HELEN WAKEFIELD
New babies’ senses are strong, which means they are highly sensitive to temperature, smells, sounds, even the feel of their pyjamas. If their room is too hot or too cold, it smells of a strong scent like cleaning products, if the house is noisy or you’re using a detergent that’s bothering their skin, all of these factors can disrupt their sleep. Take a look at their sleeping environment and adjust it to find out what may be affecting them and adjust to find what works well.
If your baby is waking a lot during the night, try room sharing – babies want physical proximity, needing their parent to respond sensitively and consistently when they signal. In order to become independent, they must first feel secure. Keeping them close to you at night and during the day when you can will support their needs and keep them settled.
As babies’ senses are so heightened, they are easily stimulated by everything that’s new around them – noises, smells, sounds. A lot of what babies’ experience will be new to them at this early stage, and so it’s important after such a stimulating day to help them wind down at night with the rest of the family. Going for a walk or shopping with baby before nap time will heighten their senses, so give them longer to wind down if you want them to nap.
Remember to focus on your own sleep health too – read our blog on improving sleep quality for 4 quick tips.