On this Page:

• 1. Start a bedtime routine
• 2. Dim the lights
• 3. Let baby settle down
• 4. Know your baby sleep cues
• 5. Regulate the temperature
• 6. Keep baby bottles warm
• 7. Find a cozy sleeping corner
• 8. Make daytime and night-time activities

Baby Sleep Tips

Getting shut-eye is a challenge for first time mothers who will welcome any baby sleep tips. Night time parenting is such a daunting task, and one that leaves most new mothers exhausted. Maintaining a good bedtime routine for baby is important, and this routine includes feeding baby. Soothing and reassuring baby before bedtime is something most mums have to do to get a goodnight’s sleep.

Finding the best baby sleep tips that work for your baby is a trial and error process. However, you will learn as your baby grows up.

Here are our eight baby sleep tips that we have compiled from experts who suggest what will make your night time parenting a breeze:

1. Start a bedtime routine

One of our top baby sleep tips is to have a bedtime routine for your baby that can give every mum enough time to rest after a whole day taking care of baby. Your sleeping ritual can be short or long, but try to include some of the following:

• a five to ten minute nappy change,
• a warm bath,
• a short bottle feeding session,
• a story or song session
• or a soothing massage.

Always remember that your routine should remain consistent, even during weekends or a night out with friends. Bedtime struggles always start with an inconsistent sleeping time for baby.

Another effective baby sleep tip is to cuddle up before bedtime to stimulate baby’s sleeping. This also creates a good bonding time for parents.

2. Dim the lights

Controlling light conditions in your baby’s bedroom helps to regulate baby’s circadian rhythm. This is the internal body clock that tells your body when it’s time to sleep. The lights will also reinforce difference between daytime and night time sleep. Keep the lights on inside the room even during daytime. Dim the lights at nighttime to let them know when it is time to sleep.

Use dimmed lights as part of baby’s bedtime routine as it gives a calming and relaxed ambience to baby’s room all throughout the night.

3. Let baby settle down

Sometimes you just have to let baby settle down in the cot and sleep on their own. If baby starts to cry once you start putting her to sleep, wait a few moments. Take some time before giving baby a pat in the back or rocking them to sleep.

Giving your baby time to know when to sleep or be active is important as they develop their own sleeping habits.

4. Know your baby sleep cues

Another top baby sleep tip is that parents should know their baby’s sleeping cues. Perfect timing is important to make baby sleep all through the night. A good clue is when baby starts rooting to nurse or reaching for the warm baby bottle. Another is when baby suddenly starts getting silent and all activities suddenly slows down. These may be signs that baby is now preparing for some quiet time to sleep.

A yawn, or eye rubbing, are signals that baby starts to get bored of the surroundings. As your baby gets quieter, calmer, and disinterested in their surroundings, parents should know that baby is already starting to feel sleepy. When this time comes, place baby in the cot or bed and give them the sleep their body needs.

5. Regulate the temperature

Adjusting the room temperature to the right level conditions baby to doze off at night. This has been one of the effective sleeping strategies of many successful parents. Keeping it cool during summer months and warm during winter gives makes it comfortable for baby to sleep all through the night. Always remember though, to keep baby’s room temperature not too hot or not too cold as it could also affect bedtime routine for babies.

6. Keep baby bottles warm

We all know that a warm milk could easily do the trick. Pumped milk placed in an accessible storage bag like Cherub Baby Milk Storage Bags for instant bottle feeding anytime of the night could help baby get to sleep fast. Cherub Baby Breast Milk Storage Bags allow mums to express and store milk at their convenience, meaning dad can feed with breast milk when mum also wants to get some sleep. Taking turns during a night duty of taking care of baby gives parents a sense of responsibility and bonding time with baby.

Choosing good quality baby bottles is also a good idea for quick and easy feeding! What is good about using Cherub Baby’s Colour Change Glass Bottles is that, it changes colour to show the right temperature of the milk for feeding baby. With Cherub Baby’s breast milk bags and glass bottles, baby never has to go without the natural goodness of antibodies and vitamins in mum’s breast milk.

7. Find a cozy sleeping corner

A quiet corner in the room is a good place for a cot. Babies also want their peace and quiet time in a corner where they can feel secure and comfortable. When you find the place that’s not too dark and not too bright, also look for the right pillow and blanket to make baby feel secure. Place a fan or some white noise maker to mask other noises around the room. This way, a wrong drop or clicking noises will not wake a baby in a deep slumber.

8. Make daytime and night-time activities

Keeping baby busy during daytime with social and play activities will give them the needed exercise, to have the needed rest by nighttime. This is probably among the successful sleeping strategies of many parents where children are given enough time for play and learning from a songs and storytelling session and socialising with their siblings and relatives. Distinguishing between a noisy environment that is bustling with activities and a quiet place inside the baby’s room will give baby the understanding on what is play time or sleeping time.

References: