Having issues getting your baby to take a full nap? EVEN after a full feeding? Sometimes it is so easy to get those pretty babes back to sleep, and other times can be SO difficult. When you get down in the dumps that your baby just won't sleep, try some of these tips.
Sneak in:
Does your child take a binky? Have you tried giving her it back, and she just spits it out over, and over, and over, and over? Try sneaking in. I literally mean sneak in. Don't look at her. Just crawl right in, give the binky back, and sneak away.
Sometimes, a baby wakes up because she knows that she can get her mom. If this is what she is doing, don't succumb to the pressure! SNEAK IN! Also, avoid staring at her eyes when she's trying to fall asleep. If she's trying to fall asleep, looking at her eyes actually wakes her back up, or wakes her up more. Avoid it even though you just want to look at her and tell her how much you love her.
Full Feedings:
Make sure your baby is actually getting full feedings. Remember, he needs to eat RIGHT after he wakes up so he has enough energy to eat a full meal, and in turn, sleep well for his nap. If your baby isn't eating the same for each meal consistently, don't stress too much. Your baby has to rearrange his calories from eating all day and all night, to just during the day, so they can sleep through the night. This will take a little bit of time as they figure out when to consume the right amount. But don't worry! They do this on their own (you just get them on schedule), so really, nothing to worry about!!
Diaper Changes:
Whenever my babies woke up early from their nap, I always forgot to check the most important thing--a dirty diaper! I would do everything else to get my babies back to sleep, but check their diaper! Don't forget this simple check.
Sleep Cycles:
A full sleep cycle is 90 minutes. However, for a baby, a sleep cycle averages 45 minutes. If your baby is consistently waking up at 45 minutes, she hasn't learned how to connect her sleep cycles yet. She will get there, so don't worry too much, just remember to be patient and keep at it.
Other ideas:
Check issues with the environment such as: is the room dark enough? Is there a sound your baby hears and wakes up to? Is the room too hot or too cold? There are SO many other factors that can cause a baby to wake up during their nap and unfortunately, you'll have to rule them out. Hopefully, she isn't waking up very often, and it's super easy to figure out.
If all else fails...
Remember that you're the parent, and you can read your baby better than anybody else. Find something that works for you, and make it work! Get that baby the sleep he deserves, and by golly, the sleep YOU deserve. Hug and love those beautiful children!
- Mama Jackie
*Sleep is essential. We need sleep to function, to take care of our children, to keep up on every single task life throws at us, to keep our sanity. Are you getting your 8 hours or do you have a baby who is keeping you up? Let’s remedy that! In the “Rested Mamas are Happy Mamas” series of our blog, sleep expert Jackie calms all of your sleep woes. Have a question or problem that needs fixing? Comment on the series, and Jackie will address your specific issue!*
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[…] (If you need more suggestions for how to get a baby to go back to sleep for his whole nap, read this. I would also add trying a swing to soothe him back to sleep, or rocking him back to sleep at naps […]
[…] the baby go back to sleep when they wake up (and shouldn’t be awake yet). Try a few things to help him get back to sleep, such as giving your baby a binky, or try re-swaddling him, or perhaps, try transferring him to a […]