Are you struggling to set up a solid sleep routine with your little one? We've got you! The sleep experts from Baby Sleep School are back to provide you with some helpful & super easy tips to nail that sleep routine.
You can start setting up a solid sleep foundation from the moment you bring your newborn home from hospital. Remember a solid sleep routine doesn't need to be strict or stressful. Setting up a beautiful, safe sleep environment for your baby can be one of the most beneficial foundations you put in place. Let’s start with space. We ideally want to mimic the environment from the womb; this is soothing for babies and can assist with easier settles and longer naps. Your nursery should be a 10/10 dark sleep space; using Block Out Blinds, white noise and a snug breathable quality Swaddle to keep your baby warm and content.
Following age-appropriate awake windows is an easy way to be guided for naps. Having the right awake window can mean there is just the right amount of sleep pressure for your baby - this will help them drift off to sleep easier and, in many cases, this will contribute to linking up those sleep cycles for a nice long restorative nap.
Wind down rituals don't need to be a broad-way production. We recommend keeping them quick and simple. It might look something like a bath, a feed, a book and tucked into bed. The key to successfully using a wind down ritual is consistency. All babies and children thrive on predictability and consistency - knowing what is coming and sending those sleepy ques to your baby, will mean you are met with less resistance at nap time.
Did you know that the amount of day sleep your little person gets, can have an impact on their night sleep? Too much or too little day sleep can result in an over tired or under tired baby. Following an age appropriate routine can make all the difference to getting a solid nights sleep.
Lastly try using some familiar words around bedtime. For example "after your cuddle/book it is sleepy time", "ok baby let's put your sleep bag on it is sleepy time now!." Try saying goodnight to your babies teddies before each nap - sending positive + predictable sleep signals. Maybe even a nursery rhyme that you only ever sing at bedtime. Something so simple really has a huge impact around sleep, for both the parents and the baby. ALL children thrive off routine, predictability and consistency; sleep terminology is just another simple way we can reinforce this! For more helpful baby tips on how to build healthy sleep foundations for you and your little one visit Baby Sleep School.
