When you first bring your baby home, you might be excited to get some sleep yourself! But as time goes on, you’ll soon realise that sleep deprivation is just a part of parenthood. In today’s blog article, we’re talking about the baby sleep hacks that can help you put your baby to bed sooner and with fewer tears.
What is Night time Feeding?
Sleep is an important part of a baby’s development, and depriving them of sleep can have serious consequences. Nighttime feeding is a way to help babies sleep through the night, by providing them with a steady stream of food and drink during their sleeping hours.
What is the optimal time for night time feeding?
There is no one answer to this question, as it depends on your baby’s individual needs. Typically, newborns should be fed every three to four hours during the night, but this schedule can vary depending on your baby’s age, weight, and activity level.
How do I feed my baby during the night?
There are several different ways to feed your baby during the night. You can use a bottle, breastfeed, or give your baby Formula milk mixed with water or milk formula drops depending upon the age of your baby. You can also give your baby pacifier(s), or a light snack like toast or cereal if your baby is above 6 months old.
Prefer homemade food that can be prepared easily like shira, upma or homemade noodles.
What are some benefits of nighttime feeding?
Some benefits of nighttime feeding include: helping your baby to sleep through the night
- reducing colic
- improving your bond with your baby
- helping your baby grow and develop properly
- keeping your baby’s weight
Why Do Babies Need Nighttime Feeding?
There’s a reason babies need nighttime feeding: their brains are still developing. Newborns need around eight to 12 hours of sleep each day in order to consolidate and store what they’ve learned during the day. When babies get a good night’s sleep, they wake up rested and alert, ready to learn and explore.
- Stomach size of your baby is small.Â
- They need a comparably large amount of proteins and calories and other nutrients to maintain their high growth rate.Â
- They are more active and playful than adults.
- To meet their nutritional needs with small stomach size they need to be fed frequently.
- At night even if you tend to sleep longer, that longer period is too much for them to stay hungry.
- It’s natural that they will need feeding during night time.
There are a few things you can do to help your baby sleep through the night.
- One is to make sure he sleeps in a dark and quiet room. This will help him develop good sleeping habits from the beginning.
- Another thing you can do is feed him around bedtime, rather than in the middle of the night. This will help him learn to associate feeds with bedtime and fall asleep easier.
- Finally, avoid leaving him alone in his crib for long periods of time between feeds; this will disrupt his sleep cycle even more.
Why Does Baby Wake Up At Night?
Most parents find that their baby will wake up at night due to various reasons. Some babies will wake up to feed, others may be unsettled or uncomfortable. They tend to wake up in night for following reasons:
- Hunger: As we discussed earlier, babies have small stomach size but comparatively large needs of nutrients, they need to be fed frequently. They may feel hungry and cry during the night for food.
- Nappy change: Like frequency of feeding, babies pass stool and urine multiple times even during night. They may wake up and cry due to dirty nappies. They may demand nappy change by crying.
- Comfort and love: Babies like to get love from parents and they feel comfortable when attention is provided to them. Just for want of love and comfort they may cry at night.
- Security: Babies may want a feeling of security. They feel secure when you caress them with love and talk to them softly. They may cry if they are feeling insecure.
- Change in environment: Change in environment may cause room temperature fluctuations. In summer, the baby may be sweating and feel uncomfortable or in winter, may feel cold and need a hot blanket. They may wake up and cry if they feel uncomfortable.
- Insects: Babies if spit food or pass stool, it may attract insects like ants. Ant Bite can cause your baby to cry at night.
- Diaper rash: Diaper rash may cause burning and painful sensation. Your baby may cry at night due to diaper rash. You probably need to change nappies more frequently and use good quality baby rash cream.
- Disease: The cry when babies are sick is different from normal cry. You should seek professional advice from a Paediatrician.
There are a few things you can do to help baby sleep through the night:\n
- Keep a consistent bed-time routine. This will help your baby feel secure and will help them learn when it is time to sleep.
- Make sure your baby is comfortable. If they are uncomfortable, they will likely wake up. Try placing a warm blanket over them or putting them in a bassinet that reclines.
- Avoid screen time before bedtime. This can make babies more restless and awake at night. Instead, try reading stories or playing calming games before bedtime.
- Establish healthy sleep habits from an early age. This will help your baby develop healthy sleeping habits for life.
- Room should be comfortably dark and cool during the night.
How to Help Baby Sleep Through The Night
There are many ways to help your baby sleep through the night. Some babies will sleep through the night relatively easily, while others may need a bit more help.
Here are some tips to help your baby sleep through the night:
- Make sure your baby is comfortable. Some babies will sleep better if they are in a crib or bassinet that is comfortable for them. If your baby is not sleeping well in his or her crib or bassinet, it may be helpful to try a different type of sleeping arrangement.\
- Keep your baby cool and quiet. It is important to keep your baby cool and quiet at night to help him or her sleep. Try using a fan or air conditioning unit in the room to keep your baby cool. If your baby wakes up during the night, try putting him or her back into bed and letting him or her fall asleep again. Avoid talking, singing, or playing loudly in the bedroom at night.
- Avoid caffeine and chocolates before bedtime. Caffeine and chocolates can keep a person awake at night. Avoid drinking caffeine after 3 p.m., and avoid chocolates before bedtime.
- It will be much easier to get your baby ready for bed at night, if you make sure she follows a nightly routine with the same time frames every day. This includes baths, playtime, and letting them transition into sleep.
- 7.30pm-9pm is a good time to put your baby to bed, as this can be difficult when working parents have some “me time” with her during the day. However, some families find that putting their babies to bed later in the evening.
- To help your baby to get enough sleep, you can follow various simple steps. You should start about an hour before bedtime and turn off the television or any device that can have an effect on your child’s sleep. You should also dim the lights and then give her a bath or give her a gentle massage which will calm down and soothe your child. Finally, you should sing a lull. You can also read to her and get in extra cuddles or bonding time which will help them relax and go to sleep.
- When your baby is at least three months old, encourage them to move through drowsiness and allow themselves to sleep by putting them down on their back after a feed. That tells them that sleep time is approaching and it would be a good time to go to sleep. You can also try using soothing words, hush sounds, or phrases like “sssh” or ” sleepy time.” If your baby gets too tired, repeat these encouraging signs so that they associate bedtime with these signals and feelings of being sleepy. Although there are experts that don’t believe in rocking or nursing your baby to sleep, some people believe it works best for their family. Do what works best for you and your family.
- If your baby is six months old, you can teach them to sleep alone through a technique called sleep training. You do not need to let the children cry themselves back to sleep; instead, there are several approaches that can work with babies at this age.
What Can You Do To Make It Easier For Your Baby To Sleep Through The Night?
There are a few things that you can do to help make it easier for your baby to sleep through the night. These include establishing a bed-time routine, creating a comfortable environment for your baby, and providing calming stimuli. Additionally, you can try using soothing bedtime stories or lullabies to help your baby fall asleep. If these measures don’t work, you may need to seek professional assistance.
What is sleep regression in babies?
Sleep regression is a common problem that occurs when babies start to sleep through the night. It means that their sleep patterns go back to where they were before they started sleeping through the night. This can be very frustrating for parents and can lead to them feeling like their baby isn’t getting enough sleep. Many times, sleep regression is a normal phenomenon and sleep hygiene practices help to get back to normal.
Should I be worried if my baby isn’t sleeping well?
There’s a lot of discussion about sleep in the parenting community, and especially on social media. It can be tough to know what to do when your baby isn’t sleeping well – should you be worried?
Here’s a look at some common concerns and how to help your little one get the rest they need:
1. Is my baby not sleeping because they’re being fussy or irritable?
This is often the first concern parents have, and it can be tough to determine if there’s anything wrong. However, if your baby is consistently refusing to go to bed or is becoming irritable during the night, there may be a problem. Try comforting your child and see if that leads to a change in behaviour. If not, it might be time to consult with a paediatrician.
2. Is my baby waking up several times throughout the night?
If your baby is waking up frequently throughout the night, it could mean several things. It could mean that they’re not getting enough restorative sleep – this can lead to crankiness, difficulty concentrating, and more frequent illnesses. It could also mean that there’s something physically wrong with them (like an ear infection), which would require professional advice.
Sleep is a vitally important part of a baby’s development, and getting enough sleep during the night is key to healthy growth and development. However, not all babies sleep well at night. Some babies may need more time to adjust to sleep than others, and some may have trouble settling down to sleep unless they are in a specific environment or have specific toys or activities nearby.
If you’re concerned that your baby isn’t sleeping well, here are some tips on how to help them get more rest.
- Introduce new routines gradually. If you’re trying to get your baby to sleep through the night, it can be helpful to introduce new routines slowly over several nights. For example, start by putting them down for bed at the same time each night, but then gradually start extending the bedtime until they’re sleeping until 7 or 8 pm instead of 11 pm or midnight. This way, they won’t feel overwhelmed and will eventually become used to their new schedule.
- Make sure your baby is comfortable and safe. If your baby is uncomfortable in their crib or doesn’t feel safe in their own room at night, they may not be able to fall asleep easily. Try moving them into their room during the day if you can and then bring them back to their crib at night. If you want, you can also ask baby care professionals for advice on how to change your baby’s sleep environment, such as by moving the bed away from windows or making a low shelf between the crib and the wall.
- Talk with your doctor about getting some extra help. If you’re struggling to get your baby to sleep, it may be helpful to talk with your baby’s doctor about other ways to encourage your baby to get a good night’s sleep. You may benefit from seeing a paediatrician for strategies that can help you encourage daytime naps and nighttime sleep.
- Make sure the room is free of hazards, such as electrical cords and toxic products. The last thing you want when trying to get your baby to sleep is to wake him or her up at night by slipping on a pot of hot coffee or spilling juice on the floor! To make sure any harmful substances are removed, switch off all electrical equipment, including computers and smoke detectors.
- Create a pleasant atmosphere. Turn on some background music, light a few candles, create a rocking chair, or play the baby’s favourite lullabies.
Conclusion
A baby’s ability to sleep through the night is a major accomplishment. It means that your little one is getting enough rest and is developing well. There are many things you can do to help your baby sleep through the night, but here are a few of the most important:
- Make sure your baby has a crib that meets their specific needs, like a flat surface and tight-fitting sheets.
- Establish a bedtime routine and stick to it as much as possible. This will help your baby feel comfortable and sleepy.
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and drugs close to bedtime. These can interfere with sleepiness and cause babies to wake up often.
- Keep the room dark and quiet. This will help calm babies down and encourage them to drift off to sleep.