How To Get Your Baby Sleeping By Avoiding The Most Common Baby Sleep Mistakes Parents Make
If baby sleep was an exact science, we'd probably all find parenting a whole lot easier.
What To Do When Baby Won't Sleep
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Unfortunately, there's no rule book and what works for one baby doesn't always for another. When it comes to bedtime, however, there are some very common mistakes that parents – especially – new ones make. Some of the most common mistakes simply create bad habits for the baby down the road, but others can be downright dangerous.
Of course, there are also things we know that work. And many parents confirmed this.
I've compiled a 6-day mini-course "Your Baby Can Sleep Through the Night... Every Night" to capture some practical, proven ways for getting getting your baby to sleep. Click here for a free copy.
4 Common Bedtime Mistakes to Avoid
The Newborn Rock 'n Play Sleeper is a very popular night time
sleeper and playtime seat all in one
- Putting her down on her stomach or side. It is incredibly tempting to do this, especially if a baby has a particular aversion to sleeping on her back. With Sudden Infant Death Syndrome so heavily correlated to side and stomach sleeping positions, it is just not worth taking this risk. Use a baby sleep positioner to ensure she's safe and consider finding other alternatives to help her rest right if she's having trouble in the back-only position.
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Putting her in bed with Mom and Dad. Oh, this one is ever so tempting. It can be incredibly hard to put a baby down in her own crib or bassinette. This is especially the case if you know she's only going to wake up in an hour or two anyway. Still, this is a very dangerous choice to make – especially for a newborn. Everything from your blankets and pillows to your own body create major threats for a baby who cannot yet roll over. Think very carefully about the risks involved in this before moving forward.
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Leaving her where she lies. Again, this is rather tempting when sleep has been erratic for weeks on end. Still, if baby falls asleep on the floor, the couch or another unsafe spot, leaving her is not a good idea. It is possible for someone else in the home not to notice her. It's also possible she'll roll off or over. If she falls asleep in her swing, car seat, bouncy seat or play pen, that's another story. Do not, however, leave her where she's unprotected.
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Not reading labels. Every stitch of nighttime clothing and bedding should be inspected at the label. These items should be flame retardant. Make sure you know exactly what is going on a baby at night and in her crib to avoid a mistake that has no turning back point.
Also read my articles Inspect The Places Baby Sleep For Safety and about the creative new baby safety sack for more safety ideas and advice.
Comfort Is Key For Ensuring Baby Sleep
Baby
sleep monitors might seem gimmicky, but they are much more useful than most
parents appreciate.
In their quest to be perfect or even to enjoy a little peace, many new parents make some very big bedtime mistakes when it comes to baby's comfort, too. The simple fact of the matter is even the newest of newborns is pretty darn finicky about comfort.
The mistakes to avoid here include:
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Bundling her up too much. Babies need to be kept in a room that's roughly between 74 and 78 degrees. They do not need to be bundled up like little Michelin Men. Avoid letting her overheat by carefully inspecting nighttime clothing. In general, all she needs is a light sleeper and the right swaddling blanket or sleeping sack. Anything more can cause overheating problems, which can hamper her sleep and even be a bit dangerous. baby sleep
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Scratchy clothes or sheets. Make sure anything that touches baby's skin is soft, not scratchy and doesn't feel cold to the touch. Most parents opt for 100 percent cotton in everything from sheets to night clothes.
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Toys in a crib or playpen. It's tempting to put all those cute little toys in a baby's bed at night, but if she's a newborn this can be a big mistake. Babies cannot really play with toys and if there are too many in her crib, they can sometimes cause problems with both comfort and safety.
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Clothing that is too loose or too restrictive. Newborn babies tend to do very well in clothing that offers a swaddling effect. Older babies, however, might not appreciate the lack of limb movement that sleep sacks or swaddles provide. Adjust accordingly for her comfort. baby sleep
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Uncomfortable sleeping surfaces. If a baby is used to a slightly thin and cushy bassinette mattress, switching her into a crib can be a little tough at first. The mattress should be firm, but not feel like a rock. If it's suspected the mattress is causing sleep problems, consider replacing it. Crib mattresses are generally fairly affordable.
Even though you may be traveling and need to take a few things along, keep baby's comfort in mind. Read here for a few guidelines.
Baby Sleep Routine Issues
When it comes to bedtime routines, the mistakes new parents
and even experienced ones can make are pretty extensive. Either they don't
create a routine at all or they tend to break them as fast as they are created.
To avoid the pitfalls and the lack of sleep some parents experience, watch out
for these mistakes that :
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Creating elaborate routines. Especially with a very young baby, it is not important to create a bedtime routine that's long and involved. A simple plan and schedule is often the key here. Just pick a few steps – feeding, bath, dressing and singing – and stick with the plan every night when at all possible.
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Breaking routines on a regular basis. While it's okay to break a sleep routine once in a while, doing it all the time is worse than not having a routine at all. When baby gets used to B coming after A, she will get confused and even cranky if what she expects to happen does not. baby sleep
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Forcing routine items. While Mom and Dad might really like to sing their baby to sleep or even rock her, not all babies respond well to these things. Go with what she likes and remove items from a sleep routine that don't seem to work for her. The key is getting her to sleep soundly and comfortably.
Your 4 Best Signs For Easily Putting Baby To Sleep may also provide valuable insight. Or alternatively read about 3 shortcuts to get baby to sleep through the night
What To Do When Your Baby Doesn't Sleep
When a baby who has slept well suddenly changes her routine, parents have a tendency to panic. There is generally no need to do this, but there are some things to look for. Another good way is to first understand why these changes happen. baby sleep
Here are some common questions that come up with changes in a baby's routine and their potential answers:
Frequently Asked Baby Sleep Questions
Q. My baby used to sleep through the night, but now she doesn't. What am I doing wrong?
A. Chances are nothing, but there might be something
causing her discomfort or distress. Check to make sure she isn't teething, sick
or generally uncomfortable. It could be that it's time to take her out of a
sleep positioner, she might need more food before bed or it could even be that
her crib is no longer comfortable.
Explore all the possibilities carefully.
Start with health related and then look for other culprits. If a
sleep
schedule
hasn't been established,
consider creating one to help out. If you're still at a
loss, consult your pediatrician.
Q.
My baby sleeps well during the day, but lousy at night. Am I doing something
wrong?
A. Chances are your baby has her days and nights mixed up. This is very normal. If possible, slowly adjust her schedule by trying to keep her awake longer during the day so she'll sleep more at night. This can take time and effort, but it will pay off in the long run. Keep in mind, this probably won't work well for a newborn who will wake up a lot at night no matter what.
Q. My baby used to sleep well at night, but lately has been waking up acting like her stomach hurts but we can't find anything really wrong with her. She seems fine during the day. What should we do?
A.
It's possible your baby has
acid reflux problems. If this is a possibility,
consult your pediatrician.
Q. My daughter no longer seems comfortable in her crib, but I'm worried she's too little for a bed. What should I do? Am I making a mistake if I move her into a bed?
A. If she's trying to climb out of a crib or tosses and turns a whole lot at night, it might be time for a toddler bed. If you're worried about her safety, take the time to baby proof her room more carefully and put latches and gates up to block her from unsafe areas. If she's climbing, however, wait too long and she might fall.
Parents being human are prone to making some mistakes. It goes along with the territory.
There are some very common bedtime mistakes that are worth taking the time to avoid, however. When it comes to baby's safety and comfort, making sure everything is in order is the best way to avoid mistakes that are anything but little. baby sleep
You may also want to read about the
sleep aids
or how the
new
sleep systems can help.
Finally, you can get the more creative ideas for getting baby to sleep
from
hand-picking the right books or by clicking here
What To Do Next
Obviously it's impossible to give you everything in this short baby sleep article. For a few ideas of what to do next, I suggest you read the following:
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Will not sleep My son is about 2 and a half months old and from the first night in the hospital will not sleep in his bed. I am run down and very exhausted. How can I ...
Prem baby sleeping I had my baby at 32 weeks. She is now only 4 weeks old. I was just wondering how much she should be sleeping. She wakes up demanding feeds 3 times a day ...
Wakes constantly My 13 month old granddaughter wakes constantly during the night and wants her bottle, with the result that her mother is getting little or no sleep. She ...
Side Sleeping I'd like your opinion about my baby's side sleeping. My baby's head is a bit flat on his right side. I am sure this is caused by his preference for his ...
