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Fall asleep fast: 5 ways to calm your baby before bed
We help children relax after a busy day.
In the children’s daily routine, the moment of going to bed is considered one of the most important. But sometimes it turns into a serious test for parents: after an active day, the beloved child does not want to calm down, screams and cries loudly. Fortunately, there are ways to help the child relieve stress, and not only the baby himself, but also mom and dad can relax.
Warm bath
Remember how blissful you feel when you go to a warm bath after a hard day at work. Make it a ritual for your child as well: don’t think of taking a bath as a hygienic procedure. Bathing in the evening can help calm your little one. Pour warm water into the bath, sometimes add foam with the addition of essential oils – chamomile, lavender or ylang-ylang. Do not play active games, and if your plans included shampooing, give your child a massage. Put on soothing music and the tension will decrease markedly.
Reading stories and fairy tales
Reading at night is another great way to relax your child’s mind and body. Choose books without thrilling twists and turns and tense events: they should be good stories that take you to another world and relieve anxiety. Dim the lights and sit in the baby’s bed – this creates a pleasant and intimate atmosphere. Read for at least 10 minutes, paying attention to your voice. Ideally, it should be relaxed, but reflecting the emotions of the characters. Involve your child in the process – for example, ask questions as you read. With older children, fairy tales can be read in turn. When the story is over, set aside about 5 minutes of time to share what you have learned. If you’ve read one chapter, imagine what might happen to your hero tomorrow night and remind your child that a good dream brings the next exciting day closer.
Warm milk and tea
Of course, everyone has heard about the miraculous power of a glass of warm milk before bed, but some parents do not take such advice seriously. And in vain! Milk contains tryptophan, an amino acid with effective soothing properties. If your baby does not have a great love for milk, offer him a baby soothing tea – herbal preparations based on chamomile and lemon balm will improve sleep and help the child relax.
Quiet pastime
Getting active before bed is not a good idea, even if you miss your baby a lot after work. Set aside cartoons, hide-and-seek, catch-up and other activities that can excite the child’s psyche. Instead, suggest playing quiet games to develop memory and thinking. Create absolute silence, listen to the surrounding sounds, and describe together who heard what. Playing “Why Much”, which develops the imagination, will be another win-win option. The parent asks the child any question, but the answer should not be correct, but fantastic. You can also compose fairy tales or stories together, many kids really like it.
Relaxing music
Sing a lullaby or play a nursery rhyme before bed. The main thing is that the musical pause turns into a part of the ritual that the child will associate with going to bed: relaxing music works more effectively if you took a warm bath and read a bedtime story beforehand. By the way, some children only need music – just a couple of melodic compositions, and the baby falls asleep sweetly.