Once through the newborn phase, your baby can settle into a regular sleep pattern if you provide some basics to enable it. Sleep basics for a baby are reasonably simple but require some discipline on your part as a parent. By providing these fundamental tips to help your baby sleep, you can get a good night's rest, too.
Routine
Babies thrive on routine. By providing a regular, scheduled time for your baby to nap and go to bed at night, you create the expectation of sleep in his mind, and this will enable him to go to sleep more easily. Naps are an essential part of any baby's sleep. While the occasional car-nap works for most babies, a regular time for your baby to rest in his crib is critical for his development.
Define a regular routine and observe your baby's cues to help identify when he might be tired and need to nap or go to bed. This is certain to change as he matures; be cognizant of his sleep needs to help him get enough sleep. Overtired babies are poor night sleepers notes Baby Center.
Create a regular routine for night time sleep to help your baby settle for the night. The repeated routine of bath, pajamas, diaper change, nursing, story and lullaby, for example, helps cue a baby that he's being put to bed for the night.
Awake Sleeping
Babies need to learn settle themselves notes the Mayo Clinic. It's a fundamental skill that helps them throughout their lives. It's also a critical part of their learning to wake at night and then go back to sleep without your intervention. While sleep training abounds in terms of style, theory and process, the key component is that you should put your baby to sleep while she is still awake. This doesn't mean ignoring her cries, as you can calmly intervene as necessary, but it also doesn't mean you should instantaneously respond if your baby is simply re-settling herself. The Mayo Clinic suggests that it is acceptable to wait a few minutes before responding to your baby's cries to give her a chance to settle herself down.
You can nurse her while she is drowsy, but don't nurse her until she falls asleep. You risk not only rousing her while transitioning her to the crib, you risk creating nighttime sleep issues when she is not used to settling herself to sleep.
Safe and Comfortable
A crib, bassinet or co-sleeper are a fundamental part of what a baby needs to sleep. Choose whichever works best in your family, but create a separate space for your baby to sleep. Make sure it is free from suffocation hazards, such as too many blankets, stuffed toys or pillows. Also make sure that the baby cannot fall out, especially if a family bed is the preferred sleep method.
Many babies have sensitive skin, so check what you're putting against your baby's skin at night. If your baby chafes with the use of polyester, invest in flame-retardant pajamas that are made of cotton as this fabric tends to be more easily tolerated by babies with sensitive skin.
