7 Tips to Get Your Baby to Sleep Through the Night

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Chiomah Momah

Every new mum craves for that day when baby can finally sleep through the night! However, more often than not, getting baby on a consistent sleep routine is easier said than done. Try out the following tips to get your baby on a predictable pattern and ensure you both finally have a good night’s rest in the course of time.

1. Routine: We are all creatures of habit and every baby loves routine. From as early as possible, ensure baby has a flexible routine to accommodate her needs and stick to it. For instance, ensure she eats, naps and takes a bath at the same time every day.

2. Do not to spoil: When baby is tired, put her down and allow her fall asleep on her own. Do not let her get used to falling asleep in your arms.

3. Nights lights and crib mobile: When sleep training your baby, have a crib mobile or nightlights that reflect interesting shapes across the room. These help to keep the baby focused and happy while she falls asleep. Also, as much as possible, ensure that the baby sleeps in her bed every night.

4. Warm bath and a full tummy: The tendency for adults to easily doze off when their belly is full of food also applies to babies. A relaxing warm before dinner will further help send baby off to dreamland. Make sure that the bath scents are actually calming like lavender or chamomile as this will help baby sleep faster. Avoid invigorating scents like peppermint at bedtime.

5. Let baby learn to self-soothe: Sleep training can only be successful when your baby learns to sooth herself to sleep. While soothing your baby to sleep may be necessary sometimes, letting her get used to it will make it difficult for her to fall asleep independently.

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6. Sleep at the right time: With sleep training, timing is a key priority. There is no point putting a 10-month-old who has napped the whole day to bed at 7p.m., expecting that she will sleep through the night. If your baby has a nanny, leave instructions so that as the baby gets older, the day naps are consistently reduced. For example, a 1-year-old that naps three times during the day may have a little trouble sleeping through the night.

7. Reduce Nursing During the Night as Baby Gets Older: Once the baby is about 10 to 12 months, the night nursing should be reduced gradually. When baby wakes up, try giving him water in a sippy cup. He may be upset at first but after a while when he realizes that waking up won’t guarantee him any milk, he may start sleeping through the night.

Getting your baby to constantly sleep through the night is a huge achievement that will ensure you start getting enough shut eye to keep you refreshed. It’s achievable with time, patience and consistency.