There’s nothing like being tired, but being MOM tired is a whole new level!
I understand; the endless nights of feeding and waking to change diapers, and trying to get some sleep on your own can be pretty difficult.
We’ll I am here to share what has worked for me..3 years later! I remember researching a ton trying to figure out how to get a newborn to sleep better throughout the night. I took what I learned and made it unique for me and my baby. Here are my 5 steps to better sleep.
1. Swaddle! Our little baby girl loved being swaddled. However, I noticed she didn’t like being so confined including her arms. So we stuck with the Halo Cotton Sleep Sack. This was a dream!! They have many options. What worked for us was a sleep sack that had a zipper and was sleeveless. This helped baby to feel comfortable while being able to stretch out her arms.
2. Routine, Routine, Routine- I cannot say it anymore! Routine is the best way for baby to recognize bedtime. We began establishing a routine around 6 months of age. Here is what our bedtime routine consisted of:
-After dinner, play with toys for a few minutes.
– bath time; brushing teeth
– getting dressed in her room. This helped because now she likes to pick out her pajamas, realizing she is getting ready for bed.
– laying down and reading a story
– praying and singing. We sing, “you are my sunshine” but there are many out there such as “twinkle, twinkle”.
– lights out and noise machine. We enjoy blackout curtains and nature sound machine.
& within 30 minutes she is out for the night!
3. Drop the co-sleeping This is what had helped me the most. When my daughter was 3 months old, we said goodbye to our bassinet in our bedroom. We moved her to her crib. Of course, I was paranoid about leaving her alone. But doing this helped her to self soothe and put herself back to sleep. Fast forward to almost three years old, she enjoys her bedroom and having her own sleep space…..and so does mom & dad!
4. Keep supplies nearby Yes, there will be times when the baby needs to wake up in the middle of the night. I kept a box in both our rooms, filled with: diapers, wipes, extra clothes, and my Baby Brezza Machine. This helped me to not run all over the house searching for things. It was handy because it was right where I needed it.
5. Cool & Dark Keeping the room dark and cool is the most important tip! It reminds babies of the womb. During the winter months, we use a sleep sack with a long sleeve onesie. During the hotter months, the ac is set to 69 on energy saver. We also purchased blackout curtains. This helps keep any lights shining.
I hope that this was helpful to you as it was for me. Please comment below what tips you have!
XO,
D
Daisys&Dumbbells 