Soothing bedtime tips for your baby

Sleep is so important for your little one, and of course, you. Babies often have their own agenda of when they want to sleep and when they don’t, but there are some tips you can follow that can help your baby get calm ready for sleep.

If little ones don’t get enough sleep, it can be hard for them to control their emotions, becoming tired and grumpy – or even hyper. Creating a calm environment in the lead up to bedtime can help them get relaxed and ready for a good sleep.

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to bedtime. Every baby is different. It’s important to understand what works for your little one and stick to it, trying to relax them rather than overstimulating them.

Here are a few ideas that may help your little one ready for a good sleep.

Stick to the same things
Try and set the same time to start your little one’s bedtime each evening and stick to it as much as you can. Your child’s body clock is more likely to adjust to consistency. For older ones to understand, it’s a good idea to warn them when bedtime is approaching. For example: give them a timer, tell them it’s time to brush their teeth or put their pyjamas on. Anything that indicates bedtime is soon.

Warm baths
A warm bath can be a lovely way to soothe your little one and get them nice and relaxed before bed. However, some may become over excited when playing in the bath, so this may not work for everyone.

Start getting your little one ready for bed straight after a bath, it will help to associate bath time with bedtime. Once they are in their pyjamas, they’ll start to understand that it’s soon time for bed.

Story time
Once your child is in bed, read them a story. For older children encourage a bedtime teddy or doll for them to cuddle up to for comfort.  You can also play some soothing music while you read to help them relax further and leave it playing as they drift off.