Establishing a sleep routine for your baby might feel overwhelming, but with the perfect mix of patience, consistency, and a simple but effective routine, you'll soon be enjoying blissful nights and well-rested mornings. To help get your routine in tip-top shape, we've rounded up the best advice from renowned Baby Sleep Consultant Sophie Wilkinson (@babysleepthenight_sophie) to bring you the ultimate guide to mastering baby sleep. From soothing bedtime rituals to crafting the perfect nap schedule, get ready to transform bedtime battles into blissful bedtimes.
A Baby and Child Certified Sleep Consultant and experienced Children’s mental health and public health practitioner, Sophie Wilkinson is filled with knowledge and expert advice on getting your little ones into their ideal sleep routine that not only keeps them well-rested, but also benefits their mental health.
Sophie says: “It’s so important to get your children into an effective sleep routine. If a child does not learn how to sleep independently, it affects the quality and amount of sleep they get, which in turn has an effect on their health, attention, concentration, memory, and much more.”
Now, let's dive into Sophie's expert-backed tips to get your little one drifting off to dreamland...
Tip 1: From nightmare naps to super sleeping!
Nap time can truly be the ultimate sanity test for parents! While your little one might be a sleep superstar through the night, daytime naps often bring a whole new set of challenges that can turn a calm day into a whirlwind. It’s often the trickiest part of a baby's sleep routine to perfect, requiring patience, creativity, and a few strategic tweaks. But fear not! With a bit of guidance and some clever strategies, we can transform those chaotic nap times into a smooth, restful part of your baby’s day. Here are my key tips for a perfect nap routine:
- Prevent overtiredness – extra adrenaline, more fight or flight and less melatonin all keep your baby from sleeping soundly.
- Prevent undertiredness – putting your baby down too early leads to shorter naps and restless nights. Timing is everything when it comes to naps.
- Serene environment – dark, quite spaces with white noise are ideal for nap time. If your on the go, a portable white noise machine and blackout blind for the pram can work wonders. Sweet dreams, anytime, anywhere!
- Napping schedules - Babies love routine, but make sure to keep their nap routine short and sweet! e.g read a book, change a nappy.
Tip 2: Build a brilliant bedtime
What's all the fuss about a good bedtime routine? It's the secret to smooth, sleep filled nights! A solid routine signals to your baby that it's time to wind down, with bath time helping to burn off extra energy and naturally cooling their body for sleep. The familiar steps make your little one feel safe and secure, creating structure that reduces bedtime battles and sets the stage for peaceful nights ahead.
How would I structure a nighttime routine?
A good bedtime routine should last between 30-40 minutes and follow these steps:
- Milk/snack
- Bath
- PJ’s
- Story time
- Song and into the cot/bed
- Lights out
Tip 3: Stress-free slumber
Aside from having a solid bedtime routine, we also need to keep it stress-free! With these tips, it’s time to turn those hectic evenings into a calm, cozy, and stress-free experience! Say goodbye to the chaos and hello to peaceful evenings, where both you and your child can wind down and relax.
- 5-minute warning – nobody likes to be pulled away from what they were doing. Ensure there are less tantrums and more smiles at bedtime, with a 5-minute warning.
-
Regular bedtime routine – That routine we discussed earlier, if you keep it consistent, your little ones will be feel safe and secure at bedtime, leading to less tears and protests
-
Use a timer – A timer helps your little ones feel more in control of their bedtime routine
- Set a story-limit – Ignore the “just one more protests”, and stick to your story limit to keep children in routine and prevent them from pushing boundaries
- Training clocks – With a training clock, your child will feel calm, peaceful and associate it with waking up and going to bed, helping them stick to a good routine that they feel in control of.
And there you have it, your ultimate guide to getting your child into a sleep routine that works like a dream! With these tips in your back pocket, bedtime battles will soon be a thing of the past. Peaceful evenings, quiet nights, and mornings where everyone wakes up refreshed and ready to take on the day are all on the horizon. So, turn down the lights, snuggle up, and get ready to enjoy the sweet sound of restful sleep filling your home. Sweet dreams are just around the corner!
