How To Put A Baby To Sleep In 40 Seconds- Postpartum life is not an easy one. It comes with its happy moments and the not so happy moments.
One of the challenges the postpartum life comes with is the lack of sleep for both mothers and newborns.
If there is one fear a new mum has in mind and sincerely wishes she can conquer it, it is the fear of lack of sleep and how her baby can sleep just within a few seconds.
To a new mum who is reading this and is seeking for ways on how to put a baby to sleep, look no further, this article is just what you need to overcome the fear of lack of sleep.
Also, it is what you need to enjoy motherhood.
However, before we explain how you can put a baby to sleep in 40 seconds, we would have to discuss the causes of sleeplessness in babies below.
CAUSES OF SLEEPLESSNESS IN BABIES
There are many reasons why a baby might find it difficult to sleep. Below are the reasons:
Late-night Feeding
Most babies between 2-3 months usually want to feed an extra time later in the middle of the night.
This late-night feeding might lead to a lack of sleep for the baby.
You can curb late-night feeding by increasing the bedtime feeding.
This will last longer and the baby will be able to sleep all through the night.
Teething Problem
Teething issues can keep you and your baby up at night
. Once your baby starts showing the signs of teething such as drooling, irritability, biting, etc. during the day.
Your baby is most likely going to find it difficult to sleep well at night and may cry all through the night because the baby feels a bit of discomfort.
In such situations, it is best you consult your pediatrician for help.
Disruption of Routine
A change in a baby’s routine can easily disrupt the baby’s sleep.
Traveling from one place to another can easily disturb the baby’s sleep.
Also, reaching major milestones such as: crawling, walking can also disrupt a baby’s routine.
Sleep Regression
Sleep regression is perfectly normal and some babies experience this at a particular stage in life.
It can happen anytime but it typically happens around 8-12 months.
This is because the baby is becoming aware of things around.
They are also fascinated with this new stuff to play with, see and people to encounter.
Therefore, staying awake is more fun than falling asleep.
Allergies
Food allergies are one of the rising causes of lack of sleep in babies.
Any type of food allergy will undeniably affect your child’s sleep because it can lead to extreme discomfort in the digestive tract.
It can also lead to heartburn, stomach ache, vomiting, diaper rash, etc. (Read Also– 11 Natural Remedies to Get Rid of Diaper Rash in 24 Hours)
Hence, if you suspect your child has a food allergy, you should consult a pediatrician.
Reflux
Infant reflux is said to be quite common. This is because when babies are born, their lower esophageal sphincter is still undeveloped and this allows contents from the baby’s stomach to move back up into the esophagus.
This situation is usually not a problem unless your baby is having difficulty to sleep due to this reason.
So, here are the ways on how to put a baby to sleep in 40 seconds.
HOW TO PUT A BABY TO SLEEP IN 40 SECONDS: 12 TRICKS FOR PARENTS
1. PLAY WHITE NOISE
White noise is one of the magical ways you can utilize to put a baby to sleep.
It produces a unique sound that can make baby sleep on his own.
This works best because it can mimic the sounds babies hear in the womb.
However, white noise should not be used 24 hours a day.
For a more effective result, you should only use it to calm a crying baby, during the night time to enable the baby to sleep.
But, kindly note that after a while, the calming reflex effect of the white noise goes off.
However, the baby will still be able to identify the connection between white noise and good sleep.
Some mothers continue to utilize white noise even after the baby is grown for different reasons best known to them.
However, caution should be taken when using a white noise because your smartphones release microwave radiation which can be harmful.
Therefore, you should put your phone on airplane mode when you place it near your baby.
Instead of making use of smartphones to play white noise, you can use CD and digital recording because they give you the option of choosing the exact sound and intensity that work best.
You can also include rock and play brand in your baby’s song list.
2. USE A SWADDLE TO PUT A BABY TO SLEEP
This is one of the natural sleep remedies for babies. Swaddling is a firm wrapping of a baby in a cloth or blanket.
It is an ancient way of wrapping a baby and it is commonly used by new mothers also.
However, when swaddling you should be careful and follow these tips below to avoid sudden infant death.
How to Saddle a Baby to Sleep
- You should wrap your baby firmly and not too tight.
- Ensure you place your baby to sleep on her back.
- Make sure you leave the arms of your baby free if she is over 3 months, this gives room for mouth soothing.
- Ensure the baby’s legs and feet can bend at his hip and able to move freely.
- Leave baby head uncovered to avoid heat.
- If you decide to swaddle, ensure you start it from the infant.
- Avoid it during 2-3 months because sudden infant death is more prevalent during this period.
3. STRATEGICALLY USE LIGHT
Did you know that a dark environment or room help to trigger the brain to release which is an important sleep hormone in the body?
Yes, it does and therefore, it is important you keep the room dark at night and allow sunshine to come in during the day.
Also, if your child wakes up during the night, do not turn on the light or take him to a bright room.
Instead, soothe him to sleep back. The baby will fall back to sleep in a few seconds.
4. AVOID EYE CONTACT AT ALL COST
One of the ways of getting a baby to sleep is to avoid eye contact with your baby.
We understand that this method can be difficult to achieve but it is important any form of eye contact.
Once your baby is sleepy, never make eye contact because it brings them back to consciousness.
Instead of making eye contact with a sleepy baby, you should, talk excitedly, or sing her favorite song calmly.
Make sure that you keep your gaze on her belly and soothe her back to sleep with a quiet voice and gentle touch.
5. A WARM BATH
A warm bath is one of the best ways to put a baby to sleep in 40 seconds.
This is because a warm bath is very soothing and relieves the body.
Ensure you incorporate the warm bath into your baby’s regime.
6. MAKE USE OF LAVENDER OIL TO PUT A BABY TO SLEEP
Lavender oil is a safe essential oil for babies. It is one of the natural medicines to help babies sleep.
This oil works due to its calming and sedative components it has.
Giving your baby a body massage with lavender oil can help calm the baby and also put a baby to sleep.
Another way to use lavender oil is to put a few drops on the tissue and place it near the baby’s crib.
A recent study that was carried out revealed that lavender oil is effective in treating colic in babies.
However, you should ensure you dilute the essential oil in the right proportion before applying it to a baby.
Also, check the product label to ensure you are purchasing an authentic and undiluted essential oil.
Read Also–How to Get Rid of Earache at Home: 11 Best Remedies for Ear Pain Relief
7. SWING YOUR BABY
Some babies sleep better in swing or when you swing your little one.
This is because of the rhythmic rocking motion of the swing which may help the baby fall asleep.
You can allow your baby in the swing for a short time while you attend to other things.
If you use a swing to make your baby fall asleep, you should put some factors in place such as:
Don’t pad the swing with a loose pillow or a blanket.
Strap your baby safely, and keep the seat in the most rested position until she can hold up her head unassisted.
Ensure you turn off the swing immediately the baby falls asleep.
8. PLACE A PACIFIER IN THE BABY’S MOUTH
Pacifiers can be used to put a crying baby to sleep.
Pacifiers help to put a baby to sleep by distracting them from what is happening around and enable them to focus on the pacifier.
Apart from helping your baby fall asleep, pacifier also helps to do the below:
- Prevent sudden infant deaths newborns.
- To soothe the baby from general anxiety and fear.
- Your baby stays content for a long time.
- It helps get rid of ear pain from air pressure changes in babies.
9. START A BEDTIME ROUTINE
A bedtime routine is one of the ways to how to put a restless baby to sleep.
A bedtime routine may include a bath, get a baby sleep aid pillow, a body massage, and a soundtrack for sleep, etc.
Most importantly, you should follow the same series of actions so that your baby’s body gets naturally sleepy as the sequence occurs.
With this method, you can make baby sleep on his own.
10. USE THE BLOW TECHNIQUE TO PUT A BABY TO SLEEP
This is an effective technique that you can include in your baby’s sleep time.
It can be used to put the newborn to sleep after breastfeeding.
All you need to do is to gently blow breeze into the baby’s eyes when the baby is struggling with sleep.
This method will dry their eyes just enough that the baby will close her eyes and fall asleep.
This works perfectly for babies of all ages and even toddlers.
11. MAKE USE OF BABY CARRIER
A baby carrier is one of the ways you can get an overtired baby to sleep.
It can also be used on how to put a restless baby to sleep.
Get a baby carrier and place your baby inside it.
You can rock your baby backward and forward to put a baby to sleep.
You can easily wear the baby carrier and go about your daily work while the baby sleeps peacefully in the carrier.
CONCLUSION
To promote a healthy lifestyle, adequate sleep is important for both the mother and the baby.
These tricks above are effective and they can make a tired toddler and a tired baby easily fall asleep.
