By Celine Villadares
“Say goodbye to sleep,” they told us. And we honestly thought they were kidding! With a newborn baby comes a general lack of sleep for both parents. This is a universally known fact that no new mother or father can escape, unless they have the budget to hire a nanny who is willing take the night shift for them. But all hope is not lost! The good news is that it is possible to establish healthy sleep patterns for your baby as soon as he he enters his 4th month, or even earlier.
Here is how:
Differentiate Day and Night:
Teach your newborn the difference between day and night by performing activities that are specific to when the sun is out, and when it is dark. In the morning, go out and hold him under the sun for his daily dose of Vitamin D, sing songs, and keep him as active as you can throughout the day. But once the sun sets, establish a routine that will allow for him to calm and quiet down, such as a comforting warm bath, dinner (feeding) , story time, and even night prayers. Dimming the lights (or turning them off completely) at specific is also a good way to teach him to become aware that it is time to sleep.
Start with Solid Food:
Although we strongly suggest that you ask your pediatrician about introducing solid food to your baby; many encourage an introduction of solid food as early as 4 months. When your infant starts to cry often at night for feeding, solid food such as cereal, sweet potato, avocado or banana may help to fill in his hungry stomach. A bottle of milk is another option for longer, uninterrupted sleep. As always, it is best to seek advice for the right time of introducing solid food to your infant from your pediatrician.
Ambience for Sleeping:
Just as adults need a proper ambience for sleeping, your baby needs an environment that encourages deep sleep. Having a quiet and dimly lit room with soft and soothing lullabies is one such environment. Also, try to pay attention to signs that your infant might be tired…so that once you know he is ready to sleep, you can bring him into his nursery (whatever that may mean for your family.) A word of warning, also consider your child’s sleeping position and have him sleep on his back in order to avoid the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
A good night’s sleep is within reach mamas! Hang in there, and persevere. Try our recommended methods, and we’re sure you’ll be catching up on sleep in no time. 😉