The best positions for conceiving a child. The best positions for conceiving a child

Young parents sooner or later have to deal with the fact that the baby does not want to fall asleep. There are different reasons for this: teeth are cutting, a tummy hurts, or maybe the baby is hungry or thirsty, he is cold or hot, or he has a cold.

From about two weeks of age, for 3 to 4 months, babies experience colic in the abdomen. This is the most problematic time for both parents and the child, who suffers greatly and cannot sleep peacefully from night to night. From 6 to 7 months, babies begin to cut their teeth. For some children, this process is less painful, but for some, teething is not easy. Today we will consider the question of how to lull a child in such difficult situations.

Your baby needs to develop his own daily routine.. Not a planned day by the hour, but simply to ensure that a certain sequence of actions is followed. For example, we walked, ate, washed and went to bed. How you plan your day is up to you, but there should be some kind of signal that the day is over and you need to go to bed. You can’t explain this to a child in words, and therefore everything must be shown through a sequence of certain actions.

Sometimes the baby just runs wild, captivated by the attention of adults or some new toy. Then it is advisable to calm the child down a little and put him in a lyrical mood. You can turn off the bright light in the room and light a small lamp, because bright light is very annoying. You can sing your baby a song or play some quiet music. It’s very good if the baby falls asleep to one song, then he will use this song as a signal, upon hearing which he will be ready to go to bed.

If the baby starts to fall asleep, there is no need to rush to put him in the crib. You need to wait a little until the baby's breathing is even, deep and slow. Once you are sure that the baby is asleep, you can move him to the crib.

To help your baby fall asleep, you need to read books to him, tell him stories, and you can lightly stroke his back or hair. Many parents notice that no matter how much the child wants to sleep, he does not want to close his eyes. Then you can blow lightly on the baby’s face, or put your hand on the forehead, or do a gentle massage of the eyebrows.

Nothing bothers or upsets a young mother as much as the nightly crying of a baby who often wakes up or cannot fall asleep for a long time.

Here are 20 ways that will help you lull your baby to sleep.

1. The baby must be rocked in a cradle. If you swing it on your hands, then rock it back and forth.

2. You can take your baby on a car trip. Wrap the baby in a blanket, put him in a chair and fasten him in, then start the engine. Running the engine and moving the car is a great way to help your baby fall asleep. It should be noted that it is not at all necessary to ride far - sometimes a few laps around the parking lot can be enough - and the little miracle will begin to snort sweetly.

3. Before going to bed, it is advisable to bathe the baby in warm water. Warm water helps relax the muscles of the body, which makes you want to sleep.

4. Before bedtime, you can breastfeed your baby, and if he is bottle-fed, you can give warm milk just before bedtime. Warm milk contains the natural soothing substance tryptophan.

5. You can also pick up your baby and put him on your shoulder so that his head lies next to your neck under his chin, and you can hum something softly to him or whisper soft words to him. The quiet voice and vibrations that he will hear will also lull him to sleep.

6. It is necessary that the children's room be dark, otherwise, if there is light, the baby will be capricious and will not be able to fall asleep for a long time. It is advisable that the room have dark curtains that will not allow light to pass through.

7. You can also use a sound machine to lull you to sleep, which creates low-level noise. Such sounds are also very good at helping to distract from external sounds. Such sound machines can be humidifiers, air conditioners, and air purifiers.

8. You can fill the children's room with the scents of lavender. Lavender has a calming effect.

9. It is necessary to change the baby's wet diaper or nappy - this will relieve irritation and calm the child. You should always put your baby to bed swaddled in a clean, dry diaper or diaper.

10. Before putting your baby to bed, you need to make sure that his room is neither hot nor cold. Little children are very sensitive to temperature changes, and therefore it is very important to determine whether your little one is overheated or frozen.

eleven . To ensure that no noise disturbs your child's sleep, you need to make sure that the children's room is as quiet as possible. Or you can turn on the sound machine, it will drown out all other sounds with its quiet hum.

12. You can play a light, pleasant melody. Now many supermarkets sell discs with melodies for every taste, and there are discs with a specially selected repertoire of melodies that are good for helping you calm down and relax before bed.

13. It is necessary to make sure that the baby does not have anxiety or nervous tension. According to experts, if the baby had a happy day, then he will have a good sleep, which means that the parents will also sleep normally. A baby, like an adult, can suffer from nervous overstrain, which he may experience before he has time to fall asleep.

14. If your child tries to take off or unbutton his clothes, help him and create a level of comfort so that he can sleep peacefully. Perhaps something is rubbing against him or something has touched him somewhere.

15. Pay attention to how long the child sleeps during the day. You need to adjust your child's sleep during the day so that he is willing to fall asleep at night. However, this does not apply to newborns.

16. If a child is naughty, he needs to be calmed down and can be put to sleep in his own bed. And when he falls asleep, take him to his own crib. This method can be very effective, but you should not use it constantly.

17. It is necessary to develop the habit of going to bed on time in your child, following the established daily routine.

18. In order for the child to fall asleep peacefully, you can use pacifier nipples. But you should not overuse pacifiers, as the baby will become addicted to it and in the future it will be very difficult to get rid of it.

19. If your baby is starting to teethe and it really irritates him, you can use a special anesthetic gel before bed that soothes the gums.

20. You can lightly massage or stroke the baby. This will help the baby calm down and relax before bed. Such touches can calm if the child is irritated. At the same time, listening to a song or a fairy tale told, the baby will fall asleep faster.

Nothing worries and upsets a young mother more than the screaming and crying of a baby who often wakes up at night or cannot fall asleep for a long time. Here are twenty ways to help you lull your baby to sleep peacefully. These methods have been tested more than once and turned out to be truly effective.

1. Rock your baby in the bassinet. Holding your baby in your arms while gently rocking him back and forth is one of the most traditional and effective ways to get your baby to sleep.

2. Take your child for a ride in the car. Wrap him in a diaper or blanket, put him in the car seat, buckle him up, and then start the car engine. The sound of the engine running and the car moving is an effective way to help your baby fall asleep quickly.

3. Before you put your baby to bed, bathe him in warm water in a baby bath. Warm water helps the muscles relax, which naturally helps your baby relax, which can make them sleepy.

4. Breastfeed your baby, and if he is bottle-fed, give him warm milk from a bottle just before it is time to put him to bed. Warm milk contains tryptophan, which is a natural sedative.

5. Take your child in your arms and place him as comfortably as possible on your shoulder so that his head lies near the neck under the chin, and try to hum something in a quiet voice or softly whisper tender words. The vibration of your voice can help lull your baby to sleep.

6. Make sure your child's bedroom is dark. Light can irritate a child, making him moody and unable to fall asleep for a long time. Invest in thick curtains that will provide good protection from sunlight or any other lighting.

7. Use a sound machine to create a constant low level noise. These sounds can also help distract from outside noise. These sound machines can be humidifiers, air conditioners or air purifiers.

8. Fill your child's room with the scent of lavender. The aroma properties of lavender have a calming effect on babies.

9. Sometimes something as simple as changing your baby's wet diaper can stop the irritation and calm your baby. Always put your baby to bed wrapped in a clean, dry swaddle or diaper.

10. Make sure the baby's room is not too hot or too cold. Babies are very sensitive to cold and heat, and it is important to make sure they are not overheated or cold.

11. Does loud noise from children playing outside, loud TV sound, or the roar of construction sites bother your child a lot? Make sure that the child's room is as quiet as possible or turn on any sound machine that will absorb noise from the outside with its quiet noise.

12. Turn on the tape recorder and put on a CD with a quiet and pleasant melody. There are a variety of CDs available in supermarkets that contain tunes to suit all tastes, and there are also CDs that have specific tunes to help you soothe and relax your baby before bed.

13. Make sure your child does not suffer from anxiety or stress. Baby sleep experts say that a baby who has a happy day will have a restful sleep, and his parents will have a restful night. Both adults and infants can suffer from nervous tension, which they may experience again just before they try to fall asleep.

14. If your child is suffering from smelly clothes and is trying to take them off, help him and provide your child with a level of comfort that will allow him to sleep peacefully.

15. Does your child sleep too much during the day? Try to rearrange your child's naps so that he gets into the habit of falling asleep at night. Of course, this does not apply to newborn babies.

16. Soothe your baby by putting him to sleep in your own bed and then taking him to a crib or bassinet. This may be effective as a temporary solution, but it is not recommended to use this method regularly.

17. Develop the habit of falling asleep on time in your baby by following a daily routine. A daily routine is an effective key to developing the habit of consistency for both parents and children.

18. Pacifiers are effective in helping your baby sleep, but you should be wary of them as your baby may become dependent on them, which can be difficult to break over time.

19. Does teething pain bother and irritate your child? Pain-relieving baby teething gel can help soothe sore gums just before you put your baby to bed, and if pain wakes your baby up again, you can reapply the gel four hours later.

20. Massage and stroke your baby. This will help him calm down and be peaceful before bed. Gentle contact can help calm an irritated child. Listening to a song or bedtime story will help him fall asleep faster.

Source: Damotvet.ru

Pediatrician's advice on how to put your child to sleep:
At different periods of life, children fall asleep differently. This is due not so much to their age, but to the fact that children have their own biological clock, with which their daily routine, nutrition, characteristics of the nervous system, and even health status gradually begin to interact. According to research, biological rhythms are genetically fixed in children and are not the result of upbringing or a reaction to environmental changes.

Newborn sleep

A newborn baby sleeps most of the day and wakes up when hungry. But this process has not yet been established in the baby strictly according to the clock. And babies' sleep can vary from a few minutes to 5-6 hours, especially for breastfed children. Don't let this scare you! Gradually, sleep periods will become more clearly defined in time and acquire more defined boundaries. In the meantime, don’t wake up your baby if he suddenly sleeps more than usual during the day. When hungry, the child will announce himself with a loud cry.

And so that differences gradually appear between night sleep and daytime sleep, you can create an atmosphere for sleep. During the day, this could be a curtained window combined with household noise (a TV in the kitchen, the murmur of water, a quiet conversation among household members, or street noise if sleep coincided with a walk). And for the night period of sleep, tightly curtain the windows, dim the night light, turn off or reduce the volume of sound-producing objects (phone, TV), even try to speak more quietly. Just before bedtime, you can bathe your baby, which will gradually become a kind of “signal” for him to fall asleep. Thus, all of the above actions will constitute a certain “going to bed” ritual.

How to help your child fall asleep?

It’s good if after feeding you put the sleeping baby in the crib (or in the stroller for a walk), and he continues to sleep sweetly. And if not? After feeding a child who has not yet fallen asleep, you can simply rock him in your arms. By gently rocking and stroking, you calm the baby, gently acting on his vestibular apparatus (rocking) and on the nervous system (stroking).

You can just walk around with the baby in your arms. Place the sleeping child in his crib. If for some reason you cannot rock in your arms, then use an ordinary stroller. Of course, you don’t need to shake the stroller vigorously, otherwise the baby in it will shake and not rock. And this will already have a negative impact. Some cribs have wheels, which can also be used to rock a baby to sleep. If your crib stands firmly on legs, then at first use a stroller instead, even at home.

Baby's position in the crib

But now the baby has fallen asleep, he has to be transferred to his crib. On the back, on the tummy or on the side? All these provisions have their positive and negative aspects.

In the 90s, studies were conducted that revealed a certain relationship between a baby sleeping on his stomach and an increase in the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). This is the name for the sudden death of a child in the first year of life (especially the first to fourth month) for unknown reasons, against the background of complete health, often at night and in the early morning hours.

Neither a detailed study of the baby’s medical history nor the results of a pathological examination help explain the reasons for this phenomenon. So far, only the factors influencing sudden death have been clarified, by which it is possible to identify children at risk and carry out preventive measures for them. There is no special treatment for this pathology.

But the supine position also has its disadvantages. In this position, children suffering from regurgitation and vomiting may choke on vomit. And with an underdeveloped frenulum, the tongue can also easily sink. Therefore, it is preferable to place the child alternately on one side or the other.

However, you should also not forget about the position on the stomach, since in this position it is easier for gases to escape from the baby’s swollen belly, the back muscles are strengthened, and the correct position of the hip joints is formed. And if you do not risk putting your baby to sleep on his stomach at night, then you can easily do this during the day when the baby is under your control.

Sleeping in the parents' bedroom

In the first months of life, it is optimal for the baby to sleep in the parents' bedroom. Place the baby crib next to yours and lower the side rail. This way you will be in close proximity to your baby, but the baby will sleep in his own crib. And you won’t have to jump up several times at night (sometimes to cry, and sometimes just listen to your baby’s breathing), and you will get the opportunity to get some restful sleep.

It will be convenient for you to feed your baby at night, and then, without getting up, transfer him to his crib. And don't forget to rock your baby! Let it be just a purr, but the main thing is that your native voice will sound, even if you are humming pages from a textbook. The most important thing is your calm intonation.

At this age, it takes about 16-20 hours to sleep, regardless of the time of day. Sleep periods can last from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Sleep pattern for six months

But the child is growing, now he is already six months old. Sleep time decreases. He no longer tries to fall asleep after eating. Now what you did long and hard at the very beginning will come in handy: creating a bedtime ritual. And already seeing such preparations, it will be easier for the baby to calm down and fall asleep; this will happen almost reflexively. But some changes will have to be made. Since the child is becoming more and more active, it is better to switch from active games to calmer ones 40-50 minutes before bedtime.

Even if your baby's nap lasts no more than 45 minutes per session, don't let this scare you. But try to have at least three such visits.

Sleep after a year

Here we are one year old. The child sleeps during the day only 2 times a day for 1.5-2 hours, and night sleep has lengthened to 10-12 hours. If your baby sleeps in the same bed with you, then during daytime sleep you can begin a gradual transition to sleeping in your own crib.

The fact that the baby’s crib is very close to your bed, and you are nearby (that is, you also lie down, but in your own place), will calm the child and create the appearance of sleeping in the same bed. And the baby will fall asleep much faster than if he is suddenly and immediately put alone.

To do this, hug the baby and start calmly humming a song, switching to monotonous rocking. It's better if the song is always the same. Rhythmic snoring (imitating the breathing of a sleeping person) is a very effective method: the baby falls asleep faster under this sniffing. And always try to put your baby to bed at the same time.

There are children who, already at this age, are ready to switch to a nap once a day. In this case, do not force him to go to bed twice, it is better to start going to bed earlier.

The ritual of transition to night sleep is gradually acquiring additions. It’s good if you and your baby start putting away toys at night, prepare pajamas and some soft toy that the child likes to play with. Since the baby already understands many words, it is better to sing him a lullaby, or just a song, but pages from a textbook are no longer suitable. You can replace the song with a rhyme. It’s good to list all relatives, killing two birds with one stone: to cradle the child and introduce him to your ancestry. But, as before, a calm, soothing intonation is important.

Children cannot immediately fall asleep soundly; at first they plunge into a superficial sleep, which can easily be interrupted by any irritant. Therefore, if you want to go about your business after being lulled to sleep, be patient a little longer, just a few minutes, until you see that the baby’s facial muscles have relaxed, the fingers that were holding something tightly have unclenched, and the baby has fallen asleep deeply. Then you can safely leave the child to continue dreaming.

By the age of one year, the baby's need for sleep decreases to 13-14 hours, of which 2.5-3 hours are occupied by daytime sleep. Thus, night sleep lasts only 10-11 hours.

When mom is around...

If your baby “warmed up” and fell asleep in your bed, keep in mind that he fell asleep in a certain temperature environment. Therefore, before moving your baby, warm his crib so that he is also comfortable and does not wake up. However, his crib can still be next to your bed. But time after time, move the crib further away under some plausible excuse (it’s more convenient to read a book, etc.).

At night, the baby can run from his crib to visit you. Don't scold or drive. It’s better to let the baby fall asleep again and take him back. Or return the fugitive to his crib immediately, but sit with him until sleep closes his eyes. Over time, such nightly outings will become less and less frequent, and someday you will begin to miss them, and the baby will already grow up.

By this time, many children have already switched to one nap during the day, which takes 2-2.5 hours. Usually this is in the afternoon. But now the child is more jealous of making sure that his mother does not leave while he falls asleep. Remember that children are very sensitive to whether you are in a hurry or simply nervous. Then, as if “as luck would have it,” they will calm down longer than usual. Therefore, abandon your problems, and the baby will fall asleep much faster.

You should also remain calm and calm when your child delays going to bed in every possible way, finding a bunch of reasons for this - from “drinking and peeing” to “reading more.” This is very difficult; it’s easier to follow your child’s lead and give up on the regime. Nevertheless, here you need to show courage and perseverance and bring the resisting baby to a sweet sleep. Naturally, the child can be naughty and even cry. The main thing for you will be not to get angry and not to punish the baby. Sleep cannot be punished, it is not a duty. And your calm voice and firm intentions will gradually calm the baby.

Nightmares

Some children may experience nightmares as they approach the age of two. They may begin to be afraid to fall asleep in the dark, and even more so alone. Help your child cope with this! Tell a good bedtime story, give a soft toy, do not turn off the light completely, leave the night light on weakly and stay with it until you fall asleep. Your hand gently stroking it will be a strong sedative. And the baby will understand that his mother will not let anyone hurt him, will drive away all the villains, will protect him from all monsters.

The transition to night sleep should be accompanied by good, positive emotions, because already at 2 years old children begin to dream. So let him dream of something good.

Sleep patterns at two years old

Daytime naps still take about two hours. But some children at this age are already beginning to violently protest against daytime sleep. Listen to your child and yourself. If naptime is the result of a long struggle on your part and a desperate cry on the part of your baby, is it worth the effort? Indeed, in this case, it will not be a dream of joy, but a dream of punishment, tortured, and the child will sob resentfully for a long time. Maybe it’s worth switching to just relaxing after lunch (a quiet book or just lying down without falling asleep)? Should I move my nighttime sleep 1-1.5 hours earlier? This way you will keep your and your baby’s nervous system calm.

Sleep at three years old

From the age of three, many children begin to attend kindergarten, where there is one regime for everyone. And if you tried to listen to your baby, to his needs from birth, then by this age the child, with your help, has already switched to a very similar regime. You may just need to move up your time frame.

And to communicate with your baby, you still have a bedtime ritual. After dinner, let him try to put away his toys himself, take out his favorite book, which you read to him at night, even if you are reading it for the hundred-fifth time (this is part of the ritual). He will perform his evening dressing in the bathroom and put on his favorite pajamas. And you mute the sound of the TV or receiver, and say good night to everyone in the household together with your child. And, having settled comfortably - the baby is in the crib, you are side by side, read a fairy tale in a quiet, monotonous voice. It’s good if there are a lot of enumerations in a fairy tale, this creates a feeling of motion sickness. And so, without even listening to the end, the baby plunged into the world of the fairy tale he had just read...

If your baby is afraid of the dark, leave the night light on. You can call it magical. Turn off the lights and stay a little close to your baby with the night light on. Show him that there is no one in the room but you.

Remind your baby that his favorite bunny or teddy bear is waiting for him in his crib and has been wanting to sleep for a long time.
Develop a positive attitude towards sleep in your baby as something interesting. Tune your child into thinking that he will dream about a fairy tale.
If the child starts crying after you leave, come back, but not right away. Try to calm him down without lingering near the crib.
If you have a conflict, try to resolve it without exciting your baby or getting irritated yourself. Before going to bed, it is better to part ways on good terms.
Good night baby!

You will need:

Night light

Sometimes the process of babies falling asleep quickly depends on the correctly created atmosphere in the room. This is where they come to the rescue all kinds of night lights. Modern industry allows you to choose the most suitable option.

For example, after feeding, we put the baby in the crib, turn it on and observe his reaction.

In 99% of cases, the result is positive, and within a minute the baby begins to slowly fall asleep. In this version of the night light, it is possible to add your favorite melody, because soporific music has an equally beneficial effect.

Lamp in the form of an animal

From birth, children intuitively trust animals and are drawn to them. That is why most lamps look like animals, looking at which the child calms down and plunges into the kingdom of sleep.

Particularly popular are butterfly night lights and fruits. They are not only bright and beautiful, but also easy to use.

Mobile

The mobile is one of the things that also helps put the little one to sleep quickly. It may not always happen instantly, but you don’t have to wait long for results.

The main thing is that from the first days the baby gets used to lying on the sofa on his own, then he will be able to close his eyes and sleep soundly to his favorite melody and the dancing movements of beautiful animals.

Order the fun you like and make your baby happy.

Electric swings, sun loungers

It's much easier for modern mothers. Previously, women did not know and could not imagine that such lifesavers would appear that would put a crying child to sleep in a couple of minutes. It is enough to put a child in a chair, smile, stay next to him so that he understands the safety of this wonder and that’s it.

The rocking chair will slowly rock, at this time a quiet melody plays, soft toys sway in front of the child’s eyes, and the eyelids become heavier and heavier, the baby falls asleep sweetly...


You don't even need to leave your home to purchase them. You can order a swing at , selected according to individual requirements. The cost varies, which allows every family with a child to have such a lifesaver at home.

Some models even have a remote control, which makes mom’s life much easier :)

Rocking bed

This bed is the best way to put your baby to sleep. Parents come up with all sorts of tricks to make the swinging process easier: using their hands, their feet, and tying ropes. These things work great and help put an overexcited child to sleep faster.

Kangaroos, slings, backpacks

Products in this category are truly presented in a huge range. Many colors, shapes, and purposes make them very popular and useful for modern mothers.

A baby's ideal sleep is when he is pressed to his mother's breast. If you have pain in your arms, back, and are desperately short of time, slings are ideal. They “untie” women’s hands, worry about their health and greatly facilitate the process of motion sickness.

Fitball

This is a big fitness ball. When you are tired of songs, noise, and your arms and legs are incredibly tired, sit down with your baby on a fitball and swing. You will not only lull your baby to sleep, but also pump up your gluteal muscles. This is another reason to order yourself a ball.

Such movements will be no worse than a swing, the baby will immediately feel the right rhythm, and you will simply adapt to it. At this time, you can watch your favorite movie, listen to an interesting program or audiobook on headphones.

Music

The most unusual repertoire can become a soothing melody. Children are great connoisseurs of art, even more than their parents.

Try to experiment with genres, discover new directions, and then you will be able to say with accuracy which melody pleasantly excites the baby, leads to hysterics or lulls you to sleep.

You can even buy a children's tape recorder in the shape of an animal, for example. Then the child will become very interested in the “singing” bear or rabbit.

Dictaphone

With the arrival of the baby, it would be a good idea to buy a good voice recorder, or, in extreme cases, a telephone will do. After all, you can always make a copy of your favorite melody, voice, birdsong, the ringing of bells, the cute purring of cats, the sound of a waterfall, and so on.

Water

In a situation where there is a small child in the family, and the neighbors are doing renovations or like to listen to rock music, experts advise putting the child to sleep in the bathroom with the door closed and the water tap open.

This sound will help put the baby to sleep in a few minutes, and the increased humidity will improve the condition of the nasal passages, and sleep will become much deeper.

Monotonous humming sounds

This will seem strange to many, but it is the third-party sound that helps to bring the child out of hysteria, to distract him, and the monotony perfectly lulls him to sleep: a hairdryer, a vacuum cleaner, an inhaler. These products should definitely become your friends, but unless the baby is afraid of such sounds, otherwise the situation can seriously worsen.

Automobile

An exciting trip will help you take your mind off the hustle and bustle and problems. Slowly, leisurely, with a quiet melody behind the wheel of your favorite car, you will not even notice how you will put your child to sleep, relax mentally, physically and look at the world with a smile. You just need to choose a quieter and calmer route. It is advisable to take a ride somewhere outside the city so that a large number of cars, pedestrians, signs and traffic lights do not distract you.

Sometimes it is enough to put the car seat in the back seat, start the engine and very soon you will hear the baby sniffling.

If your family has a car, you should definitely buy a child seat for the car. You can't skimp on safety!

Walk in the fresh air

Even if you don’t have the strength, it’s better to spend 15 minutes walking with a stroller than spending several hours lulling to sleep.

Fresh air, the noise of leaves, and the movement of the stroller have a beneficial effect on the child’s nervous system, promoting quick sleep and sound sleep.

Expert review

We present a comparative table with ratings of all methods. The maximum score (10) was awarded to the most effective methods that make the baby fall asleep the fastest, and they also take the least amount of mother’s time and effort. Next are options that require more patience while the child calms down and falls asleep, as well as the participation of an adult.

  • Rocking bed 10
  • Electric swings, sun loungers 10
  • Water 9
  • Car 9
  • Night light 9
  • Walk in the fresh air 9
  • Monotonous humming sounds 8
  • Mobile 8
  • Cozy nest 8
  • Voice recorder 8
  • Lamp in the form of an animal 8
  • Fitball 8
  • Music 7
  • Kangaroos, slings, backpacks 7
  • Massage 7
  • Warm towel 7

This is our subjective assessment. For each child an individual approach. Therefore, try different methods and find the one that suits your baby.

Conclusion

Conclusion

By choosing the right method for your child, you can forget for a long time about the problem of your baby not falling asleep for a long time. But a child of the first year of life may not sleep because something is bothering him, but he cannot say that he is in pain. Over time, the mother learns to recognize crying and knows how to help the baby: smear the gums with gel, give dill water, light a candle, and so on. Therefore, a child’s first aid kit should always be filled with essentials so that everything is at hand at the right time.

Nothing worries and upsets a young mother more than the screaming and crying of a baby who often wakes up at night or cannot fall asleep for a long time. Here are twenty ways to help you lull your baby to sleep so that he can sleep peacefully. These methods have been tested more than once and turned out to be truly effective.

1. Rock your baby in the bassinet. Holding your baby in your arms while gently rocking him back and forth is one of the most traditional and effective ways to get your baby to sleep.

2. Take your child for a ride in the car. Wrap him in a diaper or blanket, put him in the car seat, buckle him up, and then start the car engine. The sound of the engine running and the car moving is an effective way to help your baby fall asleep quickly.

3. Before you put your baby to bed, bathe him in warm water in a baby bath. Warm water helps the muscles relax, which naturally helps your baby relax, which can make them sleepy.

4. Breastfeed your baby, and if he is bottle-fed, give him warm milk from a bottle just before it is time to put him to bed. Warm milk contains tryptophan, which is a natural sedative.

5. Take your child in your arms and place him as comfortably as possible on your shoulder so that his head lies near the neck under the chin, and try to hum something in a quiet voice or softly whisper tender words. The vibration of your voice can help lull your baby to sleep.

6. Make sure your child's bedroom is dark. Light can irritate a child, making him moody and unable to fall asleep for a long time. Invest in thick curtains that will provide good protection from sunlight or any other lighting.

7. Use a sound machine to create a constant low level noise. These sounds can also help distract from outside noise. These sound machines can be humidifiers, air conditioners or air purifiers.

8. Fill your child's room with the scent of lavender. The aroma properties of lavender have a calming effect on babies.

9. Sometimes something as simple as changing your baby's wet diaper can stop the irritation and calm your baby. Always put your baby to bed wrapped in a clean, dry swaddle or diaper.

10. Make sure the baby's room is not too hot or too cold. Babies are very sensitive to cold and heat, and it is important to make sure they are not overheated or cold.

11. Does loud noise from children playing outside, loud TV sound, or the roar of construction sites bother your child a lot? Make sure that the child's room is as quiet as possible or turn on any sound machine that will absorb noise from the outside with its quiet noise.

12. Turn on the tape recorder and put on a CD with a quiet and pleasant melody. There are a variety of CDs available in supermarkets that contain tunes to suit all tastes, and there are also CDs that have specific tunes to help you soothe and relax your baby before bed.

13. Make sure your child does not suffer from anxiety or stress. Baby sleep experts say that a baby who has a happy day will have a restful sleep, and his parents will have a restful night. Both adults and infants can suffer from nervous tension, which they may experience again just before they try to fall asleep.

14. If your child is suffering from smelly clothes and is trying to take them off, help him and provide your child with a level of comfort that will allow him to sleep peacefully.

15. Does your child sleep too much during the day? Try to rearrange your child's naps so that he gets into the habit of falling asleep at night. Of course, this does not apply to newborn babies.

16. Soothe your baby by putting him to sleep in your own bed and then taking him to a crib or bassinet. This may be effective as a temporary solution, but it is not recommended to use this method regularly.

17. Develop the habit of falling asleep on time in your baby by following a daily routine. A daily routine is an effective key to developing the habit of consistency for both parents and children.

18. Pacifiers are effective in helping your baby sleep, but you should be wary of them as your baby may become dependent on them, which can be difficult to break over time.

19. Does teething pain bother and irritate your child? Pain-relieving baby teething gel can help soothe sore gums just before you put your baby to bed, and if pain wakes your baby up again, you can reapply the gel four hours later.

20. Massage and stroke your baby. This will help him calm down and be peaceful before bed. Gentle contact can help calm an irritated child. Listening to a song or bedtime story will help him fall asleep faster.

source: Damotvet.ru

Pediatrician's advice on how to put your child to sleep:

At different periods of life, children fall asleep differently. This is due not so much to their age, but to the fact that children have their own biological clock, with which their daily routine, nutrition, characteristics of the nervous system, and even health status gradually begin to interact. According to research, biological rhythms are genetically fixed in children and are not the result of upbringing or a reaction to environmental changes.

Newborn sleep

A newborn baby sleeps most of the day and wakes up when hungry. But this process has not yet been established in the baby strictly according to the clock. And babies' sleep can vary from a few minutes to 5-6 hours, especially for breastfed children. Don't let this scare you! Gradually, sleep periods will become more clearly defined in time and acquire more defined boundaries. In the meantime, don’t wake up your baby if he suddenly sleeps more than usual during the day. When hungry, the child will announce himself with a loud cry.

And so that differences gradually appear between night sleep and daytime sleep, you can create an atmosphere for sleep. During the day, this could be a curtained window combined with household noise (a TV in the kitchen, the murmur of water, a quiet conversation among household members, or street noise if sleep coincided with a walk). And for the night period of sleep, tightly curtain the windows, dim the night light, turn off or reduce the volume of sound-producing objects (telephone, TV), even try to speak more quietly. Just before bedtime, you can bathe your baby, which will gradually become a kind of “signal” for him to fall asleep. Thus, all of the above actions will constitute a certain “going to bed” ritual.

How to help your child fall asleep?

It’s good if after feeding you put the sleeping baby in the crib (or in the stroller for a walk), and he continues to sleep sweetly. And if not? After feeding a child who has not yet fallen asleep, you can simply rock him in your arms. By gently rocking and stroking, you calm the baby, gently acting on his vestibular apparatus (rocking) and on the nervous system (stroking).

You can just walk around with the baby in your arms. Place the sleeping child in his crib. If for some reason you cannot rock in your arms, then use an ordinary stroller. Of course, you don’t need to shake the stroller vigorously, otherwise the baby in it will shake and not rock. And this will already have a negative impact. Some cribs have wheels, which can also be used to rock a baby to sleep. If your crib stands firmly on legs, then at first use a stroller instead, even at home.

Baby's position in the crib

But now the baby has fallen asleep, he has to be transferred to his crib. On the back, on the tummy or on the side? All these provisions have their positive and negative aspects.

In the 90s, studies were conducted that revealed a certain relationship between a baby sleeping on his stomach and an increase in the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). This is the name for the sudden death of a child in the first year of life (especially the first to fourth month) for unknown reasons, against the background of complete health, often at night and in the early morning hours.

Neither a detailed study of the baby’s medical history nor the results of a pathological examination help explain the reasons for this phenomenon. So far, only the factors influencing sudden death have been clarified, by which it is possible to identify children at risk and carry out preventive measures for them. There is no special treatment for this pathology.

But the supine position also has its disadvantages. In this position, children suffering from regurgitation and vomiting may choke on vomit. And with an underdeveloped frenulum, the tongue can also easily sink. Therefore, it is preferable to place the child alternately on one side or the other.

However, you should also not forget about the position on the stomach, since in this position it is easier for gases to escape from the baby’s swollen belly, the back muscles are strengthened, and the correct position of the hip joints is formed. And if you do not risk putting your baby to sleep on his stomach at night, then you can easily do this during the day when the baby is under your control.

Sleeping in the parents' bedroom

In the first months of life, it is optimal for the baby to sleep in the parents' bedroom. Place the baby crib next to yours and lower the side rail. This way you will be in close proximity to your baby, but the baby will sleep in his own crib. And you won’t have to jump up several times at night (sometimes to cry, and sometimes just listen to your baby’s breathing), and you will get the opportunity to get some restful sleep.

It will be convenient for you to feed your baby at night, and then, without getting up, transfer him to his crib. And don't forget to rock your baby! Let it be just a purr, but the main thing is that your native voice will sound, even if you are humming pages from a textbook. The most important thing is your calm intonation.

At this age, it takes about 16-20 hours to sleep, regardless of the time of day. Sleep periods can last from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Sleep pattern for six months

But the child is growing, now he is already six months old. Sleep time decreases. He no longer tries to fall asleep after eating. Now what you did long and hard at the very beginning will come in handy: creating a bedtime ritual. And already seeing such preparations, it will be easier for the baby to calm down and fall asleep; this will happen almost reflexively. But some changes will have to be made. Since the child is becoming more and more active, it is better to switch from active games to calmer ones 40-50 minutes before bedtime.

Even if your baby's nap lasts no more than 45 minutes per session, don't let this scare you. But try to have at least three such visits.

Sleep after a year

Here we are one year old. The child sleeps during the day only 2 times a day for 1.5-2 hours, and night sleep has lengthened to 10-12 hours. If your baby sleeps in the same bed with you, then during daytime sleep you can begin a gradual transition to sleeping in your own crib.

The fact that the baby’s crib is very close to your bed, and you are nearby (that is, you also lie down, but in your own place), will calm the child and create the appearance of sleeping in the same bed. And the baby will fall asleep much faster than if he is suddenly and immediately put alone.

To do this, hug the baby and start calmly humming a song, switching to monotonous rocking. It's better if the song is always the same. Rhythmic snoring (imitating the breathing of a sleeping person) is a very effective method: the baby falls asleep faster under this sniffing. And always try to put your baby to bed at the same time.

There are children who, already at this age, are ready to switch to a nap once a day. In this case, do not force him to go to bed twice, it is better to start going to bed earlier.

The ritual of transition to night sleep is gradually acquiring additions. It’s good if you and your baby start putting away toys at night, prepare pajamas and some soft toy that the child likes to play with. Since the baby already understands many words, it is better to sing him a lullaby, or just a song, but pages from a textbook are no longer suitable. You can replace the song with a rhyme. It’s good to list all relatives, killing two birds with one stone: to cradle the child and introduce him to your ancestry. But, as before, a calm, soothing intonation is important.

Children cannot immediately fall asleep soundly; at first they plunge into a superficial sleep, which can easily be interrupted by any irritant. Therefore, if you want to go about your business after being lulled to sleep, be patient a little longer, just a few minutes, until you see that the baby’s facial muscles have relaxed, the fingers that were holding something tightly have unclenched, and the baby has fallen asleep deeply. Then you can safely leave the child to continue dreaming.

By the age of one year, the baby's need for sleep decreases to 13-14 hours, of which 2.5-3 hours are occupied by daytime sleep. Thus, night sleep lasts only 10-11 hours.

When mom is around...

If your baby “warmed up” and fell asleep in your bed, keep in mind that he fell asleep in a certain temperature environment. Therefore, before moving your baby, warm his crib so that he is also comfortable and does not wake up. However, his crib can still be next to your bed. But time after time, move the crib further away under some plausible excuse (it’s more convenient to read a book, etc.).

At night, the baby can run from his crib to visit you. Don't scold or drive. It’s better to let the baby fall asleep again and take him back. Or return the fugitive to his crib immediately, but sit with him until sleep closes his eyes. Over time, such nightly outings will become less and less frequent, and someday you will begin to miss them, and the baby will already grow up.

By this time, many children have already switched to one nap during the day, which takes 2-2.5 hours. Usually this is in the afternoon. But now the child is more jealous of making sure that his mother does not leave while he falls asleep. Remember that children are very sensitive to whether you are in a hurry or simply nervous. Then, as if “as luck would have it,” they will calm down longer than usual. Therefore, abandon your problems, and the baby will fall asleep much faster.

You should also remain calm and calm when your child delays going to bed in every possible way, finding a bunch of reasons for this - from “drinking and peeing” to “reading more.” This is very difficult; it’s easier to follow your child’s lead and give up on the regime. Nevertheless, here you need to show courage and perseverance and bring the resisting baby to a sweet sleep. Naturally, the child can be naughty and even cry. The main thing for you will be not to get angry and not to punish the baby. Sleep cannot be punished, it is not a duty. And your calm voice and firm intentions will gradually calm the baby.

Nightmares

Some children may experience nightmares as they approach the age of two. They may begin to be afraid to fall asleep in the dark, and even more so alone. Help your child cope with this! Tell a good bedtime story, give a soft toy, do not turn off the light completely, leave the night light on weakly and stay with it until you fall asleep. Your hand gently stroking it will be a strong sedative. And the baby will understand that his mother will not let anyone hurt him, will drive away all the villains, will protect him from all monsters.

The transition to night sleep should be accompanied by good, positive emotions, because already at 2 years old children begin to dream. So let him dream of something good.

Sleep patterns at two years old

Daytime naps still take about two hours. But some children at this age are already beginning to violently protest against daytime sleep. Listen to your child and yourself. If naptime is the result of a long struggle on your part and a desperate cry on the part of your baby, is it worth the effort? Indeed, in this case, it will not be a dream of joy, but a dream of punishment, tortured, and the child will sob resentfully for a long time. Maybe it’s worth switching to just relaxing after lunch (a quiet book or just lying down without falling asleep)? Should I move my nighttime sleep 1-1.5 hours earlier? This way you will keep your and your baby’s nervous system calm.

Sleep at three years old

From the age of three, many children begin to attend kindergarten, where there is one regime for everyone. And if you tried to listen to your baby, to his needs from birth, then by this age the child, with your help, has already switched to a very similar regime. You may just need to move up your time frame.

And to communicate with your baby, you still have a bedtime ritual. After dinner, let him try to put away his toys himself, take out his favorite book, which you read to him at night, even if you are reading it for the hundred-fifth time (this is part of the ritual). He will perform his evening dressing in the bathroom and put on his favorite pajamas. And you mute the sound of the TV or receiver, and say good night to everyone in the household together with your child. And, having settled comfortably - the baby is in the crib, you are side by side, read a fairy tale in a quiet, monotonous voice. It’s good if there are a lot of enumerations in a fairy tale, this creates a feeling of motion sickness. And so, without even listening to the end, the baby plunged into the world of the fairy tale he had just read...

Adviсe

If your baby is afraid of the dark, leave the night light on. You can call it magical. Turn off the lights and stay a little close to your baby with the night light on. Show him that there is no one in the room but you.

  • Remind your baby that his favorite bunny or teddy bear is waiting for him in his crib and has been wanting to sleep for a long time.
  • Develop a positive attitude towards sleep in your baby as something interesting. Tune your child into thinking that he will dream about a fairy tale.
  • If the child starts crying after you leave, come back, but not right away. Try to calm him down without lingering near the crib.
  • If you have a conflict, try to resolve it without exciting your baby or getting irritated yourself. Before going to bed, it is better to part ways on good terms.

Good night baby!

Lada Starostina Pediatrician, Clinic of Children's Diseases named after. Sechenov

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