Infants tire and sleep differently than adults. As adults, the more tired we become, the more we want to sleep. However, baby’s sleep habits don’t work the same way. Instead, as a baby becomes more tired, it often becomes more difficult for her to fall asleep. Sleep deprived babies become over-tired, making it very difficult for them to get to sleep. In addition to having a difficult time achieving sleep, an overtired baby will sleep less deeply and is more likely to wake in the middle of a nap or during the night.
Although it seems like a new baby can sleep anytime or anywhere, as your baby becomes more alert, her sleep pattern becomes more important. There is actually a small window of time between putting your baby down to sleep successfully and having her struggle to achieve sleep. Babysitter recommend two tips for getting your little angel into blissful slumber:
- a flexible but consistent schedule
- an awareness of sleep cues.
Typical sleepy signs include:
- eye rubbing
- staring into space
- yawning
- being fussy
If it is close to her normal nap or bedtime and your baby shows any of these sleep signs, then it is best to put your baby down to bed with little delay.
Another surprising situation that babysitter experience is that when a baby does not get her normal amount of sleep during the day, she will usually sleep less well at night. Because of this, if you want your infant to sleep well during the night, then it is very important that she get good naps during the day. After one month of age, you should keep the times and the length of your baby’s naps as consistent as possible. As your baby gets older, she may play in her crib for a while before going to sleep. This is normal and does not mean that she needs less sleep. Continue with your schedule and be consistent. Nearly all babies benefit from stability in their schedules, particularly in the area of sleep.
NannySOS provides daytime nanny and part time babysitters in Singapore. If you require babysitting services from NannySOS agency, more details are available in our website.