Of course, all babies are different, and some sleep better than others. However, there are a few things you can do to help your baby sleep better and, dare we say, all the way through the night!
In this blog, we will give you tips and tricks to try at home to help your baby sleep through the night. From following a consistent bedtime routine to using a dummy, using these tips on how to make a baby sleep at night can help to make your baby more comfortable for better sleep results.
What’s Causing Your Baby Not to Sleep?
Before you even consider implementing new ways to make a baby sleep at night, you must ensure that your baby is in good health and that there aren’t any health reasons why he or she may be struggling with sleep. Visit your medical practitioner before trying any of these tips to rule out any illnesses or health issues that might be ailing your baby.
Also, it’s important to note that newborn babies are still reliant on milk alone and will wake up during the night to be fed. Weaning onto food should only be done when the baby is ready which can vary from between 12– 20 weeks of age. Sleeping through the night is only an expectation for babies from around 12 – 15 weeks.
Once you’ve established that your baby is happy, healthy, and ready to begin using these tips to help them sleep through the night, there are a few factors that could be causing them to wake frequently at night.
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Discomfort - Comfortable clothing can help a baby feel cosy and secure, promoting better sleep. Tight, restrictive, or itchy clothing can be uncomfortable and cause a baby to wake up more frequently. We recommend using a fabric conditioner like Comfort Pure Fabric Softener.
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Hunger – being hungry is one of the main reasons why babies wake up at night. Is your child getting a sufficient amount of food and milk at night to sustain them all night long?
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Teething – when your baby teethes it can be extremely painful and this can wake them up at night.
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Temperature – being too hot or too cold can be the reason why they are waking up at night as well.
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Noise – loud noises or a noisy sleep environment can be the reason why a baby wakes up frequently too.
Tips to Help Your Baby Sleep Through The Night
Even though this is not medical advice, and we are not child or sleep experts, there are a few tips you can start at home that have been proven to have great results when it comes to how to get a baby to sleep through the night.
#1 – Create A Positive Sleep Environment
The room the baby is sleeping in needs to be conducive to sleep. This means that it should be dark (ideally with black-out curtaining), have white noise in, be at a cool temperature (experts recommend between 18 – 20 degrees Celsius) and have a comforting smell present.
We highly recommend Comfort Pure Fabric Conditioner to wash your baby’s linen in because it is safe to use for their sensitive skin and it also leaves a gentle, lingering fragrance in their beds that can help them calm down for sleep.
#2 – Consistency is Key
By following a consistent and calming bedtime routine every night, you are letting the baby know that it’s time to go to sleep. Babies and toddler love routine, and when they get the same routine at night – for example supper time, bath time, storytime, and sleep time – then their little brains feel relaxed and comfortable enough to go to sleep calmly.
#3 - Put Your Baby to Bed Drowsy, But Awake
Sleep experts all recommend following this tip in order to teach your baby how to soothe themselves to sleep on their own. When you put them down drowsy but awake, it allows their brains to fall asleep naturally on their own, which gives them tools on how to put themselves to sleep at night when they wake up too.
#4 - Consider a Dummy
Dummies are a wonderful soothing tool that babies need to help comfort and calm them. Attach your baby's dummy to their clothing at night in an easy-to-access place. They can then find it at night and place it into their mouths on their own to self-soothe. Always make sure you use a safe child-friendly dummy chain to avoid choking on long chains or ropes at night.
#5 - Follow Your Instincts
When all else fails, follow your instincts. As a mother or father, you absolutely know what's best for your baby and you instinctively know what your baby needs. Whilst it’s important to follow tips to make your baby sleep all night, it’s equally important to remember that all babies are different and sometimes they need the comfort and closeness of a parent to fall asleep. There is no such thing as a hard and fast rule with children 100% of the time.
For more family care tips such as these, visit Cleanipedia.