4 Simple Tips to Help your Baby Sleep!

Your baby has finally come and you glow with joy and happiness! Maybe the first days are the necessary adaptation period to the new situation, but you cannot deny that, ever since the little one came into your life, happiness can compensate for all those restless nights of breastfeeding and staying up by its bedside. Still, you cannot deny this nerve-wracking feeling of exhaustion (since your sleep routine is not fixed yet), which, unavoidably, gives you a really hard time and drains up your energy.

To understand a bit better why your baby has so much trouble sleeping during the night, it is important to know that its neural system is not yet ready for something like that, nor does it have the maturity to fully obey the commands of the brain.

In addition to that, we mustn’t forget that a newborn cannot distinguish whether it’s day or night outside, and does its best to adapt to a totally new environment – something that probably scares it from time to time. But let’s clear something up at this point. It is a myth that babies must sleep as much as possible, so don’t feel guilty if yours follows a different schedule from the one your friends have for their babies.

The following advice will help your baby adopt gradually a proper sleep culture without stress, and, depending on its development stage, be able to fill up the sleep hours that are necessary for a healthy growth for itself, and some rest for the mother.

1. Create a sleep routine

Following up on what we mentioned above, there isn’t a single sleep routine that works for all babies indiscriminately, even though studies have shown that children going to bed at a specific time feel safer, enjoy mental health and, later on, perform better at school.

So, it’s up to you to understand your baby’s needs (and you will don't worry about that) and make it understand gradually the difference between day and night. Remember that most babies can stick better to a sleep routine after the first six months, because, by that time, breastfeeding or the meals routine are stable.

Thus, start preparations for sleep at least one to two hours before the actual time of turning off the lights. Make it as pleasant as possible for your baby, starting with a relaxing bath, toys and plenty of natural contact; it’s like telling a nice bedtime story that ends with your baby ending up in the cradle. This way, the baby knows exactly what to wait for from this process and is better acquainted with the whole idea of going to sleep.

2. Ideal room temperature

No one can sleep properly in a rather hot or cold room, let alone a baby that does not perceive the temperature changes and has no way to deal with them. The ideal temperature for a sleeping room is around 20 degrees Celsius, and with a hygrometer, you can also check the levels of humidity, which must be around 40-60%. If it is beyond that, it would be nice to use a silent dehumidifier or a nubiliser if the air is too dry.

3. A baby massage before sleeping

Help your baby relax with proper body care by massaging it softly on its back and feet. Its senses work perfectly and some cuddling will help it feel nice with its body and, naturally, to have a great time with mommy or daddy!

If you don’t want to use baby oil, there are non-oily baby care creams in the market, very easily absorbed by the skin.

4. Proper lighting

Even though darkness helps in the secretion of melatonin and serotonin (the main sleep hormones), lack of light causes a suffocating feel that can be scary for the baby. So, better plug in a night light or a bedside lamp in the room, but make sure it faces always away from the cradle. The dim light must be diffused in the room instead of pointing to a specific spot. If your baby prefers it, you can install some spinning lights with soft sounds over its cradle, which will help it calm down and sleep.

In Parapharmacie you will find branded baby care products, like dermo-cosmetics, sleep lights, toys etc. Always remember that sleep training is something that takes time to conquer through repetition and habit, so don’t give up with persistence, care and loads of love!