Getting a baby off to sleep can prove a real challenge as any parent will confirm – no two babies are alike and a method that works perfectly for one child can fail miserably with another.
Some babies are a total dream in the sleep department and go off to sleep with the minimum of fuss – but others can prove a total nightmare when it comes to getting them to nod off.
It appears that getting a baby to sleep is more of an art form than a science – it’s very often a case of trial and error so, if one method proves unsuccessful, it’s a case of trying another. Patience and perseverance should win over at the end of the day – or night!
There are various signs of tiredness which parents soon recognise which indicate a baby needs to sleep. These include becoming agitated and fussing, rubbing the eyes and ears, shaking the head back and forth, rubbing its face into your chest of snuggling into your neck – and let’s not forget the obvious one, yawning.
To complicate matters, some babies will actually be past the point where parents will be able to get them successfully off to sleep when the signs of tiredness emerge – in this scenario mum and dad need to learn to use their intuition to sense when their little one is on the verge of showing the signs of needing to sleep.
It almost goes without saying, but it’s important to remember that babies don’t all sleep for the same amount of time – some need more sleep than others. So, just because your little one isn’t clocking up as many hours of sleep as your best friend’s child, doesn’t mean there’s any cause for concern.
Create a Routine to Get Baby off to Dreamland
It is important to create a routine as this is something which most babies and children feel comfortable with.
Your routine doesn’t need to be complex but it does need to be regular and consist of a pattern of consistent actions which are followed every time.
There are an unlimited number of options when it comes to developing a routine – parents just need to find what works for their baby.
A suggested routine could go something like this – change your baby’s nappy and then get him or her suitably clothed for bed time. Then wrap your baby in a swaddling blanket and position the little one in a cradle hold as you walk to the cot bed, crib or moses basket. Sing or hum a nursery rhyme to your baby while looking into the little one’s eyes. Then give your baby a kiss and then lay the child down in bed.
Hopefully after you run through a set routine for a period of days, your baby will realise the early stages of it ultimately lead on to a final stage which involves the act of going to sleep. A routine should eventually get a baby in the frame of mind to sleep.
Routine is a key factor in so many areas of a baby’s young life. Some mothers, for example, like to follow an eat, wake and sleep routine – while others will follow a wake, eat, sleep routine. There’s no right or wrong order – it’s just a case of finding out which routine your baby responds to best and sticking to it.
Younger babies are going to need to eat more often, so they will go through the cycle much more often than older babies.
A baby mobile with soothing music or calming lights often proves successful for getting babies off to sleep. Other tactics some parents use include putting a gently whirring fan in the baby’s bedroom or a ticking clock at the end of the cot.
The journey to a successful sleep pattern can be a lengthy process, but don’t worry, you and your baby will get there eventually – you just have to be patient and keep working towards achieving a regular and successful sleep regime.