A new baby brings enormous joy to the lives of new parents and there can be hardly anything more peaceful than watching your baby sleep. But sometimes, amid all the fun, play and diapers, some bad baby sleep habits can creep in.
But what are baby sleep habits, you might ask? Certain habits or things that babies need to fall asleep are counted under baby sleep habits. It can be anything - certain songs, music, rocking in lap, feeding…
Often when babies wake up during the night, they require the same things to go back to sleep that they usually do when you put them to sleep in their crib. Let’s see some bad habits that you avoid forming.
Every room shouldn’t be baby’s bedroom
The one mistake that parents often make is that they put together some pillows and baby dry sheets to prepare a makeshift baby bed anywhere the baby might have fallen asleep.
This is a very bad baby sleep habit. Your baby needs to associate that one same place with relaxation and sleep every day. This will put him/her in the habit of sleeping when taken to that room.
Baby Sleep schedule
Since babies sleep most of the time anyway, parents end up making the mistake of thinking they don’t need a sleeping schedule. Baby sleep time has to be consistent and you must stick with a schedule.
While of course, some variations will follow, make sure the time difference isn’t drastic. If your baby slept at 7 PM yesterday, then 9 PM tonight isn’t right.
Baby stays up late, wakes up early
Babies mostly work on an internal body clock. So, unlike adults who need alarm clocks to wake up every morning, your baby will automatically wake up at the same time every day. That means if you keep your baby up late at night, she/he might be tired the next day.
Baby sleep crutches?
Ask yourself this question: what do you do to put your baby to sleep? You might be doing something like singing a lullaby, rocking him/her in your lap until the baby falls asleep, or feeding. These are called baby sleep crutches - something your baby is getting dependent on to fall asleep.
The important thing for you is to make sure your baby isn’t falling asleep to such behaviours or habits. Otherwise, if you hear your baby wail in the middle of the night, you will have to sing that lullaby again at this late hour to help him/her fall asleep.
The bed is too big
Do you let your baby sleep in a big bed? That might not be a great idea if you said yes to that. Although many parents think it’s fine if you secure the bed with pillows and blankets, it’s not.
Your baby, if she/he can crawl, then a big bed is not safe for them. Using a crib is the safest way to ensure your baby’s safety and sound sleep.
Take care of yourself
While it may seem like a tough job to do, make sure you yourself are getting enough rest. Especially the new mothers who are often woken up many times during the night to take care of their baby.
While you are taking care of your baby’s sleep, take all the extra help that you can to ensure you get yours. Also, avoid taking extra responsibilities. You already have the biggest responsibility to take care of.
Amid everything going on, make sure you are taking a good sleep in a warm and comfortable bed. Your rest will give you the patience you need to tackle the next day! Take care.
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