24 April, 2021

Create your Newborn’s Bedtime Routine

Your baby may sleep and wake up any time round the clock for the first six months. But later, they might learn to self-soothe by four to seven months, allowing the baby to nap for prolonged and more regular periods at night. 

According to Jennifer Garden, a Vancouver occupational therapist and founder of Sleep Dreams, a firm that focuses on baby sleep consultations, says this developmental period (between 4-7 months or beyond) is ideal for parents to develop a sleep regimen for their children.

How can bedtime routine help your newborn?

  1. A bedtime routine helps your baby to sleep better. Babies are constantly learning and experiencing different things. It’s crucial to make the schedule as stable and accurate as possible, so your kid will be more relaxed if the baby knows what happens next. 
  2. A bedtime schedule will also assist YOU in relaxing. In such a hectic hour, managing your baby, work, and chores will make you restless. Your baby will find this time soothing and fall asleep more quickly; you will also have a good time with your child.
  3. Transitional cycles of your children benefit from bedtime routines. Baby bedtime practices also support your baby to sleep during sleep regressions and transitional cycles. Maintaining a regular bedtime routine will assist them in managing this shift.

When should you start implementing the bedtime routine for your baby?

Do not pressure yourself to develop a bedtime schedule for your baby as soon as you get home from the hospital. Newborn babies have nothing in the way of a pattern or sleep schedule, and they won’t have a fixed sleep schedule. Your infant will be sleeping so well between the ages of 0 and 6 weeks that you need not think about keeping them on a timetable. Then, you can begin a bedtime routine for your baby when he or she is about 6 to 8 weeks old.

Establishing a bedtime routine for babies

You may begin a bedtime routine for your baby when your baby is 6-8 weeks. You can start with the basics and create a simple pattern in the beginning. Here are some easy tips to help your baby sleep faster. 

  1. Take note of what soothes and relaxes your baby, and begin with that.
  2. Gentle baby massage before bedtime increases melatonin output, which aids sleep for your little one.
  3. A soothing bath with warm water has sleep-inducing powers. 
  4. Lullabies or soft music sets the stage for a good sleep. 
  5. Put your baby in much the same bed and exact place to sleep every day.
  6. To create a calming atmosphere, dim the lamps, shut the shades, close the doors, switch off the TV, and put your phone inside.

Sleep is undoubtedly one of the most challenging obstacles of a child’s first year. Setting up a baby sleep routine soon, on the other hand, will make you and your baby sleep well for years to come.

*Information shared here is for general purpose. Please take doctors’ advice before taking any decision. 

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