Those first precious months with your baby can be a whirlwind of feedings, diaper changes, and… well, not much sleep! But establishing a healthy baby sleep routine for your 0-1 year old doesn’t have to be a mystery. Here’s a roadmap to guide you towards peaceful nights and happy mornings for both of you.
Establishing a consistent sleep routine for a baby between 0-1 years old is a gradual process. Here’s a general guideline to keep in mind.
Newborn (0-3 Months)
- Focus on Cues, Not Schedules: Newborns don’t have a developed sleep-wake cycle yet. Respond to their hunger cues for feeding every 2-3 hours, even at night.
- Develop a Bedtime Routine: Introduce calming activities like a warm bath, a gentle massage, and quiet singing before putting them down drowsy but awake.
4-9 Months
- Longer Stretches: Babies may start sleeping for longer stretches (around 5 hours) at night.
- Maintain Bedtime Routine: Continue the calming bedtime routine you established earlier.
- Introduce Predictable Schedule: Gradually introduce a predictable sleep schedule with consistent wake times and nap times.
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9-12 Months
- Two Naps: Most babies transition to two naps a day (morning and afternoon) totaling 3-4 hours.
- Nighttime Sleep: By this stage, babies may sleep through the night (around 9-12 hours).
My kids are sleeping in their own bed through the night and it’s such a blessing. Some general tips that are helpful-
❗ Start Early– As babies both my kids slept in their cot from when they were 20 days old. It was peaceful for me and the babies. Make sure to keep the cot empty and free of any pillows. Lightly wrap the baby and if needed give blanket according to the whether. Make sure to follow all precautions for a cot/crip to avoid SID.
❗Create a bed time routine– it creates a sense of change. Go to toilet, brush teeth, change night suit all indicates night time. Routine helps a lot. Specially for small kids.
❗Be consistent– in your routine and timings for sleep. Barring if baby not well or you are having a night to enjoy it’s important for kids to have a routine and stick to it most of the time.
❗Positive Reinforcement– about sleep and how they are good, caring, loving kids can give them positive thoughts. And positive thoughts help them sleep better.
❗Keep an open door– for kids that they can come to your bed anytime they want. In time you can give cuddle and kisses and put them back in their bed for the rest of the night.
❗Keep gap between nap and night sleep– so kids are enough tired to go to sleep easily.
If kids are still not sleeping try this-
- Make sure to stop screen time 30 mins before they go to bed.
- Ensure calming activities before sleep like story telling, meditation, praying, just a fun family chat and fun.
- Keep sleep time positive and remind them how brave and amazing they are to sleep in their bed.
Also remind them that they can come to your bed anytime they want. - Sit with them till they fall asleep. It’s ok to do so initially when your are starting and gradually you can stop.
Give them a sense of their space, their bed and that mama’s bed is different. - Offer a toy or a bunny or something they like to sleep with them. Make sure it’s not something they can choke with.
Experiment what works best for you and your kids. Not every situation is same.
Shoot any questions in comments.
Malai Sooji Ka Chilla, Baby Food 9 months+
By following these tips and creating a consistent routine, you’ll be well on your way to helping your little one develop healthy sleep patterns. Remember, every baby is unique, so be patient and adjust the routine as needed. Soon, those blissful stretches of uninterrupted sleep will become a reality, and you’ll both be well-rested and ready to tackle each day!
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