10 Tips to Establish a Good Newborn Sleep Routine

6. Less activity in the house

The more noise and activity in the house, the less likely the baby is to fall asleep. Whenever there are activities such as the television, glaring computer, pots in the kitchen, microwave beeping, dog barking, the child will be stimulated and forced to respond to them. This is not so critical during the day, as the baby will need to get used to some amount of daytime noise, but things should be kept quieter at night to allow the baby to settle properly. However, some children are known to fall asleep regardless of the noise in the environment.

7. Switch the lights off

Light is a natural stimulant to the brain more so for kids than adults. At night, ensure that all the curtains in the room are closed, the lighting is dim and the television is off. You can try completely turning off the lights in their room and watch to see if they are comfortable with it. Most babies are since they’re too tired to fuss about it. If yours isn’t, you can dim the lights and turn them off when they fall asleep.

8. Do not pick them up

Some babies fuss and cry when put to bed. Sometimes they’re just too tired and need to be rocked while at other times they’re used to being cuddled to sleep. Whichever the case, you can actually meet the baby’s needs without necessarily picking them up. Rock the child while still in bed and do not turn on the lights.

9. Change their nappies while still in bed

When your baby wakes up at night due to a dirty nappy, avoid stimulating them by turning on bright lights, speaking to or picking them up. Make the process as quick as possible so your baby stays quiet and relaxed and is more likely to drop back off to sleep.

10. Encourage other members of the family to participate

Sleep training is a difficult process but it’s more successful when other family members are all on board with what you’re trying to do. It is almost impossible to help the baby fall asleep if the other people in your family are disruptive. They could take turns in preparing the baby to sleep in order to help make things easier.

Remember, it is easier to sleep train a newborn baby than a toddler. The earlier you begin the better the chances of success. However, the circumstances can be different for a sick baby or one with special needs, so you just have to see what works for you and your baby in the end.

How do you establish good newborn sleep routine?