10 Useful Tips On How To Get Baby To Sleep Through The Night

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I s your b a b y active a n d awake d u r i n g night? H a v e you t r i e d out e v e r y t h i n g but n o t h i n g seems t o work? A r e you c o n s t a n t l y looking f o r ways o n how h o w to g e t baby t o sleep t h r o u g h the n i g h t ?

I f you a r e a s l e e p deprived m o t h e r who w a n t s her b a b y to h a v e a g o o d sleep r o u t i n e at n i g h t , we a r e here t o help. R e a d on t o find h o w you c a n achieve t h e same b y using s o m e effective t i p s .

H o w To G e t Baby T o Sleep T h r o u g h The N i g h t :

Y o u r newborn s h o u l d ideally s l e e p for 1 6 hours o r more d u r i n g the d a y in v a r i o u s stretches. I n i t i a l l y , your b a b y might d o most o f this s l e e p through t h e day, w h i l e the n i g h t sleep r o u t i n e will s t i l l be e r r a t i c . By t h e time y o u r baby r e a c h e s four m o n t h s , you w i l l notice a sleep p a t t e r n forming. Y o u r baby m a y start s l e e p i n g for l o n g e r stretches, e v e n at n i g h t , sometimes f o r as l o n g as f o u r hours a t a s t r e t c h . It m i g h t take t i m e for y o u r baby t o understand t h i s pattern. G e n t l e guiding a n d setting a pattern w i l l help y o u r baby s l e e p better. ( 1 )

T i p s On H o w To G e t Your B a b y To S l e e p Through T h e Night:

1 . Set A Routine:

Y o u r baby w i l l highly b e n e f i t from a routine, e v e n as y o u n g as t w o to t h r e e months o f age.

S e t a s i m p l e bedtime r o u t i n e for y o u r baby.
M a k e sure y o u keep y o u r baby’s s l e e p times c o n s i s t e n t each d a y .
Y o u r baby m a y still n o t follow t h e pattern, b u t give i t time.
E v e n if y o u r baby s e e m s in a playful m o o d , make h e r lie d o w n and p u t her t o bed.
D o all t h e sleep r e l a t e d activities y o u do w i t h her, a t the s a m e time e a c h day.
D o i n g this c o n s i s t e n t l y each d a y will e s t a b l i s h a r o u t i n e for y o u r baby.

2 . Keep H e r Engaged T h r o u g h The D a y :

A s your b a b y starts t o get m o r e active, e n g a g e her m o r e during t h e day.

P l a y with h e r more d u r i n g the e v e n i n g .
T a k e her o u t for w a l k s and h e l p her e n g a g e more m e n t a l l y and p h y s i c a l l y .
T r y and e x t e n d her w a k e time i n the s e c o n d half.
I f you f e e l her g e t t i n g sleepy i n the l a t e evening, s h o w her a n activity t h a t will k e e p her a w a k e some m o r e .
G r a d u a l l y , her s l e e p time w i l l shift t o w a r d s night.

3 . Use T h e Bedroom A Sleep P l a c e :

T e a c h your b a b y that t h e bedroom i s a p l a c e to s l e e p .

E a c h time y o u put y o u r baby t o sleep, m a k e sure y o u do i t in a designated a r e a in t h e bedroom.
Y o u r baby w i l l soon s t a r t identifying t h e space w i t h sleep.
M a k e sure y o u do n o t engage h e r in p l a y and o t h e r activities i n the s l e e p area.
R e m o v e all t o y s and o t h e r distractions f r o m the s l e e p i n g area a n d dedicate i t only t o sleep.
K e e p the n i g h t time c o n d i t i o n s in t h e room c o n s i s t e n t . The l i g h t s and s o u n d s she e x p e r i e n c e s while g o i n g to s l e e p should r e m a i n the s a m e throughout. E v e n if s h e wakes u p in t h e middle o f the n i g h t , she w i l l see n o t h i n g has c h a n g e d and w i l l fall o f f to s l e e p easily.

4 . Avoid P i c k i n g Up O r Playing I n The M i d d l e Of T h e Night:

D o not p i c k up y o u r baby o r play w i t h her i f she w a k e s up i n the m i d d l e of t h e night.

I n s t e a d , quietly g u i d e her b a c k to s l e e p again.
I f she c r i e s to b e picked u p , try s o o t h i n g her b a c k to s l e e p by g e n t l y patting h e r .
S i n g a r h y m e you s i n g at b e d t i m e to m a k e her u n d e r s t a n d it i s still t i m e to s l e e p .
Y o u r baby m a y not y e t understand t h e difference b e t w e e n waking u p after a full s l e e p and w a k i n g up i n the m i d d l e of s l e e p . Continue w i t h putting t o sleep r o u t i n e s even i f she s e e m s fully a w a k e in t h e middle o f the n i g h t .

5 . Engage H e r In S o o t h i n g Activities R i g h t Before B e d t i m e :

K e e p the m o s t soothing a c t i v i t i e s for t h e last.

I n v o l v e your b a b y in h e r most f a v o r i t e quiet a c t i v i t i e s closest t o bedtime.
S h e will s t a r t looking f o r w a r d to b e d t i m e and w i l l be m o r e calm a n d relaxed.
A c t i v i t i e s like s i n g i n g a f a v o r i t e rhyme, p a t t i n g her b a c k and h e a d and g i v i n g a m a s s a g e will a l l help c a l m her. T h i s will h e l p the b a b y sleep t h r o u g h night.

6 . Make T h e Last M e a l A F i l l i n g One:

M a n y times, y o u r baby m i g h t wake u p in t h e middle o f the n i g h t due t o hunger. S o eating w i l l assist i n getting t h e baby t o sleep t h r o u g h the n i g h t .

M a k e her e a t something t h a t will k e e p her f u l l through t h e night.
I f your b a b y has s t a r t e d solids, e n s u r e she g e t s enough f o o d to s u s t a i n through t h e night o r as l o n g as p o s s i b l e .
I f your b a b y is s t i l l on y o u r feed, f e e d her j u s t before p u t t i n g her t o sleep.

7 . Give H e r A B e d t i m e Bath:

A bedtime b a t h will h e l p your b a b y relax a n d get i n the s l e e p mode.

M a k e bedtime b a t h an e v e r y d a y routine i f the w e a t h e r permits.
G i v e her a nice r e l a x i n g bath i n warm w a t e r . Make s u r e there a r e no t o y s in t h e bath d u r i n g night, a s it c a n make y o u r baby m o r e active i n s t e a d of r e l a x e d .
M a s s a g e her p o s t – b a t h and s t o p all p l a y activities o n c e she h a s her b a t h .
P u t her i n comfortable c l o t h e s and g i v e her a feed i f she n e e d s .
P u t her s t r a i g h t to b e d , so t h a t she a s s o c i a t e s the n i g h t bath w i t h sleep t i m e .

8 . Switch O f f All D i s t r a c t i o n s For E v e r y o n e :

S h o w your b a b y that n i g h t time i s sleep t i m e for e v e r y o n e .

S w i t c h off a l l distractions l i k e television, l o u d noise o r bright l i g h t s .
A s k all f a m i l y members t o reduce d i s t r a c t i o n s as m u c h as p o s s i b l e .
I f other m e m b e r s continue w i t h ‘stay u p ’ activities, i t can c o n f u s e your b a b y . Ask e v e r y o n e to f o l l o w the s w i t c h off m o d e at l e a s t for t h e initial f e w weeks. O n c e your b a b y falls i n t o a r o u t i n e , it w i l l be e a s i e r for h e r to f e e l sleepy h e r s e l f .

9 . Comfortable C l o t h e s And B e d d i n g :

G e t your b a b y in c o m f o r t a b l e sleep w e a r when i t is h e r bedtime.

K e e p sleep c l o t h e s separate f r o m day w e a r . Once y o u put h e r in h e r sleep c l o t h e s , your b a b y will s t a r t associating t h e m with b e d t i m e .
T h e clothes s h o u l d be c o m f o r t a b l e and p r e f e r a b l y made o f cotton. E n s u r e they a r e of a good b r e a t h a b l e material. Y o u r baby s h o u l d not f e e l hot o r cold i n her s l e e p clothes.
K e e p her b e d empty, w i t h no p i l l o w s till s h e is a t least a year o r so o l d . Remove a l l blankets, t o y s and c o m f o r t e r s (see n e x t point). I n s t e a d , put y o u r baby i n clothes t h a t will k e e p her w a r m and s n u g through t h e night. T h i s will h e l p in g e t t i n g baby t o sleep t h r o u g h the n i g h t .

1 0 . A S l e e p Toy:

S o m e t i m e s , a s l e e p toy c a n help y o u r baby f e e l secure a n d calm.

G e t her a small t o y that s h e will g r a d u a l l y associate w i t h bedtime.
L e t her h o l d it t h r o u g h the n i g h t , especially w h i l e you a r e putting h e r to s l e e p .
Y o u can s h o w her i t is b e d t i m e by p a t t i n g the t o y and g i v i n g it t o her.
L e t her h o l d it a n d take i t to h e r bed. M a k e sure t h e toy i s safe a n d has n o choking o r other h a z a r d s for y o u r baby.

E v e r y baby i s different a n d may t a k e more o r less t i m e to f o r m a r o u t i n e . Y o u r question o n how t o get m y baby t o sleep t h r o u g h the n i g h t has b e e n answered h e r e i n this a r t i c l e . D o not w o r r y if y o u feel y o u r baby i s not f a l l i n g into a sleep p a t t e r n yet. H e l p her t o understand t h e changes s l o w l y and g e n t l y . R e m e m b e r , it i s a b i g achievement f o r her t o sleep t h r o u g h the n i g h t , so l e t her d o it o n her o w n pace.

D i d you t r y out a n y special t i p s to h e l p your b a b y sleep t h r o u g h the n i g h t ? What t a c t i c s worked b e s t for y o u r baby a n d you? D o share w i t h all m o m s here.

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