lullaby machine that plays gentle lullabies while projecting stars onto the ceiling is an ideal tool for helping your baby fall asleep. It is also important for you to try and limit fussing when your child is being put to sleep as it helps the baby settle. Alas, some of these tools have evolved over the years, which is why asking other mothers as to what they used with their babies is also a good idea.
3. Temperature
Having the right temperature in your baby’s bedroom is really important not only for their safety but also for their comfort. Being too hot or too cold can disturb their sleep. Also, make sure the baby wears appropriate sleepwear for the temperature.
4. The Inevitable Wake Up!
Of course, babies wake up in the middle of the night. That's just something that they do. Every child is different. Some would easily fall asleep with a little soothing music from the lullaby machine, while others would prefer if a parent waited in their room till they fell asleep. A good idea would be to take turns so that your child does not become attached to one (exhausted!) parent. Each child is different, and you will soon become accustomed to what each child likes.
5. Don't Be Too Hard on Yourself
If you have both a toddler and a small baby, it is natural for you to be conscious of one child waking up the other. And while you may have a very good bedtime routine in place, it is also advisable for you to tuck either one of your childen in with a quick cuddle to help them fall asleep. Of course, routines can sometimes be affects by a growth spurt or sickness as well. As such, the best thing to do is to remember that while it may seem like a lifetime, your babies are only small for a short while and eventually, everyone will get a good night’s sleep. That's a promise!
Bepanthen covers all aspects of family life, and provides a ton of information on parenting and products to use for your baby.
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