Mar 19 , 2020
Helping Your Baby Sleep Better At Night
A good night’s sleep is no doubt important for a healthy baby. After all, most experts recommend that growing babies get as much as 17 hours per day. However, it isn’t always easy for our little ones to plop down and get some much-needed shut-eye at night.
Babies each have their own sleeping patterns and preferences. Some babies like to doze off during the day and stay up all night. Other babies can’t get any shut-eye at all if their parents aren’t in the room with them.
Helping your baby get a good night’s sleep might seem like a daunting task at first, but it can become much easier as time goes on. With enough care and determination, you’ll be able to enjoy some much-needed rest in bed alongside your child. Here are some tips to help your baby sleep easy at night.
Keep A Consistent Sleep Schedule
Babies generally become less grouchy and more relaxed when they’re able to follow a structured sleeping routine. Not only do you have to set a proper bedtime for your little one, but you’ll also need to do fun and consistent activities every day and night.
You can start doing fun and calming night time activities with your baby when they’re around 6 to 8 weeks old. For instance, you can rock and sway them before bed to help them relax. Singing lullabies or playing soothing music from a radio can also get them in a good mood. If you want to bond a little before bed, try doing a calming and soothing baby massage.
Consistency is also important when it comes to your baby’s sleeping environment. When your baby gets up in the middle of the night, they won’t have too much trouble going back to sleep if there aren’t any big changes to notice. Always be sure to keep your lights dimmed or shut off, and to only play soothing or calming music and sounds. Do resist the urge to turn on the TV late at night as this can disrupt your baby’s precious sleep.
Breastfeed At Night
Breastfeeding at night is another great way to help your baby calm down and sleep better after a long day. This is because breastmilk that’s pumped at night contains high amounts of melatonin, a hormone that’s said to reduce colic and help babies relax more. In contrast, breastmilk pumped during the day tends to contain higher amounts of cortisol—a hormone that helps with memory and brain development, but not so much with calm and relaxation.
It’s best to also establish a routine when feeding your baby at night. If you’ve breastfed at 7 PM the night before, try to breastfeed again at that same time the following day. Establishing a consistent routine like this can help your baby associate bedtime with healthy feeding and bonding, as well as help them relax and sleep much better.
Some experts do recommend that breastfeeding shouldn’t be the last activity on your baby’s nighttime routine. If babies fall asleep during breastfeeding, they might not sleep very long in their cribs at night. Instead, you should breastfeed to put your baby in a drowsy state then place him in his crib. That way, he’ll be used to sleeping more in his crib and feel energized enough to feed properly the next morning.
Use Familiar Scents
It isn’t easy to sleep when stress and anxiety are weighing down on your mind. When you’re worried about bills, work, or school, stress hormones often prevent you from relaxing and sleeping properly. Babies can also find it hard to get a good night’s sleep when they feel too restless or afraid.
Objects with your scent can help your baby relax and calm down during bedtime. Though babies can’t always see or speak right away, they can feel comfortable and safe just by smelling something you own. If you aren’t comfortable sleeping right next to your baby in bed, you can leave a few objects of your own in your baby’s crib to help them sleep better. You can also rub your scent over toys and blankets so that your baby can enjoy a great sense of security all throughout the night and day.
A baby’s sense of smell is indeed quite powerful. Not only can it help them learn more about the world around them, but it can also help them feel surging emotions like love and security. Baby nasal aspirators are the best tool for keeping your baby’s delicate nose safe as they can clear up any sticky snot and mucus in just a few minutes. Our baby nasal aspirator keeps your child’s delicate nasal canal clear and healthy all while playing soothing music and fun lights. If you need a reliable parenting tool that can really last, order yours today with just one click.