Are you struggling to keep your newborn asleep at night
You are not alone.
Here are seven tips that work well.
Make sure the newborn is awake and not in light sleep
This is always confusing to new mothers and teenagers who have not had the experience of a newborn before.
Newborn babies enter all sleep by going into a light sleep, which looks like they are awake. They’re moving their arms, making lots of noises, but their eyes are closed.
You’ll see that their eyeballs are moving underneath their eyelids, but they look like they’re awake, but they’re in light sleep.
Newborn babies spend most of their time in light sleep. They only go to deep sleep for a short period in each sleep cycle. Deep sleep looks like the baby is asleep. So their bodies are completely resting.
Make sure that the newborn is asleep, not moving, and their breath is deep. You can try this by putting your hand on their chest to make sure they’re still breathing.
So always consider that. The other thing is that newborns, when asleep, always go through sleep cycles. Each sleep cycle is around 40 minutes long and between sleep cycles, the newborn will often wake up for a short time. Make sure that you pick them up when awake or by genuinely crying.
Make sure the room is cool.
Babies sleep well in rooms that are around 19c-22c temperature. If you cannot get that make sure you dress them for the temperature of the room. Thus a thermometer is so important since you cannot guess whether the room is too cold or hot.
I would recommend the ergo pouch sleeping bag. They contain a checklist of the temperature of the room, thus making you aware of the types of clothes you should put on the baby.
The room should be dark
The room should be dark enough to an extent that you do not see anything. This is because newborns fear the dark. It is also essential when the baby comes into light sleep, between the sleeping cycles, they are not stimulated by what’s in the room.
When there is some light penetrating the room, the baby notices the shiny toys over there, birds, and trees outside, thus cutting off the sleep.
The room should be quiet
Many people always argue that the baby needs to learn to sleep in a noisy environment. This is not true. Who sleeps in a noisy room? No one.
Babies are easily stimulated. They have a startle reflex, that’s why you will notice that when there is a loud noise the baby will always jump, and since most of the time they are in light sleep most of the time they will be woken by that reflex.
Thus, in case there’s noise, in that room, it should be consistent and not loud.
Swaddling the baby or using a sleeping bag
Swaddling is important because it mimics the womb. Keep the baby secure and make sure he is warm. Make sure they don’t overheat to prevent the occurrence of SIDS. Always use the sleeping bag that swaddles the baby with its arms down. This is because it dampens the startle reflex inside them.
Babies at this age need our help to fall asleep. So they might fall asleep in our arms and then we will transfer them into the cot.
This is not good since the newborn tends to wake up in the process of transferring their arms to the cot. That’s why I recommend the Halo sleeping bag since you can wrap your baby’s arms down inside the cot. It also helps them sleep using the right sleeping position.
Introduce a baby bedtime routine
Having a good night routine is suitable for a baby’s mood during the night. Let’s say you want your baby to be in bed before 8:00; the practice should include:
- Having a hot bath around 7:15 will help her relax.
- Dress in clean clothing and diapers.
- Chanting a lullaby or music from your phone.
- Embrace yourself in a dimly lit room away from the noise.
Thus, if this is implemented every night, they will soon acknowledge that it is time to sleep.
Creating a conducive sleep environment
The environment should be friendly and safe. By putting your baby in a good atmosphere, you build a stage for success.
For example, the darkroom is much better or limiting the source light, the place should be quiet and TVs and Radios should be turned off to avoid distraction.
The temperature should also be favorable whereby neither be too hot nor too cold and also the environment should be clean and free from parasites or pests.
Understand his sleep cues
Baby sleep cues refer to signs your child gives when they want to sleep.
So, understanding those clues is essential for a mother to save the child from numerous struggles and tears.
This cue includes: baby avoids direct eye contact with you, starts zoning out, less social or interactive, they become calmer, redness in the eyes, yawning, crying, and turning his head away.
Encourage that extra hour
Babies tend to begin their days naturally early, from 4 or 5 in the morning.
As a parent, it’s not good to entertain that. Let the baby understand that it is still at night, which encourages newborns to sleep longer.
Ensure the baby is safe
As a mother, it is good to ensure that your child is safe, whether at night or during the day. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that newborns should sleep with their backs to lower the chances of sudden infant deaths. It can be prevented by:
Always put your baby down to sleep on their back.
Always use a firm sleep surface.
Your baby should sleep in the same room as you, but not in the same bed as you.
Keep soft objects or loose bedding out of the crib. They include pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, and bumper pads.
Do not use wedges and positioners.
Avoid covering your baby’s head or overheating.
Don’t smoke.
Always breastfeed your baby…
If you’re pregnant, get regular prenatal care.
Try sleeping when the baby sleeps…
A mother needs to accompany the baby when they sleep. It shows a way of comforting the baby to sleep. Some newborn tends to fear when left alone, which makes them not sleep for a long time. You can find a house helper who can help if you have a tight schedule. According to McKenna writes, he says that parents should sleep close to their newborns for safety and protection and to ease the process of breastfeeding. This keeps the baby asleep at night.
Conclusion
Every mother or caregiver needs to understand the traits or behaviors of a newborn. These include sleep signals and the type of environment that helps the newborns sleep well.
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