If you are new parent then you already probably know how hard it is to put your baby to sleep. Some babies take forever to go to bed and wake up at the drop of a hat which can be very annoying for parents. Here are few tips you could follow to make sure your newborn gets back to bed fast:
Know what puts them to sleep
As a parent you should figure out what works out best for your baby. Some newborns like to be moved in their cot whereas others sleep while drinking milk. According to baby sleep specialist from birth to about five months, infants possess a startle reflex where they feel that they are about to fall and it is this sensation that wakes them up. So as a parent you should make sure that swaddle is tight helping the newborn sleep better and longer.
Cut down on their naps
You should try to cut down their naps during the day so they can sleep earlier at night. However, this can be difficult for newborns especially because they need their sleep and they sleep almost the whole day. If your newborn is sleeping then you could try to wake him/her up after two hours. This could be a bit hard at first especially if your child is cranky, but overtime he/she will get used to this pattern and wakeup naturally after two hours. According to toddler sleep consultant Melbourne, you could let your newborn have one long nap during the day preferably in the morning and throughout the day make sure they have small naps so at night they will fall asleep quickly.
Make a fixed routine.
You should try to have a fixed routine for your child. For example as soon as he/she wakes up you could play a bit or feed them if the infant is hungry and then make sure he/she has a fixed playing time till you put your child to sleep again. You need to get the hang of the timing so baby doesn’t get cranky when he/she wakes up early and also having food immediately after waking up will ensure that they have most energy in the morning. Also a pre-nap routine should be different to pre-nap bedtime routine. In pre-nap you could make your child comfortable by taking him/her to their nursery whereas a bedtime routine might include a bath or massage. Following the same routine consistently cues the baby for sleep.If you are a new parent who is already tired with your newborn’s unpredictable sleeping cycles then you could consultant a specialist or simply give it some time till your infant gets used to a particular routine.