Put Baby to Sleep - Techniques and Tips

Friendly advice to help put Baby to Sleep

Baby Sleep Routines for Your Baby

One of the main questions that new parents ask is – ‘how do I create the perfect baby sleep routine for my baby?’ This article is here to assist those parents and many others out there that have the same question plaguing their minds.
Humans are a creature of habit, and your baby is no different. The more your baby observes you doing something, the more your actions signal to your baby that this means something.
Creating a baby sleep routine needs to provide restful sleeping for your baby as well as reward you. The routine you come up with needs to be carefully thought through and comprise of steps that are followed sequentially every day.
When choosing a series of steps, you need to be realistic and practical. Come up with steps that do not take a lot of time especially if you have more than one baby in your home. An ideal sleep routine will make use of some or all of the following steps:

Bathe your child
Give him a massage
Dress the baby and place him in a sleeping bag
Feed the baby
Read a bedtime story to your baby
Cuddle and kiss your baby
Place him in a cot

Once you have come up with your baby sleep routine that you wish to follow, STICK TO IT. Do not feel that it is not working after just one day and forego it, because it takes some time for the child to adapt to it. Each of the steps used in the routine has a purpose. For example, a bath can soothe and calm the child significantly.
The baby sleep routine you come up with helps your baby sleep best but it is also contributed to by the environment you set up. Your child’s nursery needs to provide a suitable environment for your baby to sleep peacefully until morning. Make sure the temperature in the nursery is at the correct temperature (18-20 degrees). The bed needs to be comfortable and warm enough to promote better sleep.
It is vital that you come up with a routine that is appropriate for you, your baby and your lifestyle. It is advisable to come up with a simple routine which your nanny or babysitter will replicate when you are not around.
The baby sleep routine you have developed needs to get your baby in the proper state of mind for sleeping before you lay them down for the night. Do this by making sure the time before bed is as quiet as possible. Encourage the baby to play before you start the routine so that they can spend up their energy.
When you stick to the routine, your baby will see it as a signal that bedtime is near and they will look forward to interacting with you during this time.
Coming up with a calming and reassuring baby sleep routine will be very comforting for your baby as well as provide peace for the rest of the people in the house. As your baby gets older, it is not bad to relax the routine occasionally, but do not drop it entirely as this will confuse your baby.

Baby Sleep Training Tips

Baby Sleep Training

Aaargh!  Sleep!  We all need it and cannot go very long without it, so how on earth can you get your baby to sleep soundly each night?  With the right baby sleep training this task will be a lot easier.  If you’ve not had children before, or you have a child who is having trouble sleeping then you are probably reading this with tired eyes.  It’s OK, we feel your pain!  Let’s take a look at what you can do.

Baby sleep training will happen in your own way using your own methods.  The methods you develop will be unique to you and your own style, but you will earn these from ideas which others may have told you to try.  Every child is different so you may need to try one or two types!

Routines hold the key to great baby sleep training!

Babies are just like us.  They thrive on routines and they pick them up really quickly.  If you are able to establish a routine very early on then there “bumps in the road” will be less severe along your journey to being a great parent and raising your own family.

Bath then bed.  That’s a great routine to develop.  Before bedtime, give the child a nice warm bath, followed by a cuddle, and then a drink of milk and then finally to bed.  Follow this routine religiously no matter how much the bay shows he or she isn’t happy.  They will improve and get used to it over time.

Meal then play.  Some parents let their infants go to sleep after eating a meal.  This is not a great habit to fall into as can tell the baby that they can only fall asleep after eating so try to encourage some gentle fun with them like playing, talking or dancing with the baby.  Try to keep them out of their cribs or strollers.

Same time each time.  Another great routine to consider.  Try to put them to sleep the same time each night.  Keep it to a reasonable time and try to let them sleep in their crib.  This routine will soon become instilled into them. Perhaps this baby sleep training tip might suit you best. If not, how about trying another idea?

Sleep baby sleep.  Try to avoid letting your child sleep in the same bed as you.  Sure they will cry for a while.  This is because they want to feel snug and secure.  To get round this, wrap their arms tight to their body with a wrap to make them feel snug while they sleep.  They will feel safe and protected.  You will be amazed by how well this works.

Baby Massage. How about a gentle and quiet massage for your baby before you put them to sleep? They can be fully clothed too, so once they are really drowsy, you don’t have to wake them to get into their sleep clothes. Try massaging their head, arms and feet.

Avoid stimulation. Try to locate baby’s room in a quiet part of the house, but close enough to hear them when they wake, or call out if in distress. Sitting in a slightly darkened room can help sooth your baby,  and sitting in a comfortable chair allows your arms to not get too tired. “White noise” from a gentle fan or radio can also help to avoid outside loud noises distractions – just make sure you have a baby monitor nearby so you can hear when your baby wakes up.

Whatever baby sleep training you choose, work it to your own needs and situation and please, just persevere.  You will soon find they settle into the new routine pretty quickly and you’ll thank yourself for sticking with it.  Being a parent is rewarding.  It may not be easy but it sure is worth it, so enjoy every moment!