How do you prepare your child for sleep and how do you start teaching them proper sleep habits?

The baby shapes his way of understanding the world for the first six months. His sleep is governed by completely different laws than the sleep of an older infant. The role of the parent is not to “put the baby to sleep”, but to create circumstances conducive to sleep.

How to prepare the baby for sleep and how to start teaching him the right sleep habits?

Place the baby in a wrapper, snuggle him or her, put him or her on your shoulder, massage his or her back, and then put him or her in the crib. Try to do this before he falls asleep. The newborn baby has come into the world and needs to adapt to a new environment. Parents can make this transition easier for him by taking care of his comfort, body temperature and at the same time satisfying his need for closeness. Repetition is important, i.e. knowing that certain events follow a familiar order, that something happens as expected, according to an evening ritual. It promotes peaceful development and allows the infant to fall asleep. It is not true that a baby who does not sleep during the day sleeps better at night. The opposite is true: the better he or she sleeps during the day, the longer he or she will sleep at night.

Understanding a baby’s needs when he or she is not yet able to express them on his or her own is the endeavor of every young parent. From the first days, the newborn learns to transition from sleep to wakefulness and back to sleep. An infant’s natural sleep cycle ranges from about half an hour to forty-five minutes, after which it enters a shallow sleep phase from which it is easy to awaken. When it is wrapped up it feels safe, and then the half-sleep does not turn into wakefulness.

What should an infant sleep in?

Bounded space gives the baby a sense of security, allows it to orient itself in space and control its own body. A baby nest is an ideal solution for newborns. Arrange the baby in the nest so that it almost touches the edge of the nest with its head, the space around will then not be overwhelming for him.

Sleep quality undoubtedly affects the most important aspects of our life. The baby will grow up and begin to respond to your love and care, and the diurnal rhythm will adapt to the boundaries you now set.

Midwife
Emilia

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