Use Swaddling or Receiving Blankets to Help Baby Sleep!

Sleep is very Important to the New Baby

Baby should always sleep on his back.Use several swaddling or receiving blankets to positionbaby.This position keeps her safe while she sleeps and greatly reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). At this stage Baby may be able to roll from her stomach to her side, but is not yet strong enough to roll from her back to her side or her stomach. If your baby does roll onto her stomach in her first few weeks, reposition her on her back. Stack the swaddling blankets on both sides of her to create a wall so that she can't roll over.

Help your baby develop good sleep habits by establishing a consistent bedtime routine. About an hour before bed, begin soothing activities, such as feeding him, putting on his pajamas, and reading or singing to him. When he becomes familiar with these rituals, he'll know it's time to sleep.

Helping your baby develop safe, healthy sleep habits is a learning process for both of you. According to Priyanka Yadav, D.O., pediatric sleep medicine specialist at Somerset Medical Center in Somerville, New Jersey, one of the most important things you can do is to learn to recognize when your little one is sleepy. For example, your baby may rub her eyes or become fussy or irritable.

If Baby always rubs her eyes when she's drowsy, for example, or if she becomes fussy or irritable, you'll know it's time to get her ready for bed. This will help Baby get the sleep she needs, when she needs it.

To help your baby learn to fall asleep on his own, put him to bed when he's drowsy, but before he falls asleep. This will train him to fall asleep in his crib and not in your arms. Your baby will also learn to soothe himself back to sleep instead of being rocked or held, which means more restful, uninterrupted sleep for you. According to Dr. Guzman, your little one will be less likely to suffer from insomnia or other sleep problems as he grows older if he learns to fall asleep on his own from a young age.