One of the biggest questions parents ask is, “How to get a baby to sleep?” The truth is that many babies need help settling down for the night. Here are some tips to help your child get to sleep at night. You can even nurse your baby to sleep. A lullaby tape is an excellent sleep inducer. If you cannot help your baby sleep, try putting on a continuous-play tape recording.
If your baby wakes up asleep, try putting him back to sleep. Don’t move him from the crib unless he’s crying. If your baby is not crying, you can try soothing him with a pacifier. Likewise, if your baby starts crying in the middle of the night, you can try to comfort him. If your baby isn’t crying, he may settle himself, which is an excellent surprise for you!
Another good way to help your baby sleep at night is to feed him more often during the day. Most babies require providing about every four hours, so keeping the lights and your voice low while he’s awake is essential. Remember to put him back to sleep after feeding. It’s also good to try to keep the lights off. You can use nightlights to signal the time of night, which may help your baby sleep better at night.
Once your baby is ready to sleep, start a nightly routine that is familiar to him. A warm bath, rocking, and lullabies are great ways to settle your baby. This strategy is based on a principle of early infant development: a baby’s developing brain stores thousands of patterns and sequences as it sleeps. Avoid bright lights at night, talking loudly, or interacting with the baby’s siblings while putting them to sleep.
While you’re at it, try to make the sleeping area comfortable for your baby. It’s important to remember that babies should sleep on their back, never on their side or tummy. Once they start rolling, they’ll probably stay in this position as long as they’re secure in their crib. Lastly, try to keep a smoke-free atmosphere away from the crib. Secondhand smoke can cause your baby to overheat, so it’s best to avoid this.
During the day, babies need higher levels of light and noise than at night. Reward them with more activities during the day while minimizing movement at night. Encourage your baby to practice tummy time during the day as it helps develop the neck and shoulders muscles. It has also been linked to a longer sleep at night. You can also massage your baby. While he’s awake, try to rub his tummy. It will calm his nerves and help him sleep longer at night.
