One of the things first-time parents find crucial immediately after returning from delivering their baby at the hospital, is sleep, both for the parents and the baby. If you are wondering about how to promote better sleep for your newborn, rest assured, you are in the right place!
Here are the Top 9 Baby Sleep Tips for First Time Parents that helped other new parents ensure quality sleep for their babies and sufficient rest for themselves.
Dream Feed
Dream feed is a technique that helps newborns sleep better. It is feeding your baby right before you go to sleep. This method will help your baby sleep for few more hours to prevent sleep deprivation.
Swaddle
Up to the age of four-to-five months, babies commonly have the feeling that they are falling. They often wake up suddenly and start crying. It is normal. You can prevent this startling way of waking up by swaddling your infant and it will lengthen his or her sleep time. Be sure when you swaddle, that you put the baby on his or her back to avoid SIDS. Black infants are at risk twice as much as other babies because parents to often put them to sleep on their stomachs. Put your baby to sleep on his or her back every time, up to age one.
Make A Sleep Routine
A consistent routine will help your life run more smoothly. When I was a new mom, like you, I followed a routine that fit my daily life, and the result was just amazing. My bedtime routine was to first put my baby on my lap, cuddle, close the curtains, sing a lullaby, then place my baby on the bed and finally give the baby a goodnight kiss. This really worked for me. I hope it works for you too.
Follow A Daily Routine
The proper eat-wake-sleep cycle is very important for tiny babies. Try to feed your baby immediately after waking. Then let the infant play and after this, then allow your baby to take a nap. Most daycare centers give children naps at approximately 1 pm. You should try it too.
Diaper Change
Change your baby’s diaper before he or she goes to sleep or the baby will wake up when the diaper gets wet and heavy. Your child is likely to produce seven to eight wet diapers a day. Remember to change diapers as soon as possible. Frequent diaper changes will prevent diaper rash and inflammation. You want to avoid changing the baby’s diaper in the middle of the night since it disturbs the sleeping infant, will make your baby fussy, and there is no guarantee the baby will go back to sleep.
Eliminate Gas
To prevent vomiting, after feeding the baby it is imperative to eliminate gas. Babies usually become fussy and cry due to gas. Try gas relief-type exercises such as bicycling the legs or putting your infant across one of your thighs, tummy-down and vibrate your foot gently up and down.
Use White Noise
Using white noise will help your baby sleep soundly at night. You can buy a sound machine toy or just turn on the ceiling fan in the baby’s room to mask loud noises. This will help the baby sleep without any disturbances.
Hang Room Darkening Curtains
Sunlight is one of the main enemies of proper sleep. I hung dark colored curtains on the window to prevent direct sunlight from entering the nursery and my baby slept in peace. Blackout window blinds are a good choice for your baby’s nursery. Be sure to wrap any blind cords and store them in a high position away from children to prevent strangulation.
Eliminate The Day-Time Nap
If your baby sleeps during the day, he or she will not sleep at night, and you too will lose sleep as a consequence. If you want your baby sleep more at night, eliminate the day nap and keep the baby active during the daytime. Newborns need their sleep. Only eliminate the day nap, when they are old enough to begin sleep training.
[…] you’re like most parents, you’ve tried everything to create a cozy bedtime routine including reading books, rubbing backs, and even using night […]
[…] you’re like most parents, you’ve tried everything to create a cozy bedtime routine including reading books, rubbing backs, and even using night […]