Welcoming your baby at home means that you’re ready for a new set of experiences that are no less than a roller-coaster ride. One of the most searched topics regarding newborn babies is the natural sleep remedies for babies. Before jumping to them directly, it is important to have a factual understanding of the sleep issues with babies.
As expected, your baby will take their share of time in understanding the new world. And so, there will be issues like the sleep of your baby that will get hard to resolve. While many parents struggle to manage sleepy nights, it is quite easy to start from the beginning.
In This Article
- Sleep Issues with Babies – The Grass was Greener in the Womb
- Sleep Issues with Babies – It all Starts after Coming to the World
- Sleep Issues with Babies – Culprits for Disturbances in Sleep
- Undisturbed and Better Sleep for Your Baby
- Natural Sleep Remedies for Babies
Sleep Issues with Babies – The Grass was Greener in the Womb
While your baby is still growing inside the womb, there is little evidence to record his/her sleeping pattern. It is concluded with research that they will be spending most of the time inside the womb sleeping only. And by the time your baby reaches the 38th week in the womb, s/he will be spending more than 95% of the time sleeping.
Sleep Issues with Babies – It all Starts after Coming to the World
When your baby is already so good at sleeping, why do you have to look for tips for baby sleep? It is quite evident that things don’t remain the same for babies when they are out in the world. Your baby has to adjust to a completely new environment. However, things get overwhelmed when the disturbances start in the peaceful sleep of your baby. All you need to do as a parent is to get to the root of the problems and find out about the natural sleep remedies for babies.
Sleep Issues with Babies – Culprits for Disturbances in Sleep
- First of all, find out about the conditions in and around the space of your baby. Most babies face problems in sleep due to issues in comfort levels. The harsh or prickly bedding along with not-so-soft nightwear may be a hindrance to the sleep of your baby.
- Secondly, the disturbances that are not too loud for us can be too disturbing for your younger one. You may think that it is only a revolving fan, but your baby has quite active senses and the minimal noises around the baby may interfere with their sleep.
- While early infants can sleep after feed only, once your baby crosses 3 months, the problems start more evidently. Most of the parents have the issue that their baby has a problem in back sleeping. Baby loves to sleep on the stomach as they used to do inside the womb, but the same is not true in the real world. Thus, whenever you try to turn your baby on back, they will wake up and start crying.
- Another reason to look out for newborn baby sleep tips is the tendency of your baby to mix day and night. Many parents say that their baby sleeps the whole day and wakes up through the night. This doesn’t work well with working parents or the hectic schedules of the families.
- There may be some bodily processes of the baby that are translating into uncomfortable conditions. Teething, gastric problems, aches in body parts can be some of the main problems faced by your baby that are indicated by loud cries.
Undisturbed and Better Sleep for Your Baby
Quick Fact 1
Babies have four states of sleep while they’re still inside their mothers. These stages are namely quiet sleep, active sleep, quiet waking, and active waking. It is proved in the fetal electrocardiographic recordings.
How to Start with Good Sleep Habits?
It is not hard to notice the problems faced by your baby in enjoying a peaceful sleep. Once you have taken note of the issues, it is wise to implement the efforts in establishing good sleep patterns for your baby. First-time parents may require professional help as they feel overwhelmed and their efforts are turning out pale in front of their baby’s sleep. So what does it take to start with good habits and think of natural sleep remedies for babies?
- You have to start with the peaceful surroundings of your baby. There is no alternative to a clean, noise-free, and dark room for your baby. The amalgam of all these things will help your baby sleep better and quickly too. Most parents prefer to make their baby sleep with them for up to one year while studies have proven that babies that start sleeping alone as early as reaching 6 months have more scheduled sleep and waking patterns.
- While the surroundings are already set to a cozy and peaceful mood, it is time to make sure the availability of relevant things makes your baby sleep well. The most important one is to satisfy their hunger. Most babies sleep well after a good feed, preferably breast milk, and patting for a few minutes after it. Taking your baby to the bed while he or she is not asleep makes them aware of the position that they have to sleep once they’re on the bed. This also frees the parents from the duty of sleeping their newborns in their arms or laps only.
- The inclusion of a night-time routine is the only key to introducing your baby to the night. Once your baby has reached one year or more, you can start the bedtime story routine while strictly adhering to the sleep timetable. Most babies are so adjustable that they quickly learn the bedtime schedule if the input is given properly to them. This resolves 90% of problems associated with the sleeping patterns of your baby.
Quick Fact 2
The parents must ensure that there is no break or deviation in the good sleep habits of the baby, irrespective of the conditions, as this schedule can work wonders for your baby.
How to Keep the Baby Safe During Sleeping?
The next emerging question is the safety of the baby while sleeping. The natural sleep remedies for babies also focus on the safety of your baby. In case your baby is not sleeping in your room, you may rely on high-tech gadgets but it is never safe to be dependent on them only. There are certain measures to keep your baby safe during sleep, irrespective of the condition that you’re sitting next to your baby or not.
- You have to choose the best clothing for your baby while s/he is sleeping. Smooth, breathable, and comfortable clothes are safest to wear while sleeping as they protect your baby from bites at night.
- Don’t use any types of toxic insect repellents in your baby’s room. Always go for the natural remedies to keep mosquitoes and flies away from your baby.
- You have to keep in mind that for the initial year of their lives, babies have to sleep on their backs to ensure the best and safest sleep. Your baby will tend to sleep on his stomach, but that is not good at all for their health.
- To ensure the safety of your baby, it is always recommended to put your baby in a crib. Sharing a bed with your baby can cause them multiple problems as the contact may lead to increased disturbances at sleep.
- Avoid using sleep pillows for your baby, as they may block the passage of air. All you need to do is maintain clear and cozy bedding over which your baby can enjoy the best sleep.
- Don’t forget that there is no defined age for your baby to take the turns. While cribs ensure the safety of the baby irrespective of their movements, it is always safe to keep an eye on your newborn while they are in deep sleep.
- Be aware of the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS. It occurs only when your baby (younger than 1-year-old) is sleeping.
- Do all that is needed to prevent your baby from choking or suffocating while sleeping. The smallest thing like a roughed-up blanket or an oversized pillow can choke your baby.
Quick Fact 3
There is a remarkable increase in the deaths of infants due to suffocation and strangulation while sleeping. The figures hint at a more than 180% rise in infant death while sleeping in the last decade.
Naps are Necessary for your Baby
While you try your best to keep the potential threats away from your baby, along with the tips for baby sleep, nothing matches to manage the sleep routine of your baby smoothly and regularly. Naps are necessary for your baby, but they shouldn’t exceed 3-4 hours of total sleep in a day. Let us now help you to ensure that your baby sleeps throughout the night.
Quick Fact 4
You will be quite surprised to know that babies enjoy more than 70% of Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, which is light sleep, but necessary for their overall growth. Any disturbance in REM affects the growth of your baby and can also make them fussy.
Natural Sleep Remedies for Babies
While things are sorted primarily with good sleep habits, it is good to go for any of the following natural sleep remedies for babies or tips to make baby sleep whenever you feel the onset of sleeping issues with your piece of heart:
- Like humans, babies also like sleep to be a low-key affair. Low noises, dark rooms, with preferred patting or bedtime stories are the natural ways of getting your baby to sleep.
- If you want to do binge-watching or complete any pending work, sitting next to your baby may not be an ideal choice as little movement can wake up your baby.
- Go for a massage, bath, feed, and sleep pattern. Massage followed by bath naturally helps baby sleep better, while feeding will ensure no waking up in the midnights.
- Don’t change the sleep locations of your baby as they will naturally fall to sleep while put in their crib. Place your baby in the crib while s/he is not fast asleep but drowsy.
- Always look for the signs of tiredness in your baby after long playtime or waking up that calls for a power nap.
- Maintain the sleep pattern of your baby so that it develops into a natural sleep clock of your baby.
- Take the help of a pacifier at night, but don’t ever tie it to your baby as it may create issues with their safety.
Days and nights are extremely vague to newborns and thus, the parents to fix the sleep schedule of their baby. While all of the sleep needs of a baby match that of an adult except for a few in the start, parents have to go that extra mile to grant sound sleep to their love. Don’t be afraid to go for any of the natural sleep remedies for babies in case you feel something is not right. A quick checklist from a pediatrician may also help you achieve your goals faster. While there are endless suggestions and recommendations, keeping a check on the most personalized expressions and responses of your baby never lets you down.
