DockATot Newborn Sleep Tips

How to get your newborn to sleep is probably one of the hottest topics amongst new moms. And with good reason! Sleep deprivation is no joke. Walking around in a hazy fog all day is no fun. Forget that new pair of shoes you were eyeing, once you have a baby, sleep becomes the most coveted item in your life.

But there's good news! You can train your baby to sleep better and longer. As the first post in our series on how to get your baby to sleep, we're going over the best newborn sleep tips so you can get some much needed rest in between feedings, play time and all of the chaos that comes with becoming a new mom.

Newborn Sleep Tip 1: Make Sure They're Getting Ample Naptime 
Many parents think that if baby doesn't nap during the day it will extend their evening sleep hours. But that's not true. When a baby does not get their daily nap in it will make them overtired, which causes crankiness and a pretty unpleasant remainder of the day. 

Newborn Sleep Tip 2: Use White Noise
It's hard for anyone to fall asleep if they hear other noises in the house. Try a white noise machine in baby's room to help drown out your Real Housewives marathon or big brother playing. You can also use a fan to create a nice soothing background noise in the baby's room (just make sure not to point it directly on the baby). 

Newborn Sleep Tip 3: Stick to a Bedtime Routine
Babies are creatures of habit and they love routines, it gives them a sense of security. It's never too early to start a good bedtime routine with your little darling. As you begin to wind down the day and get ready for bedtime, follow these guidelines:

  • Switch over to quiet activities, such as reading a book or .
  • Dim the lights and turn off any electronics.
  • Bathe baby right about 30 minutes before bedtime.
  • Give baby an infant massage to help relax them.
  • Repeat the pre-bedtime routine exactly the same each night.

Newborn Sleep Tip 4: Put Baby Down While They're Still Awake
The struggle is real, we know, but for your own sanity later on, put your baby down to sleep while they're still semi-awake. Once baby turns six weeks old, it's best to place them down while drowsy, but not sleeping. This will teach them to self-soothe and help them fall back asleep on their own if they do happen to wake up in the middle of the night and get you off the hook of having to rock them back to sleep each time.