Getting Baby To Sleep

Being a new parent is full of challenges. Getting baby to sleep through the night doesn’t have to be one of them.

The “Five S” system has been proven to help get your baby to sleep by using her natural reflexes to calm and soothe her.

These techniques work by mimicking the womb environment that baby has become used to. By imitating baby’s former environment, you will help your baby to sleep better, longer.

The 5 S’s are:

• Swaddling

• Side/Stomach Positioning

• Shushing

• Swinging

• Suckling

Swaddling

There is a reason people have been swaddling their babies for centuries. Swaddling is a highly effective way to calm your baby and ultimately get him to sleep longer. It keeps your baby warm & secure and helps to keep your baby from startling herself with those flailing limbs when he sleeps. It also restrains the Moro Reflex, which is that involuntary spasm that you see your baby do when she thinks he has lost her balance.

Side/Stomach Positioning

The Side/Stomach positioning helps to turn off the Moro Reflex. By holding your baby on her left side you will help to aid her digestion. Some babies prefer to be held on their stomach in what is commonly called the “football hold”.

Shushing

A lot of times we shush our guests when we want the baby to sleep when we really should be shushing our babies. A mother’s womb is filled with white noise from her heartbeat, the umbilical chord, and the outside world. In short, babies don’t mind noise! Make the shushing noises by turning your baby on her side, putting your mouth up by her ear and make the “Shhhh” sound. Other alternatives to shushing include a sound machine or a CD with sounds that mimic the sounds in a mother’s womb, running a vacuum or taking a few turns around the block in your car.

Swinging

Swinging or gentle swaying motions are very familiar to your baby who has become accustomed to almost constant motion of the womb. Swinging activates “motion sensors” in your baby’s ears that trigger an involuntarily calming response from the baby.

Suckling

Suckling is one of the most natural and instinctive actions baby can do. It is very calming for them. So much so that when baby is getting a shot, suckling can greatly reduce your baby’s tears. Offering your baby the breast or the bottle can soothe them almost instantly. For that reason, you may want to implement a pacifier to help in getting your baby to sleep. If you don’t want to use a pacifier, you can always use your knuckle or a finger.

While these five things aren’t the only things to do to help in getting your baby to sleep, they have been used by countless parents around the world to help their babies become great sleepers. Just keep in mind that your baby is still adjusting to this new world that she just came into. The more you can do to help your baby adjust to this new world, the more successful you will be at getting baby to sleep comfortably through the night.

You’ve waited for nine months to bring your brand new baby home and now that your little one is here, you’re wondering if you and your baby will be able to sleep through the night. Don’t worry. This is nothing to lose sleep over. Getting baby to sleep well is entirely possible.

A full baby is a happy baby. Remember that your baby has just come out of the warmth and comfort of the womb where food was constantly supplied through the bloodstream. It is not uncommon for a newborn to wake up frequently as she adjusts to waking and eating. Your baby will wake up when hungry so it is important to be sure that he is getting enough to eat at that time. As your baby adjusts to larger feeds, she will sleep longer.

Recreating a womb-like environment, one that is safe and comfortable, will encourage your baby to sleep restfully. The crib may seem too big to an infant that has just emerged from an environment no bigger than a melon. Swaddling, or wrapping your baby with a swaddle blanket, can help mimic the womb.

Music can be soothing for both you and your baby. Many babies prefer to be lulled off to sleep with soft music. Just remember, when getting baby to sleep, you do not want your baby to become reliant upon the music. It is a good idea to use a sound machine with a timer on it so that it will turn off once your child is asleep.

Your child’s nervous system is still developing, so any loud sounds may disturb his sleep patterns. However, in the womb, your child was constantly hearing his mother’s heartbeat as well as the sounds from the outside the world, so keep in mind that white noise is not something to steer clear of. You don’t want your baby to need absolute quiet in order to sleep.

Cloth diapers may be a source of discomfort for your baby as they remain damp against her skin. Consider switching to disposable diapers which tend to draw out the moisture keeping your baby comfortably dry until her next diaper change.

Newborn babies sleep approximately 16 hours a day, usually waking only to be changed and fed. Your baby will want to be fed every three to four hours. While you cannot control your baby’s sleeping patterns, you can make your baby’s environment as comfortable as possible, encouraging and fostering trust – an essential for peaceful, restful sleep.