Getting Your Baby To Sleep: Hacks For New Parents

Does your little one often wake up crying? Whether you’re reading this, months before you deliver, or are in the middle-of-the-night crying sessions, we’ve got you covered.

When it comes to your baby's sleep patterns, there's no such thing as a bad sleeper, just bad sleep habits, and they're usually reversible. While you can’t force a child to fall asleep at your command, there are a few hacks that surely soften the process.

1. Establish a daytime and nighttime routine

Introduce your newborn to the concept of day and night to adjust their body clocks to the rhythms of your day by keeping stimulating activities restricted to the day and sleepy and passive ones for the night. This will help your baby in resetting their internal clocks so that they are up more during the day and sleep for longer periods at night.

2. Incorporate white noise into your routine

White noise helps to create a comforting environment for your baby, letting your little one know when it’s time for sleep. The reason white noise is so effective is that it mimics the sounds your baby heard in the womb. Besides, it has an added benefit to mask out other noises both inside and outside the house especially if other family members are still awake. While choosing white noise, select a steady, low-key sound such as waves lapping or a steady heartbeat, and maintain the volume at a level that is safe for your child's hearing.

3. Try swaddling your baby 

Babies have a startle reflex from birth until about 4 to 5 months of age, which makes them feel as if they are falling causing jerking movements, due to which the baby incidentally wakes up. Swaddling is a way to make your baby feel safe and comfortable by wrapping the baby in a soft linen cloth. This technique is especially helpful when babies fuss and fidget, especially when going to sleep. This way, they are less likely to startle themselves awake and can sleep better and for a longer duration. 

4. Avoid keeping your baby awake

Keeping a baby awake in the hopes of exhausting him will result in over-stimulation, as a result, the baby will struggle to fall asleep. And an overtired baby is more likely to sleep for shorter periods of time.

5. Look for sleep cues

Newborn sleep might be sporadic so, start looking for sleep cues. Take note of your baby's actions that indicate that they are tired. Whether they cry, get cranky or snuggly, or rub their eyes. These sleep indications can help you understand when your baby wants to sleep and will assist you in successfully putting them down.

Many times, it can be difficult to get an overtired infant to sleep. But if you take action as soon as you notice your baby is ready to sleep, you will obtain greater outcomes.

6. Try the traditional swinging method

This hack is the trademark of Dr. Harvey ‘The Baby Whisperer’ Karp. You gently swing your baby to sleep as you make gentle ‘ssshhh’ sounds. Swinging is an age-old trick that offers soothing, rhythmic motion that helps agitated and cranky babies calm down and make them drowsy.

7. Start a bed-time routine

This entails putting your infant to bed at the same time every night. To begin with, watch for tired cues from your baby to determine the best time. Some babies are ready for bed at 7 p.m. and others might at 8:30 p.m. Therefore, it is vital to remember that you should begin the routine before your baby becomes sleepy so that they are prepared to fall asleep. 

A bedtime routine can include bathing, changing diapers, singing lullabies, feeding, and putting the baby to sleep. Sticking to the same routine every night, will not only help your baby realize that it is time for bed but will also help them develop healthy sleeping practices as they grow.

8. Avoid rushing in

Babies frequently wake up babble and may even cry briefly while they are asleep. So do not just rush in and disrupt this process, give them some time to resettle, to help your baby sleep better.

A baby's overall growth and brain development are influenced by the quality of sleep he or she receives. These suggestions can help new parents get their babies to sleep for extended periods of time without any interruption while also giving you the rest you need!