7 simple steps, when your baby struggles with sleep.

These may seem like some obvious strategies, here, but you'd be surprised how many parents I meet who have either not thought to try them, tried a few once with little effect or just simply don't believe they will work. With very over tired babies it will be a struggle, initially, with whatever you try so it is worth some consistency over a couple of days.

These are my initial go-to strategies with most of the little people I meet and very often, only one or two of these suggestions can make all the difference to their sleep.

Give them a go. It may be this simple.

1.  Swaddle  

If your baby is not yet rolling, then a firm swaddle at sleep time may be the answer to your problems. Babies often experience involuntary startle reflexes and frantic arm and leg movements when they become tired, and so often prefer to settle while being held. As this is not always possible, consider the swaddle as a substitute for a supportive hug, rather than something restrictive.  It's easier to understand the benefits.

2.  Bring naps forward

Even if you only manage this with the first nap of the day. Babies who become overtired are usually building a sleep debt across the day and this is often because they are awake too long between naps.

Grizzling and eye rubbing are the tired cues that many parents wait for, when deciding on nap times. Unfortunately, these are often the later signs your baby may give, and it could be easier to settle him, if you can catch him beforehand. Babies often start to show jerky movements and become more vocal on the run-up to naptime and so once familiar with your baby's natural awake interval, you can learn to spot the early warning signs and act promptly, so that you don't miss that all important, window of opportunity.

     

3.  Put an extra layer on 

Make sure your baby is warm enough. If she gets cold, it is likely she will wake and be unable to resettle. Perhaps this is why some babies can only fall asleep or resettle while they're being cuddled? It's worth considering. Even in the summer, babies usually require at least one more layer than you do.

4.  Use White Noise 

Don't spend money on it.  You can get free apps for this.  White noise, for example radio static, rain or washing machine sounds, are effective for babies with noisy siblings or barking dogs in the family. If played loudly enough (like the volume of a vacuum cleaner), it will prevent outside noise from being a disturbance and is often immediately soothing to very young babies, possibly due to the loud and constant sounds they hear, during their time in the womb. White noise can be taken anywhere with you and once you think it’s time to wean Bubs off it, then you simply reduce the volume over a few days. Easy!

5.  Black-out the bedroom

If you're struggling to get your little one to sleep in the day, a very dark room may help. Worried about day/night confusion? The worst thing that will happen is that you may have to wake her if she's sleeping too long!! How fantastic would that be?!

6.  Feed before sleep

This may seem quite a controversial approach as many, well known 'Sleep strategies' will guide you to avoid this at all costs for fear of creating an 'association'. However, nature has perfectly primed your baby to be calm and sleepy at the end of a feed, so why try and reinvent the wheel? If your baby is still under 6mo and struggles to relax at sleep time, then I would strongly advise going back to basics. If your baby settles and sleeps well after cosy feed, in a darkened room, with no over stimulation, then just go with the flow. There's still plenty of time to teach your baby more independent sleep routines as their maturity develops.

7.  Seek Support

If you have consistently tried all the above methods for a week or more, and things still don’t feel right, then don’t be afraid to seek professional guidance.  As with health, finances, fitness or emotional wellbeing, we all need advice from time to time. Unfortunately, people often assume someone will come and force baby to sleep with unthinkable ‘Cry it out’ techniques.  Thankfully sleep consultancy has marched on from the old fashioned ‘One size, fits all’ approach.  There are now many consultants, committed to the use of more gentle techniques, which can be tailored to your own family’s needs.

Katie Cortes

Registered Midwife

www.katiesbabies.com.au