A baby’s sleeping patterns, and especially a baby’s inability to fall asleep, is a subject of great concern for many young parents. Getting your baby to sleep (and keeping them asleep) often takes some doing. In this article, you will learn about “sleep pitfalls” you should avoid if you want your baby to sleep well.
Make sure you don’t fall into any of the following “sleeping pitfalls” if you want your baby to quickly drift into (and stay) in dreamland.
You’ve been working all day, and then you have to rush to the daycare center to pick up your baby. When you get home, it’s dinnertime and then, all too quickly, bedtime. The temptation may be great to keep your baby up for a little while longer so that you can still play together and enjoy the time with your child. Or you may hope that your child will get tired and fall asleep faster. Keeping your child up for too long is not a great idea. In fact, when children are overly tired, it is harder for them to fall asleep. Overexertion and an abundance of stimulus during the day can also cause babies to be more restless in their sleep and to wake up more often at night. Stick to a fixed bedtime and to your bedtime rituals.
Does your baby doze off nicely in the car seat or in stroller? That’s hardly surprising because many babies are lulled to sleep by rocking. You won’t be the first parent to load your precious little darling in the car in the middle of the night or push the stroller around the living room in a fit of desperation, hoping that your baby will finally fall asleep. Make sure that your baby does not become accustomed to falling asleep only while you are rocking him/her back and forth. Of course, you can gently rock and cradle your little darlings when they’re crying and upset, but don’t make a habit of it.
Hanging mobiles are great fun. Your baby enjoys looking at the spinning figures and colors and listening to the music. But a mobile over the crib can keep your baby awake. Daytime is for playing, and at night it’s time to sleep. Make sure the bedroom is dark and turn on a small night light if necessary.
A newborn baby does not yet need a bedtime ritual including a bath, bedtime story or a lullaby. You can start introducing such rituals once your baby is a few months old. A bedtime ritual prepares your baby for bedtime. It is a transition from daytime to nighttime. Children benefit from regularity. Do you always read a bedtime story? Then do not skip this ritual, even if it’s already past bedtime, or if you are actually too tired yourself.
Does your toddler call you after you put him to bed? Of course, the temptation is great to look in and stay with your child until he/she falls asleep. However, remain consistent. Stick to your bedtime ritual as much as possible. Bedtime is bedtime, there should be no two ways about it.
This pitfall is an easy one to fall for: the sooner your kid has his/her own toddler-sized bed, the sooner he/she can get out of bed by themself! It’s hard to tell when a child is ready for a toddler bed. It differs from one child to another. Keep in mind that a large bed can be quite exciting for your child. Are you expecting a sibling for your baby in the near future, or are you in the middle of a move? Then postpone the switch to the big new bed for a while: there are already too many changes going on in your child’s life.
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