Helping Baby Sleep

From LoveToKnow Baby

In the first few months after a baby is born, parents spend a lot of time helping baby sleep. With infants sleeping as much as 20 out of 24 hours a day, those who haven't raised children may wonder what the problem is. However, just because a baby appears to sleep a lot doesn't necessarily mean that he sleeps for long periods of time. In fact in the first few weeks of life, babies may sleep for no more than an hour before waking. Helping baby sleep is more than just laying him in a baby crib and walking out the door.

Babies often need help sleeping.

Controversies

Controversies abound when it comes to finding the best method for helping baby sleep. There are those who swear by the method of rocking their baby until he falls into a deep sleep, then slipping him quietly into his bed. Others, however, disagree with this method, instead choosing to let baby cry it out and learn how to soothe himself into a restful slumber.

Which method is best for you? Only you can answer that question. Just like parents are individuals, babies are individuals, too. Each one has a special personality and needs, and you will learn how to respond to those needs.

Try as they might, some parents just can't let their babies cry it out. It may be that the parents simply can't stand to hear their babies' woeful cries. On the other hand it may be that a baby is simply too strong-willed and temperamental to settle on his own. Instead, he works himself into a full-blown tantrum.

We can't tell you what will specifically work for your baby, but we can give you some great suggestions that have worked for others! Keep reading, and if you have any suggestions not mentioned in this article, please post them!

Establishing Patterns

It's no secret that babies thrive on routines and schedules, so it makes sense that you should try to establish a sleep pattern as soon as possible. Keep in mind that a newborn won't have any specific sleep habits in the first few days, but you can help him begin to understand the difference between night and day.

Keep your baby in bright, active areas of the house when you want him to be more wakeful.
Use subdued lighting and quieter tones at night.
Place him in his bassinet or crib for naptimes as often as possible.
Establish a bedtime routine as soon as possible, including a bath, story, song, etc.
Be as consistent as possible in setting naptimes and bedtimes. This will be hard to do for newborns who nap continuously, but eventually you'll notice a more definite pattern in your baby's wake and sleep times.

Create Comfort

Just as you may enjoy sleeping in a cool, dark, and quiet atmosphere, your baby needs a sleep-conducive environment as well.

Pay attention to the placement of the crib in the room. You may want to move it away from windows and away from an adjoining wall of a noisy sibling's room.
Use white noise, such as a fan set on low or some other rhythmic noise blocker.
Use only a subdued nightlight.
Keep lights very low when changing or feeding baby in the middle of the night. The key here is to teach baby that nighttime is for sleeping, even after he awakens to eat or be changed.
Feed baby before bedtime. Don't overstuff him, however, or he may have an upset tummy or spit up more than usual.
Dress your baby in gowns for the first few weeks to make changing diapers at night a little easier.
Keep the temperature in the room warm, but not too warm. Dress your baby accordingly. You don't want to use blankets and quilts because of the risk of SIDS, but you can use baby sleep sacks.

Watch Your Responses

As your baby grows, he'll begin to understand the power he has over you. (Babies are very intuitive!) You'll be thrilled…until he starts waking up and wanting you in the middle of the night.

Don't rush to his crib to immediately pick him up.
Give him time to settle himself back down.
You might have to stand at the door or even go to his crib to reassure him, but try not to take him out of his bed.
Continue to reassure him that you are nearby without taking him out of the crib.

Finally, only you will really know what works best for your baby. Be prepared for lots of advice from others, but trust your instincts. You and your baby will learn together, and you'll discover that helping baby sleep involves some trial and error.