3 things to do to help your baby sleep better

*collaborative post*

Ughh, sleep, it is not my favourite topic of conversation at the moment! With a twelve week old baby it is no surprise that the subject of sleep is a very sensitive one for me. Why? Well, because I am not getting any of it! I had forgotten how hard being sleep deprived is and those night feeds are a killer when you are already exhausted. Us parents try pretty much everything to get our babies and children to go to bed happily and to get a good nights sleep but it’s not always easy. Today I have a guest post with three basic tips to help you to hopefully get a better nights sleep. Remember though, all babies and children are different and what works for one won’t necessarily work for another. I also know from experience that, yes, sometimes taking things into your own hands at bedtime can help but ultimately babies do what they want and they don’t tend to sleep through the night until they are ready. Regardless of that, this guest post has lots of advice that can help bedtime run more smoothly – good luck!

3 things to do to help your baby sleep better

Young children and babies are notoriously hard to get to sleep. You can put huge amounts of time into soothing them, keep the schedule as strict as you like, and even plan their mealtimes around their sleep, but they will often still wake you up at all hours. This challenge is one of the biggest you will have to face when you have a child for the first time, and even veteran parents will often struggle to get their children sleeping well. To help you out with this, this post will be exploring some of the key factors which can influence how well your child sleeps, while also giving you some tips to make bedtime easier.

Their Bed/Cot

There are a lot of different cots on the market, and most parents will look at reviews and testimonials before they decide on one. This is helpful as it will give you an insight into the experience which other parents have had with the product. Along with a cot, you will also need some bedding for your little one, sometimes swapping a swaddle to sleeping bag, for example, can help your baby sleep for longer. A comfortable mattress  is also essential, along with a soft blanket and possibly a small pillow for toddlers and older children (babies shouldn’t sleep with a pillow). Along with this, it also makes sense to look at cot bed fitted sheets, as it making sure sheets are secure is important for making sure your little one is safe in their cot.

Their Toys

Along with comfortable bedding, it’s also worth thinking about the toys your child takes to bed with them. Comfort is crucial when a baby is trying to sleep, and having a toy which makes them feel at ease can be essential to this. Young and small babies shouldn’t take any toys to bed as this could be dangerous if they were to fall onto baby’s face in the night. However, for older babies and children it’s important to look for toys which are plush and without small parts, with stuffed toys being a favourite amongst parents. It’s best to try and give them the same toys on a regular basis, as this will help them to form a bond with these items, making it far easier for them to sleep. Of course, this benefits you too as baby can be soothed by their soft toy in the night and there are few things cuter than a baby with their most prized teddy.

The House Around Them

Finally, the last area to consider is one that a lot of parents find almost impossible to manage; the house around their baby. Temperature, noise, and even draughts can be enough to wake a baby up, and it’s crucial that you put plenty of time into getting the balance right. Their bedroom should be comfortably warm, but not hot enough to make them uncomfortable under their blankets. Alongside this, you should also think about the noise in the house. It’s worth turning the TV down, wearing headphones, and generally keeping sound to a minimum when a baby is asleep, or you could find yourself having to get them to sleep again.

These tips are a good starting point when trying to think how you can get your child to sleep better at night. It’s never easy to ensure that your baby gets enough sleep but there are things you can try to see if you  can improve things.

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How old was your baby when they first slept through the night? Do you have any advice for parents of babies/children who don’t sleep?

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