8 Tips To Create A Sleep-Friendly Environment For The Baby
Handyland Design
Parenthood is one such phase of a person's life when they welcome a little gift from God, although it comes with a share of difficulties as well. One such challenge is to create a sleep-friendly environment for your tiny tot who needs quality sleep to have proper physical and mental growth. First two years are crucial as this is the period of maximum cognitive development. Let's have a look at a few factors which will enhance the quality of sleep for your baby.
Explore The Shop Home
#1. Lighting
In case a nightlight is to be used, it should be dim. Brilliant lights signal the body to be alert, while dim lights flag the body that the time has come to rest. TVs, PCs, cell phones, and tablets should not be kept in the room where the baby is sleeping. In case you need to feed the baby or change the diapers, make sure to use zero-watt bulbs.
#2. Quiet Surroundings
Infants are used to quietness since their conception in the womb. Repetitive or loud sounds and can be detrimental to their sleep. Most parents are in a habit to watch television before sleeping. However, once the little one arrives, it is best to change this routine for some time. To enhance the quality of your baby's sleep, you can put some meditative music or natural sounds ( e.g. rain) in low volume. Your baby will wake up chirping happily for sure.
#3. Room Temperature
There are differences among doctors regarding the appropriate room temperature for babies to sleep in but most of them agree that it should be on the cooler side. A hotter room can create discomfort in sleeping. Most doctors suggest making your baby sleep in a room which has a temperature of 60 – 67 degrees Fahrenheit.
#4. Sleeping Position
Always put your baby to rest on their back. Indeed, now and then your tiny tot can be moved. When they roll over on their stomach, it is alright for them to rest in that position for some time then you can move them so they are back to the old position. Everyone loves sleeping; a correct sleeping position would ensure that your baby enjoys his sleep and doesn't wake up cranky.
#5. Diapers
From nappies to diapers, babies have got everything to take care of them. Mostly, these have made lives easier for parents who don't have to worry about bedwetting anymore. Diapers have a major contribution to increasing the quality of sleep time. Parents must ensure that the baby doesn't sleep with a diaper which is wet or soggy from inside. You wouldn't want to be woken up with cries in the night; to avoid that, change your baby's diaper before bedtime.
#6. Sleeping Time-table
It’s worth noting that infants don't really know the difference between the daytime and nighttime. A sleep schedule that feels natural to you is not so natural for your baby after birth. It doesn't last long though; by the age of four months, most babies naturally switch to sleeping at night. The problem is that it takes them some time to figure out how to do it. To enhance the quality of your baby's sleep, make sure that you sleep at the right time and keep it constant.
#7. Cuddling
It's always better to put your baby to bed after cuddling. Most parents sleep with their babies and physical soothing comes naturally. Just in case the baby is put in a crib, spend some time in cuddling so that sudden break of contact doesn't cause any disturbance. Also, make sure that the baby has to be put to sleep gently. So, you can cuddle for a few minutes and then proceed to bedtime. This is helpful in developing a healthy sleep cycle for your bundle of joy.
#8. Avoid Strong Scents
For babies, the natural scent of the mother or caretaker's body creates the best environment for sleeping. Strong perfumes are perhaps not the best solution in case you want your little version to sleep peacefully. In case you don't want your baby to wake up crying in the middle of the night, you can always choose to swaddle them with the t-shirt, kurta or similar clothing which contains your natural body odour. Nothing is better than that.
In a nutshell, the all-round development of babies depends on the quality of sleep they get. These tips come in handy if you are a first-time parent.