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Minnie Zhou on Unsplash
Welcoming a baby into this world
is undoubtedly a sacred blessing. For mothers, nurturing their child into a
healthy, happy adult is a dream come true. But despite the bliss that a newborn
brings into your life, the joy of embarking on motherhood comes at a hefty
price: sleep deprivation.
First-time mums often find
themselves drained and fatigued after the arrival of their little one. Since an
infant’s sleeping patterns are erratic, parents are kept up at night. For
instance, loud cries or fussing in the wee hours of the morning are common
disturbances to expect when caring for your baby. Remember, your child hasn’t
learned the rhythms of night and day – and they certainly don’t know when to
sleep!
It takes time before your precious
one gradually adapts to their designated sleeping hours. During the process,
you may be discouraged if your baby doesn’t respond well to sleep training.
Fortunately for new mums, this comprehensive guide will arm you with several
tried-and-tested hacks to get your newborn to slumber soundly throughout the
night.
1. Use white noise to mimic the sound of the
womb
A baby’s sense of hearing
typically develops at approximately 18 weeks. From that time till birth, all
your child hears and gets accustomed to are the muffled sounds of your womb.
Upon ushering your newborn home, they may struggle to adjust to the sudden onslaught
of sounds and lights. This can cause them to feel disturbed and refuse sleep
time. As such, investing in a baby white noise machine can do wonders in
calming down a disgruntled infant before bed.
White noise works miracles with
fussy newborns and is an excellent tool to boost baby sleep. Not only does it
drown out jarring noises in the background, but it also mimics the familiar,
mellow sound that infants hear in the womb! This helps calm your child’s nerves
as they adapt to their new environment, allowing them to feel safe and
secure.
Some machines are also armed with
instrumental lullabies or the sound of a heartbeat, which can be highly
comforting for babies.
2. Avoid overstimulation during the
day
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Shirota Yuri on Unsplash
Welcoming a new member of the
family into the household is always an exciting occasion. As a parent, you may
feel inspired to begin bonding with your child immediately with a host of
activities. But amidst your enthusiasm, it’s easy to forget that your newborn is
still adapting to the environment around them! They’re taking in unfamiliar
sights and smells for the first time, and they could experience a sensory
overload.
As such, one common mistake that
first-time mums tend to make is overstimulating their children with toys all
day. Due to overstimulation, you may notice them withdrawing from your touch or
demand to be held for extended periods. Furthermore, resisting sleep time is
yet another side effect of overstimulation in a child.
Your
newborn requires time to wind down before bed. Ideally, it would be best to
halt all activities a few hours before bedtime and slowly soothe them to sleep.
This way, your young one can enter relaxation mode and settle into a sleepy
state with ease. Before long, they’ll be able to sleep peacefully throughout
the night!
3. Swaddle your newborn
Swaddling works like absolute
magic for parents struggling to soothe and calm a cranky newborn to sleep.
That’s why when you’re on
the hunt for baby supplies, be sure to include a swaddle
blanket for their sleeping needs! Similar to how white noise mimics the sounds
inside your womb, swaddling your baby brings them utmost comfort. This is
because a swaddle ‘hugs’ your little one and establishes an environment akin to
that of your womb. Hence, your infant will feel safe enough to fall into a deep
sleep.
Additionally, some infants
encounter difficulty falling asleep on their backs because they startle
themselves awake. When they’re swaddled, it prevents them from waking with a
shock from a startle reflex. Swaddling ensures that your child does not enter
dangerous situations, such as rolling onto their stomach or getting their head
caught in loose blankets.
4. Put your baby into their crib before bed
Newborn babies love curling up in
the arms of their parents while they sleep, but it’s not a viable solution in
the long run. Mums, don’t underestimate the importance of ample rest to
recharge and fuel. Rocking your child to bed throughout the night will eventually
take a toll on your physical health! In fact, being sleep deprived will result
in over-exhaustion, and you’ll not be able to respond to your infant’s needs
well.
If your little one needs to be
held constantly to sleep, it’s best to start instilling independent sleeping
habits as soon as possible. For instance, gently lay your baby down in their
crib as soon they’re about to drift off to bed. Should whining or crying ensue
after the transfer, your sweet words of affirmation are acceptable but, resist
picking your newborn up.
While the first few weeks of
implementing this change may be extremely chaotic, so long as you repeat this
bedtime routine enough, your little one will eventually get used to
self-soothing. From then on, they’ll be able to sleep independently without any
fuss.
Conclusion
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Rosalie Barley on Unsplash
With infants, you’ll go through
plenty of trial and error before figuring out the sleeping technique that works
best for your child. But even if you don’t meet with success immediately, don’t
be in a rush to get it right! You have all the time in the world to accustom
your baby to their new environment.
When things get rough, don’t
hesitate to lean on your spouse for support. Together, you’ll have the strength
to overcome all obstacles and build a stronger family bond with your precious
one.
