Having a baby changes everything. One of the biggest changes is the amount of sleep you get when you live with a newborn baby. Parents everywhere turn to sleep coach Kim West, LCSW-C, better known as The Sleep Lady, to learn how they and their child can get a good night’s sleep.
Graco asked The Sleep Lady to share the following soothing tips for a newborn up to a 6-month-old:
-
- Your Newborn Can’t Form “Bad” Sleep Habits: You want to help your newborn baby get sleep during the day in any way that you can. At this stage of a baby’s life you cannot really create bad sleep habits so it’s ok to try all sorts of things to see what works for your child. Knowing how to help soothe your baby to sleep is oftentimes a journey. Try these various motion-soothing techniques and find the ones that best calm and soothe your baby:
o Use white noise while your baby is swinging, jiggling or swaying
o Wear your baby in a carrier with good head support as you work around the house
o Hold your baby in a “colic carry,” with the baby’s belly down along your arm, and walk around the home
- Use Motion to Calm A Newborn Baby: Motion is a favorite of babies for soothing because it likely reminds them of the sensations and security of the womb. Movement will often do what no other kind of soothing will do. Because each baby is unique, you might want to try a swing that has a variety of motion options, like the Graco EveryWay Soother with Removable Rocker. This swing has 16 soothing motions (the most of any swing in the market!) and 15 different songs and sounds, including white noise, to help calm and soothe any baby. Six swing speeds, a 3 position recline and 2 soothing vibration speeds will help parents adjust to any baby’s soothing preferences. Additionally, the swing’s seat doubles as a removable rocker to keep baby by your side throughout the home.
- Learn Your Baby’s Sleepy Cues: Most babies up to six months old can only be awake for about one to two hours before becoming overtired. Part of the learning curve for a new parent is to get to know their own child and recognize his typical sleepy cues so that you can move them to their safe sleep space as soon as possible. Your baby’s sleepy signs may include yawning, staring, fussiness, quieting down, losing interest in playtime, eye-rubbing, and hand sucking. An alert or spirited child may move very quickly from happy to tired to overtired so keeping one eye on the clock is also important. Be prepared to move straight to naptime or bedtime as soon as you see your child’s sleepy cues.
The Graco EveryWay Soother (MSRP $199) is exclusively available at Babies R Us.
Do you have a newborn baby? Let us know your favorite soothing tips for a fussy baby.
- Your Newborn Can’t Form “Bad” Sleep Habits: You want to help your newborn baby get sleep during the day in any way that you can. At this stage of a baby’s life you cannot really create bad sleep habits so it’s ok to try all sorts of things to see what works for your child. Knowing how to help soothe your baby to sleep is oftentimes a journey. Try these various motion-soothing techniques and find the ones that best calm and soothe your baby:
Lorelai @ Life With Lorelai says
Oh, yes, calming babies… I remember the days. Sometimes it could be a real struggle to figure out what was going to work. Graco makes quality and innovative products. Thanks for sharing at the #HomeMattersParty 🙂
~Lorelai
Life With Lorelai
Leela says
Use Motion to Calm A Newborn Baby.
allison says
the white noise tip seems perfect! thank you so much for the chances to win.
Bea Alexandra says
I think the colic carry really does help to relax them into sleepiness.
Tammy Woodall says
My favorite soothing tip is to Use Motion to Calm A Newborn Baby.
John H. says
Use white noise while your baby is swinging, jiggling or swaying
Kathy Pease says
My favorite is Use Motion to Calm A Newborn Baby
Francine Anchondo says
Learn Your Baby’s Sleepy Cues
Sarah Mayer says
Using motion to calm your baby–that one just always seems to work–classic parenthood tip!
Dawn C says
This is amazing! White noise is always helpful
Josie R says
The white noise tip was my favorite. I have never heard that tip before.
Lesley F says
I like Use Motion to Calm A Newborn Baby. We have found this to be quite useful
Shane A says
I like the idea of wearing your baby as you work around the house. They probably learn tons of stuff from all the visual stimulation.
Richard Hicks says
We have done colic carry and works very well
Nicole Zerbini says
I love the tip “Learn your baby’s sleepy cues”. So true!
Heather D says
All my babies (so far) were really soothed by movement so I think thats a great tip. Hopefully the next will too.
Em Mahr says
My favorite tip is to use Motion to Calm A Newborn Baby
katherine says
I always used the colic carry for mine
Sheena says
I so remember those days of calming a newborn. I am honestly kinda glad they are all past me. #HomeMattersParty
Laurajj says
Oh my favorite is Use Motion to Calm A Newborn Baby! I have to say…my favorite is rocking in big comfortable rocking chair…and singing lullabies!
Ashley C says
I like the tip about using white noise! My newborn hasn’t made his arrival yet (just a few weeks left!) but we absolutely plan on using white noise.
Christina A. says
Using motion to calm your baby–that one just always seems to work–classic parenthood tip!
Heidi Daily says
I like the “colic carry” it really worked for my daughter.
Edye says
White noise!!! It works so well for babies and for adults also 🙂
Christy Rivers says
Multi-direction seat offers more ways to soothe. It more than one item so it cuts down on space.
Kenia says
My favorite is “Use white noise while your baby is swinging, jiggling or swaying”
Dandi D says
I really need to remember the one about “babies can’t form ‘bad’ sleep habits”.
Stephanie Phelps says
My favorite tip is the Hold your baby in a “colic carry,” with the baby’s belly down along your arm, and walk around the home.
Jen D. says
My favorite tip is – Wear your baby in a carrier with good head support as you work around the house.
Debbie-Dabble says
Thanks so much for stopping by!!
Hugs,
Debbie
Darlene Carbajal says
I like the white noise tip. We tried this with my niece and it helped.
Candice says
I like the tip to Learn Your Baby’s Sleepy Cues. I think this can be really helpful in preventing fuzzy outbursts.
Steve Weber says
earn Your Baby’s Sleepy Cues
Linda Manns Linneman says
I think motion is a great way to soothe babies. I also think cuddling is very important. Thank you for sharing this. God Bless
Margaret Smith says
I like the tip about using motion to calm your baby. I really think that this works.