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How do I get my baby to sleep? Temporal benchmarks against restless sleep
At the very beginning, a newborn baby sleeps about twenty hours a day, day or night indifferently. His sleep is interrupted by brief awakening phases where he claims to eat. The problem is not that he does not “make his nights” but rather that they seem terribly short to you. With an average of 8 feedings per 24 hours, your baby will call on you on average every three to four hours, day or night. It is therefore difficult, at least before 3 months, to try to “make him” his nights. The best is to listen to the rhythms of our child and their needs. Long naps during the day do not necessarily prevent you from sleeping well at night: the best way to regulate your sleep is to meet demand.
How do you know if your baby is ready to sleep through the night?
Around 3 months, your child is physiologically able to make his nights : his life is generally organized with a rhythm of ten hours of nocturnal sleep, as well as six hours for naps during the day. The important thing then is to make him aware of the day / night alternation. First tip, very simple but effective: during daytime naps, leave the shutters open enough for light to enter your room. Do not hesitate to make noise in the house either.
To prevent baby from confusing day and night, turn off the light
At night, on the other hand, close the blinds and make the maximum calm around him. Indeed, if we get into the habit of leaving the light on, instead of helping him fall asleep, it may confuse his mind. It is better toaccentuate the alternation of penumbra / light so that he can find his rhythm between daytime life and nighttime rest. In addition, baby may be attracted to the play of lights and shapes that he sees in his room, which does not promote sleep.
How to blow up the bottle at night?
After feeding it on demand for the first few weeks, have him wait between feedings and feed him at regular times. Around 4 months, 6 to 8 hours may elapse between the last bottle in the evening and the first in the morning. Likewise, adopt fixed rhythms for daily activities, bathing, walks, etc. : this will allow him to acquire emotional security, an essential element for a good sleep.
Reassure your baby with pre-sleep rituals
Prepare for bedtime. When you come home from work, you can’t wait to play with your child, to find him and to make the most of these moments, to compensate for being separated during the day. But let’s not forget that you have to think about going to bed and conditioning your baby. From Bedtime rituals are always welcome: lullaby or story, hugs, all have an essential role to reassure your child and allow him to fall asleep peacefully.
How to tell if baby is looking for sleep
Likewise, we tend to neglect the little signs that our baby gives when he begins to feel sleepy: he yawns, rubs his eyes, nods his head as if it seemed heavier than usual and that he wanted. find him support. And above all, he cries, moaning, nagging. Do not miss this “sleep train“, Otherwise we will have to wait for the next one!