Do you find yourself climbing the walls at 3 a.m. as your six-month-old plays on the floor to her heart’s content? Does she snooze all day when you don’t have the opportunity to do the same?
Welcome to the mixed up world of babies!
When night becomes day and day becomes night, there are stilll some sleep aids that can really help both of you out.
If your little one happens to be in daycare, chances are you’re going to need to enlist their help. Make sure to get it as the gentle shuffling of night back into night and day into day very likely could take a lot of effort on everyone’s part, but it can be done.
The first thing to do to ensure that her upside down schedule gets set straight is to…
Start working at keeping her up a little longer from her daytime naps.
Gentle nudging for an extra five minutes today, 10 tomorrow and so on can add up quickly to help you get the sleep you need and put her schedule right.
If sleeping at night is just not her thing, continue working on keeping her awake a bit more during the day and start using some baby sleep aids at night.
There are many things that actually have a very big impact at night. Some of the best ideas, according to parents, include very basic tricks such as:
* Music. Sometimes babies just need a little background noise to get some good, solid sleep. This makes sense when you think about it. For nine months your little one didn’t go a moment without hearing a heartbeat or gurgle. Selecting the right music to sooth her can be a very big help.
* Lights out. While this is likely to change as she gets old, most babies tend to sleep much better if the room is quite dark. Heavy drapes or blinds can work as very effective baby sleep aids.
* Routine. If baby is getting a little older, consider putting together a very basic bedtime routine. You can start out with a little bit of playing, a soothing bath, a lullaby and a tuck in. When she gets used to the routine, this often serves as one the most effective tricks that don’t have to cost a fortune.
* Snuggle suits. Products like the Halo sleep sack that snuggle baby while she sleeps and keep her temperature just right can really work wonders. While these products present and extra expense, if they do the trick, they’re worth every penny. Just make sure these sacks are made for a baby the size of your little one and that they fit comfortably.
* Sheet change. Sometimes one of the things that prevents baby from sleeping comfortably in her crib is the actual sheets. If they are too cold or too scratchy, they might cause her a little distress. Consider changing out the sheets to help her feel more comfortable at home. If she’s in daycare and sleeps well there, find out what type of sheets, mattresses and baby sleep aids they use, too.
Getting your little one to turn her schedule around is going to take some effort. With the right gentle prodding and the correct baby sleep aids, the effort should pay off well.