How to get enough sleep with a small baby

Why is it so important for your baby to sleep better?

In order for a child to sleep better, in fact, you need little: just follow some rules.
Under no circumstances should you stand in a pose and say that nothing that is afraid of the dark will get used to it! Not small! We must develop courage in ourselves! These are the worst words a parent can say to a frightened child. Children sleep poorly because they sometimes fall asleep incorrectly. They should be taught to “wait for Ole-Lukoje” correctly until they are 5 years old. If a child has not learned to sleep well before the age of 5, he will likely suffer from insomnia as an adult. Many children at the age of 5 go to bed, do not cry, do not call their parents, but the problem is not resolved, since they continue to fall asleep with difficulty and wake up often, only now they keep it to themselves. In the worst cases, the child begins to have nightmares and other nighttime problems, he cries, and does not want to go to bed. From adolescence, insomnia remains for life.

What else can improper falling asleep and poor, uneven and nervous sleep lead to?

somnambulism (sleepwalking), when the baby gets out of bed, does the usual actions with his eyes closed or open (although he is fast asleep), then lies down, and when he wakes up, he does not remember anything.
Nightmares come in the second half of sleep (if the baby goes to bed at 8 pm, then after 2 am). The child wakes up screaming, all scared, but can explain what scared him: “A dog bit me.”
Night phobias (fears). The baby suddenly starts screaming, it seems that something is tormenting him greatly. Parents find the baby pale, sweaty, and not recognizing his parents. This state usually lasts from 3 to 10 minutes. The baby does not understand what is happening, as he is deeply asleep.
Bruxism (teeth grinding).
Night delirium. The baby can laugh, talk, cry and scream in his sleep.
Rocking movements - for example: hitting your head on a pillow, lying with your stomach down and rocking.
Snore.

Before bedtime rituals - how to do it right?

There are evening and daytime ones. The evening ritual is longer, richer and aimed at long, sound sleep. The pre-nap ritual is shorter, it helps to establish a routine and learn to fall asleep on your own.
They always start at the same time and last approximately the same amount of time each day. This is one of the most important conditions for effective results.
The ritual of falling asleep is designed conveniently for everyone, that is, the child’s routine is integrated into the general routine of the family. As you grow older, the number of actions included in it and their content changes.

Bedtime ritual for a newborn baby

The duration should not exceed 50-60 minutes.

It always starts with feeding and other basic physical needs.
A short warm bath without exercises or games. Water temperature 37-38 degrees.
Darkening the sleeping area.
Gentle massage, stroking, carrying or other physical contact.
Laying down on a bed, a little stroking or rocking.
Listening to soothing music, singing lullabies, while the baby is next to the mother, and not in her arms. In the first months of a baby’s life, you need to choose the most tender and lyrical compositions.

Bedtime ritual for a child up to one year old

Duration 60-80 minutes.

Switch to quiet games and activities 2 hours before bedtime.
A hearty, but not overly dense dinner.
Warm bathing with soothing agents: herbal infusions, children's mixtures, bathing salt.
Physical contact with the child, such as massage or body care after bathing.
Special clothes for sleeping - pajamas or night bag.
Reading aloud at night. Choose fairy tales with simple plots and clear images. Educational and developmental reading is best left for the first half of the day.
A child up to one year old happily sleeps with his favorite toy, so preparing and putting it down helps repeat and consolidate the actions of the evening ritual.
Laying down on a bed. This is a time to talk about what night is and why it is so important to sleep at night, and also to enjoy a little time in bed together.
Lullabies or songs ease the transition from the ritual of going to bed to falling asleep, especially during periods of illness and teeth growth. For best results, choose only proven lullabies!

Sleep ritual for a child 1-3 years old

Duration 80-90 minutes.

Switch to quiet games and activities 2.5 hours before bedtime.
A hearty, low-sugar dinner. It's best if the food is warm.
Warm bathing with toys in the bath. Water temperature 37-38 degrees.
Special clothes for sleeping.
Watching an evening cartoon - no more than 10 minutes. Choose calm plots and stories, without unnecessary flickering on the screen.
Reading aloud next to each other or in a hug. Fairy tales with good plots, classic poems and plots will help you get into the right frame of mind.
Laying down your favorite toy and performing an evening ritual for it.
Conversations in bed when the parent is sitting nearby and the child is already in bed. This is a time for little secrets, childhood memories and heart-to-heart conversations.
Lullabies or fairy tales with fairy-tale plots. Choose familiar compositions from cartoons, films or your own childhood.

Pre-nap ritual

Duration no more than 15 minutes.

Stop active games 1 hour before bedtime.
Hugs, stroking, a little massage.
Since usually the place and clothes for daytime sleep differ from those for evening sleep, it is important to choose an action that symbolizes such a dream: taking off socks or a T-shirt, a separate “sleepy” blanket.
Reading aloud or singing lullabies, no longer than 5 minutes.
If the child was unable to fall asleep at the end of the ritual, introduce a “quiet hour” rule. A simple rest while lying down with your eyes closed will bring more benefits than two hours of useless lying down. Read more about this in our article on napping.

Two more secrets of the evening bedtime ritual from mother of many children Veronica Smirnova:

kisses that bring good dreams - tell your child that each such kiss brings one good dream, but it only works if you fall asleep quickly and truly. Think of a place where the kisses will be stored (under the pillow, in a pajama pocket, behind the collar), and replenish them every evening with your child. Older children can even be asked to choose a theme for such a dream.
The Restless Pillow is a story about how a little ugly pillow just doesn’t want to sleep, no matter how hard her mother tries, so she definitely needs to be pressed down with her head so she doesn’t jump up again. Children willingly get involved in such a game and “hold” the pillow with their heads, without noticing how they fall asleep.

Rituals before bed are a pleasant and useful habit that helps overcome the crises of growing up and significantly alleviates sleep problems. Becoming part of the daily routine, such a ritual improves family relationships and remains a faithful assistant even for parents of older children.

In order for your child to sleep better, you need...

The most important thing for a child to sleep well is a calm environment. Loud conversations, bright lights, noisy walking from room to room, and excessive sound from a radio or TV are unacceptable. Running on tiptoe and talking in a whisper are equally bad. The best option is dim light in the room where the child sleeps - a table lamp, floor lamp.

A low-sounding radio or talking in a low voice do not disturb the baby. You just need to avoid harsh sounds. In this way, the child will be trained not to react to weak external stimuli; he will not wake up from the slightest rustle or, for example, sounds coming from the street.

The mood in which the baby goes to bed is also of great importance. The child is very sensitive to the internal psychological state of the parents. He understands perfectly if mom is nervous or worried about something. Try to forget about problems until the baby falls asleep.

Repeatability gives the child confidence. He knows what will happen in 5-10 minutes, then in half an hour, and he feels safe. The baby is not wary, does not expect unexpected surprises, and therefore calms down. If on different days the baby goes to bed with different faces (mom, dad, grandmother), adults should agree among themselves not to change the order of procedures and try to do everything as equally as possible.

An indispensable condition for good sleep is fresh air. Do not forget to ventilate the room more often, and even better if there is a constant supply of fresh air.

Baby's sleep. How to ensure your baby sleeps soundly

Long and deep sleep is the basis for a comfortable life for a young mother and child. They need good sleep like air.

How well the baby has slept depends on his harmonious physical and emotional development, and how well the mother has recovered depends on the amount of milk, physical condition and mood of the mother.

No baby is born knowing how to sleep for eight hours straight. During the first months he sleeps 16-20 hours a day with short intervals of 30 minutes to 2 hours. The body still lives according to the “intrauterine” routine, in addition to this, the digestive and nervous systems are adapting, and the musculoskeletal system is being formed.

The average baby sleeps:

• 1 month - about 20 hours, waking up only for feedings;

• 2 months – 18-19 hours, can withstand an hour of wakefulness;

• 3-4 months - 17-18 hours, of which 10-11 hours at night;

• 6 months – 16 hours;

• 9 months – 13 hours a day, of which 11 hours at night;

• 1-3 years - 12-13 hours with one or two daytime sleep breaks.

It is impossible to “force” your baby to sleep, but there are a few simple rules that will allow you to “teach” him to sleep for a long time as quickly as possible and avoid problems in the future.

Tips to help ensure your baby gets good sleep

1. After birth, determine in what conditions the baby sleeps longer and more calmly: in his crib in a sleeping bag, outside in a stroller, next to you, in a sling. Use the opportunity to extend the rest for him and yourself. Keep in mind that at night it is absolutely normal for him to wake up 3 to 6 times. In this case, a side crib is the best option for you and him. It's easy for you to put him to your chest if he wakes up. At the same time, you yourself will not fundamentally disrupt the flow of your sleep. Your baby will sleep better if he is close to you (on your bed), but the quality of your sleep will deteriorate because you will subconsciously worry about crushing your baby. Therefore, as soon as possible, transfer him to a side crib.

2. A normally developing three-month-old baby can already sleep 5-6 hours in a row. He wakes up at night out of habit, and if you support it (by feeding), it takes root. Try moving his crib away from yours so that he doesn’t react to your every move; try not to grab the baby after the first cry and drag him to your breast - it is quite possible that he will calm down on his own (with the help of a pacifier, a favorite soft toy or your hand) and fall asleep. If you're ready for the next step, move your baby to another room, at least temporarily. If the quantity and quality of sleep improves (both his and yours), then the decision was right.

3. You can save a lot of time if you teach your baby to fall asleep on his own. To do this, it is advisable to create certain rituals (do not start exciting games before bed, create an atmosphere for going to bed, change the diaper, put on a sleeping bag, give him his favorite soft toy). The simpler these habits are, the easier it will be for you to stick to them. That is why experts do not recommend rocking the baby to sleep and staying close until he falls soundly asleep. Put your baby in the crib to fall asleep - this is the only way he will learn to fall asleep on his own. This step is not easy for parents, but it is necessary so that the baby, waking up at night, does not wake them up by screaming, but falls asleep on his own.

4. The correct choice of time to fall asleep is important for the baby. If you miss him, he may become overexcited, and then it will be difficult to put him down. As soon as you notice that the baby begins to rub his ears and eyes, his movements slow down, this is the right moment. A sign of fatigue, surprisingly, is often the baby’s excessive activity. To avoid thinking for a long time, choose an exact time and stick to it. This is important for you too - from this moment you can plan your vacation.

5. The general conditions for proper sleep for the baby are: a ventilated room, optimal temperature (18-22 degrees), darkness (at night), dim light (during the day), a well-absorbent and suitable-sized diaper, a sleeping bag (the child will not unwrap himself, you will not you'll have to run to it at night to check), a thin cotton bodysuit with sleeves, a medium-hard mattress without a pillow; correct daily routine (the child should be tired in the evening, but not overexcited); compliance with feeding rules (so that the baby does not have night colic and does not feel hungry).

6. Many books have been written on the problems of sleep and falling asleep in children. All of them are based on one postulate - any child can be taught to “sleep.” When turning to numerous literature, do not forget one thing - all innovations should be introduced gradually, gently, with love, but consistently. Do not change your decision if the baby resists at first. Children are conservatives. They will cling to old habits until the last. In this case, you yourself must become innovators. If you are sure that the change will benefit him and you, then he will accept it. If it’s difficult for you to introduce drastic beatings yourself, then perhaps it will be easier for dad to do it. The result will not be long in coming. You yourself will be surprised at how your baby, who recently woke up several times at night, lay in your bed for hours and refused to fall asleep, after small adjustments will fall asleep on his own and will not wake you up even once during the night.

Combating the consequences of poor sleep

What should parents of a sleepwalker or a child who often suffers from nightmares do?

Sleepwalking usually occurs in the first half of sleep. The causes are unknown and there is no cure. It is usually inherited and goes away by adolescence. This is a harmless deviation. It is best to take only precautionary measures. Don't wake the child. If he wanders around the apartment, try to put him back to bed without disturbing him. Remember: even if his eyes are open, he is deeply asleep.
Nightmares. Parents can reassure the baby, but there is no need to rush to go to the doctor; you should try to calm the child when he wakes up, and then understand what causes the nightmares and try to eliminate the cause. There is no need to take the baby into your bed.
Phobias. You need to stay close to the baby, waiting for the attack to pass. The next day he doesn't remember anything. You should try to establish the cause and consult a doctor.
Bruxism - you need to consult a dentist to see if this is dangerous for your teeth. But, although this impresses parents, bruxism is not a problem; it will go away on its own over time.
Night delirium is not terrible, the only problem is that such screams can wake up the baby himself.
Rocking movements usually appear between 9 months and 2 years of age. Often there is nothing wrong with them. But if your baby rocks like this during the day, check with a psychotherapist.
Between 7% and 10% of children snore. If this makes it difficult for your baby to breathe during sleep and he sleeps breathing through his mouth, consult a specialist.

So that the child is not afraid to sleep alone

When a child has insomnia at night, this ritual also helps a lot. This ritual is aimed at ensuring that your child begins to sleep alone without you, and will sleep well. The toddler will not be so capricious, and will calm down much faster. The baby's parents will be able to go about their business and not worry about him. To do this, you must say the following text at night:

“All the saints baptized me. May the Angel always be next to my baby and never leave her. Heaven's security is strong, so I want to ask the Lord God for help. The Son of God (name) will find peace when the Lord begins to help him constantly. Let him watch over your sleep and let the baby get enough sleep. Amen".

After such a slander, the child will not wake up more than once at night. Consequently, parents will also find peace and normal, complete sleep. There is another type of prayer that blesses the child for sound and healthy sleep. You need to say the following text:

“The Cross of the Lord guards the baby. My miracle is under the supervision of Angels. No one loves you more than your parents, only the Lord himself. God saves all people around the world, from grief and troubles. Our baby also needs protection, help. Amen".

You don’t need to come up with a lot of things, the things that worry mommy so much are enough. Because of which her heart is restless, and also apologize for her bad actions. At the end, thank God for the help provided and for listening to you.