How to establish a good baby sleep routine
Getting your baby to sleep through the night may take some time, but with our advice on introducing a good sleep routine you will get there.
When it comes to family sleeping arrangements, different cultures have different approaches. In the UK the Department of Health advises that for the first six months, the safest place for your baby at night is in a cot in your bedroom1. This is because being close to you is thought to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS, also sometimes referred to as ‘cot death’). It also makes it easier for you to look after your baby in the small hours. But what about co-sleeping, and where should your partner sleep?
Where your baby sleeps is a matter of personal choice, and some parents prefer their baby to go into their own room from the start. There are many advantages to keeping the baby closer, though. It makes night feeds easier; babies cry less if they know you are close by; and the combined benefits of peace of mind and proximity can help you to get more sleep too.
Many parents find the idea of co-sleeping (keeping your baby in bed with you while you both sleep) appealing, and feel that it provides comfort to the baby and helps both mum and baby get more rest. It is, however, associated with a higher risk of SIDS (although the risk is very low). If you are considering co-sleeping, talk to your health visitor about safety issues. A bedside cot with an open side is a happy compromise that offers a safe environment while keeping your baby nearby
"Make sure you share the load.
Perhaps your partner could take on more of the household chores?"
While some parents want to share the broken nights together, for others there are definite advantages to separate bedrooms, for a few months at least.
Your partner may have to go back to work fairly soon after your baby is born, so might feel entitled to a good night’s sleep during the week. However, if you are exhausted from night feeds, you may struggle to cope with looking after your baby during the day. Make sure you share the load. Perhaps your partner could take on more of the household chores? Or take on the bedtime routine? Alternatively, they could take the baby out at the weekend so that you can catch up on some sleep.
However your family chooses to sleep, as new parents you are likely to be very tired for the first few months. Working as a team will help you get through it and will make it more fun too.
1. NHS UK. Reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) [Online]. Available at:
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/reducing-risk-cot-death.aspx [Accessed: January 2017].
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