31 Ways to Get Baby to Sleep

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Sleep is not something you can force your baby to do. Your baby's sleep cycle must naturally take over. Your role as a nighttime parent is to create conditions that encourage sleep and to provide cues that indicate to a baby that sleep is expected. Try the following sleep-tight tips, which may vary depending on your baby's developmental stage. What doesn't work one week may work the following week.

Here are 23 ways to get your baby to sleep

1: Set predictable and consistent nap routines

Choose the times of day when you are the most tired, such as 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. For about a week, lie down with your baby at these times every day to get your baby used to a daytime nap routine. This also allows you to get some much-needed daytime rest instead of being tempted to "finally get something done" while the baby is napping. Babies who follow a consistent nap schedule during the day are more likely to sleep for longer periods at night.

2: Consistent bedtimes and rituals

Babies who have consistent bedtimes and familiar going-to-sleep rituals sleep better and for longer periods. However, due to modern lifestyles, consistent and early bedtimes are no longer as common or realistic as they once were. Busy two-income parents frequently don't get home until six or seven o'clock at night, so older babies and toddlers frequently put off the bedtime ritual. This is prime time with their parents, and they intend to take advantage of it to the fullest.

3: Calming down

To relax tense muscles and busy minds, give the baby a warm bath followed by a soothing massage. However, be cautious because this may stimulate some babies.

4: Tank up your baby during the day

Babies must learn that the day is for eating and the night is for sleeping. Some older babies and toddlers are so busy playing during the day that they forget to eat and compensate by waking frequently during the night to feed. Feed your baby at least every three hours during the day to cluster the baby's feedings during the waking hours. Attempt a full feeding upon baby's first night waking; otherwise, some babies, particularly breastfed babies, develop the habit of nibbling all night.

5: Transitioning techniques

Many babies require assistance in transitioning from being awake to falling asleep, which is essentially a continuation of the bedtime ritual that teaches the baby that sleep is imminent.

6: Nursing down

Nestle your baby next to you and breastfeed or bottle-feed him to sleep. The smooth transition from a warm bath to warm arms, warm breasts, and a warm bed is a recipe for a good night's sleep.

7: Fathering down

Rock your baby to sleep while he or she is in the neck nestle position. If your baby does not fall asleep while rocking, lie down with him or her, still in the neck nestle position, and let him or her sleep temporarily draped over your chest. Once the baby has fallen asleep, place him in his bed and sneak away.

8: Rocking or walking down

Rock baby to sleep in a bedside rocking chair, or go for a walk with her, patting her back and singing or praying.

9: Nestling down

The standard fall-to-sleep techniques are insufficient for some babies. The baby simply does not want to be put to sleep by himself. After rocking or feeding your sleeping baby to sleep in your arms, lie down with her next to you and nestle close to her until she is sound asleep. This is known as the "teddy-bear snuggle."

10: Wearing down

Some babies are so hyper during the day that they have trouble falling asleep at night. Wear your baby in a baby sling around the house for a half-hour or so before her scheduled bedtime. When she is completely asleep in the sling, gently ease her out of it and onto her bed. Fathers can wear their babies down to sleep and give mothers a break if their babies are used to nursing off to sleep in their mother's arms. Wearing down is especially beneficial for the reluctant napper. You can both take a much-needed nap when the baby falls asleep in the sling, snuggled with his tummy against your chest, or draped over your chest once you lie down.

11: Swinging down

Wind-up swings for winding down babies are a godsend for parents who lack the time, energy, or creativity to create their rituals. Tired parents will go to any length to get a good night's sleep. A moving plastic seat may be more sleep-inducing than a familiar pair of arms now and then. High-need babies may associate a parent's body with play and stimulation and thus will not fall asleep in a human swing. The mechanical one is less stimulating, if not downright boring, for them, and thus can be a useful part of a sleep-ritual repertoire.

12: Driving down

If you've tried all of the above transitioning techniques and your baby still won't sleep, put her in a car seat and drive around until she does. When you get home and your baby is still sleeping, carry the car seat into your bedroom and leave the baby in the car seat until the first night waking. If she's fast asleep, you might be able to coax her out of the car seat and into her bed.

13: Mechanical mothers

Gadgets for putting and keeping a baby asleep are becoming very popular. Tired parents are willing to pay a high price for a good night's sleep. It's fine to use these as a temporary fix when your main comforter wears out, but a steady diet of these artificial sleep inducers may be harmful. We recall reading a newspaper article extolling the sleep-inducing qualities of a teddy bear with a tape player in his stuffing that sings or makes breathing sounds. Baby can cuddle up to the singing, breathing artificial bear. We don't like the idea of our babies falling asleep to someone else's pre-recorded voice.

14: Dress for the occasion

Experiment with different ways to swaddle your baby at night. Many babies prefer to "sleep tight" in the early months, securely swaddled in a cotton baby blanket. Older babies prefer to sleep "loose," and they may sleep for longer periods with loose covers that allow them more freedom of movement. When a baby is dressed loosely during the day but swaddled at night, he learns to associate sleep with swaddling. A baby who becomes overheated or underheated may become agitated. Layering should be adjusted based on the temperature of the room and your baby's sleeping habits. Allergy-prone infants sleep better in 100% cotton sleepwear.

15: Quiet in the bedroom

Because most babies can block out disturbing noise, you don't need to create a noiseless sleeping environment; however, some babies are easily startled and awakened by sudden noises. Oil the joints and springs of a squeaky crib for these babies, put the dog out before he barks, and turn off the phone ringer.

16: Darkness in the bedroom

If you have one of those little roosters who wakes up to the first ray of sunlight entering the bedroom, use opaque shades to block out the light, which may give you an extra hour of sleep.

17: Sounds to sleep by

White noise refers to repetitive, nearly monotonous sounds that lull a baby to sleep, such as the sounds of a fan, air conditioner, or even tape recordings of womb or vacuum cleaner sounds. Try running water from a nearby faucet or shower, a bubbling fish tank, a loudly ticking clock, or a metronome set to 60 beats per minute. Consider listening to music to fall asleep to, such as tape recordings of waterfalls or ocean sounds, or a medley of easy-listening lullabies on a continuous-play tape recorder. These lullaby-inducing sounds remind the baby of the sounds she heard in the womb.

18: A full tummy

While stuffing a glob of cereal into a baby's mouth before bedtime rarely works, it's worth a shot. A tablespoon or two given to a baby over the age of six months may give you an extra hour or two of sleep. Tiny babies have tummies that are only slightly larger than the size of their fists. As a result, your baby's digestive system was designed for small, frequent feedings, which is why, during the first few months, babies feed at least every 3 to 4 hours at night and more frequently during the day.

19: Clear the nose

Babies require clear nasal passages to breathe in the early months. If their nose becomes blocked, they can later breathe through their mouth. Allergic reactions to inhalants in the bedroom are a common cause of stuffy noses and subsequent night waking. Make an effort to keep your baby's room as dust-free as possible. If your child suffers from allergies, a HEPA-type air filter will be beneficial. The "white noise" from the hum of the air filter may help the baby sleep at night as a bonus.

20: Relieve teething pain

Even if you can't feel your baby's teeth yet, teething discomfort can begin as early as three months and last through the two-year molars. A wet bed sheet under the baby's head, a drool rash on the cheeks and chin, swollen and tender gums, and a slight fever are all signs of teething. What should I do? With your doctor's approval, administer appropriate doses of acetaminophen just before putting your baby to sleep and again in four hours if the baby awakens.

21: Change wet or soiled diapers

Some babies are bothered by wet diapers at night, but the vast majority are not. There is no need to wake your baby for a diaper change if she sleeps through wet diapers. Continue to change diapers if you're treating a persistent diaper rash. Nighttime bowel movements necessitate a modification. If at all possible, change the diapers right before feeding because the baby is likely to fall asleep during or after feeding. However, some breastfed babies have a bowel movement during or immediately after feeding. In that case, the baby will need to be changed again. If you use cloth diapers, putting two or three diapers on your baby before bedtime will reduce the feeling of wetness.

22: Remove irritating sleepwear

Some babies struggle to sleep in synthetic sleepwear. A mother in our practice went through our entire night waking causes checklist until she discovered her baby was allergic to polyester sleepers. Her baby slept better after she switched to all-cotton clothing. Aside from being restless, some babies exhibit skin allergies. A rash may develop as a result of new clothing, detergents, or fabric softeners.

23: Create the right bedroom temperature and humidity

It is preferable to maintain a consistent bedroom temperature of around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Furthermore, relative humidity of around 50% is most conducive to sleep. Dry air may cause the baby to wake up with a stuffy nose. However, excessive humidity promotes the growth of allergy-causing molds. A warm-mist vaporizer in your baby's sleeping area aids in the maintenance of adequate and consistent relative humidity. This is especially beneficial during the winter months.

I hope these tips help you get your baby to fall asleep fast.

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