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For any new mom, one of the best moments is when her baby goes to sleep. Of course, this doesn’t take away the fact that a mother loves her baby more than anything else in the world. But, she will still wait for her baby to fall asleep so that she can have some moments for herself. And, the good thing is that a baby’s napping schedule does become predictable with time. In fact, it is even advisable to set a routine for the baby. If a baby is well-slept, he/she will not feel irritable. But, every baby can have trouble sleeping once in a while, which can seem frustrating for both the mother as well as her little one. Most babies wake up in the middle of the night once in a while, even if they don’t need to feed. But, sleep regression is when the little one starts waking up a lot more than the usual.
The silver lining is that mommies across the world have faced it and are now aware of some methods that can help beat this sleep regression. Here, we bring you a few of them:
1. Dark Room Time
Most moms think it is important to keep the room lit throughout the night when the little ones are sleeping. But, babies are also human beings, just tiny ones. Light can disturb their sleep too. So, it is important to keep the baby’s sleeping space dark to ensure better sleep. Use a night bulb, if need be.
2. Set A Napping Routine
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While most mothers face trouble setting up a sleeping schedule for their babies, it can be quite beneficial in the fullness of time. This routine doesn’t really need to be time-consuming or elaborate. It can be simple – give a bath to the baby, follow it up with a gentle massage, put him/her down in the crib, read some bedtime story, and then switch off the light. Just a few basic steps and voila! you have a routine.
3. Let Them Fall Asleep By Themselves
If setting a routine seems hard, letting the baby sleep on his/her own is another ballgame altogether. Most mommies like cradling their babies to sleep and then putting them down in the crib. But, this will only make the babies dependent on their mothers for sleep. In the long run, it is more beneficial for them to learn how to sleep peacefully on their own.
4. Bonus Cuddle Time
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Babies may find it hard to sleep when they have their growth spurt along with the separation anxiety. In this phase, they need their mothers a little more than usual. During this time, it is important for mommies to give their babies a few extra cuddles now and then. We are sure that no one is complaining about this one!
Here, we also bring you some of the possible causes of sleep regression (to help you understand it better):
1. Scenery Change
While babies love to travel and see new places, a change of scenery might make it hard for them to get a proper sleep. A few babies can find it difficult to fall asleep in new places. So, the problem might resolve on its own once you return home.
2. Sleeping Together
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Most parents strongly support the concept of co-sleeping since it can make the irritations and midnight feed easier to cope with. But, it may cause the baby to wake up a little more than usual. While there are contradictory opinions for co-sleeping, you can try shaking things up a bit if sleep regression is an issue. You can always go back to the old routine if it doesn’t work.
3. Consistency Matters
Suppose you have introduced a routine but you are not following it on a consistent basis. Your little angel may take advantage of this small loophole. He/she might try to postpone the bedtime when given a chance. So, once you plan a routine, stick to it.
We hope these tips help you in beating the sleep regression. If you have any advice in mind, let the fellow mothers know in the comments section below. Best of luck!
