Sleep Routines/Comfort or Self-settle
Comfort or self-settle – how do we all get some sleep?
Probably one of the most difficult tasks for all parents is getting your baby to sleep well. Not only is this crucial for your baby, it’s also essential for the rest of the family, giving you the restful nights you need when caring for a little one.
As parents, we’re prepared to sacrifice just about anything for our baby, but sacrificing a good night’s sleep on a permanent basis can take a big toll on your mental and physical health, as well as your relationship with your partner and baby. If your bub is keeping you up through the night every night, the whole household starts to suffer.
While some babies are excellent sleepers naturally, the majority need to be encouraged into a good pattern. The big question is, how do you do this? And this is where the controversy begins.
As a mum, you’ll be faced with various methods of helping your baby sleep, from teaching them to sleep to controlled crying. Whether it’s from well-meaning friends and family to news and internet articles, you’ll be bombarded with often conflicting ideas on what’s best for your baby. While the right advice can be helpful, feel free to try different approaches and always have the confidence to do what works for you. And your bub of course!
Here are our top 5 tips from our Milton Nurse:
1. Listen to your baby - is it a cry because of hunger, dirty nappy or the cry before falling to sleep. If all their needs are met first, then they are likely to fall asleep better.
2. Try to get baby to sleep without using external stimulus – thus they aren’t reliant on it to fall asleep. This can be using self settle or using a significant object that signifies bed time but you don’t have to be present in the room.
3. Start ‘wind down’ time leading up to bedtime with a quiet soothing environment so as to not over stimulate them. This helps establish a routine also that signifies its bed time.
4. Make sure the environment is right for them to get to sleep and stay that way. This includes the temperature, amount of light and noise.
5. Whether you choose soothe or self settle, you need to do what works for you and your baby. Persevering with one method that suites your lifestyle will help gain a sleep routine for your baby faster that you can really stick to.
Recommended reading material:
Robin Barker, Baby Love
Gina Ford, The New Contented Little Baby Book
Get your baby into a bedtime routine from a young age and if you are out try to do the routine as well.
Posted by austhome · 26/01/10 10:57 AM · #
A warm bath and gentle baby massage is perfect for bonding, gets them to sleep everytime AND is good for many aspects of their mental and physical development.
Posted by lhordern · 17/03/10 05:13 PM · #