How should newborns sleep: how to position the baby correctly, in what position - on the back or on the side? How to put a baby to sleep: useful tips from experienced mothers.

Problems may arise with getting to bed, and the question “How to put a baby to sleep” becomes the main one... If he is cheerful during the day and in a good mood, he can...

Children's sleep is very beneficial. And not only for the child himself, but also for his parents. After all, only after putting your child to bed can you finally relax or go about your business. It’s easier in this regard with newborns; they already sleep all day long. But already from 2-3 months, problems may arise with getting to bed, and the question “How to put a baby to sleep” becomes the main thing on the agenda in the family circle.

What makes the baby toss and groan in her crib - whims, character, or health problems? How many children, so many answers.

We put the newborn

In the first month, the baby is not yet bothered by colic and teeth, and for a good sleep he needs very little: a dry diaper, properly selected clothes and food. After sucking on the mother's breast or a bottle of formula, the newborn falls asleep even during a meal.

If he still doesn’t “give up,” you can speed up the process of falling asleep: rock him a little, carry him in your arms, breastfeed again, or trick him with a pacifier.

It is difficult not to respond to the plaintive grunting of such a small lump. But still, if you do not want to accustom him to constant rocking, it is better to leave the newborn in the crib and wait a little.

Why don't newborns sleep?

If the newborn is restless, sleeps poorly and cries often, you should not put off visiting the doctor and wait until the child “outgrows”. Sometimes this is associated with infant headaches, which occur as a result of small hemorrhages in the brain.

Often newborns are awakened by their own hands. Having got used to their mother's belly, it is not easy for them to accept such a big new world. And no matter how many opponents of swaddling there are, it is known for sure that it is warmer and more peaceful for a newborn to sleep wrapped in a swaddling blanket. This is not about the tight swaddling that was practiced in Soviet times. It is enough to wrap only the handles, or buy a special sleeping bag.

But the most common reason is banal malnutrition of a newborn baby. The mother produces too little milk or it is not nutritious enough. Specialists will help you regulate your diet and tell you how to properly establish feeding.

2 important points

The time of day for newborns does not matter at all. They are fed both day and night, most of the time they sleep, but wakefulness is rare and short-lived. However, you should immediately adhere to a certain routine so that the newborn does not confuse day and night.

Not many people realize it, but all kids are strict conservatives. Order and monotony are the key to successful education. You have decided that motion sickness is not for you - you don’t need to endure tears for three days and then give in and start getting motion sickness. If you think that the baby needs to sleep in his own crib, you should not put him on the sofa, then in his own bed, and the next night again accustom him to a separate bed.

Doctor speaking! Komarovsky believes that motion sickness is a bad habit that parents themselves form in their baby. If a toddler calms down only in the arms of relatives, this has nothing to do with his illness, but is a consequence of improper upbringing.

How do babies sleep?

With older children you will have to tinker, especially mothers of “artificial children”. Happy owners of mother's breasts fall asleep much faster. The smell of milk and the warmth of a loved one allow them to sleep soundly even in bright light and extraneous sounds.

Often women who breastfeed put their baby to bed at night. Both the mother, who does not need to constantly jump up to the crib, and the baby, who has the opportunity to have a snack at any moment, benefit. However, this is not the best way to lay it. Having become accustomed to the parent's bed and the constant presence of the mother, it is impossible to put the baby to bed separately when he grows up without tears.

Komarovsky explains! The crib of a child of the first year of life should be in the parents' bedroom. From the age of one it can be moved to the nursery. But co-sleeping with parents is most likely just a fashionable hobby today, and is not supported by Komarovsky or other pediatricians.

Another disadvantage of breastfeeding appears in the first months, when the baby suffers from colic. Even the mother’s carefully regulated diet does not help, and the nighttime rocking of a screaming baby turns into a real test for the whole family.

This, of course, is not a reason to switch the baby to a formula that is less likely to cause pain. You just have to be patient for a while and everything will go away on its own.

What parents need to know

Firstly, the attitude of the mother herself is important. Having planned to quickly put your child to bed and go about your business, you will definitely lose your nerves when your child does not want to go to bed. Remember, patience is a non-existent line that a parent invents for himself. A calm monotonous voice and a friendly attitude are the main opponents of children's tears.

Secondly, do not neglect the hygiene of the premises. Cool, moist air is ideal for sleeping at night. Don't be afraid of the recommended 18 degrees. It is better to dress your child warmly and cover him with a warm blanket.

Thirdly, control the activity of the baby. No outdoor games, new toys or cartoons at night.

Fourthly, monitor the behavior of the offspring. If he rubs his eyes in the evening, becomes lethargic and yawns, quickly put him to bed.

And it’s okay that you miss your usual rituals or go to bed earlier than usual. This does not mean that the baby will wake up earlier than usual in the morning. On the contrary, many pediatricians believe that the child will rest better if he goes to bed at 7 pm.

Sleepy rituals will help

“Sleepy” rituals will help tell your child that it’s time to sleep. These are actions that are repeated day after day before falling asleep. They are suitable for babies from 6 months, the main thing is to choose the right ritual for your child. For example, reading books, telling a story, singing a lullaby, putting down your favorite toy.

A popular way is to “say goodbye to the sun.” When bedtime comes, the baby is brought to the window and explained that the sun has hidden, night has fallen, all the children and animals are resting, which means it’s time for him to sleep.

Whatever ritual you come up with, the main thing is that it does not drag out. 30 minutes is enough. Otherwise, it will turn into a game that will not allow the baby to fall asleep on time at night.

Is it possible to quickly put the child to bed

All the rules are followed, but the baby still doesn’t get sleep? Try a few simple and safe techniques that can help you quickly put your fidget to sleep without tears or scandals.

Gently stroke the baby's face with a paper napkin from top to bottom. Do this so that it barely touches the baby's skin, creating a light breeze.
We place our hand on the child’s temple so that the little finger is near his ear and the thumb is near his nose. Now, with smooth movements, we stroke the little one’s forehead, passing a finger between the eyebrows and along the nose.
Lie down next to the baby and hug him. We put the child to sleep with our calm breathing: deep inhalation and exhalation last about 4 seconds.

Features of daytime sleep

How to put your child to sleep during the day? Just like at night: we observe rituals, control the activity and excitement of the baby, create comfortable conditions for sleep.

The best option for daytime sleep is to place the baby outside. While your baby is small, try to go for a walk with him. Rocking in a stroller will help even the most active little ones fall asleep quickly and for a long time. Of course, it’s impossible to go outside every time it’s time for the baby to sleep. Therefore, sometimes it can be laid on the balcony.

Why does a child protest against naps? Perhaps he simply gets enough sleep overnight. If he is cheerful and in a good mood during the day, maybe you shouldn’t worry that the little one doesn’t want to sleep during the day?

Required amount of sleep for different ages

To avoid having to think about how to put your child to sleep during the day, follow the routine correctly. It will not only save you from children's tears when going to bed, but will also help the mother organize her own day, in which there will be time for household chores and caring for the baby.

Each age has its own

The process of putting to bed, both with a newborn and with a one-year-old baby, can be delayed not at all because of whims or spoilage. It's all about the peculiarities of the nervous system of children in the first year of life. They cannot, like adults, consciously relax and not react to external stimuli, even if they are very tired. But if mom and dad act correctly and avoid overstimulating the baby, then falling asleep at night will not be a problem for everyone.

The main principles of organizing sleep, day and night, always remain the same. As they grow older, they are only supplemented with some aspects.

Putting a month old to bed is equally as difficult as a 2 month old baby. After all, the functioning of the babies’ digestive tract has not yet improved, and they are tormented by colic. Find the best ways to help your baby cope with them and wait patiently until he is 3 months old.
Teething can disrupt a 6-month-old baby's sleep. At the same time, the pain intensifies at night and parents have to put the crying child to bed for a long time. Pain relieving gels will help. And again, patience and love.
At 8 months, children are awakened by the same toothaches. But this time, getting the baby to sleep at night is much more difficult. If you still haven’t organized a routine, it’s time to start doing it.
The one-year-old toddler is overwhelmed with emotions. They don't let you sleep at night. When the baby wakes up, he will call his mother or play in the crib if there is enough light in the bedroom. Mother's lullabies and favorite toys will help to avoid motion sickness.
The 2-year-old toddler is already eagerly crawling out of his bed to spend the night with his parents. You shouldn’t scare a child to tears that the old woman will take him away, or someone is watching his “good” behavior. After all, it is at this age that the first fears appear. How to put your child to bed without tears? Motion sickness has long been beyond the power of mothers, but they still have to lie next to them until the baby falls asleep.
With a 5-year-old preschooler, one song or fairy tale will not do. And so that the process does not turn into long discussions about the events of the day, you need to agree in advance with the baby how long the bedtime will last, 5 or 15 minutes. If a child is raised correctly, there is no need to wait for him to fall asleep. Otherwise, you will take a long time to fulfill requests such as drinking, eating, etc.

Of course, most often young parents encounter bedtime problems who, due to inexperience, allow the little one to dictate their own rules. But a mother with many children may be surprised to discover that even the most proven methods do not work with a “special” child. Be patient, follow the recommendations of pediatricians, and you will definitely learn how to quickly put your little one to sleep.

What do you do to put your child to bed? Share your tips in the comments!

Reading time: 7 minutes

After giving birth to a child, a woman needs to master many different skills. Understanding some of them occurs on an instinctive level, while others need to be learned. Carrying a baby in your arms is one of the most important moments in the relationship between mother and child. Every mother thinks about how to hold a newborn while feeding, how to carry a baby in a column and in other ways. A fragile skeleton and underdeveloped muscles require a special approach to holding (carrying a child in your arms).

How to properly hold a newborn

Mothers have the greatest fear when lifting their child from a horizontal surface: from a crib or stroller. In fact, everything is very simple:

Approach the newborn from the side and bend over.
Put one hand under the ass, the second - under the back of the head.
Gently lean the baby against you (not too much!) and move the baby's head to the crook of your elbow.

You can immediately place your head on your elbow - this way the newborn will be more securely fixed in your arms. If your baby is awake on his tummy, slide your hand under his chest and the other under his belly. The second option is to turn the child on his back and use the proven method. To lay your baby down, lean over the crib and carefully move the newborn onto a hard surface. Stay in the hanging position for a few seconds - the child should relax. After that, you can take your hands out from under it.

How to hold a newborn baby correctly

The bones of the child are plastic, and the muscles of the neck and the whole body are too weak. Until the baby's head is stable, it must be supported. Neglect of this rule leads to incorrect formation of the cervical spine. An upright position without back support is contraindicated in newborns. Under the ass of such babies can not be worn! There is no talk about sedentary time until the child can sit confidently (6-8 months). How to hold a baby in different situations?

During feeding

If you are breastfeeding, familiarize yourself in detail with all existing breastfeeding positions. You can do this sitting or lying down. General tips:

Organize a feeding area. A relaxed posture promotes a better outflow of milk. Cover a chair or bed with pillows.
Leave very little clothing on the child, free the chest.
If you are feeding while sitting, place your newborn in your arm so that the neck is in the crook of your elbow. Support your back with your forearm and cup your butt with your palm.
Turn your baby's body so that the mouth, stomach and legs are in line. Your bellies and your baby's bellies should be touching.
Raise the baby to your chest level. Place a pillow or stool under your arms. This will relieve any tension that has arisen.

The pose described above is called the “cradle”. When the baby is very small, it is more comfortable than others. You can also place your baby on a pillow that lies on your lap, and rest his head on your elbow. If you want to feed while lying on your side, hold your newborn like in a cradle position, just turn around to face each other. Place two pillows under your head, one under your leg, and another one to support your child.

After feeding

A well-fed baby should be held upright so that the air comes out of the stomach. This is the “column” or “soldier” position. Correct posture reduces the severity of colic and gas. Here are some useful tips:

It will take 5-20 minutes for the baby to get the air out.
If the belching happens almost immediately, do not hold it for too long.
A sleeping baby may not get the air out right away, so place your newborn in an upright position when he or she wakes up.
Lift your baby smoothly - sudden movements can cause regurgitation.
You cannot pull the baby up by the armpits, forearms, or give support to the legs.

Column

If your child spits up a lot, feed in a semi-upright position, and only then switch to the “soldier” position. How to properly hold a newborn upright after feeding is described in the following algorithm:

Place the baby upright. Bend as close to him as possible, put one hand under your head and the other under your butt and lower back.
Raise your child and gently press him towards you so that his chin rests on your shoulder.
Be sure to secure the head so that it does not tip over. Use the forearm of the same hand to support the back, and with the other control the position of the lower back and butt.

When washing

Boys and girls are washed differently. For male newborns, this method is suitable:

With your palm, hold the child on the shoulder that is further away from you.
Rotate the forearm of the same arm so that the bulk of your torso rests on it.
Turn on warm water, the stream should be directed from front to back (you can put your butt under the water).
With your other hand, wash the head of the penis without opening the foreskin, then the scrotum and lastly the anus.

Holding a newborn correctly when washing is very simple if we are talking about a girl. The technique is slightly different from the previous one:

Place the baby's head on the bend of your elbow, use your forearm to support the back (tummy up position). Hold the leg with your palm.
Bring the baby's genitals to a stream of water and wash in the direction from the vagina to the anus.

When swimming

A newborn in the bath should be kept in a diaper - this way he will not slip and freeze. If you have an assistant, have him use his hands to support the baby's head and neck. Meanwhile, you wash your body. If you are on your own, practice this method of support:

Place the forearm of your left hand under the back of the baby's head.
The neck and back are fixed with the palm of your hand. You can clasp the baby's shoulder farthest from you with your palm.
Hold the baby's hips and buttocks with your right hand.
Immerse the newborn in the water, you can free your right hand.

How to wear a baby correctly

Don’t be afraid to hold your baby in your arms once again – it is vital for him. A hug from a mother or father gives a newborn a feeling of security and warmth. Time will pass, and the child himself will not want his mother’s hands. Until such a moment, you need to practice holding, because this will have a beneficial effect on the physical and psychological development of the baby. Very little ones can be carried not only in your arms, but also in a sling. When the baby learns to sit, try using an ergo backpack, but it is better to avoid a kangaroo. How to hold a newborn in different positions?

Cradle

The classic version of the pose has already been described above. Always remember that the baby must have three points of support: head, back, butt. Although the “cradle” is the most common, in a sitting position the mother quickly gets tired and her body is tense. If you carry a newborn in this position for a long time, the hand becomes numb, and the lower back and thoracic spine begin to be felt.

On the stomach

An older baby can be carried tummy down. There is a butterfly pose that makes it easier for gases to come out. Place your right hand under the baby's tummy. The head will be at the elbow, and the groin area at the palm. Legs and arms hang at the sides, you can press the legs to the tummy so that gases escape better. This position requires physical strength, so it is better to entrust it to dad.

Three-month-old babies who already have good control of their body can be held in an airplane. One hand clasps the chest, the other - the abdomen (make sure that the pressure on the peritoneum is not too strong). Legs and arms are free. The pose is useful for digestion processes and training the back muscles. In this position, you can have fun flying around the room - kids love dynamic games.

On your arms at your side

It is allowed to hold the baby in this position from birth until mother and baby feel comfortable. Turn the baby face forward, place it in an upright position, slightly tilting it back. Support your child's upper body and grab your feet with your other hand. The baby's head is at the level of the adult's chest, he holds your forearm with his hand, his legs are bent and spread at the knees. This pose is very useful for the pelvis and joints of the baby.

Front

Doctors recommend practicing this pose after six months, when the newborn has become a little accustomed to this world and begins to show active interest in it. Turn the baby face forward, place him in a semi-lying position, slightly tilt him to one side. Your stomach should be your fulcrum. With one hand, hold the baby under the chest, with the other, secure the leg under the bent knee. The second leg will hang freely. Both of the baby's hands are not fixed, one rests on your forearm. The “Buddha” pose is also good. In this case, the legs are pressed to the butt, the back and head rest on the adult’s chest.

On the side of the thigh

The classic version of this pose is not suitable for a newborn. You can keep your toddler in this position only if he knows how to sit well. The child, being in a vertical position, clasps your thigh with his legs from the side. He holds your shoulder with one hand, the other is free. You will be able to hold the baby with one hand, since the main load falls on the hips. An adult should be very careful when carrying a child in this way.. A particularly fidgety baby can easily slip out of a hug.

An option for a tiny baby is the “under-the-arm” pose. It is similar to the butterfly position, but the baby lies tummy up. It is better to swaddle a newborn so that the legs are fixed. The head is held with the fingers of an adult, the neck is fixed with the palm. The back and buttocks lie on the forearm, the legs pass under the armpits. The main weight of the child falls on the hip. When the baby becomes too mobile, you should be careful with the pose.

How not to hold a newborn

Some points have already been outlined, but there are still several important prohibitions that you need to know about. An adult is prohibited from:

Lift the child by the wrists, forearms, legs. The joints and tendons are still very weak, and it is easy for a newborn to be injured.
Hold the baby by the armpits only.
Carry the baby with one hand. When the baby gets older and can hold his head well, you can use this method, but you always need to be alert.
Remove the support from the spine and move it to the baby’s bottom.
Allow the legs to dangle when the newborn is lying tummy up. This has a bad effect on the development of the hip joints.
Wear it in a vertical position for a long time.
Relax, get distracted.

Video

I often receive letters from you complaining about the difficulties of putting newborn babies to sleep. You write that it takes a long time to put the baby to bed. Despite obvious fatigue, the child is capricious, cries, but does not fall asleep, tormenting both you and himself. How to put a baby to sleep? Let's talk about this.

Create a familiar environment

The first thing that is important to do in order to put your baby to sleep without problems is to rid him of these problems. The most important of them lies in the fact that the child finds himself in a completely new, unusual environment. Just imagine: in your tummy it spent 9 months getting used to one set of conditions, and now it’s in completely different conditions:

There was constant noise in your tummy (the beat of your heart, the flow of blood, the sound of amniotic fluid, external noises), and now they are trying to create perfect silence around. Which, it turns out, is completely uncomfortable for a newborn!
The child got used to constant twilight and suddenly found himself in bright light (by the way, read an interesting article about when a newborn begins to see >>>);
Inside my mother he was moving with her all the time, and now suddenly he suddenly stopped swaying;
It was cramped for the baby in the mother, but now there is so much space that the baby feels lost;
For the previous 9 months, my mother was constantly there as a guarantee of peace and security. And now she tries to put him down alone and leave.

Therefore, to quickly put your baby to sleep, create conditions similar to those to which he is accustomed:

Swaddling will ensure tightness (in addition, the baby will be warmer this way, because his thermoregulation is still weak). Learn the secrets of swaddling from the article How to swaddle a newborn >>>;
A background noise will help create white noise - an audio recording of measured, muffled sounds (the noise of wind, rain, river) We have an article on this topic on our website: White noise for a newborn >>>;
It’s also easy to create twilight by closing the curtains and turning off the lights;
Movement in the stomach now perfectly simulates motion sickness (don’t be afraid to rock your baby - he won’t get used to it until he’s 3 months old);
You can also recreate constant contact with your mother: let the baby fall asleep under your breast, or in your arms, on your stomach. Let him feel your constant presence, as it was before birth.

To your question about how to put a month-old baby to sleep without motion sickness, there is only one answer - early. Due to the immaturity of the nervous system, the baby cannot yet fall asleep on his own.

Do not force a tiny organism by teaching it independence by throwing it alone in the crib. Apart from terrible stress (my mother left me, she doesn’t need me!), this will give the baby nothing.

What else is important to consider when laying the baby?

The baby can now be awake between sleeps for about 20 minutes. After that, his nervous system gets tired. The baby begins to show signs of fatigue (be capricious, rub his face or eyes with his fists, “kick out”). So it's time to put it down again.

Most babies don't know when it's day and when it's night. You can help them with this by constantly showing the difference visually;

So, during the day he needs to ensure maximum light and noise conditions (open the curtains, if necessary, turn on the lights, do not whisper, do not muffle other sounds). But then, how to put a one-month-old baby to sleep during the day? Let it be “half-dark” and “half-noisy.”
At night, on the contrary, it should be as quiet and dark as possible. Even if the baby wakes up for feeding or needs to change his diaper, do it in the dark, with a dim nightlight, without talking to him loudly.

Most of a child's sleep at this age is not deep sleep. Therefore, the baby can wake up every 20-30 minutes, even if it is not yet time to eat. Especially during the day, when there is more interference. Be prepared for the fact that the baby will have to be “pumped to death”;

To put your baby to bed at night...

...often mothers have to spend much more effort. After all, when showing your child the difference between day and night, you cannot make light or noise. How, then, to put a month-old baby to sleep at night?

Co-sleeping can be a good help, when the baby falls asleep next to his mother, feeling her warmth, smell, and pulse.

Know! So that mommy can also get some sleep, you can move a baby's cradle to the adult bed by removing its side wall. This will make feeding the baby more convenient: the fewer unnecessary movements, the faster the baby will calm down again.

In addition, if you constantly accustom your baby to the difference between day and night, this will help the baby get used to the silence of the night. And in the future, in 3-4 months, do not confuse day with night, which is quite common among infants.

This issue is covered in the article The child confused day with night, what to do?>>>

By the way! Don't be afraid to tame your baby too much. It is better to be afraid of not giving your child a feeling of peace, security, and joy.

After all, now you are the stronghold of little children’s happiness, the deficiency of which in very early childhood may, in the future, result in serious psychological problems (withdrawal, embitterment, inferiority complex, neuroses, aggression).

Finding the reason will then be very difficult. But problems are easier to prevent!

What else affects babies' sleep?

Yes, a lot of things actually. So you seem to be rocking him, and swaddling him, and turning on white noise, and giving him breastfeeding, but he is still tormented by crying... Then think about this one more thing:

Are you calm yourself?

Newborns very acutely feel emotional discomfort in the family, especially in the mother. If you are nervous, often quarrel with your husband, or have become embittered, all your rocking and lullabies will not help put your baby to sleep.

Isn’t the child’s psyche overloaded with the constant “invasion of guests”?

Our grandmothers also hid their children from prying eyes for the first few months. And not at all in order to “not jinx it.”

It’s just difficult for a baby’s nervous system to cope with “digesting” so many faces, voices, and noises. A grandmother coming “for a visit” is one thing. But crowds of friends, colleagues, all kinds of relatives are already too much.

With the birth of a child, a young family faces many different problems. Sleeping for a baby can be called one of the most difficult. We will tell you how to properly put a newborn to sleep, what conditions the baby needs for quality and comfortable rest.

The importance of quality rest for a baby

In the first weeks of life, the baby sleeps a large amount of time. A baby can sleep for about 20 hours a day. Rest at night and during the day has the following meaning for a little man:

in a dream, children grow up and develop;
the baby’s strength spent during the day is restored;
during rest, the nervous system is strengthened;
A newborn in a dream accumulates strength for the next busy day;
the information received by the baby during the day is processed.

Parents are obliged to create conditions for their child to have quality day and night rest. In addition to the necessary conditions, it is important to learn how to properly put a newborn baby to sleep.

What time should I put it to bed?

The smaller the newborn, the more time he needs to sleep. To figure out how long to put a baby to bed, you need to know the rest standards for children of a particular age period.

There are certain sleep norms for babies in the first weeks of life and in subsequent months:

Babies from 1 month to 3 months can sleep for a long time. The total amount of sleep day and night reaches from 15 to 18 hours. And newborns can sleep for 20 hours, waking up only for feeding. For newborn babies, it is necessary to create a daily routine and adhere to certain hours of rest and feeding. If parents do not help the baby decide on the time to fall asleep, then the baby will fall asleep and wake up chaotically, which will not be beneficial. In this age period, parents must determine for themselves what time to put their newborn to bed so that he feels comfortable;
in the period from 3 to 6 months, it is advisable to prepare for night rest from 7 pm, and at 8 pm the baby should already be asleep. Normal sleep for children during this period lasts until about 7 am. A tiny baby may wake up to be fed.

You need to put your baby to bed at night at the same time so that the baby develops a habit. To help your baby, enter the following mandatory actions before bed:

bathing;
create specific lighting in the nursery;
take care of silence by eliminating extraneous sounds in the apartment;
To ensure that the newborn sleeps longer in the first half of the night, feed him more closely in the evening.

Important: for normal, high-quality sleep, the bedtime ritual itself is important.

Sleep during the day

The baby needs rest both at night and during the day. To properly put a newborn baby to sleep during the day, you need to adhere to the following rules:

Cover the nursery window with loose curtains. You should not create a feeling of rest at night during the day. It is necessary for the newborn to distinguish between sleep during the day and at night;
try to create a calm, cozy atmosphere before falling asleep, eliminating extraneous noise and other irritating factors;
Put your baby to bed at the same time every day. A newborn from 1 to 3 months sleeps up to 3 times a day;
Before bedtime, feed your baby, but not too tightly. The more a newborn eats, the longer he will sleep. The main rest time should be at night;
you can sing a lullaby, or turn on quiet, calm music;
You can put your newborn to sleep outside during the day, if the weather permits.

By resting during the day, the baby relaxes and replenishes his energy reserves.

Sleep at night

The bulk of a newborn's sleep occurs at night. You can properly put your newborn baby to sleep at night using the following simple tips:

start preparing the tiny little man for the night in advance. 3 hours before bedtime, you can only play quiet games;
create an appropriate, comfortable atmosphere in the nursery that induces sleep;
ventilate the nursery, ensure a normal level of humidity;
accustom your newborn to a mandatory bath before bed, and then put on cozy pajamas made of natural fabric;
if a baby under 12 weeks is too active, he can be swaddled during the night's rest;
Before putting your newborn to bed in the crib, feed him;
If the baby is bothered by colic in the tummy at night, then you can add a few drops of a special anti-colic remedy to a bottle of milk or baby formula. The doctor will tell you which remedy is best to choose;
Be sure to sing a lullaby to your child, because the sound of a mother’s voice and her presence contribute to better sleep and a longer night’s rest.

In order for the baby to sleep longer at night, it is necessary to control the amount of daytime rest. Getting your newborn to sleep at night will be easier if you stick to bedtime routines and bedtime routines.

Correct position

The correct position of the newborn during sleep is of great importance when laying down. First of all, you need to prepare the crib. The mattress should be smooth, dense, without dips. The baby pillow is not used. The baby's head should be at body level.

Now let's look at the possible sleeping positions for a baby.

Sideways position

Doctors advise putting a newborn to sleep sideways after discharge from the maternity hospital. This position is considered optimal because the baby is placed to rest immediately after eating. Babies often burp, and lying sideways will not suffocate.

In a half-side pose

In this form, it is necessary to properly put the newborn to sleep in the crib if colic and frequent regurgitation are bothering you. This way the baby won’t burp, and the gases will go away unnoticed.

Children may toss and turn while resting. To prevent rolling over, you need to place a rolled blanket under the baby’s back. Many children scratch, so they can wear special protective gloves (scratch gloves).

If your baby sleeps sideways or half sideways at night, he needs to be periodically turned over to the opposite side. In this way, it will be possible to avoid problems such as torticollis.

On the back

You can put your baby to sleep on his back. However, this situation carries some danger. On the one hand, resting on your back is useful because the spine is in a natural position. The danger is that the baby may burp after feeding and suffocate in its own regurgitation.

To properly place your newborn to sleep on his back, you must follow the following rules:

Although the baby lies with his face up, his head needs to be turned to the side, securing this position with a roller. As a roller, you can use a diaper;
If the baby sleeps on his back for a long time, then you need to move his head to the other side so that the neck does not bend.

There is a contraindication for this position in a dream. This is a pathology of the hip joints (congenital dysplasia). It is not necessary to lay the baby on the back if he is often bothered by colic.

On the tummy

If you put a newborn baby to sleep on his tummy, this position will serve as a preventive measure for better passage of gas and problems with digestion of food. Lying in this position, the baby will not choke if it burps.

Putting your baby to sleep on your tummy is the right thing to do. This is explained by the fact that in this position the muscle tissue of the baby is strengthened. The neck and back muscles become stronger.

There are some rules to follow when placing your baby on his tummy:

choose a hard mattress (preferably orthopedic);
no pillow needed;
There is no need to put oilcloth sheets under your laundry. A well-chosen diaper is enough for your baby;
Do not place toys in the crib, it is better to hang them up.

While sleeping on your tummy, you need to periodically approach your baby and check if he is comfortable.

Like an embryo

Some babies, even closer to 2 months, continue to sleep with their legs pulled up to their tummy. This position can cause muscle tissue overstrain. If after a month or 6 weeks the baby straightens up, then there is no need to worry.

Regardless of what position you put your newborn to sleep in, you need to turn him over periodically to prevent torticollis, bedsores, diaper rash, and pressure on fragile bones and muscle tissue.

How to quickly put a child to sleep?

Young mothers are sorely lacking time. That’s why the question of how to quickly put a newborn baby to sleep is so pressing for them.

First of all, you need to understand how important quality rest, day and night, is for a baby. Therefore, it is necessary to provide the baby with high-quality sleep conditions, and at the same time avoid stressful situations during bedtime. Quality rest includes the following components:

feeding baby before bed, don’t start laying it down right away. It is correct to put a newborn in the crib after waiting a little while he burps. And in this matter one cannot rush;
competently choose bedding. Avoid soft mattresses and pillows. There is no need to cover the baby with a bulky, down blanket. All accessories must be made only from natural fabrics;
in the nursery there is no place for a TV or a computer. It is important to ensure that the baby sleeps peacefully, without extraneous noise effects;
every day do wet cleaning in the room Where is the crib located?
before any sleep (night or daytime) be sure to ventilate the room;
use herbal infusions for evening bathing. Infusions of plants such as chamomile and sage will help you quickly put a newborn to sleep;
It happens that a child has difficulty falling asleep. Doesn't matter don't put him in your bed. In addition to addiction and reluctance to sleep alone, such a habit is dangerous. A baby can suffocate next to an adult. You cannot breastfeed your baby in a lying position, thereby achieving rapid sleep. So the baby can also suffocate;
up to 12 weeks can you put the baby's crib next to yours?. At such a tender age, it is important for the baby to feel the presence of mommy and her smell. This will make falling asleep faster.

There is no need to strain and think about how best to lay the baby down. After watching your child for some time, you will understand in what position he falls asleep faster and sleeps for a longer time. There is no single answer as to what is the optimal sleeping position for a baby. Each newborn is already an individual, so parents will have to adapt to their baby.

If you follow the above recommendations for putting a newborn to bed, then each time the baby will fall asleep faster and sleep longer at night. It is important for parents to understand that by showing patience and affection, showing your child your love, you can get positive results in solving any problem.

After the birth of a child in the family, some time later, young parents may encounter such a problem as the baby’s lack of sleep. If a woman can still withstand 2-3 nights without sleep, rocking a child in her arms, then after that fatigue begins to knock her down. In this case, both household members and neighbors behind the wall suffer. Therefore, many parents are concerned with the question of how to put a newborn to sleep?

The child was in his mother’s tummy for 9 months, where it was warm and comfortable, the sound was muffled and barely perceptible. After he was born, everything around him seems unusual and annoying. He can only discern blurry silhouettes due to lack of visual acuity - this environment is frightening, causing him to cry.

Causes of insomnia

If a child does not sleep well at night or during the day and it is difficult to put him to sleep, then there is definitely a reason for this that needs to be found. Sleep may be disturbed due to discomfort caused by colic, abdominal pain, or, simply, the child is cold or hot. Such reasons are solved very simply and quickly. Rare causes may be increased intracranial pressure accompanied by severe headaches. In such cases, examination and qualified treatment is necessary. But this diagnosis, as already mentioned, is rarely made in infants.

Babies do not distinguish between day and night, so they can sleep soundly during the day and stay awake at night. Only a clear daily routine can cope with this situation, which over time will bring everything back to normal.

It is not surprising, but the longer the baby cannot fall asleep, the more difficult it is to rock him to sleep. This happens because his nervous system is not yet fully developed. In the first stages, it is better to discuss all uncertainties with your pediatrician. After making sure that the baby is completely healthy, but still cannot sleep, you can use a few tips to put your baby to sleep.

How to put your baby to sleep correctly

Of course, over time, young parents will guess all the needs and desires of the baby without any problems. But now, when he is still just a baby and it is difficult to understand what he wants, you need to try to look at the world through his eyes.

After the baby is born, at least 2 weeks must pass before it adapts to the external environment. But still, most mothers have problems quickly putting their baby to sleep at night or during the day. To make it easier to fall asleep, you need to follow certain rules. Breastfeeding should occur before bedtime. This method is convenient for those parents who place their baby next to them. If the baby sleeps in the crib, then most likely it will be difficult to put him down after feeding, he will wake up and start crying. This happens because of the feeling of strong closeness with the mother, so at the time of shifting the baby wakes up. Intimacy with dad is also important, often after sleepless nights only the father can calm the baby.

Sometimes a child cannot fall asleep in silence and can be “lulled” by rumble, music or even a hair dryer. And some can fall asleep only from their mother's affection, strokes, kisses, a quiet song. Sometimes it is enough to give a pacifier and the baby begins to sniffle. Time and experience will show which method is right for you, for this you can try several options.

Talk

The baby, while still in the womb, hears and remembers the voices of mom and dad. Therefore, talk to the child, sing a melodious song, this should calm him down. When speaking or singing, the voice should be calm, quiet and monotonous. This way the child will be sure that everything is fine and his mother is nearby. Many parents think that since the baby is still small, he does not understand anything. - This is wrong! From the very first days, he already recognizes the voices of his parents.

Follow the regime

It is important that day by day the child develops the habit of following the regimen. So automatically he will adapt to fall asleep at the same time, which is quite convenient for the parents themselves. After all, this is how you can build your day without changing plans. If you decide that the child will sleep in his own crib, then that’s where he should sleep. If you lay him down on the sofa after a while and then pick him up, he will constantly be capricious and cry. Babies need uniformity and strict order.

It is also worth remembering that only a mother’s hands can calm a child, so some mothers first rock him in her arms and only then put her in a crib.

Mom's milk

Mother's milk for a child is one of the most useful and best “sleeping pills”. During feeding, the newborn experiences comfort, and the sucking reflex produces a calming effect, so it is recommended to do this just before bedtime. But, on the other hand, you need to make sure that the newborn does not fall asleep during feeding, since he must perceive it as a meal. Sometimes there are exceptions when the child is calm and sleeps only near the breast. In this case, you should not disturb the baby - over time, you can wean him off falling asleep in this position.

Pacifier

The pacifier is the second assistant after the mother's breast, because it is the sucking reflex that calms the newborn. Most children perceive it positively. When screaming or crying, giving your baby a pacifier and rocking it a little can help calm him down. Over time, the newborn will get used to it and will sleep peacefully without rocking. There is a wide variety of nipples in stores, but preference should be given to soft round shapes or shapes with a beveled nipple.

It is worth alternating between the nipple and the breast, since due to insufficient stimulation the mammary gland may lose milk. However, on the other hand, a pacifier is an excellent help for mothers who, for one reason or another, cannot always breastfeed their baby.

Water treatments

For many babies, bathing has a calming effect. Try to bathe your baby just before bed every day. Perhaps at first the water may frighten him, but at this time you need to kindly and gently tell him how good and brave he is. Despite the fact that the baby is still very small, he understands everything through intonation and voice. After half an hour of water procedures, the baby will absolutely love swimming. If you add a few drops of lavender essential oil to the bath, the newborn will soon begin to yawn.

Comfortable air

Before you put your baby to sleep, day or night, you need to ensure that the room is at the correct temperature. This determines how sound his sleep will be. Many doctors recommend cooling the room to 22 degrees, so the child can fall asleep quickly. An adult may feel that the room is cool, but do not worry, this will not harm the baby, since his body temperature is 37 degrees. It is also important to know that the higher the room temperature today, the weaker the baby’s immunity will be tomorrow.

Swaddling

To calm and put your baby to sleep, you need to swaddle him properly. Many modern parents think that tight swaddling is an old, useless method. But that's not true. The baby, being in the mother’s belly, is accustomed to cramped conditions, but after birth he is in a free state and is able to make voluntary movements. During sleep, when the baby's arms are not fixed, he may accidentally hit himself, causing him to wake up and start crying. Therefore, it will be better if his mother swaddles him in the first months of his life.

However, remember that when swaddling, you should not be zealous and tighten the diaper too tight. In the future, it is worth taking care of what the newborn sleeps in, because it also plays an important role for his sound sleep.

Colic

Another reason why a baby may not want to sleep is colic. Most mothers face this problem, so there is no need to worry. Colic causes cramps and pain in the tummy, to alleviate his condition, you need to lay the baby on the stomach, after heating the sheets. You can simply attach the child to your body - in most cases, the newborn calms down.

The vertical position of the newborn in a “column” helps. The child will burp the accumulated gases and feel better. Colic can disturb the baby during the first three months of life, so you need to try to find a way to alleviate it.

Whatever method you choose, for a newborn to have a restful sleep, you must, first of all, feel the needs of the child. If the rules say that it is undesirable to rock him to sleep, that tight swaddling is necessary, etc., but he craves the opposite actions, it would be correct to carry out his will. So that the baby calms down and falls asleep, because all children are, first of all, individuals.