Maybe you’re reading this blog post because…it’s 3 AM. And your beautiful baby will just not.stop.crying. no matter what you try!! Singing, swaddling, sleep sack??
Did you stumble upon me while frantically Googling “how to get baby to sleep”?
Well, for your sake, I hope that’s NOT the case. But if it is, welcome to my website!! Thanks for tuning in. 😉
Anyway, now that you’re here, I wanna help you get this figured out. And of course, not very long ago at all, I had to figure it out for MYSELF!! Finding the right baby products basically = the “Holy Grail” of motherhood! In my recent post My Top 10 Baby Must Haves for First Time Moms!, I review the BEST OF every item on the baby checklist: the best car seat…the best baby monitor…the best playpen…
But I noticed that many products I used and LOVED in that article were SLEEP related: swaddlers/loungers/crib.
So today I want to go a little bit deeper into how to help your baby “sleep through the night” (I pretty much roll my eyes whenever a company claims that!! A hungry and/or colicky baby is NOT going to sleep through the night. Maybe if by “through the night,” you mean, 4 hours).
Is there really one “miracle” sleep strategy/outfit/crib that will give your baby and you a full night’s sleep??
Well, I think we already know, the answer is NO…every baby and every situation is different.
I mean…for adults, the only reliable sleep aid is melatonin, and contrary to what you might have heard, melatonin drops AREN’T safe or helpful for babies, since babies don’t have the 24-hour clock / Circadian rhythms that we adults do!
So, does that mean you’re doomed by being unable to soothe a colicky baby? Or that you’ll never be able to close your eyes again? No! It just means you need to try a few different methods every time baby can’t fall asleep, and see what works.
- Method #1: Give your baby the chance to have good “sleep hygiene.” Of course, that means consistent bedtime/wake-up-time and naps, but it also means, don’t always let your baby fall asleep in your arms / cuddle them to sleep OR they will always NEED that as a CRUTCH to fall asleep!! Instead, make sure they get familiar with their crib when they’re still awake, so “crib = fall asleep without you” becomes NORMAL for them!!
- Method #2: This ADORABLE thing a father did!!As you can see, he just gently brushes his baby’s face with tissue. I can’t confirm personally that this works…Try it, and let me know!!!
- Method #3: Learn the difference between a swaddle and a sleep sack. A swaddle is used when your baby is < 3 months old, and as you probably know, it’s tight-fitting and mimics the sensation of being in the womb. Some babies don’t like it at first and start crying, which usually makes the parent give up! But in addition to promoting SLEEP, the swaddle also helps prevent SIDS and helps their motor skills, because they are gently fighting the swaddle. Here’s the swaddle I used!!) Now, a sleep sack is for babies 3 months and older, who can roll over on their own. (Which makes a swaddle dangerous.)
And the sack is an AMAZING piece o’ fabric, too!!
It’s a looser garment than a swaddle (you might say it resembles a Snuggie). And, just like a swaddle, the sack is good for preventing the unthinkable, because blankets can cause suffocation. But not the sleep sack!!
These wearable blankets keep your baby snug (and YES, reviews from parents say, keep them SLEEPING) through the night.
And finally, here’s my MOST important tip…
Whenever you get frustrated with your restless, wakeful baby, just remember what the DIRECTOR of the Children’s Sleep Center in Philly, Jodi Mindell, said: “All babies WANT to sleep.” Your baby isn’t doing this on purpose to spite you, I swear!!
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