Expert sleep strategies for babies
Newborns have a hard time distinguishing between night and day, which explains their maddeningly short bursts of sleep around the clock. But once your baby is a few weeks old, you can start to teach him the difference – and establish healthy sleep habits while you're at it. These expert tips can help:
✍ Use light strategically
"Lights push your child's biological 'go' button,". On the flip side, darkness triggers the brain to release melatonin, a key sleep hormone. Keep your baby's days bright and his nights dark and he'll quickly figure out when it's time to sleep.
* During the day, allow plenty of sunlight into the house or take him outside. Put your baby down for daytime;naps;in a well-lit room (unless he has trouble falling asleep at nap time).
* To induce nighttime sleepiness, consider installing dimmers on the lights in your baby's room, but also in other rooms where you both spend lots of time. Lower the lights in the evening (up to two hours before bedtime) to set the mood.
It's fine to use a;night-light;in his room, but choose a small, dim one that stays cool to the touch. (Don't plug it in near bedding or drapes.)
* If your child wakes up during the night, don't turn on the lights or carry him into a brightly lit room. The shift from dark to light tells his brain it's go time. Instead, soothe him back to sleep in his dark bedroom.
* If early morning sunlight prompts your child to wake too early, or if he has trouble napping in the afternoon, consider installing room-darkening shades
✍ Wait a moment before going to your baby
If you jump at every squeak heard over the;baby monitor, you're only teaching your child to wake up more often. Wait a few minutes to give your baby time to settle back to sleep on their own. If they doesn't, and it sounds like baby is waking up, try to reach before they escalates into a full-blown howl. Stepping in before a meltdown means you'll catch her before baby is too worked up to fall back asleep.
Either way, it's okay to turn down the sensitivity on your baby monitor. Set the volume so you'll be alerted when baby is distressed but won't hear every gurgle.
✍ Try not to look your baby in the eye
Many babies are easily stimulated. Just meeting your baby's gaze can engage her attention and signal it's playtime.
Parents who make eye contact with sleepy babies inadvertently encourage them to snap out of their sleep zone."The more interaction that takes place between you and your baby during the night, the more motivation she has to get up."
✍Relax the rules on diaper changes
Resist the urge to change your baby every time he wakes up – he doesn't always need it, and you'll just jostle him awake. Instead, put your baby in a high-quality, nighttime diaper at bedtime. When he wakes up, sniff to see if it's soiled and change only if there's poop. To avoid waking him fully during nighttime changes, try using wipes that have been warmed in a wipe warmer. #bangaloremoms
#beingmom
Newborns have a hard time distinguishing between night and day, which explains their maddeningly short bursts of sleep around the clock. But once your baby is a few weeks old, you can start to teach him the difference – and establish healthy sleep habits while you're at it. These expert tips can help:
✍ Use light strategically
"Lights push your child's biological 'go' button,". On the flip side, darkness triggers the brain to release melatonin, a key sleep hormone. Keep your baby's days bright and his nights dark and he'll quickly figure out when it's time to sleep.
* During the day, allow plenty of sunlight into the house or take him outside. Put your baby down for daytime;naps;in a well-lit room (unless he has trouble falling asleep at nap time).
* To induce nighttime sleepiness, consider installing dimmers on the lights in your baby's room, but also in other rooms where you both spend lots of time. Lower the lights in the evening (up to two hours before bedtime) to set the mood.
It's fine to use a;night-light;in his room, but choose a small, dim one that stays cool to the touch. (Don't plug it in near bedding or drapes.)
* If your child wakes up during the night, don't turn on the lights or carry him into a brightly lit room. The shift from dark to light tells his brain it's go time. Instead, soothe him back to sleep in his dark bedroom.
* If early morning sunlight prompts your child to wake too early, or if he has trouble napping in the afternoon, consider installing room-darkening shades
✍ Wait a moment before going to your baby
If you jump at every squeak heard over the;baby monitor, you're only teaching your child to wake up more often. Wait a few minutes to give your baby time to settle back to sleep on their own. If they doesn't, and it sounds like baby is waking up, try to reach before they escalates into a full-blown howl. Stepping in before a meltdown means you'll catch her before baby is too worked up to fall back asleep.
Either way, it's okay to turn down the sensitivity on your baby monitor. Set the volume so you'll be alerted when baby is distressed but won't hear every gurgle.
✍ Try not to look your baby in the eye
Many babies are easily stimulated. Just meeting your baby's gaze can engage her attention and signal it's playtime.
Parents who make eye contact with sleepy babies inadvertently encourage them to snap out of their sleep zone."The more interaction that takes place between you and your baby during the night, the more motivation she has to get up."
✍Relax the rules on diaper changes
Resist the urge to change your baby every time he wakes up – he doesn't always need it, and you'll just jostle him awake. Instead, put your baby in a high-quality, nighttime diaper at bedtime. When he wakes up, sniff to see if it's soiled and change only if there's poop. To avoid waking him fully during nighttime changes, try using wipes that have been warmed in a wipe warmer. #bangaloremoms
#beingmom
