Top Tips For Day Sleeps

The sleep environment is important to set the scene for your baby or toddler.

• The room should be very dark so that your baby can produce the required melatonin (our sleep hormone) to induce sleep, our baby can produce this from about 6-8 weeks and therefore will sleep better in a dark room.

• White noise has been proven to provide a simulation of the uterus and the sounds your baby was hearing all day and night whilst you were pregnant. By recreating this same environment, it adds great comfort to your baby. The added bonus of white noise with a toddler is it acts a buffer to all sounds outside the room either early morning distractions or daytime sounds.

• The perfect temperature is 18-20 degrees as this provides a safe environment for effective sleep without getting too cold or too hot.

• The use of a swaddle under 4 months and the use of a sleeping bag after 4 months (see transitioning from swaddle) will create a routine and your baby will start to recognise this as a sleep ritual and look forward to it.

• Aiming for the same times for sleeps will also help your baby sleep better with continuity and predictability.  Your baby will show tired signs when this time is near. Follow the guide in Awake windows Blog mentioned earlier.

• Put your baby down drowsy but awake. This helps to assist with settling and your baby will begin to learn how to re-settle if they know where they are when they fall asleep.