If your baby cries or fusses for longer than you are comfortable with, go ahead and offer some reassurance. I encourage you to give it a few minutes to allow your baby to settle himself. You lay your baby down awake, but drowsy and hope he doesn’t cry or fuss. Now you are probably nervous or shaking in your boots because you’ve done all the work to prepare your baby for sleep. These sleep routines help your baby learn to anticipate sleep, which in turn, helps them fall asleep better because he knows it’s what he is supposed to do. Such sleep routines offer reassurance and security to a baby, who sees the world as a very chaotic place. Whatever you choose, you will want to use the same sleep routine every single time, as it will best cue your baby for sleep. Keeping it simple and functional will best serve you and your child and increase the likelihood you will stick with it for the long run.Ī good sleep routine could include anything such as a bath, soft music, stories, massage, swaddle, dimming the room, turning on white noise, etc. Use these newborn routine and baby routine cards to help get you started…Ĭhoose whatever sleep routine you think will work best for your child and your family. You can use an abbreviated sleep routine for naps (5-10 minutes) and a longer sleep routine for bedtime (30 minutes). Like I just mentioned above, setting the stage is really all about establishing a good baby sleep routine. This usually means taking your baby to his room, closing the curtains, swaddling, singing a lullaby, sitting with your baby for a few minutes to help relax and settle him, and saying your sleepy words (e.g. Once you notice your baby’s sleep cue, you will want to start setting the stage for sleep in the baby’s room. If it’s daytime, there is no need to block out all the light, but trying to keep your baby in a room that is less bright with the curtains partially closed can help prepare your baby for sleep. Keep stimulation low key: books, relaxing music, or gentle talking or playing are just a few examples. Once you learn your baby’s approximate wake time, you will want to start setting the stage in your home about 20 minutes before an anticipated nap time. When we are exposed to dimmer light or darkness, our body activates melatonin, which is a hormone that helps us feel sleepy. When we are exposed to bright light, our bodies stimulate Cortisol, which is a hormone that helps us feel awake. Setting the stage helps release hormones in your baby’s body to help him prepare for sleep. Once you know your baby’s approximate wake time, it can help you gauge when to set the stage for sleep. Keep your eyes peeled to determine what an appropriate wake time is for your child. In the book The Baby Whisperer Solves All your Problems, Tracy Hogg talks about watching for sleepy cues.Ī baby’s sleeping cue may come in the form of an eye rub, a yawn or a fuss. I prefer to focus less on the actual number of 35-40 minutes of wake time, and more on the baby’s actual sleep cues. At the first year mark, your baby may have a wake time of 2.5-3 hours before needing a rest. In the first month a newborns wake time may only be around 35-40 minutes or so. This refers to monitoring your baby’s wake time, which is the amount of time awake that your baby would have before needing to rest again. Let’s discuss how to teach your baby to fall asleep independently. Then repeat the process of laying your baby down awake. And you should go to him, and feed him, and do what needs to be done. On the other hand, if your baby does have a legitimate need, I assure you he will cry and let you know. No rocking, bouncing, or doing 10 handstands required by mom or dad. This means when your baby wakes up in the middle of the night and does not have a legitimate need, he will put himself back to sleep independently. Night feedings will begin to drop off naturally when your baby is ready. My goal in sharing this step-by-step is to help you guide and encourage your baby to have good sleep habits to allow sleeping through the night to happen naturally over time. It’s also helpful because I believe it is the number one way to help your baby sleep through the night when he is ready. Like I said in my Top Ten Newborn Baby Sleep Tips, laying your baby down awake but drowsy can be kind of tricky sometimes trying to get the timing down and catching your baby’s optimal sleep window.
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