A soothing nighttime warm bath. There’s this unique feeling of light giggles following whenever I give baby D a bath. There are several things you could do to make the bath more enjoyable for the baby. Light touches, tickling, just the right temperature of water --- it all adds up to this bonding moment between you and your child. If done on a nightly basis, this could also set into the baby’s mind that bedtime’s about to come.
Bedtime Stories – Just after baby’s warm nighttime bath, you could tell bedtime stories. Get the baby settled into a nice, comfortable position, select books with a slower pace and start reading. Soften your words as you tell the story to the baby, and given the book’s slower pace, it creates a calming effect for the baby. Try looking for books like Goodnight Moon.
Lullabies – Carry the child on your arms, then start singing a soft, sweet lullaby. Take notes of the baby’s needs --- does he like hugging a favorite stuffed toy while being sang to? Does he like being covered in a warm blanket? What works for me is I gradually lower and slower my voice as I sing the lullaby --- and baby D just naturally follows the rhythm ‘til she falls asleep.
Those are my top 3 sleep aids to get baby to sleep. To maximize the effect, create an environment for the baby to relax in. If you need a couple of ideas on giving baths, touch therapy/light massages, stories and lullabies, check out Baby Bedtime Center’s collection of sleep aids. Happy snoring!
(Article contributed by Mommy D)
