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We are sharing our best newborn baby sleep tips!
A lot of new parents wonder if they are going to get any sleep once the baby is born. As a new mom, you really need to take naps whenever the baby is sleeping. Forget the laundry and the cleaning. Just get your rest!
However, there are certain things you can do, to get your baby to sleep longer stretches through the night after the first 2-3 weeks.
Here are our best newborn baby sleep tips to get the baby to sleep longer stretches at night.
NEWBORN BABY SLEEP TIPS YOU SHOULD TRY
1. CREATE A SAFE SLEEP ENVIRONMENT FOR THE BABY
The most important newborn baby sleep tip is to make sure the baby has a safe sleep environment. There should be no loose blankets, soft toys, pillows, bumpers or anything else that could cover baby's head.
2. PICK A GOOD STURDY BASSINET
For the first few months at least, it is recommended that the baby sleeps in the same room as the parents. This way you are close to the baby at all times. So pick a bassinet with features such as swivel motion, adjustable base and comfort.
3. CHOOSE BLACKOUT CURTAINS FOR THE BABY NURSERY
You'll also need to create an environment in the master bedroom that is conducive to sleep. And, one of the easiest ways to facilitate better sleep for your baby is to install blackout curtains. Blackout curtains such as these ones have room-darkening features built into the fabric.
4. GIVE BABY A MASSAGE
A gentle baby massage can do wonders for your baby before bedtime. Consider giving your baby a massage at the same time every night. A massage can calm the baby when he's fussy, and soothe him to sleep.
5. START A BEDTIME ROUTINE
Start a calm, soothing baby sleep routine to help the baby relax before it's time to sleep. A bedtime routine will help babies learn that it is time to go to sleep. A predictable bedtime routine certainly does not have to be complicated, perhaps a bath, massage, diaper change and feeding.
6. INVEST IN A SOUND MACHINE
Babies can be startled quite easily by sudden noises, but a sound machine can help drown out disturbances and help the baby continue sleeping. Hence, invest in a sound machine that plays repetitive white noise to lull the baby to sleep and keep her asleep.
7. CREATE A CONSISTENT DAILY ROUTINE
When baby is about 4-6 weeks start a consistent daily routine so the baby's days are more predictable. This means that each day you should follow the same schedule. Feedings, nap time, and play time should always be on schedule.
8. CHANGE BABY'S DIAPER BEFORE NIGHT TIME FEEDING
Changing diapers at night often tends to wake the baby up, and it can be difficult to get the baby to settle and go back to sleep once the baby is awake.
Try to change baby's diaper before the night time feeding. Newborn babies sometimes poop during feedings and if that happens, continue changing the diaper after feeding until their gut gets stronger.
9. DON'T LET BABY FALL ASLEEP WITHOUT FEEDING
Your baby will not be able to sleep for a longer period if their little tummy is not full. So make sure your baby has a full belly before bedtime.
10. PUT THE BABY DOWN DROWSY, NOT ASLEEP
Babies should be put down drowsy but still awake to teach the baby to fall asleep on her own. Give a few minutes and see if the baby is able to settle down by herself.
11. SWADDLE THE BABY
Swaddle your baby before bedtime. Swaddling helps prevent her from flailing her arms or her legs, which can trigger a startle reflex and wake her up.
12. DREAM-FEED THE BABY
Dream Feeding is the last feeding of the day. It typically happens 2-3 hours after the bedtime feeding. Feed the baby, after the baby has been asleep for a while, just before you go to bed. Essentially, you would wake the baby only enough so that they could feed, but not so much that the baby wouldn’t be able to doze off immediately afterward.
13. Limit the LENGTH of naps during the day.
Sleeping too long of a stretch during the day can rob nighttime sleep. If your baby sleeps for more than 2.5 hours or so, wake the baby up, feed him, keep him a wake for a bit, and then lay him down for another nap.
14. AVOID RUSHING IN
When your baby cries, it's natural to rush over to her to see what she needs. This is generally a good thing, but when it comes to sleep, this can often backfire. So give the baby a few minutes to see if the baby can calm down by herself without rushing to baby's side too quickly.
15. HOW TO PUT A NEWBORN TO SLEEP ACCORDING TO THE BABY WHISPERER
16. PRINTABLE BABY SLEEP CHECKLIST
Here's the printable baby sleep checklist so you can remember all these newborn baby sleep tips.
Last Updated on February 2, 2021 by Tira Attygalla
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