10 tips to help baby fall asleep
Along with nutrition, sleep plays a vital role in the healthy development and well-being of our little ones. To be perfectly honest, it's just as essential for Baby to get a good night's sleep as it is for us (and for our complexion) to have peaceful evenings and restorative nights! Here are 10 tips to guide your baby to dreamland as naturally as possible…
An environment conducive to your baby's good sleep.
First of all, let's not forget that the atmosphere around a baby has a real influence on their moods and anxieties. So, parents, RELAX! Stress is contagious , and our babies are like sponges.
1. Baby shouldn't be too hot or too cold. The ideal room temperature is between 18°C and 20°C . Unless you live near the North Pole or in the far north, avoid triple layers: a Damart bodysuit + fleece pajamas + a wool sleep sack + a blanket + a throw. And don't forget about laundry! Great, right?
2. Offer Baby a cuddly toy, a pacifier or even a piece of fabric with Mom's scent to reassure him (we still avoid leaving him his favorite little top at the risk of never seeing it again or finding it crumpled up, wet, with a smell that only Baby would appreciate).
3. Create a calm and relaxing atmosphere in the evening, with soft music and dimmed lighting. As a bonus, this will enhance your romantic evenings. What more could you ask for?
Clever natural aids to help your baby fall asleep...
4. Give him a warm bath (37°C) in the evening and add a little orange blossom water.
5. Offer him a massage using a vegetable oil (avoid sweet almond oil, which can be allergenic) or a cream specifically designed for babies. The important thing is to try: while some babies love it, others will make their aversion very clear with tears and screams!
6. Diffuse essential oils in the bedroom using a diffuser (or on a handkerchief, on the pillow, 30 minutes before bedtime): mandarin, lavender or sweet orange oil, which are perfectly tolerated by young children.
Food and sleep, the inseparable pair.
7. Give your baby easily digestible foods and avoid protein , as digestion raises body temperature and can interfere with sleep. You can find our ideal evening recipes, designed without meat or fish, such as Ratatouille-Quinoa Good Goût or Penne with Eggplant .
8. Don't hesitate to give him a bottle of milk and/or a banana just before bedtime. These foods are rich in tryptophan (a precursor to the sleep hormone). But please, avoid the extra shot of brandy...
9. Favor fruits low in vitamin C (such as apples or pears ), which is a natural stimulant.
10. Feed Baby in a calm environment and avoid having the television on (no, not the news, not commercials, and certainly not The Walking Dead).
If, despite all this, Baby still isn't sleeping, be patient and work out a nighttime schedule so that both Mom and Dad get up during the night. When it comes to sleep, just like with household chores, equality is key, isn't it?
