Newborn sleep tips

We thought it was time to revisit the topic of newborn sleep, since you can never have too much help or advice! Parenting a newborn baby can be such a demanding role, one which admittedly does not last long in the grand scheme of things, but it can be hard to see that when you’re in the thick of it all. So here are some newborn sleep tips that just might get you a few more hours…

Swaddle!

We cannot recommend it enough. See this post for tips on how to do it safely, and why it is so good for newborn babies. Any questions, let us know and we’ll be happy to answer them.

White noise

We wrote about the power of white noise a little while back and we thought it a good idea to reiterate just how helpful it can be. If you don’t have a machine or toy that omits white noise, there are many apps for your phone that you can download, or you could just stick the fan on in your bedroom (facing away from baby) if needs be. Try it and see if it helps.

Babywearing

Sometimes you just need a free pair of hands to get stuff done! If your newborn likes to be with you all day (and see this post on the fourth trimesterto find out why) then babywearing might be the answer for you. Read more about the benefits here.

Pacifier

There are some who will and some who won’t like to give their baby a pacifier. The fact is that some babies have a strong sucking reflex and a pacifier helps with this. If you’re concerned about using a pacifier, see this post for tips.

If all else fails…

Sometimes we can try all the tricks in the book and our babies just will not settle. Speak to your health provider if you’re concerned about anything, and seek refuge in your friends and family. Don’t try to do it all by yourself otherwise you’ll find yourself burning out. And remember, as obvious as it is, this really will soon pass. Sleep training is not recommended for newborn babies for many reasons, and its important to remember that they are supposed to wake regularly for feeds. So try to ride with it as much as you can, accept help when its offered (and ask for it when its not) and remember that you’re doing a fantastic job!