Top 10 Baby Sleeping Tips

1. Sleep Sounds

Music is a great way to help your baby drift off to sleep. Choose something that you and your baby both enjoy and play it at low volumes while drifting off. Light, relaxing music is preferable but it depends on your baby's taste.

2. Swing of Things

Babies are practically programmed to fall asleep when they experience motion. This mimics the sensation the baby had in the womb - Mummy moving around meant it was time to get some shut-eye; Mummy staying still meant it was time to exercise and have a party.

3. Dark Room/Light Room

Babies don't immediately understand the difference between day and night. As mentioned above, Babies are wired to relax during the day when Mummy's moving around, then get some exercise at night when Mummy's still and sleeping. Making sure it's dark during sleep time and light during waking hours should help the baby build up an association between the two.

4. Close To Your Chest

Consider using a sling to keep your little one close, especially during the day - a relaxing day is more likely to be followed by a relaxing night. Not only will the baby be able to see what you see, hear what you hear and smell what you smell, but you will be able to react quickly when your baby communicates with you.

5. White Noise

Although it may seem strange, monotonous soft noises, usually termed "white noise", is music to a baby's ears. The sound of a hair dryer or washing machine creates the perfect swirling soundscape for your baby, a convincing replacement for the sounds of the womb.

6. Just Right

Cold beds are bad news for a sleeping baby, especially during winter. Make sure that whatever surface you lay your baby on is not cold to the touch and make sure the room is around 21°C. It can also help to make sure the room is not too dry or too humid; a relative humidity of around 50% should do it.

7. Night Rider

This is more of a last resort but if all else fails it may be worth taking your wee one out for a late night drive. The change of scenery might be just what he needs and will give you a chance to get out of the house for a short while plus the movement should rock him off to sleep in no time. When you return home it may be worth bringing the car seat in to the house with baby still asleep inside. No point in ruining a good thing - if the baby is sleeping then that's what really counts.

8. Location, Location, Location

Despite what you may have read, there is no right or wrong place for a baby to sleep. If a baby is struggling to get to sleep , anywhere that helps the baby drift off is a good place for him or her to grab some Z's. If the baby can't sleep in a crib in their own room, maybe it's time to move the crib into the parents' room. Some might prefer it the other way round and some might even prefer to sleep snuggled up to Mummy and Daddy in the parents' bed. It's best to experiment.

9. No sudden noise.

Sudden noise is a disaster for a sleeping baby. Babies' ears are more sensitive than adults' and sudden, piercing or loud sounds will be quite unusual to them, considering they're more used to the relaxing, monotonous soundscapes of the womb. It's best to keep a relaxed environment around your baby, especially when it comes to bed time.

10. Be Flexible

It's important to know that no 2 babies are the same; every single infant has their own unique personality with their own quirks. Be adaptable and understand that no child expert knows your baby better than you do. All baby-rearing books and lists therefore should be taken with a grain of salt. You may come up with a list of essential techniques for getting your baby to sleep that don't even figure on this list. Also, understand that your baby is growing at a remarkable rate. What works at 4 weeks won't necessarily work at 4 months so it's important to be responsive and sensitive as he or she grows up.

www.babies-go.co.uk

Camp Bestival

Carrying on from our previous post, we have news of another festival put on especially for young children and families, Camp Bestival, which took place this past weekend. A family-friendly spin-off of the hugely successful Bestival, this is the third time the event has been held at Lulworth Castle in Dorset, attracting over 30,000 young revelers and their parents. The entertainment included music from The Human League, Ellie Goulding, Friendly Fires with Madness providing top billing.

Camp Bestival founder Rob Da Bank of Radio 1 fame said "It's the friendliest crowd I've seen this year. I’m pleased, it’s quite nerve wracking because of the responsibility of having all the kids here but as soon as it starts you see how friendly everyone is."

With a myriad of activites for kids including an insect circus, a giant bubble creator, a magic meadow and educational activities like the literacy tent and the Gin Carriage where children could write a poem or draw a picture in return for a free drink (non-alcoholic of course), there was plenty to keep the little ones occupied.

Don't worry if you missed it, tickets are already on sale for next year, so the three-year old tradition shows no signs of stopping. “When you find somewhere where you set on so well with the people, you are not going to disappear." says Rob. "I still want to be here doing this when I’m 60.”


www.babies-go.co.uk