Raising a kid isn’t an easy job. Given the stress and pressure of today’s life, persistent crying of the babies can lead to more stressful situations in the family, including marital conflicts, depression, low self-esteem, and obesity. A stressed mind can lead new parents to make all sorts of rash decisions. Thus, it is extremely important to understand the needs of the baby. Have you spent many a night, awake, trying to get your baby to sleep, and failed? Fret not, here are some tips to help both you and your baby enjoy a good night’s sleep.
A baby stays in the womb for almost nine months and is habitual of a crouched position and a warm, watery environment. Any change in the environment upsets the baby and ends up affecting its biological cycle. Normally, wet nappies, hunger, or fever can cause the infants to sleep less. Yet, if all these causes are taken care of, and still the problem persists, there are some hacks that can help the baby sleep peacefully.
One very useful fact to know is that babies slumber down better when they are provided an environment that resembles the one in the womb.
To create similar conditions, paediatricians suggest the ‘5-6’ approach: swaddling, shushing, swinging, sucking, sleeping position, and to switch on the calming reflexes.
Swaddling: During pregnancy, the baby feels very caressed inside the womb. These soft caresses are called swaddling. Caressing the baby softly and wrapping them tight helps them to believe they are back in their protected environment.
Sleeping position: Making the baby sleep on the back makes the baby feel like he/she is falling. But making the baby sleep with its stomach on its side cancels that feeling, and thus helps him/her sleep without any worry.
Shushing: The sound in the womb is louder than a vacuum cleaner.
Either start a vacuum cleaner or shush as loudly as possible. Keep going with decreasing intensity. You can try switching on the hair drier also.
Swinging: This is an age-old method that never fails. When the babies are upset and are crying, they need a ‘back & forth’ movement to help them relax. This will calm them down and also make them drowsy.
Sucking: If the baby likes to put its finger in its mouth, don’t discourage him/her. More often than not, this particular action soothes the baby and gives him/her a very familiar feeling of being safe.
Calming reflexes: These are certain body movements that make the infant think that he/she is in the womb. Whenever your baby is feeling cranky, use these movements to help him/her relax. If none of the above measures work, take your baby out for a drive in the car. Most fussy babies calm down when the car is in motion. An easy solution!
Some precautions
Don’t wrap the baby in loose blankets. Also, establish a daytime and nighttime routine by keeping stimulating activities restricted to the day and sleepy and passive ones for the night. Introducing bedtime rituals like singing lullabies is also beneficial. Bathing the babies with warm water and feeding them till they are full also aids sleep.
(The author is a senior consultant neonatologist.)