New-born and young infants are not usually
the best sleepers. What with the waking up every few hours to eat and all! That
is why the phrase ‘sleeping like a baby’ is so misleading. Parents often become
very interested in how to help their new borns sleep pretty soon after
delivery. The thing is newborns and young babies are not ready for sleep
coaching, that is why it is usually advised that parents should wait on that
until the baby is at least 4 months old and have moved past the 4 month sleep
regression.
As a parent, don’t let that make you feel
hopeless; just because your new-born is too young for sleep coaching does not
mean you are destined to endure months of sleeplessness.
There are steps you can take to naturally
encourage your new-born to sleep better. These ways include;
Go for a walk with your baby. Fresh air
really does help children sleep better. Once your baby is a few weeks old, you
can start incorporating a daily walk, or spend some time sitting outside. This
will go a long way in helping your baby to sleep at night and during
naps.
Give infant massage a try. Infant
massage is an easy and natural way to help your newborn relax, which in turn
can help promote better sleep. Not only that, but infant massage can improve
digestion; strengthen the mother-child bond, and even aid growth and development.
Keep days bright and night’s dark. Newborns
are not born knowing that days are for playing and nights are for sleeping.
In fact, many newborns have their days and nights mixed up, and sleep for long
stretches during the day while being up every hour at night. You can gently and
naturally correct this by making sure that your baby is exposed to sunlight
during the day (not direct sunlight, but rather filtered sunlight in a bright,
sunny room). In addition, work to keep night dark, keep the room dim during
diaper changes and feedings. Over time, this will help re-set your newborn’s
circadian rhythms and guide him/her towards sleeping long stretches at night
and napping during the day.
Keep baby close. There are
lots of benefits to having your newborn nearby at night; it can make middle of
the night feedings more convenient. But research indicates that room sharing is
more than convenient; babies who room share and sleep close to mom have
actually been shown to sleep better. They tend to cry less and sleep longer.
They also tend to have slightly lower rates of sudden infant death syndrome.
For these reasons, it is recommended that room-sharing is the best sleeping
arrangements for babies.
Strive for adequate daytime naps. If your
newborn or young baby is up every hour, all night long, then you have no choice
but to think of the idea of keeping him up more during the day, in the hopes
that it will encourage him to sleep better at night. Be wary of this line of
thinking. Generally, babies who don’t nap well during the day actually sleep
worse at night, because they are overtired. It’s important that your
newborn have some awaking time during the day (this helps correct any newborn
day/night confusion). However, your newborn’s awake time should be relatively
short (no more than 45-60 minutes, generally), and your newborn should take
plenty of naps during the day.
Carry/wear your baby. Nothing is
more soothing for baby than being held close to mom or dad. Consequently, most
newborns sleep best when they are in mom’s or dad’s arms, or held snugly in a
baby sling. This is especially true for colicky babies (babies experiencing
abdominal pain). Baby wearing is a great way to soothe colic. Remember that
holding your baby, or wearing her around the house, certainly are not permanent
sleep solutions. Rather, these are short-term strategies that will help
maximize your baby’s and your sleep during those first few months after birth.
So, if you are a new mum and your baby is
giving you sleepless nights, try these processes and you will be saying
good-bye to sleepless night.
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