If you are a new parent, you would have already discovered that “don’t worry babies sleep through the night” is a big fat myth, and that your munchkin’s sleep schedule is no easy feat to achieve. In fact, in the first few months of their life, you will find your baby frequently waking up at night, and refusing to go back to sleep until they are comforted and cuddled. But don’t fret, there are some foolproof ways that can help your little one sleep better.
One of the ways to solve your baby’s sleeping issues is by revamping their sleeping habits and bedtime routine. Of course, there are some other foolproof techniques that you can try to ensure your munchkin gets a restful sleep so that you can squeeze in some extra snoozes.
So, how can you make your baby sleep through the night? Keep reading to find out!
14 Tips To Ensure Your Baby Sleeps Through The Night
Start A Bedtime Routine
Creating a consistent bedtime routine is the first step to helping your baby sleep through the night. A fixed pattern will help your baby understand that it’s time to sleep, and they will let you put them to bed without resisting.
Start by feeding them and then by giving them a bath. Use a moisturising baby wash with soothing ingredients like moringa oil, pumpkin seed oil, rose oil, and strawberry oil that gently cleanse and nourish your little one’s skin, and also relax their senses. After their bath, follow up by applying body lotion formulated with botanical ingredients like colloidal oatmeal, aloe vera, and calendula oil that hydrate your baby’s delicate skin and keep skin discomforts like itching and rashes at bay.
After their bath routine, try reading some books to your little one, and shower them with lots of love and kisses, before putting them to sleep.
Don’t Feed Your Baby To Sleep
While it’s common for babies to fall asleep while eating, this habit is not encouraged during bedtime. This is because once your newborn wakes up in the middle of the night, they will think that they need to eat in order to get back to sleep. To tackle this issue, you can gradually push your baby’s feeding schedule earlier, for instance, before their bath time. You may still get up at night to feed them, but then that would be to ease their hunger, and not for soothing them back to sleep.
Take Naps Seriously
Keep in mind, a well-rested baby will sleep better than an overtired one. It may seem counterintuitive to you, but the truth is that skipping a nap with the hopes that your baby will sleep longer at night, just doesn’t work. When your infant is overtired, their body releases a stress hormone that tends to keep them awake for a long time, and even if they fall asleep, that won’t be for too long.
Hence, put down our baby for regular daytime naps so that they aren’t overtired in the evening, and sleep through the night.
Put Your Baby To Sleep When They Are Drowsy Or Awake
Putting your baby in their crib when they are already asleep might seem like a good idea at first, but it has its own set of flaws. If by any chance, your little one wakes up at night, they will not be able to recognise their surroundings and might require your help to go back to sleep. Hence, try putting down your baby when they are drowsy but still awake. This will enable them to self-soothe and also fall back to sleep on their own, which is the ultimate goal of sleep training.
Check For Nasal Congestion
If your baby has been consistently waking up at night, then you might consider looking into other aspects that could be making them fussy and uncomfortable. For instance, check whether your baby has a stuffy nose at night, which causes difficulty breathing, and wakes them up. If that’s the case, you can try sticking a natural vapour patch from BabyChakra to ease their breathing and alleviate congestion.
BabyChakra’s vapour patches are made with plant-based ingredients like eucalyptus and peppermint oil that provide long-lasting relief from nasal congestion and also soothe mild headaches in babies. You can also add a humidifier to your baby’s room, as this will prevent their nasal cavity from turning stuffy.
Create A Calm Ambiance
Ambience plays an important role when it comes to putting your baby down for a restful night’s sleep. Keep sure that the room is set at a comfortable temperature, and keep all the blinds closed to prevent distractions. You can even consider adding a white noise machine in your baby’s room to offer a calming effect to your little one.
Protect Your Baby From Mosquitoes
Oftentimes, insects and mosquito bites can bother your infant and wake them up at odd hours in the night. To protect your little one’s skin, opt for the natural mosquito repellent spray from the Moms Co., which is formulated with organic and plant-based oils like citronella, lemongrass, eucalyptus, and soybean to provide long-lasting protection against disease-causing mosquitoes and keep your little one’s skin nourished.
Check Your Baby’s Diaper Before Putting Them To Sleep
A wet diaper can make your child uncomfortable and interrupt their sleep at night. Hence, make sure to change your baby’s diaper before putting them down to sleep. If your baby has a diaper rash, apply a thick layer of diaper rash cream on their buttocks and then place a fresh diaper, and dress up in their sleepwear.
Remove Irritating Sleepwear
Did you know that your child’s sleepwear could also be a reason why they keep waking up at night? Polyester and synthetic sleepwear can irritate your child’s skin and make them uncomfortable at night. If you notice skin allergies in your little one, then ensure to dress them in cotton sleepwear at night to prevent rashes or irritation. Additionally, wash their clothes frequently with baby-safe laundry detergent, such as The Moms Co.’s natural baby laundry detergent which uses bio-cleansing enzymes to disinfect your baby’s clothes and avoid irritation.
Give Your Baby Time To Settle Down
Your baby might cry or fuss before finding a comfortable position and falling asleep. If your little one’s crying doesn’t stop, check on them, offer comforting words, and get back to your bed. Sometimes, your reassuring presence is all your munchkin needs to fall asleep. So give them a little time to settle in and fall into a deep slumber.
Decide Where Your Baby Sleeps Best
While some babies sleep best in their own crib or room, some sleep best snuggled right next to mum and dad. You can use various sleeping arrangements to determine where your baby sleeps soundly without waking up multiple times at night, and then decide where to put your munchkin to sleep.
Relieve Teething Pain
Although you may not be able to feel your baby’s pearly whites coming in just yet, teething discomfort can start as early as three months, and continue till their two-year molars. A drool rash on your baby’s cheeks and chin, tender and swollen gums, and a slight fever are telltale signs that teething is the reason why your child is waking up at night. So what should you do? With your doctor’s permission, give your baby little doses of acetaminophen to reduce pain and swelling and ensure that they sleep well.
Make Sure That Your Baby’s Bed Is Warm
Placing your little one on cold sheets can cause trouble and hinder their sleep. Especially during the winter months, use flannel sheets or place a warm towel on your baby’s bed to adjust the temperature. But make sure to remove the towel before putting your baby to sleep.
Play Some Soothing Music
Repetitive and monotonous sounds, also referred to as white noise can also help your baby have uninterrupted sleep at night. You can try playing a continuous recording of your baby’s favourite lullabies so that even if they awaken, they can resettle to the familiar sleep-inducing sounds.
We get it, you must be desperately trying to get your little one to sleep, but the truth is it will take some time for your baby to adjust to a sleeping schedule. So instead of frantically searching for “How to make your baby sleep through the night” all the time, try being patient and following the strategies that we’ve mentioned above. In due time, your little one will be sleeping like a baby all through the night, and you will be able to get some restful sleep too.
Also read:
Best bedtime routine for your baby: We have got you covered with the perfect nighttime routine that will help your little one sleep through the night.
Best baby essentials: Here’s a list of some of the most crucial baby essentials. Do you have them all?
Baby skin care: The changing weather can take a toll on your munchkin’s skin health. Follow these baby skincare tips to keep their skin soft and supple.
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