Getting your baby to sleep in longer

Learn how to get your toddler to sleep in longer

Having a newborn in the house will leave little time for rest. Newborns have their own idea of a schedule and it will not always fit into what you want. Many newborns are still adjusting to their new life and will need some help to teach them better sleeping habits.

The normal routine of a bottle, bath and bedtime story may not always work to put your baby to sleep right away. But do not worry, there are some things you can try that will help get your baby to sleep longer.

Create the mood for your baby to sleep

Just as with a grown up, babies have to be in the mood to do what you want them to do. Your babies room should be nice and bright during the day, but at bedtime you will want to slow things down. Make sure to draw the curtains and tone down play time. Once you get things slowed down, your baby will realize that it is time for bed.

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Stick to a routine

The best way of getting your baby to sleep longer, is by sticking to a routine. Do the same things in the same order each night. Your baby will eventually associate those things with bedtime. This helps to give them a sense of security so that they know it is okay to go to sleep.

Full feeding

The best way to get your baby to sleep better, is to make sure that their belly is full. Being hungry is what normally wakes babies up. So you want to make sure that they have a bottle just before bedtime. Newborns will feed more frequently, but by eight-weeks-old your baby should be able to sleep at least six hours without being fed in between.

An Asian baby sleeping in longer

Keeping them comfortable

Keep the temperature of your baby’s room comfortable. Make sure to dress them in pajamas that are suitable for the weather. If a baby gets to hot or too cold, they will wake up because they are uncomfortable. Many experts suggest keeping a baby’s room at 70 degrees, because it will help to keep them comfortable and allow your baby to sleep better.

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Soothing your baby to sleep

Many times when a baby wakes up early in the morning, it is the same type of waking up they do at night. Normally at night you console them and send them back to bed. Try this for the early morning wake ups as well. Comfort them and let them know that everything is okay. This secure feeling will allow them to fall back to sleep. You may be able to swaddle them back up and they will fall back asleep.

Getting your baby to sleep in longer is not a difficult task, but it may take some effort on your part. Just remember to have a little patience and work through things one step at a time. Babies do not come with instruction manuals, so this is an on-the-job training situation. But with a positive attitude and maybe a little help, you will be fine.

Did these tips help you? For more tips on getting your baby to sleep in longer, watch this video: