Parents are no stranger to sleepless nights. But while a crying baby who refuses to sleep at bedtime is part and parcel of parenthood, it still helps to find strategies to manage it. Here are some tips para sa mahimbing na tulog ni baby.
Calm your baby
The home remedies for sleepless babies include calming their senses. Experts say that this step reduces their cortisol levels, which is the hormone that energizes them.
Mommies often calm their babies by rocking them gently or singing lullabies. In case these classic practices don’t work, consider these doctor-approved steps:
- Baby massage
- Bathing and changing them into fresh clothes and nappy.
- Swaddling; you can only do this until they begin to roll.
- Dimming the lights
- White noise or tranquil sounds
- Feeding them until they are drowsy or relaxed, but still awake.
The key is to reduce activity close to bedtime and induce relaxation in babies.
Create a schedule
Interestingly, experts emphasize that mahimbing na tulog ni baby can be achieved through a sleep-wake schedule. They may be too young to understand time, but their body responds well to regularity and patterns.
Pediatricians advise having soothing activities (such as those we mentioned above) that signal the end of the day.
An additional tip would be to make sure that you put them to sleep where they are regularly supposed to sleep.
Many moms often let their babies fall asleep in their arms because it works. But if this always happens, there’s a chance that they may expect you to always carry them in your arms when it’s bedtime.
Important: Letting babies sleep in your arms is also risky since you might fall asleep, and the baby might end up in a dangerous position.
Once you create a schedule, try not to disrupt it. However, if things are not working out, you can make some adjustments. For example, your child may need earlier nap times or be woken up for feeding close to midnight if it would help them sleep through the night.
For older babies, consider a transitional object
A transitional object could help achieve mahimbing na tulog ni baby. Transitional objects are things that babies can take with them to bed; it could be a doll, a blanket, or anything the child chooses to ease anxiety. Experts say transitional objects physically represent their “first external object,” which is usually the mother.
However, be sure to only give a transitional object to older babies who can roll over and sit. This is to reduce the risk of suffocation.
Don’t panic during late-night awakenings
And finally, the home remedies for sleepless babies include handling late-night awakenings calmly.
It’s usual for mommies to immediately pick up their baby when they wake up in the middle of the night. However, experts say it may not be that beneficial.
What you can do instead is to wait it out for a few minutes. Many babies squirm and cry a little before falling back to sleep; if that’s the case with your little one, carrying them might only fully wake them up.
If they don’t stop crying, you can console them by talking softly and patting them gently. Should you feel they have fully woken up because of hunger or wet nappy, attend to their needs as quietly and gently as possible. Keep the lights dimmed and only lightly move them.
Guidelines for Safety
Before we end this discussion about mahimbing na tulog ni baby, let’s have a little review of the following safety guidelines regarding baby sleep:
- Room sharing is encouraged, but bed-sharing increases the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
- Use a firm mattress and make sure that the sheet fits snugly.
- Avoid over-bundling your little one.
- If they like it, you can give them a pacifier. If it falls during the night while they are sleeping, you don’t need to replace it.
- Don’t put anything else in the crib. You can give them a transitional object, but only if the child is have grown and strong enough to roll over and sit.
Consult your baby’s pediatrician if nighttime disruptions persist.
Learn more about Baby Care here.
