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Do you find yourself climbing the walls at 3 a.m. as your six-month-old plays
on the floor to her heart's content? Does she snooze all day when you don't have
the opportunity to do the same?
Welcome to the mixed up world of babies!
When night becomes day and day becomes night, there are some sleep aids
that can really help both of you out.
If your little one happens to be in daycare, chances are you're going to need to
enlist their help. Make sure to get it as the gentle shuffling of night back
into night and day into day very likely could take a lot of effort on everyone's
part, but it can be done.
The first thing to do to ensure that her upside down schedule gets set straight
is to...
Start working at keeping her up a little longer from her daytime naps
Gentle nudging for an extra five minutes today, 10 tomorrow and so on can add up
quickly to help you get the sleep you need and put her schedule right.
If sleeping at night is just not her thing, continue working on keeping her
awake a bit more during the day and start using some baby sleep aids at night.
There are many things that actually have a very big impact at
night. Some of the best ideas, according to parents, include very basic tricks
such as:
Music. Sometimes
babies just need a little background noise to get some good, solid
sleep. This makes sense when you think about it. For nine months your
little one didn't go a moment without hearing a heartbeat or gurgle.
Selecting the right music to sooth her can be a very big help.
Lights out. While
this is likely to change as she gets old, most babies tend to sleep much
better if the room is quite dark. Heavy drapes or blinds can work as
very effective baby sleep aids.
Routine. If baby
is getting a little older, consider putting together a very basic
bedtime routine. You can start out with a little bit of playing, a
soothing bath, a lullaby and a tuck in. When she gets used to the
routine, this often serves as one the most effective tricks that
don't have to cost a fortune.
Snuggle suits.
Products like the
Halo sleep sack that snuggle baby while she sleeps and
keep her temperature just right can really work wonders. While these
products present and extra expense, if they do the trick, they're worth
every penny. Just make sure these sacks are made for a baby
the size of your little one and that they fit comfortably.
Sheet change.
Sometimes one of the things that prevents baby from sleeping comfortably
in her crib is the actual sheets. If they are too cold or too scratchy,
they might cause her a little distress. Consider changing out the sheets
to help her feel more comfortable at home. If she's in daycare and
sleeps well there, find out what type of sheets, mattresses and baby
sleep aids they use, too.
Getting your little one to turn her schedule around is going to take some
effort. With the right gentle prodding and the correct baby sleep aids, the
effort should pay off well.
For more sleep aid tips and ideas, get your free 21 Surprisingly Smarter Baby Sleep Tips.
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