As you welcome your little one into this world, as a first-time mom, you might want to spend most of your days playing with them and seeing if they’ll look at your face or even give you a small smile. While those can light up the room, your newborn baby might need to rest and sleep as much as they can as their body is adjusting to the outside world and preparing to grow up.
Putting your baby to sleep isn’t as easy as it looks. It may not be as simple as swinging your baby back and forth for a few minutes and being able to put them back on their crib in a snap. It’s a challenge most new moms face, especially if their baby has a different way to fall asleep. So, for your guidance, listed below are tips to help make your new baby fall asleep:
In This Article
1. Maximise Swaddle Time
Your baby’s been living comfortably inside your womb for nine whole months. As they exit your womb and welcome themselves to the outside world, they might be afraid of their new environment. To make your baby feel safe and secure in their new atmosphere, swaddling them would be the best choice.
Swaddling your baby involves covering them with a swaddle or soft blanket, imitating a hug. It would seem as if you’re wrapping your baby like a burrito. Since the swaddle will have contact with your baby’s skin, you should ensure that you use suitable materials to avoid any allergic reaction. Ideally, you should look for hypoallergenic or organic baby swaddles as they’re gentle on your baby’s skin, allowing them to drift to sleep comfortably.
2. Check The Temperature
No matter how snug you swaddle your child, if they’re not at a comfortable temperature, they might not get a good night’s sleep. Each baby has its own temperature preferences. Some can get cold quickly, while some can get hot. With that in mind, you first need to identify your child’s preference and adjust the room temperature accordingly.
You may determine your baby’s preferred temperature by checking their hands, feet, and back as you adjust the room temperature. If their hands and feet are extremely cold, you should turn up the heat by a few degrees. You can also use mittens and socks to make them feel comfortable. In contrast, if their back is warm, you might want to turn down the heat slightly.
3. Play Relaxing Music
Lullabies are extremely helpful in making your child feel comfortable and relaxed. You can choose to hum a sweet lullaby or use a lullaby machine that’ll play relaxing music to your child as they try to fall asleep during the day or night.
Apart from singing a lullaby, you should consider exploring what type of music your baby would be comfortable with. They might be more comfortable with a white noise background, or even the sound of the heartbeat since that’s what your baby hears while they were still inside your womb.
4. Put Them Down Sleepy
No matter how adorable it is to let your baby fall asleep in your arms, it might be best to place them on their own bed when they’re asleep. Since you might have a hard time moving around once they get used to being carried to. They might just trap you in your seat, not being able to do anything for the entire day. To help your baby sleep on their own, inside their crib, you should put them down sleepy yet awake.
You can begin by rocking your baby back and forth until you see their eyes get droopy and sleepy. Once you can see your child look weary, gently and slowly put them down on the crib and continue to hum a soft lullaby. This will teach them to fall asleep independently and not rely on your lullabies and rocking motion to fall asleep.
5. Establish A Routine
Your baby needs to have a regular sleep schedule. However, not every baby can fall asleep instantly. To help your baby fall asleep as you place them on their crib, you should practice a routine and stand by it as they grow up.
You can begin by setting nap hours throughout the day. However, you shouldn’t schedule a late afternoon nap as it can make it challenging for your child to fall asleep at night. If they’re sleeping for too long in the afternoon, try to wake them up so they can still sleep comfortably at night. Moreover, you should also put your baby to sleep on their crib during the night and their naps. It will help them identify that their crib is for sleep.
The Verdict
Baby naps are essential to give your child some time to rest and recharge. It is also important for their growth and development. There are plenty of things that you can do and try to help your baby take longer naps. Remember that every baby is different, and you should experiment with which method would work best for your baby.
