Baby Sleeping Aids
An average baby sleeps around sixteen to seventeen hours a day. This is more than half a day, except for the fact that babies don’t have a precise sleeping schedule and may wake up in the middle of the night craving milk, change of the diaper or… the reasons are many. Parents who are struggling with babies waking up every several hours already know how difficult it is to have normal day afterwards.
A healthy and long night sleep is equally needed for both the baby and the parents; sometimes holding the baby in the arms or rocking it in the crib is not enough, especially if the parents are extremely tired after the long day.
Baby sleeping aids come in all forms and shapes; blankets, toys, stroller shades, music boxes etc. But also some of them don’t cost a thing and can be found at home. Perhaps the combination of the two upper mentioned categories is the best way, but babies can’t really tell you what’s bothering them, so you will have to try anything sooner or later.
First of all make sure that the crib has soft linens and a warm blanket. Many parents are overreacting when they are tucking their babies in several blankets and too many layers of clothes. Doctors recommend that babies need to be dressed as light or as heavy as their parents. Sometimes they aren’t able to sleep because they are too hot. Make sure that this part is well balanced.
Babies don’t really need toys or stuffed animals, but hanged music toys on the crib may work just as well. The music needs to be soft and lullaby like, so the sound will remind the little one that is time to sleep. Also, all the colors and the toys hanging will be a distraction for the baby once it wakes up.
Warm milk is a must. Whether you are breastfeeding your baby or you are using formula, make sure that the baby is well fed before bed. Nobody can fall asleep when the stomach is empty, and neither can the little one.
Although pacifiers aren’t recommended for bigger babies or toddlers, many parents will tell you that this is a gift from god, a button that will turn of the never-ending crying. Babies love their pacifiers, it reminds them of their mom’s nipple and they feel safer when they suck on them as they fall asleep. Keep one by the crib.
Night light can also work; a lot of babies are scared and disoriented in the dark, so in the first few months it is smart to have a dim light in the room. This way, parents can easily check on the baby any time, and the baby will feel safer once it wakes up and sees that mom and dad are close.
Any ritual you have before bed is also great – bath time, lullabies, rocking… whatever it works for you and your baby is a great idea and you need to stick to it.
Daniel
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