Parenting can be a very stressful responsibility. Newborn babies require a lot of attention and the beginning stages of parenting are stressful on the child as well. Everything is new to him and establishing routines that the baby can adhere to is a vital step in lowering everyone's stress levels. Getting a newborn to sleep is one of the earliest challenges and will require a lot of patience.

Create a Comfortable Environment

You cannot force a baby to sleep, no matter how tired you or the baby may be. The best thing you can do is to create an environment that makes it comfortable for the baby to fall asleep and stay asleep. Notice where your baby seems to sleep the best. Some babies prefer their crib in their own room while others sleep better in the same room as their parents and others won't sleep unless they are cuddled. Every baby is different and will have set tendencies and preferences. Use different cues to lull the baby to sleep, such as rocking, singing and nursing. Use a variety of different cues and switch on and off with the other parent if possible so the baby becomes accustomed to multiple sleep cues and is not dependent on a single thing.

Write a Sleep Journal

Keep a log of when your baby goes to sleep and how long she stays asleep. You should start to see trends about what your baby's natural tendencies are and you should embrace this to start to gradually establish a sleep schedule. Note the locations and if the baby was rocked or sung to as well.

Gradually Establish a Routine

Once you are familiar with the environments your newborn prefers for resting and the times that his body seems most naturally adapted to, slowly start establishing set times for when the baby is put down to sleep as well as regular naps during the day. Try to nap with the baby once or twice each day so that he will be more comfortable taking a nap. This will also give you a chance to rest as well and not wear yourself out. At night, establish a pre-sleep ritual such as a warm bath or a massage that will help relax the newborn and she can relate this to bedtime. What is relaxing for one baby could be stimulating for another so use your sleep journal to keep track of what works best on a consistent basis.

Be Flexible

Never have anything written in stone. As your baby starts to mature, new tendencies may emerge regarding preferred nap times as well as how much attention he needs before he can go to sleep on his own. If something stops working, use your previous knowledge and experience to try something else. Just remember that getting a newborn to sleep regularly is a process and not a quick-fix. Have patience and make sleep as inviting as possible for the baby and not a time of stress and you'll be blessed with a much healthier baby and a much happier household.

Source:

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