Sleep Tips for Babies and Young Children
When you become a new parent, you probably realise your sleep will be impacted for a short while, but what happens when this is not a short while and your baby/child does not sleep well? We asked the evidence based, baby and child experts at Little Dreams Consulting for their top sleep tips for baby and child sleep.
How to help your baby sleep well
Safety first!!
Hopefully it goes without saying that, If what you are doing is working for you and your family, you don’t need to change anything! But. however you are getting sleep, ensure you are doing it safely! From when to stop sharing a room to safe co-sleeping, the NHS and Lullaby Trust are the best resources.
Ensure your little one has independent sleep skills
If your little one is not able to get themselves to sleep, so they can drift back off to sleep during any (non-hunger related) night wakes, no sleep tips will resolve their sleep issues. If your baby relies on something (like feeding, motion or rocking) to fall asleep, they may struggle when transitioning between sleep cycles – explained here.
Helping your little one towards their independent sleep skills has huge benefits for their health, growth and development and this doesn’t necessarily mean ‘cry it out’. Whilst a cry-it-out method is fine, if that is what you choose to do, it can be uncomfortable for many parents and, avoiding it, is generally a reason parents contact us, therefore cry-it-out does not have a place in our sleep strategies. Our methods are evidence based and offer supportive strategies for building confidence in falling asleep whilst you are completely, both emotionally and physically, responsive and available for your little one.
Ensure you have the right daytime routine
If your little one is not having the right number of naps, at the right time (and the right total daytime sleep for them) this can cause big problems for their nighttime sleep. Ensure you know what is right for your little one and, if you are not sure, check out this handy guide.
Keep it dark!
Ensure the room your little one sleeps in is 10/10 for darkness. This may change once they are around 2 years old, as fear of the dark can creep in, but a dark sleeping environment can greatly improve a baby’s sleep. It minimizes stimulation when they wake during the night and prevents early morning waking by blocking out daylight. Even during the day, something like a Snoozeshade can help for naps on the go.
Establish a good bedtime routine:
You can introduce a consistent bedtime routine at any age but, once you are past the newborn stage, ensure your little one has a predictable bedtime routine to signal the start of the night. Begin with quiet play time in a dim room, followed by a bath, feed, and a bedtime story or song. Children (although they would not admit it) thrive on routine, and keeping it under 30 minutes, will prevent them finding their second wind and help them settle more easily
For any help with sleep, or to get in contact with Little Dreams, find your nearest consultant here.
