Getting your baby to sleep

For many parents, getting a baby to sleep may be a challenge. Many a times they have to deal to with a fitful baby at bedtime. Swaddling is often used to calm the baby down. An old baby-calming technique that is commonly used, swaddling involves wrapping the baby in a blanket to provide warmth and a womb-like sense of security. It can however be harmful to the baby if not done well so be very careful when using this technique because it has been known to cause hip dislocation and damage to the soft hip joint cartilage. Some doctors also suggest that parents should stop swaddling their babies after two months.

Swaddling is not the only way to calm and put a baby to sleep. There are multiple alternative ways to calm fussy babies and put them to sleep. Below are some helpful tips on how you can get your baby to fall asleep.

Create a safe environment for sleep

Try to imagine where you would like to fall asleep if you were the baby. My guess is you wouldn’t want to be left to fall asleep alone, behind bars in a dark and quiet room. Being cuddled in arms you trust is probably the preferred choice, so provide the same for your baby.

Create various bedtime rituals

Having a bedtime ritual will make your child associate it with sleep, for instance rocking or a familiar song. Whenever this ritual takes place the child will know that it is time to sleep.

Have a variety of these rituals so that you don’t fall into the trap of “nursing is the only thing that will put her to sleep”.

Wearing down

Move around the house with the baby in a sling carrier once she is fed, changed and ready for bed. When fully asleep, gently transfer the baby into the crib.

Baby’s favorite tunes

Put your baby’s favorite tunes on a CD or record yourself singing lullabies. At bedtime, play the CD or tape. The baby will start to relate the tunes with sleep.

Motion for sleep

Try rocking your baby, whether in your arms, in a rocking chair while cuddled against your chest or in the cradle. You could also put the baby in a car seat and drive around until sleep takes over. Once asleep, gently move the baby into their crib.

Be careful with baby trainers

If you practice the cry-it-out method too rigidly or while they are too young, babies may develop sleep, anxiety where they will be afraid of going to sleep. You want to encourage a healthy attitude to sleep such that the child will feel safe and comfortable sleeping. The baby should think of sleep as something pleasant.

Before you try that new sleep training technique that you read in your parenting book, especially if it involves leaving your baby to cry it out, run a few things in your mind. Think about the advice being given and whether it is sensible. How does it affect the baby’s temperament and are you comfortable trying it out? Remember that an approach will not always work for all babies at all times so if one technique is failing or doesn’t feel right, try another one.