rock n play + here | blanket | baby nightgown | bow
I’ve been getting a ton of email + questions on how to get your baby on a sleep schedule. I’ve done a few blog posts in the past on our favorite sleep products, and one about sleep training Houston + a few more. But today I thought I’d share just a few of my favorite tips on how to get your baby on a sleep schedule. Now by all means I am no expert but these are just some things I have learned with my five babies.
favorite swaddle blankets HERE + HERE
make sure baby is fully fed + burped : I personally think the best way to start baby off to a great sleep or a full nights rest is to make sure they are fully fed annnndd burped. This seems to be my babies biggest hangup — when they’re not burped ALL THE WAY. My babies usually have a couple of burps and seem to be bit more gassy. So if I just hold them upright and wait an extra 10 minutes after their feeding they can usually stay asleep without any gas bothering them. I’d much rather spend an extra 10 mins after feed then them waking up in 45 minutes because of the tummy ache.
dim lights + sound machine : dimming the lights or closing the shades helps cue sleep time. Plus who wants to sleep in broad daylight. haha. The sound machine. I like to use one to help drown out noise. BUT to also get my babies used to constantly hearing noise when they sleep. My older people can live + play and I don’t have to worry about the baby waking up.
swaddling : is a huge thing at our house + I like to think of myself as the master swaddler around here! The tighter the better – really. Swaddling contains baby’s flying arms and helps them feel safe and secure. (gives them “boundaries” to push from and makes them feel like in the womb again) You can see more why I loved swaddling so much + learn how the correct way to swaddle HERE.
stick to the same routine : this is more with bedtime but it helps with naps too. At night I like to wipe my babies down or give them a bath, change their diaper, feed them and of course swaddle them. Doing the same thing in the same order every night, helps baby start to learn the cues at bedtime. I also like to make sure there’s a sound machine.
try to be home when it’s nap time : (or wear a wrap) I always try to make sure I’m home around nap time. It is hard, but most days my babies sleep is more important then running errands. I know newborn sleep so much that it’s nearly impossible. My babies always sleep better at home versus on the go. Plus, when they’re being put down at the same time every day in their own bed with all the cues above I feel like they start to recognize nap time and bedtime a lot faster.
I hope some of my tips and tricks I’ve used for my babies over the years might be able to help some of you with your little ones. These might not work for everyone but they worked for us and our babies. Getting baby on a sleep schedule is not an easy task. If you have any suggestions or tips you’d love to share I’d LOVE to hear them. Thanks for all your encouraging support here in this space + I always love hearing back from all you guys!!
xx – kails
blush t-shirt | white jeans (sold out) similar + here || baby pajamas | headband | snoo
outfit | bow | dock a tot | or here
swaddle sack | bow | binki
