11 Secrets to Getting Your Baby to Sleep Longer Stretches Through The Night (#6 Will Surprise You)
Discover How To Get Your Baby to Sleep Longer Stretches Through The Night With Our Top Secrets!
Sleep is an essential part of self care, especially for stay at home moms!
Let us help you get the much needed rest your mind and body desire with our tips for getting your baby to sleep better through the night.
If you want to help your baby sleep longer stretches through the night follow along as we unveil our best kept secrets for getting your baby to sleep fall asleep fast on their own.
With these essential tips for helping your baby to sleep more soundly you will be able to enjoy a full nights rest and enjoy some much need "me time" during the day as our tips will not only uncover how to get your baby to sleep longer stretches through the night, but also how to help your baby enjoy a restful nap during the day.
Lets Dive Right Into How To Help Your Baby Sleep?
Secret #1 Set Your Baby's Room Up for Sleep
In order to get your baby sleeping longer stretches through the night you need to create a sleeping sanctuary that provides the perfect atmosphere for your baby to fall asleep.
Place your baby's crib in a quiet area of the house that is free from the noise of daily life and invest in a Sound Machine.
Your baby is more likely to sleep soundly with the use of white noise and they will naturally become accustomed to associating that sound with sleep.
Next, have a Fan available to provide additional white noise, to help regulate the temperature, and to provide better air circulation in your baby's room for getting your baby to sleep longer stretches through the night.
Finally, invest in Black Out Curtains!
Black out curtains are a must for getting your baby to sleep fast and helping your baby sleep during the day!
Black out curtains can also help your baby sleep longer in the morning making them a must have essential for getting your baby to sleep easily and well through the night.
Secret #2 Get Your Baby To Sleep Fast With Plenty of Fresh Air
If you want you baby to sleep longer stretches through the night, you need to provide them with plenty of stimulation and fresh air during the day.
Getting your baby out in nature each day is an easy way to prepare them to sleep through the night.
With the combination of natural stimulation and fresh air, your baby will be more inclined to falling asleep fast and staying asleep for longer stretches through the night.
The good news is that babies tend to wear out pretty easily, so even 30 minutes fun outdoor play can be just the thing to wear your baby out so they fall asleep fast.
If your having trouble putting your baby to sleep for naps or at night, try to include more outdoor activities each day.
Begin with a 30 minute outdoor activity after lunch to get your baby to take longer naps during the day and end your day with a short evening walk after dinner to naturally unwind your baby for better sleep at night.
Secret #3 Make Sure Your Baby is Well Fed Before Bed
Many times babies continue to wake through the night simple because they are hungry.
It is perfectly natural for your baby to wake through the night in need of a quick top off.
Whether your baby is breastfed or bottle fed, you should always feed your baby on demand to ensure your baby is receiving adequate nutrition and hydration.
To help your baby sleep longer stretches through the night make sure to feed them foods they enjoy at dinner and to top off your baby before bed with breastmilk or formula.
As your baby becomes older you can begin supplementing with cows milk to ensure your baby is full, content, and ready for a good nights sleep.
Secret #4 Create a Consistent Bedtime Routine
Baby's thrive on consistency and bedtime is no exception!
Create a consistent bedtime routine to get your baby to fall asleep fast each night and to sleep for longer stretches of time through the night.
Your baby's bedtime routine should incorporate some activities that help your baby to unwind.
That may look like a warm bath, soft massage, and a quiet bedtime story.
Create a bedtime routine that fits your family's schedule just make sure to begin your bedtime routine at the same time each night to get the best results.
With a consistent bedtime routine your baby will naturally adjust and become accustomed to falling asleep fast at the same time each evening.
Secret #5 Avoid Eye Contact
Eye contact is a powerful thing. The last thing you want to do is to make eye contact with your baby as your trying to get your little one to sleep.
Instead, keep a soft gaze and close your eyes as you cradle your baby gently in your arms.
This simple technique can be so comforting to a baby letting them know it is safe to fall asleep.
Your baby will naturally read your body language and pick up on the cue to fall asleep by simply closing your eyes as you rock and lay them down to sleep.
Secret #6 Focus on Your Breath
You baby is so in tune to everything you do including the way you breathe.
Many times we can feel rushed to get our baby to sleep.
I mean let's face it by this point any caregiver is bound to be exhausted and ready for some much needed "me time."
Our rush to get the baby to sleep tends to make our breathing shallow and hurried.
If you want to get your baby to fall asleep fast, focus on your breathing.
Be intentional with deep breaths to invite calmness and naturally relax your baby for a better nights rest through simple intentional breathing techniques.
Secret #7 Visualize Sleep
Visualize the most relaxing environment to fall asleep in and rock your baby focusing on your breath and being intentional to enjoy the present moment.
Don't be in a rush to get the baby to sleep.
Again, babies are very keen to the body language of their caregivers and will instantly pick up on your hurried mannerisms.
Instead, relax yourself and calm your mind envisioning the perfect sleeping scenario whether that is falling asleep listening to the sounds of rain or curling up in your bed next to a relaxing fireplace.
Whatever your ideal sleeping scenario is create that moment in your mind and envision the perfect environment to fall fast asleep.
Your baby will naturally mimic your relaxed body language and gently drift off easily falling asleep fast.
Secret #8 Gentle Movement
Babies are use to movement from being in their mother's womb.
Gently rock, sway, or bounce your baby gently to sleep.
As they become more sleepy continue to add a little movement as not to startle them when you do place them into their crib to fall asleep.
Secret #9 Begin Encouraging Self Soothing
As your baby becomes older they will be able to begin learning how to self soothe.
This is a major milestone and many times it can be a game changer.
Encourage your baby to self soothe by simply placing them into their crib just before they fall completely asleep.
Remember self soothing is a milestone that can take time for any baby to learn.
If your baby awakes as soon as you set them in simply step outside and wait a few minutes before returning.
Never leave your baby to cry themselves to sleep.
It is much better to develop trust with your baby so they can feel safe falling asleep knowing that their caregiver will return whenever they need them.
That being said, in order to teach self soothing you will have to allow your baby time to figure out how to soothe themselves.
We recommend waiting 2-3 minutes before returning and then gradually increasing that time as your baby gets older.
Remember it is best to be attentive to your baby's needs even if your completely exhausted.
Secret #10 Develop Trust By Attending To Your Baby's Needs
It can be tempting to rush your baby into sleeping through the night and to resort to letting them cry it out.
When you are helping your baby to learn to fall asleep on their own crying is a part of the process.
However, we never encourage caregivers to simply leave their baby's to cry themselves to sleep.
Your baby is not trying to manipulate you and when they cry it is because they need to be attended to.
Whether they have a soiled diaper, are still hungry, or simply need to be comforted we encourage all caregivers to develop trust with their baby by attending to them with open arms even when your on the brink of exhaustion.
By attending to your baby's needs your developing trust and trust is the foundation for getting your baby to fall asleep fast on their own and to sleep for longer stretches through the night.
When a baby has developed trust in their caregiving it will allow them to rest easy and fall asleep fast because their can relax knowing that their caregiver is near by and ready to attend to their needs.
Secret #11 Have Patience When Helping Your Baby Learn To Sleep
Your baby will learn to fall asleep on their own one day.
They will not always need you to rock them through the night.
These days won't last forever.
By being attentive to your baby and consistent with their bedtime routine you will see better sleep and enjoy them sleeping for longer stretches of time through the night.
Helping a baby to learn to fall asleep on their own takes time and it can be a great challenge for caregivers, so give yourself grace and practice patience as you teach your baby to learn this important life skill.
How Can I Teach My Baby to Fall Asleep Fast and Sleep Longer Through The Night?
With the following tips above you have created the foundation for helping your baby to sleep for longer stretches through the night.
In no time, your baby will learn to self soothe and have the trust in their caregiver to feel safe falling asleep fast on their own.
By creating the ideal sleeping environment and a consistent bedtime routine you can begin influencing your baby's natural sleep schedule so that they become accustomed to falling asleep quickly on their own and staying asleep for longer stretches of time through the night.
Sleep is of great importance to young growing minds, so be sure to be mindful in how you help your baby to fall asleep and avoid any methods that promise to be a quick fix.
Understand that helping your baby to fall asleep fast on their own is a process that takes time, but know that one day your baby will be able to fall asleep on their own.
For now, enjoy the moments of holding and rocking your baby as they drift off to sleep as this is a time you will one day treasure and miss greatly.
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