Have you been struggling to get your baby to sleep in their crib? Are they a terrible sleeper and you’re at your wit’s end? You’re not alone! Many parents have this struggle, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are some tips you can use these tips to help your baby sleep through the night
Create a bedtime routine
Take time to wind down and relax in the hour or so before you plan to put your baby in the crib. A relaxing routine may help signal sleepiness to your little one, which can make it easier for him or her to fall asleep. Consider giving a warm bath(under strict supervision), or reading a book together.
At bedtime, keep activities quiet and dim the lights if possible. Turn off anything that makes noise or emits light (computers, TVs, etc.) at least an hour before you plan to put your baby in his crib for sleep. This will help signal that it’s time to start calming down and preparing for rest.
Put baby down drowsy but awake
Most babies need to learn how to fall asleep on their own, and they often have trouble doing so if you rock or nurse them to sleep. To get your baby used to falling asleep in the crib, put him down when he’s a little drowsy but still awake. Then leave the room – going back in every few minutes to comfort your little one briefly before leaving again may help prevent him from getting too upset.
If you’ve already begun to teach your baby that it’s nighttime when he goes into the crib, then stay nearby there until he falls asleep — even if that means sitting next to his crib or pacing back and forth outside. But once he gets used to falling asleep on his own, try moving out of sight so you’re not tempted to go back in every few minutes.
Place crib close to your bedroom so you can hear any fussing or crying easily
Make sure there’s nothing else close enough the baby could get to and get hurt with. Put your child to sleep without any toys or pillows in the crib. Make sure the room is warm, but not too warm. Place them in the crib and close the door behind you so you are out of their sight.
If they start crying, let them cry for two minutes before going back in . Gently rub their back until they calm down, don’t pick them up unless you have to, this will invite bad habits during sleeping times later on in life. If they still cry after that , wait ten minutes then go back in and repeat what you just did . Try rubbing their backs more firmly this time , also try laying them down on their backs and not on their stomachs.
Consider sleeping in the same room as your baby
A baby’s sleep pattern is more regular when the mom and baby share a room. However, keep in mind that your baby needs to learn how to fall asleep on her own, so after she falls asleep in your arms, put her down in her crib.
Optimal sleep environment
Babies need a quiet and dark room to help them fall asleep. If they wake up during the night, swaddle them tightly or place them on their abdomen for natural reflexes to bring them back to sleep. Place the crib in a room far away from windows so outside light doesn’t interrupt sleep. Darkness makes it easier for babies to fall asleep and stay asleep. Swaddling your baby tightly(but not too tightly) might also be helpful.
Babies and Sleep Sacks
Babies can’t regulate their body temperatures very well, so they tend to feel cold at night. A sleep sack is a great tool to help make sure babies stay warm. It’s also a good way to keep them from learning how to climb out of their crib as they won’t be able to wiggle their way out as easily as they usually do. When choosing the right sleep sacks for your baby, it’s important that you choose one that is appropriate for whatever season it currently is.
Additional Tips
- The baby should go to bed early enough for him or her to get used to falling asleep without too much over-tiredness. For most babies this is between 6 and 7 p.m., but it depends on their individual rhythms and what works best for them.
- Once you’re sure the baby is very sleepy, you can either bring him to your bed or carry him in the dark to his own bed. If he cries, don’t go in right away. Wait 5 minutes and see if he’s settled down on his own. If not, check again after another five minutes. Repeat until he’s asleep or at least quiet for several minutes.
- If your baby wakes up during the night and cries out while you’re not in the room, try swaddling her tightly (but not too tightly). Her natural reflexes should bring her back to sleep. Babies should always sleep on their backs, other positions like sideways or sleeping on stomach can have risks of SIDS(Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
- Many babies will also need to be rocked or soothed back to sleep. However, once they have learned how to fall asleep on their own, you can’t soothe them all the time as this may induce bad sleeping habits.
- It’s a good idea to set some kind of alarm for yourself after your baby falls asleep. This helps ensure you won’t sleep through the night without checking on her.
- If you plan on leaving your baby sleeping in her crib all night, you should keep the crib close to your bed so you can hear and see her.
- If the baby consistently unable to sleep, then it’s better to them to a doctor to see if there’s is any underlying cause for it.
If you’re currently struggling with getting your baby to sleep in their crib, it’s time to start implementing these tips. They may take some tweaking on your end and patience from both of you, but they’ll be worth the effort.
