Since the dawn of time, parents have all faced a similar issue. No matter how much effort you put into getting your child to sleep, there will always be things waiting to wake them up, and avoiding this can be a real challenge. There are a lot of products on the market which promise to help with this, though it isn’t always as simple as buying something to solve the problem. Instead, there are a range of factors which go into keeping a young child asleep at night, and this post is going to be exploring some of the most crucial to give you a chance to overcome this issue.
Daily Activities
The things your child does during the day will have a direct impact on their tiredness later on, and this is something which a lot of parents struggle to control. It’s crucial that your little one is able to burn their energy, making them tired and helping them to get a good night’s sleep, though they won’t be able to do this on their own. Babies will need a lot of help to play effectively, with parents taking an active role in the games they like to play. Along with this, though, you could also think about taking them out and about, helping them to practise walking, and just about anything else which will help to tucker them out.
The Routine
There are a number of different elements which come together to make people feel tired, with light and sound playing a role, but routine being the most crucial factor. If you’re able to give your baby their food, play with them, and put them to bed at the same time each night, they will always have sounder sleep than if their routine is flexible. You should consider this very carefully, with even the types of food they are given having an impact on their sleep. For example, sugary foods should be kept for long before they sleep, as they won’t be able to drift off if they have energy coursing through their body.
The Comfort
Finally, as the last area to consider, it’s time to think about comfort. It’s not easy for a baby to express when they are uncomfortable, and most will simply default to crying about it. This can be very frustrating, as a bed or a cot can often feel comfortable when you first put the baby into it, but will become less and less so as they sleep. This can result in a lot of midnight wakeups. Cot bed fitted sheets, blankets, and special mattresses can all be used to change this, giving your baby the comfort they need to be able to sleep through the night. Without this crucial factor covered, sleep will be just about impossible for your little one.
With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to give you little one everything they need for a good night’s sleep. A lot of parents struggle with this, finding it hard to know what they should be doing to keep their little one happy. Of course, though, this is about more than their emotions, as you also have to figure out the science behind their sleep, too.
