How to teach your baby to sleep

How to teach your baby to sleep

Although many do not believe it, parents can help their baby to sleep for very long hours. If you have not slept well in a single night since the arrival of your baby and think that the situation is going to extend indefinitely, you are very wrong, because you can still take care of your little bundle of joy and still have a good night rest or nap. This article will help you recover sleep rhythm and tranquility

Sleeping rhythm

New born babies sleep for about 16 hours a day, but most of these sleeps hardly last for 2 hours. You don’t have to take an erratic step now, but little by little as the nervous system of the baby matures and the night feedings are reduced, your baby would wake up less at night. At about 3 months, most babies already sleep for 5 hours at night. And At 6 months, they can sleep for about 9 to 12 hours continuously.

Teach him/her to distinguish between the day and night

The night time feedings can also alter your baby’s sleeping rhythm. Nevertheless, it’s never too late to establish a good sleep pattern for your baby. One way to do this is to teach your baby to differentiate between the day and night. This can be done by keeping the baby busy through the day ,with the noises in the house,games,toys,and also allow light into the house, by drawing up the blinds… and try to avoid extended day naps, because babies tend to stay awake when they have lots of sleep during the day.

Follow fixed routines

Bath, rhymes, lullabies, and music can be an excellent way to prepare kids for sleep even in very small babies, who little by little would learn to associate these activities with the necessity for sleep. (Advice: do not vary the songs and music: repetition is the key). Don’t lay down the baby when he/she is already asleep. For your baby to learn on its own you have to lay him/her down while he/she is a bit sleepy or drowsy, so that he/she can associate the bed with sleep. Always remember to lay the baby face-up and not face-down.

Give him/her time

It is normal that the baby cries a little while trying to hold on to sleep and to find a good sleeping position. But if the weeping does not stop, come closer to its cradle, talk gentle and calmly to him/her, with light soothing taps at the back. Your presence and your voice can be everything your baby needs to get back on the wings of sleep.

The pacifier

If your baby has difficulty getting to sleep, the pacifier can be a good idea. In fact, the use of the pacifier reduces the risk of the Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in the cradle. One disadvantage : if the baby is accustomed to the pacifier, he/she can awake in the middle of the night crying if the pacifier is no longer in his/her mouth.

Don’t rush to the cradle at every whine

Babies move and cry during the night and soon they fall asleep again. Unless the cries intensify or that you believe that he/she might be hungry or needs a diaper change, you do not rise. Delay a few minutes to see what happens.

Don’t break the night

If you have get up during the night, do so with low lights, move quietly and speak in a low voice. The baby must learn that it is moment for sleep, neither to play nor to speak. Some babies from the onset sleep many for long hours and only awake for feeding and go back to sleep immediately after. Others have difficulties getting back to sleep. If your baby demands attention several times during the night and is already 6 months old, consult the doctor. In any case, remember that each baby is a world of its own, and that you are learning to know him in all facets, including its preferences at the time of sleeping.