There are days when your baby will go to sleep without any difficulty at all. Other times, they seem hyperactive or unsettled and getting them off to sleep proves to be a real challenge!
Here are a few ways to calm your baby enough to get them off to sleep.
Using a Comfortable Pacifier
Not every pacifier will suit every baby. There are some that are more comfortable for them than others. You certainly should stick to one of the big-name brands – MAM, Philips Avent, Tommee or The First Years – to get the best results. An orthodontic pacifier is a good idea for babies that are sensitive to keeping the pacifier in their little mouth. A BPA-free pacifier is a must and you should ideally choose one that doesn’t have a detectable smell or taste that could put them off. Silicone pacifiers are the best ones due to their softness and pliability during use. They’re also easy to wash too. Check out the best pacifiers for breastfed babies 2017 to pick one that’ll help you get your baby off to sleep sooner.
Eat, Sleep, Repeat Challenges
Newborns go through a period of adjustment to being outside the womb. For several months, they have no sleep routines they’re comfortable with. For this reason, it’s a good idea to introduce different activities associated with sleep time. In the evening, turning down the bright indoor lighting can encourage his or her sleep pattern. Putting your baby into their sleeping clothes will help them associate this with sleep time. Creating a routine for your little one and placing them into their crib before they’re asleep creates a new association to help the process of falling asleep.
Soothing Voice
A bedtime story is something many parents fondly remember from their childhood. What they may not recall is being read stories as a baby, not just as a young child. It’s not that the baby will understand the words, but when read in a soft, gentle tone of voice with the lights dimmed down, they get used to story time coming before bed time. Small words and a soothing tone work well in their formative years. Above all, babies need to feel comforted to get off to sleep.
Help with Overtiredness
With overly tired babies, they require some time to be allowed to calm their bodies and mood first. Rocking baby back and forth often helps to calm things down. If you like to sing a lullaby to deal with their overtiredness, this often does the trick. Once your baby is calmer, they can be placed in their cot to get off to sleep. If they start crying, give it a few minutes for them to become calm. If that doesn’t happen, return to provide comfort, then leave again. It may take several tries before your little one settles fully and is able to get themselves off to the land of dreams.
Dealing with the challenge of getting your baby to sleep isn’t easy. If they don’t manage it quickly, they’ll get overly tired and then it becomes even more difficult. It’s a good idea to use several different approaches to the sleep problem to see which works best for them. Every baby is unique and responds in different ways.
