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In the first few weeks, your newborn needs to feed every two hours, which overrules her sleeping pattern. At some point, parents get exhausted and need some quality sleep. They start to focus on getting baby to sleep through the night.
According to experts, babies can sleep in 6 hour stretches at three months of age. Babies start sleeping naturally through the night for more than 8 hours uninterrupted, typically after six months. Eliminating night-time feeding, which is recommended after six months, helps the baby sleep through the night.
However, this does not mean that your baby will get to sleep for eight hours continuously. Every baby does things on their timeline. If you feel your baby is ready, you can help her to sleep better.
Related Post: Newborn Sleep: Everything New Moms Should Know
5 Foods That Help Baby Sleep Through the Night
Your baby is old enough to eat some solid foods by the time she/he can sleep through the night. Ensure your baby’s dinner is filing, easy to digest, and nutritious. Research shows that your baby’s diet plays a significant role in their sleep cycle.
Certain foods leave us alert, such as coffee, while others promote sleep. Here are some of the best foods for babies that will aid in the release of sleep-promoting hormones to make the baby feel sleepy soon after dinner:
1. Warm oatmeal
Oatmeal is wholesome, thus extremely nutritious for your baby. Even better, it contains melatonin, which helps to trigger the production of insulin. Insulin helps in sleep induction. Oatmeal may be prepared as porridge or in other ways that are easily digested.
2. Spinach
Green leafy vegetables are essential in the baby’s diet. Spinach is rich in iron, minerals, and vitamins. Green veggies also contain tryptophan, an amino acid that promotes melatonin production.
3. White rice
Rice has a high glycemic index. A study suggests this facilitates better sleep. Brown rice is recommended for babies as its nutrition value is higher. However, white rice has a higher glycemic index than brown rice. Rice is light and easy to digest for your baby.
4. Bananas
Soft and sweet, babies love bananas. Banana contains magnesium, an essential nutrient that allows muscle relaxation. A relaxed baby falls asleep faster and sleeps for longer.
5. Cherries
Just like spinach, cherries contain melatonin. Tart cherries have the highest level of melatonin. For easier feeding, de-seed the cherries and puree them before you feed the baby.
The quality of your baby’s sleep can be further enhanced by your feeding routine. Follow these tips to help your baby sleep longer at night.
• Use a dim light and white noise while feeding to make your baby aware of his/her sleeping time
• Let your baby burp after feeding. The trapped air may wake him/her up later
• Fix a feeding and sleeping schedule. For instance, Feed the Baby at seven if bedtime is at 8. Make it consistent
• Utilize tummy time during the baby’s waking hours. It could improve digestion
Tips to Get Your Baby Sleep Through the Night
1. Put him/her down when drowsy
This is the first step in getting the baby to sleep through the night. When the baby wakes up, she will be at the same spot, she fell asleep. She will probably drift back to sleep.
When the baby goes to sleep in your bed or your arms and wakes up in his crib, it might be disorienting. Put the baby to bed when they are drowsy but aware of his surroundings.
2. Give it Some Time
Allow your baby to self-soothe. How long can you wait? Pick a period that is comfortable for you. Leave the baby to try to sleep without you for some minutes. It could be 4 minutes or even 10.
When your baby wakes up, wait for those minutes before going to check on him/her. Extend your wait time after every few days to make your baby a better sleeper.
3. Understand your baby’s sleeping cues
This will only work if you follow your Baby’s schedule. Yawning and rubbing the eyes will are some sleep cues to help you decipher the ideal bed and nap times. This way, you will be able to set the best routine for your baby.
Over-tiredness is a sleep inhibitor. Good naps help the baby to sleep through the night as they feel more relaxed.
4. Get into a Sleep Routine
Following the same process during bedtime will help your baby learn that it is night time and time to get some sleep. You could bath the baby and play or read a book before bed. Kids learn by association. Use it to your advantage.
5. Swaddling
Babies were previously held tightly in the womb. Recreate the feeling of safety and relaxation to help the baby sleep through the night. Swaddling is also essential for the baby’s development. Ensure you use a good swaddle blanket and leave some space for movement for maximum comfort.
6. Avoid over-stimulating your baby
Everything is new to the baby. Even the tiniest variations will stimulate your baby. When the baby gets over-stimulated, it will take time to settle down, and if he/she sleeps, there’s a likelihood of waking up sooner.
Avoid eye contact with the baby while they get ready for sleep. Keep their room quiet and dim to avoid distractions. Too many objects, shapes, and colors should be avoided.
7. Calm the baby before bedtime
Even for adults, it is not possible to sleep with a restless mind. Calming your baby will help him/her in getting the baby to sleep through the night. You could sing a lullaby, give an infant massage or bath your baby to keep them calm.
8. Stay Relaxed
Be sure to rest enough before taking on teaching the baby how to sleep all night. The process may be challenging at first. Don’t quit trying. The baby needs time to adjust to the new experience.
Even when your baby can sleep through the night, she might have trouble sleeping sometimes. Teething, illness, traveling, and environmental changes are some issues that could disrupt your baby’s sleep.
Try out these eight ways to help your baby to sleep through the night and share your feedback in the comment section below.
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