Sleep Routine
A study involving four hundred and five mothers with children aged between seven months and thirty-six months revealed that those who established a consistent sleep routine fell asleep more quickly, experienced less nighttime crying, and enjoyed longer, more restful sleep. Most parents start to introduce their children to a sleep routine between the ages of six to eight months through specific activities, which include:
- Engaging the child with active and energetic play during the day, while providing quieter activities in the evening.
- Establishing the same calming activities each day, gradually making them more soothing as bedtime approaches.
- Bathing the child before bedtime.
- Conducting the child’s favorite final activity in their bedroom to create a positive association between their love and comfort with bedtime.
- Maintaining the room’s environment— in terms of sounds and lighting—consistent throughout the night, so that the child encounters a familiar setting upon waking.
Swaddling
Swaddling, or wrapping the baby in a blanket, mimics the snug position they held in the womb, which calms and prepares them for sleep. This technique also aids in keeping the child asleep, as they are unable to control their arm or leg movements; sudden movements could lead to waking. While some infants may resist swaddling initially, they tend to feel more secure after a short period. Swaddling can also be substituted with specialized sleep sacks designed for infants.
Sleeping Position
When an infant sleeps on their back, they may experience involuntary reflex movements with their arms, leading to disturbances. To minimize these movements and enhance sleep quality, it is advisable to place the infant on their side or stomach. Once the child is asleep, gently rolling them onto their back is recommended to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). It is also encouraged to place the child in their crib when drowsy but still awake, allowing them to learn how to self-soothe if they wake during the night.
Sound Simulation
The sounds that a baby becomes accustomed to in the womb reach levels of eighty to ninety decibels, exceeding the volume of a vacuum cleaner. Thus, creating a sleeping environment with similar sound patterns—such as white noise, intermittent sounds, or even the hum of a vacuum cleaner or hairdryer—can contribute to better sleep for the infant.
Rocking
The constant motion experienced in the womb abruptly ceases after birth, often leaving the child unsettled and unable to sleep. To replicate this soothing movement, parents can try methods such as driving in a car, placing the car seat on a dryer, gently rocking the baby, patting their back, or using a rocking chair. The intensity of rocking should correspond to the baby’s cries: stronger rocking for sharper cries, and gradually lessening the motion as the child calms down. To prevent shaken baby syndrome, it is crucial to ensure the baby’s head remains aligned with their body, avoiding any tilt of more than five centimeters to either side. Parents are also advised to refrain from rocking the baby in moments of anger or frustration and to allow them to cry safely in their crib for ten to fifteen minutes prior to picking them up.
Soothing through Sucking
Sucking is a vital survival skill for infants. Consequently, introducing a pacifier can be an effective means to calm and soothe them after breastfeeding becomes well established, typically around two to three weeks of age.