If you are parents to a newborn, chances are, you don’t get a restful night’s sleep on most days. This is because babies struggle with sound sleep in the first year of their life, and may wake up at odd hours in the night, wanting attention or food. But what if we tell you that there’s a way to solve this problem and help your little one sleep for hours at a stretch? In fact, all you have to do is establish a consistent bedtime routine for your baby to ensure a good night’s sleep without any assistance from you.
Moreover, a fixed bedtime routine may teach good sleeping habits to your baby from an early age, and also help you squeeze in some extra hours of sleep in the morning. Let’s find out more about the benefits of maintaining a bedtime routine for your baby, and the best babycare products to use for soothing them.
When Should You Start A Bedtime Routine For Your Little One?
You do not have to focus on establishing a bedtime routine for your baby as soon as you come back from the hospital. Take some time to recover and also let your baby adapt to their surroundings first. Plus, during the first few weeks of their life, your newborn won’t have much sense of the difference between day and night, and hence won’t be able to follow any predictable patterns.
You can try establishing a bedtime routine for your baby when they are around 6 to 8 weeks of age. Their bedtime routine should be particularly short at first, maybe just a feeding session filled with cuddles, and a brief reading of a storybook.
Why Is A Consistent Bedtime Routine For Your Baby Important?
A consistent bedtime routine can help reinforce your little one’s natural circadian rhythms, and help them differentiate between day and night. We have also listed some other reasons why a bedtime routine for your baby is crucial.
- It helps them fall asleep with ease: A calming bedtime ritual that follows a predictable pattern every night gives your baby a nudge that it’s time to wind down and prepare to sleep. This eventually helps them fall asleep without being fussy.
- It prevents sleep regression: Sleep regression is a condition where babies have a hard time falling or staying asleep. Although concerning, this condition is pretty normal in babies throughout their first year. However, a well-established bedtime routine can prevent sleep regression and ensure sound sleep for your little one.
- It aids your baby’s growth: It is crucial for your baby to get 12 hours of sleep through the night to ensure that they’re well-rested. Moreover, good sleep aid in their healthy growth and development, and a consistent bedtime routine can help them sleep throughout the night.
- It helps you bond with your little one: Following a consistent bedtime routine can help you unwind with your little one after a long day, and it might even make your evenings more relaxing and joyful.
The Best Bedtime Routine For Your Baby
When it comes to planning a bedtime routine for your baby, there is no hard-and-fast criteria that work magically for all. Try to be flexible and see what works for your baby the best. Nevertheless, you can implement the following example in your little one’s nighttime routine.
- Start with a soothing bath: Warm water has sleep-inducing powers. For extra relaxation, you can add a moisturising baby wash, blended with soothing ingredients like rose oil, strawberry oil, moringa oil, and pumpkin seed oil. While rose and strawberry oil impart a relaxing fragrance to calm your baby, moringa, and pumpkin seed oil hydrate and moisturise your baby’s skin to prevent dryness.
- Feed your little one: Make sure that your little one is well-fed before they are put to sleep. This will prevent them from waking up in the middle of the night hungry and fussy. Also, while you are feeding them, don’t forget to shower them with lots of warm cuddles to help relax them.
- Read a book to them: Settle down in your rocking chair or glider and read your little one’s favourite one, in a cool, calm voice. This will make them sleepy right away.
- Give your baby a gentle massage: A gentle massage before bedtime can help produce increased levels of a hormone called melatonin, which helps induce sleep. Opt for a nourishing baby massage oil blended with plant-based actives like moringa oil, almond oil, avocado oil, and saffron oil to massage their body and nourish their skin.
- Play some white noise: After you’ve switched off all the lights in the room, and put your little one to bed, you can try considering playing some white noise on your phone. It provides a calming effect and ensures your baby sleeps soundly.
Now you know how a consistent bedtime routine for your baby can help ensure better sleep for your little one, and aid in healthy development. Apart from following the bedtime routine tips, we’ve mentioned, keep a few things in mind, such as identifying your baby’s sleeping cues, creating an appropriate atmosphere without distractions before putting them to sleep, and keeping their daytime naps short. If you have any other concerns about managing your baby’s bedtime routine, you can always consult a paediatrician for more hacks and tips.
Also read:
Reasons you should read bedtime stories to your baby: Check out this post to know all the benefits of rereading bedtime stories to your little one.
Best baby essentials: Check out these baby essentials that provide the right care for your little one’s skin and hair.
Baby skin care: Want to keep your munchkin’s skin healthy? Follow these tips to provide them with the right care.
