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Our tips to help baby fall asleep easily
Categories:
Child Development
Several studies have demonstrated the impact of parents' behavior on baby's sleep onset. This means that when faced with your baby's difficulties in finding sleep, you probably have the means to remedy the situation. Moreover, when the latter has a bad night, it also affects the parents' sleep. During their first months, a baby is supposed to sleep at least 16 hours a day.
However, your baby only falls asleep after nursing or has trouble getting back to sleep. And other times, they sleep through the night regularly, which can be quite difficult to understand. The following tips might help baby fall asleep alone during difficult nights.
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The progressive waiting technique
This method was initiated by an American pediatrician, Dr. Richard Ferber, in the 1950s. It consists of getting the baby to sleep independently. The technique is for babies from four months to 18 months.
The method is based on respecting the bedtime routine. The baby will be in favorable conditions to find sleep: dimmed light, silence, etc.
During the first night, you should set a waiting time of at least three minutes before intervening when you hear them crying in their baby room. During your visit, you shouldn't pick them up or calm them by talking. Your intervention should be silent. When baby falls asleep, you can put them back in their bed. If they cry again, gradually extend the waiting time.
For the second night, you continue the technique by extending the waiting time to 15 minutes, for example. This technique is not only for mothers; both parents should alternate visits so that the baby gets used to it.
You continue this routine for the third evening. This time, your check-in visits will be less frequent. After a few days, your baby finally understands that they need to fall asleep on their own.
Establishing the bedtime ritual
When a baby has trouble falling asleep alone, it impacts the sleep quality of parents who have to work during the day. Establishing a ritual gives your baby a sense of security. It provides them with cues about bedtime and they learn to distinguish between day and night.
You don't need to wait weeks after birth to establish this routine. It's possible to set it up as soon as you return from the maternity ward. Generally, it consists of:
Give them a bath and massage them;
Feed them;
Read them a story or sing them a lullaby;
Cuddle them and place them in their crib.
Parental intervention
As a parent, it's a natural reaction to rush to the baby's crib as soon as they cry. However, in some cases, they may be in a drowsy phase. They cry briefly before falling back asleep.
Also, if you share the room with baby, it's unnecessary to get up as soon as they burst into tears. If the crying persists, you should still check on them, but avoid picking them up or rocking them systematically. Eventually, they will get used to these gestures and expect your intervention at each wake-up.
That's why it's important to reduce your nighttime interventions. If you need to pick them up, avoid talking to them or singing their lullaby. It's also preferable to dim the light. This way, they will differentiate between their night wakings, bedtime routine, and daytime naps.
Creating a soothing room
During the first few weeks, it's normal for a newborn to share the room with their parents. Also know that it's not an obligation. However, this arrangement is more convenient for nighttime breastfeeding. In this case, the temperature in your room should be around 20°C (68°F).
Until four months, your baby should always sleep on their back for safety reasons. In this position, their face will be clear. Beyond this age, they can turn autonomously and find the position that suits them. However, avoid putting stuffed animals, blankets, or a pillow in their bed. Instead, opt for a sleep sack for more safety.
From six months, it's possible to set up a room for them. For better sleep, a soothing environment is necessary. Here are some tips for room setup:
A night light for dimmed lighting;
A good temperature;
Good ventilation;
A tidy room.
Even if they are only a few months old, your baby pays attention to details. Also, to promote better sleep onset, avoid decorating their room regularly. They need a familiar and soothing environment to feel secure.
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Respecting baby's rhythm
What parent hasn't been tempted to wake up their little sleeper during nap time in hopes of quality sleep at night? However, disrupting your baby's nap is a bad idea. Indeed, napping is also considered a physiological need. A disturbance will impact nighttime sleep. Even if you want them to sleep at all costs, respecting their rhythm is crucial. It is necessary to understand baby's sleep cycles.
Trying several techniques
Your baby has restless sleep due to nightmares, but for them to sleep through the night regularly, not all techniques necessarily work. Each child is unique. There is no one good technique for a good night's sleep. What worked with your eldest may not work with the younger one. That's why it's preferable to try them all.
If progressive waiting hasn't worked, move on to another technique like swaddling. However, know that establishing a sleep routine requires patience. You will only see results after a few weeks.
Consulting a sleep specialist
They seem to be sleeping peacefully in your arms, but as soon as you put them in their bed, they cry immediately.
You've followed all the techniques recommended by your loved ones and the pediatrician, but nothing works. Your baby barely sleeps a few hours during the night. This also affects your rhythm.
In this case, a consultation with a child sleep coach is necessary.
Indeed, some children need support in case of night terrors or difficulties sleeping through the night.
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Noise to help them sleep
This tip may seem paradoxical, yet noises can help some babies fall asleep on their own. Specialists call them white noises. These are dull and continuous noises that resemble background sounds. This includes the noise of a vacuum cleaner, a fan, a hair dryer, rain, etc.
According to specialists, these noises remind the baby of those they heard in their mother's womb. Rest assured, you don't need to turn on a hair dryer to put your newborn to bed. Many devices now broadcast a variety of noises and sounds that help baby fall asleep on their own.
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