Getting Your Baby to Sleep Through the Night - Indian Sleep Training Methods
Parents make a lot of changes in their routines after the birth of their babies; however, this struggle of juggling between various roles brings a sense of happiness. The most challenging battle is to set up a nighttime routine for babies since it interferes with parent's peaceful sleep time. Late-night soothing in half sleep is a tough task, but every parent has to deal with it without fail.
In such situations, some sleep training techniques help in making the growing munchkin better and throughout the night. If you are curious about Indian sleep training methods, read through this piece to gather knowledge.
Advantages of Full Night Sleep For Tots
When we talk about the benefits of full night sleep, the benefits aren't limited to parent's content; it also is beneficial for the babies in the following ways:
- Improved brain development and immunity - Babies tend to learn and explore during the day, and their brain builds memory consolidation of whatever they learn when sleeping. Connections between the left and right hemispheres of the brain are formed during sleep, facilitating brain development at pace. Also, the body rejuvenates and relaxes when the baby sleeps, which further improves immunity.
- Better growth and weight gain - During the first few months, babies need sufficient sleep to grow well and gain a healthy weight. A child who sleeps less becomes physically and mentally exhausted, which directly affects growth.
- Reduced risk of SIDS - Parents should try to achieve baby sleep routines since it is also related to SIDS. SIDS stands for sudden infant death syndrome, which signifies the death of children younger than one year. Most cases occur due to abrupt sleep patterns. Full night sleep reduces the risk of SIDS considerably.
Indian Practices to Establish a Bedtime Routine
If you are struggling with your baby's bedtime routine, try the strategies stated below. These will not only help you to put the baby to bed for a long time but also strengthen parent-baby bonding.
- Gentle patting while reciting prayers: Always lie down with your baby and gently pat him while reciting prayers. Devotional music is healing, and soon, your tiny tot will doze off to sleep.
- Massaging with warm oil before the bath: Massaging is one of the effective Indian baby sleep techniques that mommies have been practising for ages. You can use any baby-safe oil to massage the child's body so that it gets absorbed into the skin to render nourishment. Remember to take a few precautions, like using oil that suits your baby's skin and maintaining the room temperature when you take off clothes for massaging. In case you notice any rashes or discomfort after the massage, stop immediately and consult a doctor for a better solution.
- Singing traditional lullabies: You may have heard your grandmother and mother humming those enjoyable and pleasant lullabies for you, and you should definitely consider this practice to achieve uninterrupted sleep during the night.
Indian Diet Tips for Baby Sleep
Apart from sleep practices, you can also follow some diet tips for baby sleep, as these would provide the best nutrition and allow the baby to sleep throughout the night without interruption. Here are a few pointers that parents should be aware of:
- Breast milk or warm milk before bed: For children younger than six months, the mother should try to feed the child before putting him to bed so that the baby has a longer sleep duration before he wakes up for the next feed. You must understand that breast milk gets digested quickly, and your baby might feel hungry at night; thus, be prepared for a few wake-up calls. For older babies, a glass of warm milk can work wonders as it is believed to be one of the sleep-inducing foods for infants.
- Easily digestible dinner like khichdi: At night, you should try to feed light foods for better baby sleep like khichdi or daliya. There will be fewer colic incidents during sleep as light food is easy on the digestive system.
- Avoiding spicy or greasy foods at night: Try avoiding greasy and spicy food at night since it may cause uneasiness and acidity at night. Prepare a simple recipe with minimum spice and salt that your child would love to eat.
Creating a Pacifying Sleep Surroundings
We emphasized the crucial Indian home remedies for baby sleep, and now we will discuss the significance of creating the right sleep environment for your baby. You may be trying all the techniques but may be failing to achieve the right sleep pattern if you do not pay heed to providing a sleep-friendly environment. Try out these techniques, and you may see some wonderful results:
- Babies are not acquainted with the sleep cycles; hence, mommies need to create an atmosphere by taking them to a quiet, calm room for sleep. Eventually, your munchkin will develop a sense of day and night, simplifying the sleeping process for both of you.
- Noise distraction is a big challenge for parents, and this is where they should be aware of the concept of white noise, which is believed to cancel unwanted environmental noises and signal the baby's brain for sleep time. Try the lullabies or fan noise in a dark room daily so that the baby's brain adapts to the signals well.
- Comfortable bedding is vital in baby sleep patterns in India, a country with two severe weathers. During summers, cotton bed sheets absorb sweat and are comfortable, while in winter, a soft blanket helps maintain the baby's body temperature.
Personalizing Sleep Techniques for Indian Munchkins
You will always get tips from people around you, but not all suggestions are good enough, so you should be mindful of the Indian baby sleep myths and try sticking to a practical approach. It would be best if you adapted the techniques according to the Indian culture and environment, and here is how:
- If you start practicing bedtime techniques at a young age, you will be able to achieve a regular sleep pattern with ease. In the early days, soothing and rendering a peaceful atmosphere was the best approach.
- The Ferber method states that parents should allow the child to cry for a predetermined duration before providing external comfort. The baby learns self-soothing techniques that play a crucial role in the later stage of independent sleeping.
- As your child grows, you need to withdraw the assisted sleeping method gradually so that your child learns to sleep independently. You can achieve this by stopping physical involvement, like patting and only singing lullabies or a prayer.
Managing Frequent Night Wakings
The process of sleep training is gradual, and you will need time and patience to achieve it; till then, you need to manage the night waking by taking care of factors that interrupt your baby's sleep.
- Your little one might wake up a few times during sleep due to hunger or wet diapers; hence, you should be prepared in advance to deal with these aspects. Please keep track of the duration of every diaper change and also try feeding him adequately so that his sleep time is longer. Avoid small feeding sessions, as this will lead to frequent wake-ups, even during nighttime.
- One common problem that you may face with an infant is abrupt waking due to jerks as he is still acclimating to the new surroundings; thus, be prepared for soothing sessions by patting or humming melodious tunes.
- If you are facing problems even after trying all the methods, we recommend you consult a doctor for better advice, as they are the best people to help with such sensitive issues.
The Key Takeaways
Every parent should aim for uninterrupted sleep for small babies by embracing sleep techniques as this facilitates overall development. Maternity is a strenuous job, and there might be times when you are upset because, despite constant efforts, you may not get the desired results. But you need to stay in the game with patience and continuous effort.
To create the best sleeping atmosphere for your baby, consider buying premium R for Rabbit beddings and cribs, as they are super-soft, comfortable, and safe sleeping space for your babies. With a well-set sleep routine, your munchkin will wake up as a happy soul and be active throughout the day.
