Seven great tips for making your baby fall asleep easily!

Sleep is all about feeling safe and comfortable, the warm feeling of having nothing to worry about.

You probably know it from yourself, when you have something troubling your mind, it will be harder to fall asleep. Here are seven great tips on how to make both your child and yourself fall asleep more easily.

1. You must realise that there are no single solutions to a child’s sleep problems - if there were, it would not be such a disputable topic.

2. You must consider the individual child’s age, development and the types of sleep issues as a whole before you can help your child the right way. A toddler just 10 months old, who has just learned to crawl, will naturally sleep a bit uneasy at night, processing all of the new motor-skills they have acquired. A three year old who has just started kindergarten will have other reasons for their uneasy nights.

3. Keep a stable and consistent daily routine. A child who sleeps at approximately the same time every day, eats well, and is challenged as well as played with at an age-appropriate level, will naturally sleep better.

4. If a child is having trouble sleeping, you must let them know that you are there. Depending on the age and intensity of the crying, you must evaluate whether to pick up and comfort the child or sit next to it and hold hands. Sometimes reading a book or singing, letting the child hear your voice, is all it takes.

5. Learn to differentiate between when your child is crying out of fear or dissatisfaction. You will know when to pick up the child, and when it is enough to simply be present. As the child grows older, the crying will develop into protest rather than fear, and then it is ok to be a little more stringent. You must express that it has to sleep now, because he/she needs it.

6. Stay in contact with your Early Childhood Centre or parents. It is important for you as a parent or educator to stay in contact with the whānau surrounding the child. Staying informed about the child’s every day life will make it much easier for you to deal with the issues that arise.

7. Trust yourself and don’t blindly follow others’ advice. Follow your heart and intuition. If what you are doing does not feel right, it may be an indication that it is not.

With that as my last comment, I’d like to ask you all how you make your children fall asleep? Comment below!