Early Steps to Independent Sleep
- sleep41
- Jan 20, 2024
- 3 min read
It is so important to create a positive sleep environment and sleep associations that will help babies to self-settle and sleep independently as early as possible. That’s not to say you shouldn’t cuddle your new baby and contact nap as much as you want to in those early days! I’ve most definitely been enjoying the newborn snuggles since my second baby arrived 4 weeks ago.
I have found having a baby in the winter has been a whole different experience to my first baby who was born in late spring. Here are a few of the things we have done to help little one settle in his Snuzpod since he arrived, whilst starting to create those sleep associations that will help with independent sleep in the future:
1. Hot water bottle – we have been putting a hot water bottle in the Snuzpod 10 minutes or so before bedtime. We then take it out and pop the sleeping baby into a warm cot. It’s important to check the temperature of the cot once you have removed the hot water bottle and before you put the baby in.
2. Ergopouch sheet – this is a new product from ErgoPouch that promotes safe sleeping (more so than a blanket). They can be used as a 1 tog or 0.5 tog depending on which way round you use it and act as an extra layer for baby.
3. Sleep with sheet and swaddle - I am exclusively breastfeeding so little man settles best on me. We did a few nights of safe co-sleeping on and off when he didn’t want to be in his cot but I much prefer him to be happy to sleep in his own space. Sleeping with his sheet and swaddle before he uses them means they smell of me and he seems to settle much better in his Snuzpod.
4. Swaddle/sleeping bag – my first son was more than happy to sleep in a swaddle but son number 2 wasn’t very happy to have his arms down. I still wanted his arms in for the first few weeks to help with the startle reflex so I have been using a sleeping bag with the arm holes closed. There is more room for his arms to be across his chest instead of restricted by his side. It also has a higher tog rating than the swaddles which may have contributed to him being more settled in the sleeping bag compared to my spring baby.
5. White noise – I swear by white noise. Both boys have had white noise playing all night from night one! It is one of their main sleep associations. So much so that if it is turned off in my eldest son’s room then he is asleep, 90% of the time he will wake up immediately.
6. Dummy/comforter – both my boys have had dummies from the start as well as comforters when it is safe for them to have items in their cot. Again these are sleep associations. Baby number two doesn’t sleep with his comforter yet because he cannot have anything in the cot with him but baby number one makes sure ‘Roary’ is close to his baby brother throughout the day.
7. Temperature checks – this is a really helpful tool for when you’re unsure what layers the baby should be wearing overnight. Based on the temperature of the room you can work out what baby will be most comfortable in. You can always check the baby’s temperature using your fingertips on their back or chest and adjust layers accordingly.
Have you created positive sleep habits from early on with your baby?
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