As if getting a baby to sleep is not hard enough, new parents have to figure out how to help babies sleep better and stay asleep as well. Not surprisingly, the two are connected. If you want baby to sleep better and longer, you probably have to start looking at the way you get him to sleep in the first place. Although the words "sleep though the night" may not have a place in the new parents’ vocabulary, this article offers tips to help your baby sleep better, so that some day, preferably soon, you will get there.
As if getting a baby to sleep is not hard enough, new parents have to figure out how to help babies sleep better and stay asleep as well. Not surprisingly, the two are connected. If you want baby to sleep better and longer, you probably have to start looking at the way you get him to sleep in the first place. Although the words "sleep though the night" may not have a place in the new parents’ vocabulary, this article offers tips to help your baby sleep better, so that some day, preferably soon, you will get there.
Step 1
Ensure her basic needs are met. A hungry baby is not likely to go to sleep easily, let alone, stay asleep. Before you put your baby to bed, change her into comfortable clothes, a fresh diaper, feed and burp her. Make sure she does not have any reason to stay awake or wake frequently. Very young babies, especially those who are exclusively breast-fed, are known to wake more frequently than those on formula. Co-sleeping may be a good option for these babies.
Step 2
Create pleasant sleep associations for your baby. Whether it is a bedtime book, a song, a story, a tune, a certain way you rock her or hold her, or a word you use to indicate bedtime. Make it one that comforts and soothes her. After observing your baby’s personality closely for a few days, you will be able to tell what associations work and which appear to have the opposite effect. If a certain book or song seems to agitate her, or if a dark room makes her uncomfortable, you could try switching books or dimming the lights instead. Making sure babies find the process of going to sleep enjoyable and comforting is important.
Step 3
Establish and enforce a sleep routine. As unbelievable as it may seem, it is indeed possible, and highly recommended that you work toward a schedule, even a loosely-structured one. The key is to work around your baby’s schedule and not to make drastic changes to his internal rhythm. After the first few days, you will be able to see signs of a baby-initiated routine emerging. For example, he will seem less fussy during some part of the day, probably cry more at other times, be hungrier at others, and sleep better in a certain position. Note these observations for a couple of weeks in a journal and you will see a pattern emerge. Use these observations to create a sleep schedule.
Step 4
Use props. Should you let baby cry it out or comfort her? Should you help her go to sleep or should you encourage self soothing? Props could be music, a book, a soft toy or a favorite blanket (when baby is old enough to sleep with one), or something that is unique to your baby. If something helps comfort your baby and gets her to sleep well, it’s probably worth a try.
Step 5
Create a conducive environment. The environment where baby sleeps is one of the major factors contributing to the quality of her sleep, and as a result, yours. Spend time, effort and a lot of careful thought in choosing her room, bed or crib, mattress, sheets, the lighting, curtains, wall colors, and the sights and sounds she will experience as she drifts into dreamland. Adjust the temperature to a comfortable level. Dress her appropriately. Use a humidifier if necessary. Keep the lights low while changing baby’s diapers or feeding her at night.
