The journey to motherhood was long and tedious. After carrying your baby to term, you are happy to be a Mother. However, you now need tips to help your baby sleep at night.
His sleep pattern is weighing you down. He sleeps a lot during the day and stays awake at night. Generally, you have interrupted sleep every couple of hours. He wants you to play with him during the night when you ought to be sleeping.
Your heart is often filled with lots of love as you watch your baby sleep during the day. He looks lovely, sweet, and innocent. You wish he would sleep like that at night instead of daytime.
Normally, it’s disturbing to hear him cry all night because he doesn’t like to sleep.
Normally, babies may cry when they don’t want to sleep, are sick, or have colic. It’s therefore advisable to observe him well to ascertain whether he is okay.
However, in the first few weeks of age, your baby may sleep well during the day, and remain awake the whole night.
His days and nights are mixed up. That means he may remain awake the whole night, and even desire to play with you.
It’s good to help your baby sleep early enough to avoid such awful experiences.
This article gives you strategies and helpful tips that you can use to help your baby sleep through the night.
1. Having a Bedtime Routine Will Help Your Baby Sleep
Make the routine consistent because changing it can wake him up frequently.
“Don’t put your baby to sleep late in the hope that he will wake up late in the morning. Let him sleep whenever he feels drowsy.” advises Dr. Kamau from Embu general hospital.
- Ignoring Sobs will help your baby sleep
Place him in his bassinet when he is drowsy but awake. If he cries, ignore those sobs. Instead, pat his bottom several times as a way of soothing him to sleep.
Eventually, he will realize that crying does not always yield results. Although it is hard watching your little one cry, keep in mind that you are molding the future for both him and you.
- Sing a Lullaby to Help Your Baby Sleep
I remember how my kids enjoyed listening to their favorite lullabies, which I had recorded.
They would sleep as soon as they listened to the music because my voice in the songs appealed them.
You can also try the same on your kids. Believe me, it will work magic too.
- Help your baby sleep without breastfeeding
I have witnessed many parents breastfeeding their baby’s to sleep. This is wrong because they will always want to be breastfed for them to sleep.
2. Withdraw Play at night
Play is important for your baby, but not at night when he is supposed to be asleep. Use ways that will suggest to him that he is supposed to sleep.
However, don’t force him if he doesn’t want to. He will hate night times and it will be hard putting him to sleep.
Like I said earlier, do not place your baby inside his bassinet if he doesn’t feel sleepy. Place him inside only when he is drowsy to help him associate the bassinet with sleep. Eventually, he will understand that sleep is healthy and good.
3. Keep The Room Conducive for Sleeping
A few minutes before sleep, deem the lights in your baby’s room. Compliment with some white noise such as fan noise, bubbling ,tape-recording ,tickling clock etc.
This becomes a good lullaby to him. Nevertheless, any slight noise will awaken him so be careful.
Keep the room warm to help your baby sleep faster instead of heavy clothing and weighted blankets.
4. Check on the Crib Before You Help Your Baby Sleep.
Although a baby should get accustomed to sleeping alone in his crib, It should be kept in your room. This will help you check on him from time to time.
- Withdraw Toys from his bassinet
Toys and any other item in the crib will send the wrong signal. Remove all of them including any clothes. Let it be left clear but warm.
Nevertheless, check on him periodically to give him the assurance that you are still around.
- Don’t Soothe him to sleep
He will expect to be soothed every time he wakes up at night.
Use any method to help your baby sleep like patting his chest or bottom for some time. You can also try a recorded lullaby as i said earlier.
Help your baby sleep on his back and not stomach. He will be more comfortable in that position. However, turn his head from time to time.
5. Check on His Day’s Sleeping Schedule
Make sure he gets only enough hours of sleep during the day. Indeed, excess sleep will keep him awake during the night.
- Increase The Lighting at Day Time
Natural light will reorganize his rhythm. Keep the room bright by opening the windows and drawing the curtains during the day. This will help reduce the number of hours of sleep during day time.
He will associate too much light with wake up time, and darkness with sleeping time.
- Never Feed Him to Sleep
Since food will make him doze off, offer it to him early enough. This will prevent him from thinking that he must eat to sleep.
Otherwise, he will cry to feed whenever he wakes up at night. This can put a lot of pressure on you as you struggle to feed him every wake up time.
Conclusion
Generally, if you want to help your baby sleep throughout the night, it will require a lot of determination from you. It is a process that doesn’t happen overnight.
In summary, he should not sleep alone in his room. Yes, he should sleep in his crib, but not away from your room. It will be easier to check on him. This will prevent Sudden Infant Death syndrome.
