Do you have sleepless nights with your baby? Then do not worry because you are not alone. Getting the little angel to sleep is a wish every parent lusts for. Baby sleep habits differ from one baby to another. What works for one may not work for another. Small babies below four months of age lack Melatonin, a hormone that regulates our sleeping habits. Therefore as a mother, it is upon you to schedule the baby’s sleeping pattern. Today we will share some tricks for the new babies that will help you cope with the long sleepless nights.
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Swaddle
The are several ways you can hold your baby. Swaddling mimics the feeling in the womb. Wrapping the baby in some warm clothing not only controls its temperatures but also provides some sense of security and safety during any reflex moments. However, it is good you seek an expert’s advice on this for certain kinds of swaddling are not healthy.
Maintain Dark Nights
Always nurse your baby in the bedroom with dim lights. This helps the baby to understand that darkness means sleeping time. Try to eliminate any electric lights. Instead, you can use bulbs or filters which block the blue wavelengths. The effect of the blue part of the light is believed to have a more significant impact on sleeping patterns.
Sing the Nursery Lullabies
Other than entertainment, the nursery rhymes and lullabies can be used to achieve many goals. The rhymes can also be used when teaching the baby how to count.
Co-Sleepers
Most parents who co-sleep with their babies do it for cultural reasons. Other reasons for co-sleeping are to provide the baby’s needs without getting up. It helps babies feel security thus reducing the nighttime crying, and also helps with bonding and self-attachment between you and the baby.
Observe Daytime Sleep Keenly
Daytime sleep matters a lot to babies. Exposing your baby to enough self-soothing goes a long way in making him learn how to fall asleep quicker and stay in the sleep for long.
Limit the Naps
This applies to babies who have taken longer to differentiate between day and night. You can speed up the process by reducing the frequency of naps to 3-4 hours during daytime.
White Noise
Note that the baby has arrived from a noisy womb into a silent night so make some effort to create an environment like that of the womb. The noise can be in the form of a fan whirring, hair –dryer, a vacuum cleaner among other instruments. However, experts warn that some of these instruments might be causing more harm than good to the baby.
Dream Feeding
This involves feeding your baby properly before you go to sleep at night. If he is already asleep ensure to wake him up so that he goes back to sleep with a full tummy. You should, however, wait until the baby is settled before giving him another feed.
Observe before Intervening in the Sleep
You should be cautious about intervening in the baby’s sleep. You might think that your baby has awakened yet the baby might be asleep or can go back to sleep without your intervention.
