10 August 2010

Parenting Technique:Ten Smart Ways to Get Newborn to Sleep Longer

One of the most challenging task for new parents is to get newborn baby to sleep longer. In fact, newborn baby sleeps for about 15-19 hours a day. However, it may not done continuously which may usually make parents getting really sleepy and tired before the baby does. Some of the tips below will certainly give you a hand for getting your baby sleep longer:

1. Create a conducive environment for sleeping
Same as adults, babies need a soothing place for rest so he will be able to sleep longer. To get the rest that you need, it would be better to get your newborn sleep longer during the night. Differentiate your baby’s afternoon nap and his night time sleep will help to adjust his sleeping hours. Dimly lit the room at night will help your baby differentiate night and day.

2. Make sure your baby’s diaper is dry
Certainly, wet diapers and clothes won't help for a longer sleep. Always change your baby’s diaper before taking him to bed so that he can sleep comfortably for longer hours.

3. Swaddle your baby
When baby was still in womb, he always get swaddler sround. This gives him a better, more secure, and longer sleep. Therefore, always swaddle him to give him security and make him sleep longer.


4. Keep the temperature right
Keep an eye on the room temperature when the weathere start to change, especially at night. A wrong adjusted temperature will make the baby uncomfortable and sleep less than expected.

5. Feed your baby before getting him to sleep
One of the most effective ways to help your baby sleep longer is to feed the baby before putting him to bed. The newborn stomachs is still small and needs to be fed every few hours, usually every two. Hungry will certainly wake him up. But, never overfeed. This will cause discomfort and make him wake up earlier than expected.

6. Give your baby a warm bath
A warm bath help soothe your baby and thus a better sleep. It can be a part of bedtime routine to give him a cue that it is about time for bed.

7. Put a sound machine near your newborn
All kinds of sound machine are available in the market to help your baby sleep easier and stay asleep longer. A sound machine (Keyword/URL) will help cover the noise around the house that might disturb your baby’s sleep. Choose some classical or other soft music playing all throughout his sleep to soothe him.

8. Be flexible and try different techniques
Stay flexible, and try different techniques to get your baby sleep longer. Even twins could have different sleeping habits. Some babies may prefer a warm bath and a good book as part of the bedtime routine. Others may prefer rocking. If your newborn just fell asleep, keep rocking or keep him in your arms for about 30minutes before putting him down to make sure he is really asleep. Put the baby down only when he is already in deep sleep.

9. Follow a consistent routine
Although it takes time to get your newborn baby get used to, bedtime routines can help put him in a good sleeping condition. Personalize your own routine that you think will work for your baby. Certain ways like a warm bath, a good book, and a lullaby will make your newborn baby start thinking that it is about time to sleep.

10. Always be on the lookout for a sleepy baby
A common mistake made by parents about making newborn sleep is tiring the baby make him sleep easier and much longer. In fact, when babies are overstimulated, it makes them harder to go to sleep. Therefore, when the baby start to show signs like yawn, rub their eyes, and cry, get him ready to be before he starts to be more irritable.

It is never been easy to make newborn sleep longer. However, once you did it, you will not only help your newborn sleep longer and get the rest you truly need and deserve after all your love and care, but you are doing a favor for his whole life since you are, in fact, instilling in him a healthy sleep habit. Feel free to give me a comment about this topic. It will be a great support to Xaivier Blog.

Review by: Xaivia Lim

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