Implementing a sleeping routine for our baby

Early childhood sleeping problems, such as difficulty falling/staying asleep and interrupted sleep patterns are very common. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that sleep health be included as part of anticipatory guidance at well-child visits throughout development. The implementation of a consistent bedtime routine promotes not only healthy sleep, but also positive child development and well-being in early childhood, as well as in family functioning. Sleeping helps the baby to grow, but because he can’t feed or change his nappy by himself, we need a healthy adult next to him as well. Hence, it is important to implement a good sleeping routine, because sleeping is good for the baby, and for the parents too. Babies will need a lot of energy to grow into a strong and healthy child.

Every baby is different. Some babies need to sleep almost all the time, while others seem very restless. Babies under 6 months have a huge range of sleep needs (Galland et al, 2012). This is why you should first observe the baby, make notes, and try to identify the baby’s unique signs of tiredness. Babies are unaware of night and day, so switching the light off and making it dark in the room helps before night sleeps, and leaving the room bright during the daytime will help them adapt to the time of day. Later in their development, they should have longer sleeps at nighttime. I would recommend starting a simple, predictable bedtime routine from as early as possible, because newborn babies can only tolerate being awake for about 1-2 hours. If they get overly tired, they often became very difficult and not seem to know what they want.

Learn how to do a baby massage, as well as some techniques on how to set the baby’s room for a good sleeping environment. Examples would be the use of a calming essence, or white noise and dim light. Learning different patting techniques may also prove effective in a sleeping routine, as well as how to calm and comfort the baby by reading a story, singing, etc.

It is especially important to try to get our babies to adapt to the bedtime routine, so they will know when it is time to sleep.