Life Desk :
From their conception to the day they finally leave home, there’s not one aspect of raising a child which doesn’t prompt discussion and spawn theories.
Perhaps it’s no wonder then that one of the most hotly-debated topics is also, for many exhausted parents, one of the trickiest to master -getting your baby to sleep. Blogger and mum Emily-Jane Clark says sleep-deprivation can play havoc with a recommended routine, and not managing to master it can leave you feeling bad. So, here are some methods devised by her that can work.
Get yourself ready for bed first
Babies can take hours to fall sleep, so you need to be comfortable and ready to slip into your bed with your baby once you have given up trying to put her down in the cot. It’s also a good idea to empty your bladder.
Organisation
This is key to a successful bedtime. Before you even begin your routine, empty your bladder and ensure your smart phone is fully charged. Trying to get your baby to sleep is a good opportunity to enjoy some quality screen time. You may be trapped in a dark room with a baby, but you have the world at your fingertips.
Transfer ready
Is your baby drowsy but awake? Then heshe is not ‘Transfer Ready’. Wait until they are in a deep sleep. Then wait another 10 minutes, just to be sure. Recent studies reveal that 98% of babies believe that self-soothing works.
Only you
If your baby refuses to sleep anywhere other then on you, then rest assured this is completely normal. The solution is simple. You must drink lots of coffee until the phase passes.
Sleep crutch
It is very useful to make a rod for your own back by creating a sleep crutch for your child. If your baby will only sleep in bed with you, let himher (although, this is not advisable if you smoke, drink or sleep on a bed of nails!). If heshe will only settle after a feed, then do so. If you need to rock or sing them into dreamland, do it. These popular sleep-crutches have been successfully getting babies to sleep for thousands of years.
Learn not to sleep
Trying to get a baby to sleep when you have been awake for three long days is tough, but do not fear! Babies are highly adept at training their parents not to sleep through the night.Eventually , your body will become accustomed to the sleepless nights and despite what the internet may tell you at 4am, you will not die of sleep-deprivation.
Eye contact
It’s important that you make eye contact with your baby when settling himher at night.That adoring look they give you at 2am is often the only thing that will help you make it through the night.
Escape
The baby is finally asleep! But remember, sleeping babies have the ability to sense when their parent is about to leave the room. To avoid waking the child, you must exit with extreme caution. Do not breathe, do not rush and whatever happens, do not look back.
Repeat this method every night and you rest assured, you will enjoy a good night’s sleep again, at one point.
– Daily Mirror
From their conception to the day they finally leave home, there’s not one aspect of raising a child which doesn’t prompt discussion and spawn theories.
Perhaps it’s no wonder then that one of the most hotly-debated topics is also, for many exhausted parents, one of the trickiest to master -getting your baby to sleep. Blogger and mum Emily-Jane Clark says sleep-deprivation can play havoc with a recommended routine, and not managing to master it can leave you feeling bad. So, here are some methods devised by her that can work.
Get yourself ready for bed first
Babies can take hours to fall sleep, so you need to be comfortable and ready to slip into your bed with your baby once you have given up trying to put her down in the cot. It’s also a good idea to empty your bladder.
Organisation
This is key to a successful bedtime. Before you even begin your routine, empty your bladder and ensure your smart phone is fully charged. Trying to get your baby to sleep is a good opportunity to enjoy some quality screen time. You may be trapped in a dark room with a baby, but you have the world at your fingertips.
Transfer ready
Is your baby drowsy but awake? Then heshe is not ‘Transfer Ready’. Wait until they are in a deep sleep. Then wait another 10 minutes, just to be sure. Recent studies reveal that 98% of babies believe that self-soothing works.
Only you
If your baby refuses to sleep anywhere other then on you, then rest assured this is completely normal. The solution is simple. You must drink lots of coffee until the phase passes.
Sleep crutch
It is very useful to make a rod for your own back by creating a sleep crutch for your child. If your baby will only sleep in bed with you, let himher (although, this is not advisable if you smoke, drink or sleep on a bed of nails!). If heshe will only settle after a feed, then do so. If you need to rock or sing them into dreamland, do it. These popular sleep-crutches have been successfully getting babies to sleep for thousands of years.
Learn not to sleep
Trying to get a baby to sleep when you have been awake for three long days is tough, but do not fear! Babies are highly adept at training their parents not to sleep through the night.Eventually , your body will become accustomed to the sleepless nights and despite what the internet may tell you at 4am, you will not die of sleep-deprivation.
Eye contact
It’s important that you make eye contact with your baby when settling himher at night.That adoring look they give you at 2am is often the only thing that will help you make it through the night.
Escape
The baby is finally asleep! But remember, sleeping babies have the ability to sense when their parent is about to leave the room. To avoid waking the child, you must exit with extreme caution. Do not breathe, do not rush and whatever happens, do not look back.
Repeat this method every night and you rest assured, you will enjoy a good night’s sleep again, at one point.
– Daily Mirror
