To be a first-time mother is truly bliss for every woman, but this happiness doesn’t come alone; it comes with heaps of tasks that you have to do without any excuse. You have to take care of your baby on priority, leaving every chore behind. A newborn needs all your devotion; you have to be alert all the time, which could lead you to many sleepless days and nights, which is certainly not good for your health. And that’s why today I have picked this topic where I am going to list down some tips that can help you set a routine for your baby’s sleep pattern. When you know how to put a baby to sleep, you give yourself some quality time to finish your unfinished work.
A mother’s arms are made of tenderness and children sleep soundly in them.
— Victor Hugo
Tips to How to Put Your Baby to Sleep or Set Her Sleep Pattern
To give your baby a sound sleep at night is a commendable job, so take enough time to get familiar with your baby’s sleep pattern, behaviors, and way of communication so that you can help her in her routine to nurture her properly. Let’s see how we can attain success with these helpful tips.
1. Make a Routine
It might seem unbelievable, but yes, babies have their own sleeping pattern, which can swerve if you aren’t careful enough. Infants don’t know about time, day or night, so it’s easy to make a routine for them to adjust accordingly. Decide a pattern or schedule for your baby’s feeding, bathing, and settling routine. Especially during the night, try to follow a steady bed routine. Bathing, cuddling, lullaby, or playing soft music are some of the proven formulas that can help your baby read the sign and follow a pattern. She will adopt this ongoing aura and friendly activities that will follow with her sound sleep. Once you make a fixed routine, follow it ardently, you will find your baby has adapted it eventually.
2. Make Sure Nothing Can Intrude her Sleep
Sometimes while sleeping, babies start to cry abruptly. There could be various unknown reasons, such as the feeling of hunger, uncomfortable room temperature, too much bedding, or clothing. So, make sure to feed your baby before sleeping; keep the room temperature normal, neither too hot nor too cold. Make sure to keep in mind that your baby is wearing relaxed clothes during the sleeping hour, and her bed is cozy enough. Still, if she cries, try to give a gentle massage or warm shower. This could make her calm to notch some sound sleep.
3. A Gentle Touch While Sleeping Can Do Miracles
During her bedtime or whenever you put your baby into the crib, don’t rush; make her feel your presence with her by giving a gentle touch on her stomach, on the back, and her head. Sometimes babies need time to find a relaxed position before sleep, and that’s why they might get annoyed and begins to cry, and that’s the time when they need coziness, so stay calm and put your hand on her forehead, kiss her, rub her hand gently. Also, don’t leave a baby crying for a long time; if she doesn’t stop crying, speak with her calmly and gently pat her back. Your gentle touch can do miracles; your baby just needs your presence and love.
4. Be Watchful to Her Feeding Routine
Despite a set routine that you have established for your baby since day one if your baby starts to wake up at night due to hunger, change your routine and feed her just before her sleep and at midnight. Sometimes, a baby can be noisy or wriggle and shudder while sleeping, give her some time; if she is hungry, she will awake. So, it is better to wait a while to watch her action, whether she falls back to sleep or still stirring. If she needs to be breastfed at midnight, then make it a fix-time routine again so that she can sleep in peace. Also, use dim lights, a soft voice, and cozy movements to feed your baby during night hours; this can help her understand that this is her sleeping time.
Also Read: Your baby should have proper nutrition. Therefore you need to be watchful of what food your baby should have when she is growing up.
5. Involve Her in Healthy Activities During Day Hours
During day hours, try to engage your baby by talking, singing, playing with her, or in other activities she enjoys. This day workout of hers will make her tired and help her get adequate sleep during night hours. Make a habit of setting your baby to the bed when she is drowsy, weary, and half-awake. This can help her get familiar with her bed and adapt it sooner. The mornings are very bright during summer, which could disturb the baby’s sleep pattern, and thus she might get up early with less sleep, crying, and cranky, so to avoid this, use thick curtains or blinds to make the room darker.
6. Avoid Bed Sharing
Always make a habit and do practice how to put a baby to sleep in her own bed. Just avoid bed-sharing, which could hamper the baby’s sleep pattern and create a disturbance for her to get complete sleep or even fall asleep. Bed-sharing might also increase your baby’s risk of SIDS. Always place your baby to sleep on her back and check her crib to crosscheck her bedding comfort.
As time passes and your baby grows, you can find a lot of change in her routine, be observant and then re-adjust the entire routine; being a mother, you can do it only. Try these simple tips to give your baby a pleasant embracing sleep. Setting up a good routine can also get some good sleep and rest. A ‘good night’s sleep is a must for both mother and baby. And still, if you continue to have anxieties, consult your pediatrician for further advice.
Also Read: Being a mother and raise kids effectively is never an easy task. Indeed, mothers are superheroes for their kids.
This write-up is primarily for first-time moms, and experienced moms are welcome to share their views via our comment box.