There is no denying that a mother’s job is one of the most difficult jobs in the world. You don’t get to have any breaks or holidays. Imagine what a nightmare it is when your baby doesn’t sleep well. You have to sacrifice the already little sleep you are getting and suffer as a result. Sleep comes very naturally to babies especially when they are well fed. You need to feed your newborn at regular intervals to make sure he is properly nourished.
Here are five effective tips to make your restless baby sleep:
1. Create the environment for sleeping
Remember you baby does not know that it is time to sleep. He can’t tell the difference between day and night as most of the time he is inside the house. You need to create the environment that tells him it is time to sleep and teach him the difference. You can take him outside in the day light in your terrace or may be near a window where light comes in. to create a sleep surrounding at night, dim the lights, minimize external noise and place him in his bed to give him the hint that play time is over.
2. Understand the wake up reasons
If your baby keeps waking up in the middle of his sleep and starts crying, find out why because it may only disturb and annoy you. There can be different reasons and you need to try to understand those reason to make modifications. He could be hungry and you can make the needed changes in his diet. He can also have a wet nappy which is irritating him. Always feed your baby well before putting him to sleep and make sure that the diaper is dry and can last his entire sleep time.
3. Avoid sudden change in routine
After taking care of your baby for some time now, you must have realized that little changes in the surrounding can make your baby restless. Babies like to feel secure and remain in the environment where they already know people. They like being with things they are familiar with like their room, bed or cot. Always make your baby sleep in the same cot or bed and in the same room. If your baby tends to like a blanket or a toy, let them have it while they sleep.
4. Follow the signs
Your baby cannot speak in words and tell you that he or she is feeling sleepy. However you can look for clear signs of sleepiness. Make sure you follow the signs otherwise he will become more cranky and restless. It might get more difficult for him to sleep too. If your little angel has puffy eyes, he is pulling his ears or rubbing his eyes, then know that he wants you to put him to sleep. Simply follow the baby’s cues.
5. Create a sleep routine
Don’t you see how excited your baby gets when you bring the feeding bottle because he know it is time for food. Similarly, you need to form associations with sleep as well. You can sing him a lullaby or play a soothing piece of music before sleep and repeat it at every day. You can also make a routine of giving your baby a warm bath right before putting him to sleep. Repeating such sleep associations every day will help your baby realize it is now time to sleep and will help him to fall asleep easily.
