How to get your baby to sleep can be baffling. While there are lots of factors that may impact how easy your baby goes down for bedtime, there are some tricks that can make it go smoother. If you’re struggling with putting your baby down, try some of these tried-and-true techniques from experienced moms. Because the better baby sleeps, the better you sleep too.
Build a Routine – Many kids thrive on a nightly routine that prepares them mentally and physically for sleep. Whether it’s a bath and books or a snuggle and a special song, pick a routine that is simple and easy to replicate, even if you’re in a new place.
“We keep the same bedtime routine almost every night, ending with books. The trick for us is to end on the same book every night and once we start reading that familiar story, she starts yawning and rubbing her eyes. It’s like Pavlov’s bell!” –Adrienne
Look For Clues –Babies that get too tired can be tricky to put to bed, so learn to look for your baby’s early cues of sleepiness. Rubbing eyes, yawning, drooping eyelids can all signal that the ideal time for sleep is soon.
“Watching for sleeping cues is critical! As soon as I see an eye rub, I immediately put the baby down for a nap. I drop her in the crib awake and she falls asleep without complaint within 5 minutes. If I botch the timing, it is much harder to get her down.” – Kristin C.
Snug as a Bug – Swaddling can help recreate a womb-like environment for newborns and prevent babies from flailing. A good swaddle requires a blanket with a bit of stretch, an effective fold and a snug fit. See Dr. Harvey Karp, author of The Happiest Baby on the Block, demonstrate his swaddling method. Or, try a specialty swaddling blanket like the Aden + Anais Easy Swaddle.
“Swaddling! It was the only thing that worked for us when the twins were small.” – Summer M.
Make It Dark – Darkness helps signal sleep for our bodies. Invest in a blackout shade or an added blanket thrown over the window to block out light and make it easier for baby to rest.
“Blackout curtains are amazing. My baby naps so much better when the room is super dark, and good blackout curtains do the trick!” – Kristin C.
White Noise For the Win – The noise in the womb is as loud as a vacuum cleaner. Help recreate that comforting sound with an inexpensive white noise machine. Make sure that it’s easily portable for trips in the car or stays at Grandma’s house, and consider finding one that has the option of running on batteries for situations where an outlet isn’t close by.
“We love the Gentle Giraffe White Noise machine by Cloud B. It’s cute and helped confuse Charlie into thinking he was still in a tummy. He still loves it and we use it to drown out the dogs and other random noises in our house. – Rebecca T.
Sleep Treats - Keeping certain sleep treats like pacifiers or special stuffed animals just for bedtime can help signal rest time to your child and also help her self-soothe.
“My 16-month-old dives for her crib for a nap or bedtime because it is the ONLY time we have let her have her pacifier. We haven’t had the headache of weaning a child off of one yet, but so far it has been our ace in the hole.” – Kathryn V.
Mother’s not always best… – Being held by mom is way more fun than sleeping by yourself. Plus you smell like milk. If your babe is having trouble going down, try passing her off to someone else.
“[My daughter] napped like a champ at school and if she was alone with her dad on weekends, but she would not nap if I was anywhere in the vicinity.” – Erin N.
Try, Try Again – Babies must learn how to self-soothe and go to sleep, and learning takes time. Be consistent in your efforts and patient for results. Your future self will thank you.
“I turn on the machine and leave the room. I start this process around 2 months old. If they cry for too long, I go back and try the same soothing tactics and attempt it again.” – Katie K.
Wise Words – Start off the way you intend to go. If you don’t want to rock your 3-year-old to sleep every night for 45 minutes, consider not making that your go-to method when he’s 3 months old.
“Our son was a nightmare sleeper. Our only trick was to actually go to sleep with him. He slept in our bed until he was 4 and still comes in during the middle of the night. With our daughter, I decided that she would start sleeping in her crib as soon as she was about 6 or 7 weeks old, so that we would hopefully not get a second bed buddy. So my routine for her was to breastfeed her and then put her in the crib. Even if it only lasted an hour or two, she got used to falling asleep in her crib. Now at 18 months old, she asks to get into her crib so that she can go to bed.” – Stacey B
What is your best tip for getting baby to sleep?