No event in life is as uncertain as a new baby. There are more questions in those first few months than there will be in the next two years, and many of them will undoubtedly affect the baby’s sleep.
Today, I have 3 great tips for new parents to get a good start on their sleep routine, help them recognize the signs of a tired baby, and what to do if their little one doesn’t seem to want to sleep.
– Hello, I’m Dana. Welcome to this week’s video.
You know, a lot of people say to me, “Gosh, I wish I knew what I know now about sleep. It would have made a big difference.” And I totally agree.
The more we know, the better we do. And so I want to give you some advice today on dealing with a newborn.
I want to share with you, in particular, three tips that will completely change your and your baby’s sleep.
The first thing is time. Now, newborn babies, and this will come as a surprise to many of you, newborn babies can last about 45 minutes awake before they fall back asleep.
That’s not a lot of time when you consider that a meal takes 20 to 30, you know, a diaper change, maybe a little play time, and now it’s time to go back to bed.
Most people wait until the child starts to fuss, and then they wonder what’s wrong with the child, right?
And to argue, a poor baby often looks like a hungry baby. And many people mistake the signs. And what can happen is that we can feed our child all things related to hunger and feed our child all things related to tiredness.
And it happened to me, it happens to a lot of women that I work with, that their food is doing double duty now, isn’t it? It not only fills the belly, but also helps the baby sleep. And the two can be so bonded that you breastfeed your 10-month-old three times a night because it’s a partnership, that feeding or nursing or breastfeeding and sleeping and holding hands all night. And then it is a very difficult habit to break and teach a child to sleep well without it.
So watch the clock. If it’s been 45 minutes to an hour and you notice that your baby is starting to fuss, try to sleep first. Don’t say don’t feed hungry children. I’m certainly not saying that. But try to sleep first.
And you may find that, yes, that is what was wrong. He was tired, he went and slept a lot, he woke up refreshed and had a good meal and a little time to play and go back to sleep, and your whole day can go in this very beautiful fashion, you know, having a good meal, enough, a little time to play, a good, long sleep, etc. all day long. So it is good to remember.
Also, the second thing would be to remember that it is not always your job to get the baby to sleep. Now, I wish someone had told me that when I had my first child. I really felt it was my job to get him to sleep.
In fact, the thought of putting her down before she goes to sleep never crossed my mind, I couldn’t even think of it. I rocked and jumped and ate and ran and did everything I could until he fell asleep, not just asleep, but really asleep before I could move him.
And we know that’s not the best way to encourage good sleep habits. We want newborns to be able to smell the way to sleep so they don’t have to rely on your help all the time.
So, several times a day, give it a go, okay? He’s had enough food, he’s had a little activity time, we’re about 45 minutes in. I’m going to try putting him in his bassinet and see what happens. And I promise you, sometimes, it doesn’t always work, and that’s okay, but sometimes, he just sleeps, and you don’t have to do anything, and that’s a beautiful thing because it means that he knows how to do it himself, that he can do it himself, that he doesn’t have to do anything to do it right, that he doesn’t have to do anything to do it right. way to sleep well.
Another thing to remember is darkness. Now, we know that babies are a little confused when they enter this world, but not as much as you might think. Our melatonin and cortisol levels are similar, especially when the baby is in the womb, so that there is a rhythm in the body, that there is a circadian rhythm between day and night. So there it is, it just needs a little guidance.
But when it comes to sleep, I will make sure your room is dark so you can sleep. This will help to promote good sleep, stretching at night. And then during the day, make sure they are exposed to sunlight or daylight. So, do your food by the window, go for a walk, make sure all the curtains are open to help his body clock adjust to the rhythm of day and night very quickly.
Thank you so much for watching today. Sleep well.
If your baby, toddler or child is having trouble sleeping through the night, help is just a click away! The Sleep Sense Program has helped more than 57,00 parents to get their children to sleep 11-12 hours overnight AND taking long naps, relaxing during the day. If you’re ready to get started today – I look forward to helping you!
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