Babies & Bedtime

With newborn babies it is accepted that they will get up many times during the night, but as they get older it isn't. It is frustrating for all concerned if the baby goes to sleep after a big effort and then keeps waking. It's classed as a big achievement if the baby sleeps throughout the night. However, if the baby is not sleeping well then you must start thinking about his daytime activities and how these are affecting his sleeping pattern.

The baby’s biological clock is not yet set up and if you don’t set a routine for them they find it difficult to settle down. Therefore you must follow a fixed pattern. They automatically begin to understand when they are supposed to play and when to sleep and so on. When they are small we help them by setting a routine and we follow the routine as far as possible. For instance, in the mornings they can learn that it is bath, then feed, and then play. At evening they can learn that a story, feed and then lullaby is bedtime routine. If you follow this pattern for a while then the kids start remembering it.

You must also keep track of the times your baby has slept during the day. They may not go to bed at night because he may not be tired enough. You must play sufficiently with them to make them tired by the end of the day. You must also help them in discovering new things and stimulate them during the day. If you are not doing so, then you may have to change your own habits. 

It is good for the baby if you can take them somewhere during the day. You may take the little one to your friend’s house, or to a park or even to the shopping mall. The baby loves the change and is stimulated too. It is something great for them when they see new things and the effort is tiring for them. Thus, they sleep well at night. With the passage of time their bed time fussiness will go away and you will not have to bother about it anymore. That is the best part of it all.