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It would seem so easy to put a child to bed, turn off the light and leave the room, but everything is not so simple. Especially if you need to put an infant to bed. Read the article to find out about some tips that can help a kid to fall asleep faster.
Keep the Schedule
As a rule, children have problems falling asleep if they go to bed at different times. That is why it is essential to ensure that a baby falls asleep and wakes up at the same time every day. Specialists believe that at every age there is a different time for going to bed and the amount of sleep needed. Infants usually need to sleep at least 12-14 hours, toddlers need to sleep from 9 to 16 hours, schoolchildren from 8 to 14 hours, etc. It’s essential to clearly define the time for preparing for sleep and the morning routine to follow. Routine is the most important part of a child’s lifestyle, which helps a kid to fall asleep faster.
Eating Regime
For a baby to fall asleep quickly and have a good sleep, along with rituals before bedtime, an important role is played by a hearty but easily digestible evening meal. Experts recommend allowing children to have a snack like whole grain toast, an apple, or crackers 45 minutes before bedtime. If a kid is under the age of 4 months, to avoid sleep disturbances and colic and improve the quality of sleep, it is recommended to give baby formula containing prebiotics. Their presence in the content promotes comfortable digestion, development, and maintenance of normal intestinal microflora, ensures regular bowel movements, and prevents the development of constipation.
Evening Bathing
To help an infant to fall asleep, bathe it before going to bed. For many babies, a warm scented bath has a calming effect after which children sleep sounder and sweeter. Bathing is a wonderful ritual to end the day. For a newborn, this procedure is a signal that it is time to go to bed.
Pleasant Bed Linen and Pajamas
Coziness will set a baby to sleep faster. The bedding should be soft and not cause irritation and allergies. But there is one factor that parents don’t always pay particular attention to and it’s color. Children have a strong psychological relationship with color. A baby will fall asleep faster and more peacefully among pastel tones, while bright colors will irritate its nervous system.
The same applies to drawings and patterns. By preferring gentle shades of blue, gray, beige, and green, you will increase the chances of peaceful sleep for your little one. The same with pajamas, which by the way can be several sets to give a kid the opportunity to choose which one to wear.
Prepare a Comfortable Room
A child’s sleep is influenced by several factors, the most important of which are its bed or crib, temperature, humidity in the room, noise, and lighting. If a baby sleeps in a crib there should not be extra pillows, lots of toys, etc. because they disturb it from sleeping. In case a child sleeps alone, protective sides are mandatory. If you are taking a baby to sleep with you then you should put a newborn between you and the wall, placing something against the wall to protect from injuries.
The temperature in the baby’s bedroom should not be higher than +18°..+20°, and the humidity should be 40-60%. Air circulation is also important, before going to bed you need to ventilate the room. There are eternal disputes about whether to leave the light or not in the room. The sleep hormone melatonin is produced depending on how bright or dark the room is. In bright light, this hormone stops being synthesized, so babies should sleep in a dark room.
Cry It Out Method
If you are a fan of different methods of putting children to sleep, then ask your pediatrician for more details about these. For example, pediatrician Richard’s Ferber Cry It Out method is generally based on allowing an infant who does not want to sleep to cry as much as it wants by putting it in the crib and leaving it alone. The pediatrician believes this is the natural way for a kid to learn to fall asleep independently. Besides, there is a method founded by Maria Montessori. According to her, to make a kid fall asleep the room should generally consist of several zones which are the zone where a child sleeps, eats, and changes clothes.
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