10 Helpful Hints To Get Your Baby To Sleep

You baby might experience Day/Night Confusion when they are born. Experts think this is because while they were in the womb they were rocked to sleep by your movements during the day and restless because you were not moving during the nights. Another reason is because simply they do not know they need to be up during “day’ or sleep during the “night” and they do not have an internal body clock yet.

While there is no “quick fix” to this there are some things you can do to teach your baby the difference between day and night.

1. During the brief periods your baby is awake during the day make sure they are exposed to light/sunlight. Light is one of the primary things that helps set our internal clocks.
2. Nap time should be in the same place as bed time. Babies will learn quickly that when placed in their crib that it means it’s time to go to sleep.
3. Keep room well lit. If you want your baby to learn when it is daylight you’ll need to keep baby’s room light even while they nap.
4. Keep nights very dark. Keep the baby’s room dim (only use as much light as you need for feedings and diaper changes) Trick: Salt Lamps work amazingly as nightlights! Trick #2: Putting foil over the window in baby’s room help block out any outside light from coming in, if you don’t have/in addition to black out curtains.
5. Limit Stimulation. Do diaper changes quickly and quietly. Some will tell you not the change your baby during the night. I think that is completely absurd! Be prepared for diaper rash and sore bottoms if you don’t feel like changing baby at night… Do not talk to baby during their feeds. Put them straight back to bed when finished.
6. Babies love room temperatures to be between 68 and 73 degrees. Ideal sleeping temps.
7. Keep baby’s crib clear of toys or anything to look at. Not only can toys, blankets, etc. be a safety hazard but it stimulates their brains and keeps them awake. Mobiles are cute but do not put them over the crib!
8. Do not stop your life for baby’s nap. Ever heard the term sleeping like a baby? That is because for the majority of the time babies will sleep in the “deep sleep” stage. Let the other kids play, and keep moving with your life. Baby will learn to associate the proper sounds with night and day.
9. Swaddle baby to keep them comfortable. They were snuggled close while in the womb, create that same atmosphere when putting baby to sleep. It also helps them from waking up from their reflexes. Ever see a baby’s arms fly up and then they get mad about it? Don’t let that happen, swaddle them and it won’t wake them up.
10. Feed more during their awake hours. One of the things I noticed with my girls was that if they ate at least 20oz of milk during the day, they slept better at night. Now, this is more for older babies and not newborns. Newborns need to be eating every 2 to 3 hours to get the proper nutrition and their tiny tummies cannot hold that much milk anyway but as they get older, if you make sure they are getting plenty to eat during the day your night sleeps will stretch longer and longer until they can sleep through the night without waking up.

Well there ya go! 10 tips for getting baby to sleep, I hope that some of them can help you along your journey of parenthood. As always thanks for being here with me and reading through my twin journey, I would love it if you hung around for future posts.

Leave a comment down below of ways that have helped your baby sleep, or if you have a question maybe someone here in the community has an answer.

Until Next Time!

XOXOXO