Tips For Getting Your Baby To Sleep

You've been waiting for this moment all day. After countless feedings, diaper changes, clean-ups and chores… it's finally the end of the day, and it's time for your baby to go to bed so you can get some thoroughly well-deserved rest.

However, there's just one thing in the way… sometimes bub just doesn't want to go to sleep! This can be one of the biggest obstacles to overcome, but fortunately, there are methods you can use to help your baby to settle down more quickly. Here are our tips to help your baby unwind so you both can get some much-needed sleep after a long day!

Swaddling

Swaddling is an incredibly popular, time-honoured method of settling babies down to help them sleep. This is because tight swaddling replicates the feeling of being in the womb, where your little one has just spent the last nine months! As well as calming and soothing your baby, swaddling also offers a number of benefits that help your baby sleep more soundly, including preventing them from startling themselves awake and keeping them cosy and warm. Be sure to follow the guidelines and recommendations of health organisations, as well as your paediatrician, to ensure you are swaddling your baby correctly and safely.

Reading to your baby

Many parents like to add reading to their little ones' bedtime routines as they find it helps them settle down. While they may not understand the words or the plot, your baby loves to listen to the soothing sound of your voice because it makes them feel happy, safe and secure – especially if it's combined with snuggling up close to you! Reading is also fantastic for bonding with your bub, so next time your little one has trouble falling asleep, pick up a bedtime story in one hand and hold your little one close with your other arm to help them drift off.

Check out our blog on reading to your baby here.

White noise

Using white noise can also be an effective way of helping your baby fall asleep. After nine months in the womb, your baby is used to low, swooshing sounds such as your breathing, your heart beating, your blood flowing and your muffled voice. White noise that replicates these sounds can be comforting to your baby as they adjust to life outside of the womb, helping them fall asleep faster! You can get a white noise machine to do this for you (make sure the sound level doesn't exceed recommended noise limits) or soothe your baby yourself the old-fashioned way – by "shhhhh" ing your child until they settle. Of course, since every baby is different, not all babies will respond well to white noise, so if this is the case for your little one you may want to try something else!

Dummy

Sucking on a dummy can be a great source of comfort for your little one, and it's also a popular way amongst parents to help their babies settle down to sleep. The dummy mimics the feel of your nipple, soothing your little one so they can fall asleep in their bed rather than on you.

Haakaa offers a range of one-piece, 100% food grade silicone dummies for different ages. With an ergonomic shape that promotes natural breathing through the nose and won't leave marks or rashes, our dummies are perfect for helping your little ones settle themselves. We have our regular Silicone Dummy for babies three months plus, our Newborn Silicone Dummy which is specially sized for newborns and our Nanosilver Silicone Dummy which harnesses the natural antibacterial power of microscopic silver fragments to maintain cleanliness.

Stroking their head

Stroking your baby's head is a great secret for getting them to doze off. You'll find that slow, gentle strokes work well for calming down both babies and adults alike! It makes your baby feel safe and loved, soothing them and allowing them to drift off to sleep peacefully.

Our Goal Wool Baby Hair Brush is wonderful for soothing and relaxing your child, with incredibly soft goat wool bristles that guarantee no itching or scratching. Brushing your baby's hair not only has significant benefits to their wellbeing, but it also helps to stimulate blood flow to prevent cradle cap while removing dry skin at the same time.   

Baby massage

A gentle massage helps your baby relax and get ready for bed while allowing you to express your care for your baby and bond with them. The gentle strokes of your hands and the skin-to-skin contact with your bub releases oxytocin, the feel-good hormone in both you and your baby, reassuring them and making them feel safe and secure.

Our Sweet Dreams Lotion Bar is perfect for helping babies unwind as your hands gently glide over their soft, delicate skin. It's made with all-natural ingredients to nourish your little one's skin and includes essential oils of lavender and chamomile, which are known for their naturally calming and relaxing effects.

It might take a few tries for you to figure out what works best for soothing your baby, but with time and patience, you’ll be able to establish a bedtime routine that quickly gets your baby ready for sleep. We hope some of our tips and tricks can help both bub and you get a good night’s rest, so you can wake up ready to tackle another day of #mumlife together!