March 13, 2016
Help! How do I get my newborn to sleep?!
There is no exhaustion like that of a new parent. That beautiful little bundle of joy is a one-stop shop for restless nights, seemingly endless exhaustion, and a through-the-night sleep schedule that has never felt so far away.
You, our friend, are not alone. It’s a tough stage but we’re here to help! Here are some tips for helping that sweet little babe of yours catch some shut-eye (so you can, too!)
- Swaddle them! Swaddling mimics the feeling of the womb, which is extremely comforting to a newborn. There are special wraps and blankets made just for swaddling, which are excellent for helping to comfort your newborn, a favorite being The Miracle Blanket. Think of your baby as the cutest burrito ever and you’ll have it down in no time.
- Get to know your baby’s sleep patterns, and try to limit naps during the day so as not to make your baby over-tired. They do need rest, and frequently at this age, but it is possible for them to get over-tired, and that’s when they start to get fussy. Understanding how and when your baby sleeps will give you a better idea of when they get tired and when its best to put them down for a nap.
- Dreamfeed — this is the feed right before you go to sleep, that way you get more sleep while your baby stays full! This is a wonderful way to feed your baby in their first few months, and will hopefully give you a few extra hours’ sleep to put in the bank.
- Don’t feel the need to go into their room every time they make a noise. They may wake up, talk a bit, and then fall back asleep. Or they may not. But you’ll never know unless you let them go for a second. No use in fully waking them up if they were perfectly content to go back to sleep.
- Cool down their sleeping temp. No one sleeps well when it’s super hot, so cooling down the temp of your baby’s room a bit may help them have a more restful sleep. Of course you don’t want it freezing, but a few degrees below what you have it during the day could make a big difference. 65-70 degrees is the ideal sleeping temperature for a baby.
Hey new parents out there…do you have any tips or tricks for guiding your newborn into a restful sleep? We’d love to hear them!
