For many new parents, the joy of welcoming a baby into their family is soon followed by feelings of confusion and worry. There are so many things that need to be done daily to keep your little one happy and healthy. It can feel like you will never find enough time!
Be Patient
Newborns don’t sleep through the night, and may only do so by about six months or more. You can expect frequent crying spells during this time in their lives and that is perfectly normal. If you are a new parent, it will take some time to get used to the idea of not always having your baby with you when he/she cries at night and you can always search for some good parenting advice on how to cope with it. Try going into his room every few minutes if need be until they fall asleep again rather than picking them up immediately after hearing even a single peep from him. This way, they know that nighttime is for sleeping and daytime is for playing around!
Follow A Routine
One of the best ways to help your baby get into a sleeping pattern is by following a routine. You have probably heard that babies do better with routines, and this goes for sleep time too. If you feed your baby, change their diaper, read them stories, sing lullabies, or play soft music at roughly the same times every day, they will start anticipating when it’s bedtime! And once your child knows what to expect each night—that getting ready for bed means relaxing in his crib while listening to some soothing tunes—he/she will be more likely to fall asleep on his own without much fussing around (and less chance of waking up other members in the household).
Make sure that everyone who takes care of the baby follows this routine so that your little one doesn’t get mixed signals. You can also help them develop a sleeping schedule by slowly shifting their waking and eating times earlier in fifteen-minute intervals until they’re on track to be up at about the same time every morning.
Bring Them Out
From about two months of age, you can start bringing your baby with you into the bedroom. This way they learn to associate being in their crib with sleeping rather than crying alone for hours before someone comes to pick them up. You may have a hard time staying asleep if your newborn is lying next to you, so consider placing him/her inside a bassinet or cradle right beside your bed instead—that way, he/she still feels close and comforted from those early days when it’s just the two of you but doesn’t disturb anyone else as long as they stay on his side!
Keep Them Happy
When your child is happy, he/she will be less likely to cry out for you in the middle of the night. Make sure that they get enough playtime and attention during their waking hours so they don’t feel lonely or bored when it comes time to sleep. It also helps if you dress them comfortably with no tight clothes around their necks or waists (especially while sleeping). You can use a fan near his crib to help him relax at bedtime by creating soothing white noise, but make sure not to turn on any bright lights—they may startle your little one awake! If all else fails, give them something warm like milk before putting him down again since some babies find this comforting.
Newborns aren’t exactly known for sleeping through the night, so you shouldn’t feel too guilty if your baby wakes up several times during their first year or two of life. Just try to be patient with them and make sure that they are content before putting them back down again. If nothing seems to work—or it is getting out of hand—it may help to speak with a pediatrician about what else could be causing your child distress (such as an illness).
Don’t Get Frustrated
Babies cry, and sometimes it can be tough to know why or how to stop them. That shouldn’t make you feel bad about yourself as a parent though—it is completely normal for infants (and even toddlers) to have their share of crying fits from time to time! As long as they’re fed well enough, not in any pain, and otherwise happy during the day when you’re home with them, then your baby just needs some extra comforting at night. If it’s getting out of hand though—or if he/she has been excessively fussy over several days without much relief—then speak with your pediatrician again so that they can help determine what might be going on.
You’ll know if your child is hungry, wet/dirty, or otherwise in need of some attention. And try not to worry so much about what other parents do with their children at night—just focus on doing what works best for you and yours! If it helps the whole family get some sleep (even just a few hours), then that’s important too. So take care of yourself as well when it comes time to put them down by eating healthy meals throughout the day, exercising regularly, and getting enough rest whenever possible. Those new parent blues can sneak up on anyone from time to time but will go away sooner than later once everyone gets back into a good sleeping routine again!
If you follow these tips, your child will likely start going to sleep without much trouble soon! And if he/she continues having difficulty doing so even after everything has been tried, make sure you consult with his pediatrician right away for further assistance.
