Healthy Sleeping Habits: 0-3 Months
It is important to establish healthy sleeping habits so that your newborn gets the rest he or she needs. By that we mean not only the hours your baby spends sleeping, but also rituals before bedtime.
Although a baby usually sleeps for over 15 hours a day, sleep can be spread out during the day for periods that can be anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours.
There are babies who mix up night and day because they sleep in the mornings and are awake in the morning. As the weeks go by, however, they usually begin to extend their sleep cycle during the day and shorten it at night.
Many people believe that babies need to be exhausted in order to sleep well. During the first weeks, it will not be needed because they practically follow the same pattern as they had inside the uterus.
But as the weeks go by , you may gradually need to activate them more during the day to help them sleep longer.
It may be true that babies who are 0 to 3 months old cannot learn habits, but it is important to get them used to certain routines.
To help your 0-3 month old baby sleep better, we suggest some healthy sleeping habits you can encourage:
Establish a sleep routine
In the evening at night, put on the baby special clothes, sing a song, turn off the light and say “good night”. Your baby will not understand your words, but slowly but surely it will associate the phrase with sleeping.
Just before bedtime, you can turn on the music, put the baby in a room with open windows and say “it’s time to sleep”.
Never change your sleep schedule
Always try to put your baby to bed at the same time. Even if you see that it is not tired , you must follow the same established routines if it is time to sleep.
Always let the baby sleep in the same place
If during the day you prefer to put the baby in a cradle and at night in a wider crib, for all in the world do not change it. It is important that your baby notices the differences between sleeping during the day and at night.
Do not put the baby in your bed
Babies are exposed to many dangers when sleeping with their parents. Avoid it to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.
Avoid sleeping in your arms
Although it is very nice to hold the baby while it sleeps, it is an unhealthy habit.
Put the baby in the crib, sing for it and give it a soft caress. But leave the room before it has completely fallen asleep. Teach it to sleep all night.
Do not wait until the baby is too tired to fall asleep
A baby who is too tired can become upset and cry uncontrollably. It prevents it from falling asleep and negatively affects rest.
The difference between night and day
During the day, put the baby in another room and another bed, and keep some light in the room. Make the same sounds that are normal for a normal life.
In the evening, do the exact opposite. Do not turn on the lights and make no noise. Talk very little and do not stimulate the baby.
Remember that there are things you can only learn once you have become a mother. Finding and establishing your baby’s healthy sleeping habits is one of them.
