Establish a good routine
First and foremost, before you try any other tricks, it’s good to establish a nighttime routine for you and your baby. Creating a bedtime pattern will not only help you in the immediate, but also in the long-run. This will help to calm and settle them before bed. And, as your baby gets older, they will become more familiar with this routine and respond well to bedtimes.
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Stop them scratching
Many parents find their babies suffering from a sleepless night because they’ll be scratching itchy rashes or eczema. Try putting your baby in gloves to stop them scratching. Or if you find that they are pulling off their gloves in the night, try ScratchSleeves which are impossible to remove.
Night and day are different
Showing your baby from a young age that night and day are different is crucial. Not only will it be great for helping newborns sleep, but it will also teach them the importance of bedtime for when they are older. Make your baby’s room as dark as possible with dark curtains. Keep noises to a minimum if you can, or try quiet, soothing sounds. Changing them into their pyjamas will also establish that nighttime is for sleeping.
No midnight snacks
Try not to feed your baby just before they go to bed, or they will link bedtime with dinner time. This will make it much harder for you to get them back to sleep if they wake during the night. They’ll think it’s time for another feed.
Let them sleep
If your baby wakes up during the night, it can be tempting to pick them up and cuddle them. Try to avoid doing this (unless you need to change their nappy). Instead, make soothing noises and stroke their forehead to see if they will fall back to sleep by themselves.
Give them a comforter
Whether it’s a cuddly toy or a baby blanket, there’s no harm in giving your baby a comforter. This will help them feel secure at night time without you there. Just remember to buy two for when one is in the washing machine (or if you lose one!).
Share night times with your partner
It’s important for babies to get used to both parents, and understand they way they comfort them. Not only will this share the work between you both, but it will show your baby that breastfeeding isn’t always an option.
If you are having a really hard time getting your baby to sleep, it may be something medical. If you’ve tried And whatever you do, don’t forget to get some sleep too! Whenever your baby is sleeping, try to catch some sleep yourself when you can.
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