The arrival of a new baby into a family can be an incredibly exciting event.  Anticipating their arrival and finally welcoming them is a big day.  However, the initial excitement can quickly start to transform into total exhaustion for new parents.

No matter how much you adore your new baby, it can be draining to have such an erratic sleep schedule.  It can start to affect your health and even your relationship with your partner.  

It’s in the entire family’s best interest to establish healthy sleeping routine for your new baby.  A family which is well-rested is a good one.  Therefore, in order to create a healthy sleeping routine for your baby, consider the following tips.

Co-Sleeping

There are many benefits to sleeping with your baby in the same bed.  Apart from establishing a closeness which isn’t just physical but emotionally bonding by sleeping near each other, you are also making it easier to wake up throughout the night.

Rather than having to get up and go into the baby’s room each time that they cry, co-sleeping makes it possible to remain lying down while feeding or comforting your baby.  

You may opt for alternating feedings with your partner by pumping milk for bottle feedings.  This can be especially nice when you need a little extra rest and your partner takes over.

Create a Ritual

Babies love the security and serenity of an established routine.  When you start to develop a pattern surrounding bedtime then they will start to associate certain actions with going to sleep afterward.

For example, taking a hot bath then reading a story together every night before bed starts to signal to the baby that sleep is coming soon.  Then they know instinctively that it’s time to start getting into sleep mode.

White Noise

A common misconception about babies is that you must be silent around them.  However, babies are surrounded by noise in the womb and prefer sound to silence.

Studies show that babies are more likely to sleep longer stretches with the help of white noise.  White noise drowns out other noises which may wake the baby, and create an ambient comforting environment which imitates the womb.

Swaddling

Swaddling babies may help some babies sleep longer.  Since babies have a startle reflex and can abruptly wake themselves up when they move their arms, swaddling can eliminate this risk.

Many babies feel comforted by having their bodies tightly wrapped as it gives them a sense of security.  Not all babies are the same, however.  It’s important to be patient if your baby isn’t a fan of swaddling and try an alternative solution.

A Swing

Putting your baby in a swing for naps may be the solution that you’ve been looking for.  The gentle sway of the swing makes a baby feel like they are still being held, and can keep them in a deep sleep state for much longer than a still position.