Put Baby to Sleep - Techniques and Tips

Friendly advice to help put Baby to Sleep

Get baby to sleep using these ideas

One problem of being a parent that you probably did not consider was how to get baby to sleep. You were probably nervous about changing diapers, breast-feeding or telling if your baby is sick. Now even with a healthy baby, problems can arise! It can be extremely difficult even to put your baby to sleep, even if you are doing everything right. There are a million different methods that are supposed to help to get a baby to sleep and since every baby is different, it may be a long-winded process to find our which strategy works for your baby. It is definitely worth it though, it will simply take a little bit of effort before things can get better. Before you start this tiring process, however, you might want to make sure that your baby’s sleeping problems have not been caused by wrong ‘sleeping equipment’. Providing a few little gadgets may sometimes actually do the trick and work well to put your baby to sleep.

Does your baby always manage to wriggle out of its PJs somehow? Are you under the impression that it may have problems sleeping because it is actually cold? No matter how carefully you wrap it in blankets, several times a night you walk in there to find a crying, cold baby? Then you should invest in a baby sleep sack, which will help to keep your baby wrapped up cozily at all times. They can simply be worn on top of babies’ PJs and will stop them from continuously ridding themselves off their clothes.

If you are worried about your baby’s safety, there are several options for you. First of all, does your infant have a baby pillow? Just as adults, babies need a little support for their head. Especially in the time before they can lift their heads themselves, it is actually crucial to provide them with a good pillow. Since regular pillows are too big and may smother babies, it is best to opt for a special baby pillow. Better safe than sorry!

Another little gadget worth looking at is a baby sleep positioner.

Experts are still disagreeing on the best and safest position for infants to sleep in. While some consider it best for babies to sleep on their backs, others point out breathing problems that may arise from  this. Instead, they say, it is best to put a baby to sleep on its side. A baby sleep positioner may help you find a middle way and thus steer clear of any problems that may occur from having your baby either sleep on its back or on its side.

Baby clothes, travel gear and bedding can cost a lot of money! But you are bound to know other parents. So before you spend a lot of money on these gadgets, ask them if you can borrow theirs. And if you bought something that was supposed to help get your baby to sleep but is not doing the trick (at least not for your baby), don’t bin it! Keep it, you may be able to swap with other parents.

Baby sleep patterns are hard to understand and it takes a while until you learn to make the best of them. However, if you make sure to provide your baby with ideal ‘sleeping equipment’, this process will be much easier to get through. And soon, you, too, will be sleeping like a baby!

Put Baby To Sleep – 4 Quick Fire Tips

Your baby is the most precious thing to happen in your life, and no matter how much you love them, if you cannot put baby to sleep easily then things quickly start to go downhill.  Before long, both the baby and parents will feel the effects of sleep deprivation and sleep disturbance.

Yep, they are going to get pretty cranky!  It’s bad enough when you or I have had a bad night’s sleep, but when your bay is also struggling this only makes things worse.  Things get even more intense when you think about the fact that your baby may not sleep at the same times as you for a few months from birth.

Here are four top tips to help you put baby to sleep so you get plenty of the same and can feel refreshed and invigorated (for once!).

  1. If your baby is unwell then he or she is going to feel cranky anyway.  Babies often get congested so it’s important to help them shift that excess mucus by raising their upper body a little bit.  Try to use a baby sleep positioner to keep them in the right position.  A wedge under the mattress will elevate the head end, raising their upper body, keeping the mucus away.  Alternatively a sling may be of use if the baby has bed sores and would feel more uncomfortable sleeping on their side.
  2. A routine is one of the best things you can ever do to aid with sleep patterns.  It pays huge dividends for both you and your baby.  Develop a habit that is repeated each and every day.  Perhaps a baby bath around 5pm to 6pm, followed by a drink or feed for your baby and then followed by bed.  If you follow the same routine day in, day out, they quickly adapt, and they begin to know that a bath the bottle means bed.
  3.  When you want to put baby to sleep, wrap your baby tight with a blanket, ensuring their arms are wrapped close to their sides.  This is a useful tip if you are finding it hard to put baby to sleep.  Ordinarily, your bay may be reaching out for the comfort and snuggling from their parent.  This wrapping tightly helps them feel like they are being snuggled and will help them with their sleep.
  4.  Avoid eye contact and keep the room darkened.  Babies will often look to your eyes for reassurance when they are in their bed. You need to avoid eye contact with them wherever possible.  This will help set the right conditions for them to fall asleep.  They won’t have anything to “do” apart from go to sleep because everything else will seem boring.  The darkened room also helps set the tone as they have very little to look and think about.

If you are struggling to put baby to sleep then hopefully one of the above techniques will be of use.  Just give them a try and be persistent for 2 weeks consistently and see if things begin to improve.  Let us know how you get on as we would love to hear your thoughts!