Parenthood can be one of the most beautiful things that any of us can experience. It’s an almost spiritual bond filled with love and laughter.
That is, of course, unless you’re trying in vain to get your baby to sleep.
No matter how loved-up and in awe of the miracle of procreation you are, a series of sleepless nights rocking a screaming infant can drive anybody to insanity.
We’ve compiled a few hints and tips to help you to send Junior to Dreamland. It’s worth giving it a try, and seeing which works best for your little one.
We also recommend taking a look at wake windows if you want to learn more about age-specific sleep patterns.
Use Blackout Blinds
This is particularly important for the summer months when early dawns and late sunsets can really give off mixed signals about bedtime. Make sure that you use your blinds with curtains too. This will help you to avoid those pesky bright lines of light that peek out from the edges. Just ensure that any curtains you use are thick, heavy curtains that can block out the light.
As a safety precaution, always make sure that any drawstrings from blinds are safely out of the reach of little hands. These can be a strangulation hazard. For extra safety, detach the loop so that it consists of two dangling strings.
Tire Them Out!
It’s an obvious one, but a solution that’s easily overlooked by busy parents juggling a hundred and one different jobs. If your baby has only seen the same four walls and usual toys all day, they’re less likely to have been stimulated enough to tire them out.
There’s no need to go overboard with elaborate or expensive activities; a simple walk in the stroller will often suffice. If you really want to find extra ways to stimulate your baby though, there’s a whole host of excellent baby activity clubs available. Look online for trusted sites to see what’s on in your area.
Are They at a Comfortable Temperature?
Babies regulate their body heat a lot differently to us adults. In fact, until they get a little older, they’re not very good at it at all. With this in mind, you can’t just work upon the assumption that they are feeling the same temperature as you, even if you’re both in the same room.
It’s very easy for babies to overheat, so be careful in the summer months not to put too many thick clothes on. If it’s a particularly warm or cold night, chances are that a crying baby is struggling with the temperature a little.
Are they Hungry?
Ever tried getting to sleep when you’re ravenous with hunger? If you have, you’ll know that it’s almost futile. You’ll doubtlessly end up having to get up to prepare a snack before your stomach will even entertain the idea of a snooze.
Babies are no different, but obviously have the disadvantage of not being able to articulate this.
You may think that you’ve fed your child enough, and you may even have fed them the same as your friend’s child, but no two babies are the same. Just as you can get small adults with bigger appetites than larger ones, your little one might just need more milk.
Hopefully, one or more of those tips can help you and your child to get a good night’s rest. Mix and match, and experiment to see what yields the best results.
Disclosure: This is a featured post.