Bedtime is a very special moment in a baby's daily routine. It is recommended that the same steps be repeated every day to create a habit that will make you associate that process with bedtime. The moments before sleep are important, since the activity of the day is reduced and the child is prepared for a restful rest, essential for its development.
We share a Five-step sleep routine to get your baby to get to bed relaxed and sleep better. It is a proposal that of course you can modify or change the order of each step according to the needs and preferences of your baby.
1) Relaxing bath
The bathroom is one of the times of the day that children enjoy most. It helps lower the decibels of the day and start preparing for bedtime. Prepare the bath at a pleasant room temperature (between 23-25 ° C), the water has to be about the same temperature as the baby's body (between 35-37 ° C).
One of the most frequent doubts is whether it is better to bathe the baby before or after dinner, but the answer is that it is indifferent. It depends on how your baby is. If the bath relaxes you so much that you fall asleep and then don't have dinner, you better give it before dinner, but you can bathe it first and then give it dinner.
In Babies and more 11 tips for the baby to have sweet dreams (and we)There are also babies who do not like bath time, in that case you can try changing it for the morning after waking up.
2) Massages
After the bath, it is the best time to give a massage with cream or moisturizing oil that will help protect your delicate skin and give you a feeling of well-being (there are oils with really delicious aromas that increase that feeling). Prepare the session with everything at hand, always watch your baby and make sure the environment is at a pleasant temperature so that it does not go cold.
The massages are powerful caresses that contribute to create a very special connection with your baby, and that also has important benefits for its development.
The session can last about 10-15 minutes. Make smooth and slow movements throughout the body. Start with the belly, then legs, arms, hands and do not forget the face. Then place it face down and massage your back. Keep in mind that there are days that you may not have humor for massages or are very hungry, and that day it will be better to skip the massage session, or do it later.
3) Put on your pajamas
Put on a comfortable cotton pajamas and preferably cover your feet, especially if it is winter or your baby is usually uncovered at night.
While you are seeing your baby make eye contact with him, smile at him and speak to him in a soft voice. The idea is that all pre-sleep actions be quiet.
In Babies and more The safest way to sleep for babies is in their crib, on their backs and near their parents' bed, pediatricians recommend4) Dinner
After bathing and massage comes dinner time, whether you take your breast, bottle, cereal or dinner with solid foods if you are already older than six months. There are babies who start eating solids and barely chop any food and then take a bottle or breast to sleep.
Here every baby has their preferences, but it is recommended that you always have dinner at the same time.
5) Arms and pampering
Finally, prepare the place where you go to sleep with a Quiet atmosphere and dim light. You can even play soft music that sure your baby will love (here we suggest 100 songs to sleep your baby in instrumental, classical and modern versions). There are babies, especially the youngest ones, who join these last two steps as they usually fall asleep taking the bottle or breast.
The last step is to place the baby in his crib (or where he sleeps) and wrap him to close his eyes. You can caress and sing a babysitter, or even read or tell a story. There are babies who only fall asleep in their arms and cannot sleep otherwise. If so, once you have fallen asleep deeply you can place him in his crib or with you in bed if you practice colecho, always with the appropriate security measures.
The whole process will take approximately one hour. It is a special moment that you will enjoy very much both and that It will serve as a sleep routine for the baby to sleep better. Over time, you will associate this short time at the end of the day with relaxation and know that it is time to go to sleep.
Photos | iStockphoto, valentinapowers on Flickr and Pexels
