Have you lately been sleeping lesser than usual? Oh yes! Then that is going to continue for the next few years! Do you wonder how it has been ages since you had that uninterrupted sleep for straight 8 hours a day? Or how you were able to catch a quick nap time or power break in between your busy schedule at home? But now, a tiny little thing can wake you up more often, causing alarm, disturbance and you are to deal with it at ease, because well! You are the mother! It is only later, after the birth, you know that the baby can make so much noise.
My previous baby article talked about 12 embarrassing questions, that were answered for you. Quite similar to that, this article, answers all your sleep deprived baby problems which only you can handle, quite literally like a Boss!
When you have a baby for the first time, you actually marvel at how instinctual, it is, in a way. At first, most of you probably flap a bit, when you breastfeed or when you do not know when he actually sleeps! Months into this, you will now realize that your baby doesn’t sleep and it is not your fault, nor is it his! It is just god playing games with you. Every baby sleeps differently and when said differently, it includes hours, the amount of crankiness, or how much he expects from you and how much each mother knows to handle. It may be impossible to handle at first. It may look like you are doing everything the wrong way, which will depress you. It may sound or look like an everlasting thing, which it is, but can be put to control after your first few attempts into this. You are going to thank us for doing this! So here are some pointers every mother can use on how to put infant to sleep!
Ways To Put An Infant To Sleep
1Time your baby’s sleep
When your baby is still a newborn, watch for some sleep cues that he might show. Most of the babies, obviously, yawn or some babies look into the space aimlessly without blinking their eyes! That is when you know you should put the feeding bottle in his mouth or take him in your arms and keep moving him. This obviously should happen before he gets cranky and gives out the big baby howl which is not going to be pleasant. You may also want to try following a sleep schedule.
It may be difficult at first for the baby to adjust, but if you practice it properly, he will sleep sharp at the heart of your preferred sleep schedule. Never ever try to keep the baby awake thinking you can manage to make him tired and he will eventually fall asleep in the night. Who says that? It is quite opposite to that! So prepare your sleep schedule that comes out very handy.
2Tell your baby it is time
“An infant is not going to know much of what you say”. This is what all the mothers think! But Infant Sleep information source has something to say about baby psychology. They say that the baby tends to start listening and knowing things at the age of just 10 days. So, you would have to make sure you tell your baby when to sleep.
Use phrases like “It is time to sleep baby boy, night night and I love you!”. This is something that can be done every day and your baby will recognize the same words over and over which will be in his subconscious mind. He will eventually know its his sleep time!
3Try not to look into his eyes
The more you try to look into your baby’s eyes while sleeping, the more chances for the baby to wake up in a swift. Many babies are easily enthused. A bright, loving look from the mother can wake the baby from being tired to action fire, making you say ‘’Uh Oh’! It obviously is nice to see your baby awake, heartwarming in the noon and disheartening in the midnights. So what should you do instead? Always keep communication or eye contact, low key. Do not try to tell him your favorite stories or do not go down the memory lane telling him how you got conceived. Instead, gaze his tummy or feet, with speak to him in a gentle voice. Either sing a lullaby or talk to him gently asking him to go to sleep.
4Differentiate between dark and night
If you want your baby to learn the difference between night and day, you can achieve it easily. Make sure there is a lot of sunlight during the day and when you know he wants to sleep, lower the sunlight with blinds or screen covers. The baby will still know that it is day. To persuade nighttime sleepiness, consider installing dimmers on the lights not only in your baby’s room, but also in other rooms where you both spend a lot of time.
It is advisable to lower the lights in the evening, 2 or 3 hours before his dinner time to set the mood. Switch off all the bright lights and make sure there is only mild light. This difference will be easily accepted by the baby and know when to sleep and when not to. This can also be one of the ways to achieve sleep schedule (#1)
5Relax on the diaper changing rule
It is not always wise to keep changing baby’s diapers. Resist the urge to change the diaper every time he wakes up. This will only push him more, making him feel irritated and cranky. It is better to dress your baby in a quality nighttime wear during bedtime. When he wakes up, slowly touch or pick his legs up to see if it has to be changed. For sleepy nighttime changes, nothing wakes a baby faster than a cold wet wipe. Try using a warm cotton cloth instead.
6Give the baby a warm bath
This sleep technique is tested and tried almost always! This is the best way to put an infant to sleep. It is easier when you give him a warm bath using sponges and eucalyptus oil which will create the necessary drowsiness. Once you get the baby out of the bath, consider wrapping him in a gentle cloth and hold him close to you. Breast feed him and before you realize, the baby would have stopped sucking the milk and gone to initial sleep. Gently place him on the bed and stroke his hair. This is one of the easiest ways to put him to sleep. About the half appetite of the baby, you can always feed him later when he is not sleepy.
-Pavithra Ravi
