Sleep is so important for both baby and parent(s), but it is often considered to be one of the most stressful elements of raising children. Children naturally need sleep to recharge their batteries and help their bodies and brains to grow. As adults, we still need good quality sleep to function normally and take care of ourselves and our children. The most healthy, restorative sleep is consolidated sleep. Even though good quality sleep is necessary to be at our best, it is sometimes not easy for little ones to transition to sleep.
Establishing a bedtime routine is important if you and baby are to get the sleep you both so desperately need. Take a look at the following tips to see how you can achieve this.
Newborn routines
Your newly born baby will doubtless do a lot of sleeping in the first few weeks and establishing a routine is not as crucial at this age. You will probably both spend a lot of time re-energizing and recovering from the whole birthing process, which can be exhausting for mom and baby. However, the sleep may be sporadic as most newly born babies will need to feed every couple of hours, so you’ll need to take advantage of when your baby is dozing and try to sleep at the same time. It is never too early to start doing a routine. Something like a story, feeding and pajamas can be a great start, although, it is not as crucial in these early weeks.
Don’t rush the routine
Take time to slowly introduce your baby’s bedtime routine and be prepared for things not to run smoothly straight away. If you’re in a hurry and are trying to force the routine on your baby without giving them the time to relax and settle before you put them down, then this may serve only to unnerve them and make them restless. Bathe your baby, cuddle them, read or sing to them, but don’t rush things and make sure your baby is calm before you attempt putting them down.
Do your best to let your baby fall asleep on their own
This is not always easy to achieve, but it’s helpful if you can manage to put your baby down to sleep while they are awake, and let them fall asleep on their own. This will help them learn to cycle in and out of sleep on their own, since they will not rely so heavily on you to rock them or soothe them to sleep. This can also help your baby learn how to get themselves back to sleep if they wake up in the night and you are not there.
A shortened version of your baby’s bedtime routine may work for daytime naps
You do not need to spend as long on preparing your baby for a nap routine as you would at night time, but a shortened version of the evening routine may work well for daytime naps. It could be the tail end of your regular night routine, like the same story and song.
Be consistent but adaptable
Your baby’s needs will change as they grow, and while you should try your best to stick to a routine once you’ve established it, you must be prepared to adapt it to your baby’s new needs. For example, if your child is now wishing to choose their own book, go ahead and allow that.
If you’re struggling to establish a bedtime routine with your baby, never be afraid to seek professional help from a baby sleep consultant. Practical advice and guidance is given by Better Bedtime specialists who understand the varying needs of babies, and who have studied sleep patterns and baby behaviour. Our in-person and email or telephone packages demonstrate how best to establish a bedtime routine that works for both you and baby.
