It’s the new year!
Have you been thinking about how you want to make this year better? Or have you just been getting by?
Both are fair and both can take up room in our thoughts.
If there is something you want to change, let this be your sign that you have the power, the support and the opportunity right now to change it.
In a few weeks you could be looking at a completely different life, maybe one where you have more energy? Are feeling confident and the sleepless nights are behind you.
Yah mama!
Our environment and external circumstances are one thing we cannot control but our actions are completely under our control.
There is nothing wrong in asking for help. We all need some guidance because change is hard but sometimes change is necessary. If what your doing is not working for you. Change it.
Here are 3 ways you can start laying the foundation for a great year of sleep for yourself and your little one (who needs sleep just as much as you do).
Get back to your routine
Both adults as much as babies thrive on routine. Routines provide structure and comfort and a sense of predictability for your baby. They can also help you tremendously, knowing what your day is going to look like. If your baby naps at a consistent time each day, you can plan around that and know what to expect.
What is a routine?
A routine is a series of actions that you do consistently before sleep. Although routines can happen at any time of the day ie. Morning routines. I’m talking specifically about sleep routines.
Choose three or four consistent actions you can take to signify that the time for sleep is approaching (mom and dad can have different routines, baby will know the difference). So for example, dim lights, bath, massage, book, feed, sleep sack (swaddle) and bed. You can include a song, some cuddles and pretty much anything you like, as long as it’s not too stimulating. You want this time to be relaxing and calming. Preparing baby for sleep should include helping their bodies calm from stimulation and relax so sleep is easier.
Relaxation is key. Not only for baby to be relaxed but for parents to also feel relaxed. Our energy is transferable and babies especially can pick up of a parents energy. If you are frustrated, nervous, anxious.. these are things your baby will pick up on and they, in turn will not be able to settle.
A good sleep routine will cue your baby for sleep. It will help them know what to expect and in turn they will start to relax and get sleepy at the start of the routine. It’s a great practice for babies but also for adults.
You can implement a sleep routine before bedtime but also before nap (a shortened version). Soon this predictability will signal sleep, even if you are not home - making traveling with baby so much easier.
What about schedules?
Schedules are nothing to be scared of. You don’t have to follow a rigid schedule in order to achieve great sleep. Schedules similar to routines provide predictability. A sense of security knowing what is going to happen and what your day will look like. Babies love schedules but this doesn’t mean you are bound to it, you can create a flexible schedule that includes, outings, naps on-the-go and flexibility to leave your house!
When a baby is used to sleeping at the same or around the same time each day it helps to regulate their circadian rhythm and their body will naturally get tired at that time each day. This makes going down for naps a lot easier, no matter where they are.
Set a wake up and bedtime
Similar to schedules this is not written in stone. Life happens.
Going to sleep and waking up at around the same time each day is the best way to regulate our bodies biological clocks. It’s the single most important thing we can do to improve sleep (this includes adults).
Set a bedtime, the earlier the better and protect it as much as possible (like I said, life happens so use the 80/20 rule here - 80% of the time you have a consistent bedtime and the remaining 20% of the time. Let life happen and be flexible).
What about wake windows?
You want to definitely take wake windows into consideration however, if your bedtime is too late then it’s likely that your wake up time is too late, your wake windows are too long or you have to drop a nap. I always aim for a 7/7:30pm bedtime (even earlier if it’s been a crap nap day).
Just as important and very overlooked however, is WAKE UP TIME. This is important. You should set a wake up time and wake baby up at the same time each day. Stay consistent with it (even if they wake up earlier). Their bodies will adjust to this and their sleep wake cycles will shift. I know it sucks to have to wake baby up and you might want to sleep in sooo bad but it’s worth keeping your day on track. It also helps avoid later bedtimes and overtired babies which can cause early morning wakings in the long run.
This one is hard even for us adults but like everything, it’s okay to sleep in the odd day. Although it’s proven that sleeping in on the weekend does NOT make up for lost sleep. Again, balance and keep it consistent MOST of the time.
Create the best sleep environment
Environment plays a huge role in helping your baby fall asleep and stay asleep. This is something that we can control (most of the time). You not only want to make sure it’s safe (as you never want to take any risks with your baby’s life) but that it’s conducive to sleep and free of any stimulation that can wake our babies brain up when they inevitably have partial wake ups at night (because they will). This is especially important for the morning hours when we are all in our lightest stage of sleep and wake ups happen often. It’s also harder for us to go back to sleep at this time so set the stage so it’s as conducive to sleep as possible and set your baby up for success.
Let’s face it, as your little one grows they are less likely to sleep like they did when they were newborns. Those deep stages of sleep are no longer easy to achieve and FOMO kicks in. Some people just can’t sleep in stimulating environments and babies are no exception (some can, so if this is the case A-MAZING).
The best thing to do is to try to provide a great sleep environment to minimize stimulation and encourage sleep. This includes, pitch black conditions (black out blinds), sound machine and a nice cool temperate (feel the back of baby’s neck to ensure they are comfortable but not too warm or cold).
These are the basics, the foundations of great sleep. Get these set up and sleep will be easier and more predictable.
If your baby is still waking at night then reach out for help. It could be a number of factors and it’s most likely easily changed and resolved with a good sleep plan that is customized to your baby and takes into consideration; age, temperament, parenting philosophy and timelines.
Book a free call to chat about your specific situation and let’s see if it’s a good fit.
The entire family will benefit from a new start with sleep!
All my love,
Lil. xx
