DigytaliaWhen it comes to bedtime, babies can often be very fussy. As sleepy as they may have seemed a few minutes before, as soon as you head down the hall toward their crib, their tears have probably started to flow. Getting your baby to sleep each night can be a frustrating process, but it doesn’t have to be.
Babies need routine in their lives. It helps them to know what comes next and what to expect. When you develop a special baby sleep routine for your child, it will provide them with a clear signal that it’s time to sleep. If you always put your baby to bed in a different way, they will not always understand that it’s time to sleep.
The great thing about establishing your own baby sleep routine is that there is no right or wrong routine. A bath followed by a story works for some while a bottle and a rocking chair work best for others. Finding what works for you will take some time, but once you know what helps your child to fall asleep the easiest, stick with it. Your child will come to enjoy your baby sleep routine and associate bedtime with feeling peaceful and relaxed. Plus, if you establish set nighttime habits now, your child will develop good sleep patterns for later.
Not sure where to start with your baby sleep routine? Warmth is a big thing for babies, so giving them a nice bath before bed is a great idea. Make sure the water isn’t too warm and have a slightly warmed towel waiting to wrap them in when they get out. Then, put their pajamas on and wrap them in a soft blanket. You can try rocking your child, singing them a lullaby, reading to them or just spending some quiet time together.
Remember, you want to keep to a set time schedule, so begin their bath at the same time every night, read them a story for a set amount of minutes and so on. Before you put your baby in their crib, you might want to place a slightly warmed towel on top of their blanket to help make it feel snuggly and inviting. Be sure to take the towel out of the crib before putting your baby down.
Breast or bottle feeding your child before they go to bed at night can be another part of your baby sleep routine. After they eat, gentle pat your baby on their back and rock them. Check their diaper before putting them down to help them sleep more comfortably.
You cannot force a baby to sleep and there will be nights when yours is just adamant about not staying in their crib. But, if this is happening often, you might want to rethink your nighttime ritual. Don’t stay in a baby sleep routine if it’s just not working. Try different things. No two babies are the same. There are some really great books and e-books out there, such as the Baby Sleep Miracle e-book. This e-book has helped countless parents as you can see from this Baby Sleep Miracle review.
While baths relax some babies, they can invigorate others. Pay attention to how your child reacts to your baby sleep routine and you’ll be on the track to a good night’s sleep- for both of you- in no time!
