How to Soothe a Fussy Baby at Night
Putting a baby to sleep can be a struggle for any parent. From cranky toddlers to colic babies, many new parents find themselves trying to figure out what the best way to calm their infant is. Despite your best efforts, sometimes your baby may still be fussy at night. There are a few methods which may help soothe your baby and lull them into a peaceful sleep.
Most importantly, when it comes to calming your baby down, repetition is key. Furthermore, it’s important to make sure that everyone in the house knows and follows the calming routine you have created. Consistency and familiarity are what babies crave, and when they feel it, they are more likely to calm down faster.
With this in mind, here are some methods that may help soothe your baby and get them to fall asleep more easily.
Create a Calming Environment
Before you dive into sleep-training your baby, assess their environment. Make sure that your baby’s bedroom is not too warm and that the lighting is dim. Shine a night-light if necessary, and turn on some soft music or a sound machine. The noise and the environment should be soothing and comforting for your baby.
Make sure that everything is properly organized and that your baby’s room is free of distractions. Such distractions could be pieces of furniture that provide easy access to cabinets, or colors and objects that would attract your baby’s attention.
Create a Bedtime Routine
One of the most effective methods of calming a fussy baby down at night is to create a bedtime routine. This should be done with your baby’s age in mind. Your routine should include activities such as giving your baby a warm bath, reading them stories or some quiet music, playing with them and cuddling them until they drift off. The key here is to be consistent so that your baby can expect the same activities every night.
Similarly, the same routine should be followed for nap times as well. It will help your baby learn to develop a sleep schedule and recognize the importance of creating boundaries between wake-time and sleep-time.
Remember that the goal should not be to put your baby to bed as fast as possible. Instead, try making the entire environment calm and peaceful so that your baby can feel assured that they are safe while they sleep.
Create White Noise
The sound of white noise can help comfort and soothe your baby to sleep. You can create white noise with the help of a fan or sound machine. This sound should be loud enough to make sure that your baby falls asleep and stay asleep, but not too loud that it starts to irritate them.
Also make sure to keep the sound playing while they nap during the day. Again, it’s important to be consistent with sound in order to help them relax more quickly.
Use Gentle Rocking or Swinging
Gently rocking or swinging your baby can also work wonders when it comes to calming them down. It is best to use a consistent motion so as to not startle them or cause them discomfort. Rocking or swaying them for just a few minutes can make a huge difference in helping them nod off. Additionally, if you choose to use a swing, make sure the settings are correct and that it’s not too high or forceful.
Other Tips to Help Soothe Your Baby
- Skin to skin contact
- Give your baby a massage
- Hold your baby and walk around
- Keep constant but gentle pressure on your baby
- Do rhythmic tapping
Conclusion
It is important to note that not every method will work for each baby. As such, it’s important to experiment and see what soothing techniques will work best for your baby. By creating a calming environment and a routine, you can help lull your baby into sleep easier and quicker.