4 Tips for getting your baby to sleep better!

Any time my friends become new parents the first thing they always ask for are any tips and tricks to help with their little one's sleep (and lets be honest, help theirs too!). So it seemed like this would be a perfect blog post. Find out some eae tricks you can start using tonight!!

“What should be done eventually, must be done immediately.”

This was a quote from a college athletics administrator about why he was firing a football coach, but I think it’s got a lot of appeal outside of the sports world. Especially when it comes to babies.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard parents say, “I just don’t think he’s ready for sleep training yet.” or, “I know it’s a bad habit, but it’s working for the time being. I’ll wean him off of it soon.”

Soon...

Soon, meaning, “In the meantime, I’ll just keep doing things I know are short-term solutions which are going to cause us problems down the road.” Insert red flag**

Don’t misunderstand my intentions here. I’m not trying to shame anyone for doing what they feel they have to do in order to keep the peace in their family. I am just as guilty as anyone of putting band-aids on things in order to hold the fort until I can deal with the bigger issue. How could we ever cope as mothers if we had to deal with every issue the moment it came up? I know you are a superhero, but even superhero's have limits!

Below is a list of my 4 easy tips that you can start using TONIGHT!

1.) Hello darkness, my old friend.

Light, natural or artificial, sends a message to our brains that it’s daytime, and not time to sleep. Melatonin production is triggered by darkness, so start turning down the lights an hour before you plan to put baby down. (Especially electronic screens, which emit a blue light that is particularly opposing to a baby’s shut-down process.)

For babies who wake up early, invest in some blackout blinds. You can get a decent set for

under $30, and I’ve had many parents tell me it’s the best money they have ever spent.