Once a baby is 3-6 months old, a routine settling plan before bed will assist you and your baby to settle and sleep more easily at night.
Suggested ideas:
A bath before bed is a great way to calm and soothe your baby
A gentle massage after the bath with a little grape seed or baby oil is calming
Once dressed and settled, you can give your baby his final feed quietly in the room he sleeps in
Some parents sing to their baby before cuddling and settling to sleep
Babies can look at picture books from an early age. An older baby can enjoy a reading routine
If you have a rocking chair, rocking gently for several minutes and cuddling your baby close is comforting
Choose some of these ideas, those that suit your circumstances, and commence early in your baby’s life. You will find when they get older and are more assertive that they relate well to their nightly routine and will be happy to settle to sleep without too much objection, even when they are older and more aware of their environment.
Settle your baby to sleep when they are still awake and ready for bed. If they resist settling, gradually extend the time you leave them alone. Give your baby brief reassurances when necessary, using gentle head strokes and soothing words.
If your baby still will not relax and settle, pick your baby up, say shshshsh shush, quiet loudly, gently and rhythmically patting your baby’s back or bottom. As soon as the crying stops, place your baby back into their bed. Use soothing and reassuring words: ‘Mummy’s here’, ‘Daddy’s here’, ‘night, night’.
Bedtime should always associated with a calm, quiet environment, blocking out unnecessary light and loud or disruptive noise.