Settling techniques - what works for you?

[BubsNo1]

Hello ladies, I was wondering what settling techniques you use when putting bubs to bed at night?

Do you leave the room in darkness and no noise (this is what I do) or do you leave a soft light and/or music on? Is there any research to show what's best for babies, or is it just personal preference? (really not sure on this!)

If your baby is unsettled but looks tired do you rock/pat them to sleep? I find bubs just won't go to sleep on his own unless he has a completely full belly and no wind. So I sit there and rock the bassinette and give him his dummy until he falls asleep.

I worry that when it's time to move to the cot that he won't like it, as he is probably getting used to me rocking him to sleep :o

He usually doesn't mind being wrapped, unless he is having too many tummy pains and he really fights it, so I leave him with his legs and arms free.

I don't want to start something that I will have to keep on doing as they get older! i.e. going for drive in the car to put him to sleep etc :no:

Some nights he will sleep for 8.5 hours straight and other nights say 3-5 hours. :confused:

I do try and make sure he has a top-up feed around 10pm before heading to bed. I guess there's not much more I can do :rolleyes:

If you would like to share your routines/thoughts that would be great!

Thanks, Sheree xxx

[kytysmum]

:wave: sheree
I used to use the routine eat .. sleep .. play when my children where babys, and used eating time wheather breast .. bottle or food as quiet time to settle them and calm them down (during the day) then they would be all relaxed with a full belly ready for sleep them when they woke play time to burn off all that energy, it worked for me really well. The only thing i would change from day to night is a bedtime bath after food time. :)

[DoulaRobyn]

For me, I find that I focus on being calm myself and think about transmitting my calmness to my baby - just this thought changes my actions and therefore changes any reactions the baby might have to me.

My first child did not sleep through until he was 3.5 yeas, I learnt alot in his time. One of the most important lessons I learnt was that it was not my job to make him sleep but that I was a guide and that if I kept showing him how he would learn to eventually settle himself.

I think that although you should have planned coping mechanisms for settling - so that you have consistancy, you should also be open to being flexible and learning to listen to what you baby needs. To me there is not a set formula and each child is different. Do what feels right for you and trust your knowing.

My next three babies all sleep very well - the second baby shocked me when she started sleeping through every night at 4 months old. I thought she was just a fluke = just a freakish good sleeper. But when I had my third child I realised that it the only thing that was different from the first baby was that I was calm. Children feel emotion more readily than adults (usually) so show them how to act by doing this yourself. I do lots of yawning and have my eyes quite closed, I don't make eye contact and I don't speak much --- all these things are things you would do if you were thinking of going to sleep yourself.

I would have to say that the thing that 'solved my sleep problem' with my first child was stopping blaming myself. I felt alot better about the situation when I realised that it was his choice to sleep or not and that it was my duty to keep giving him the option of sleep whether he decided to take it or not. Being more laid back about the whole thing seemed to make it all work - so I didn't physically have to change what I did at all!

Look for making slow, consistant, loving changes to your childs sleeping pattern to create safe long-term revitalising sleep for all the family.

[bootiful]

my routine is;

short feed - 1/2 fill her belly

change nappy

wrap her tight

finish feed till she is full and sleepy

give her a cuddle / rock / lots of kisses

put her to bed

this has been working the past few days/nights as before that she wanted to be rocked to sleep and when you put her down she cried, i think that was cause she was too little and also not filling up enough on boobie juice :p

Past 2 nights she has self settled to sleep, which is a miracle.

Her room is dark, except for a night light behind the rocking chair, i put the radio on softly and keep the window open a tiny bit for fresh air, unless its really cold or blowing a gale outside, i find fresh air helps you sleep so why not babies.

[MummaFug]

This has worked for me for the last 3 nights and I am HOPING :fingerscrossed: :fingerscrossed: that we are onto something.

5pm - I put classical, jazz or something soothing on in the lounge room (I have done this with DS for a year and a half so he knows the routine).
DD goes into her bouncy chair and has a 'play'
DS and I get his dinner ready and he eats around 5.30 (he is a GREAT helper :)) I read DD books while feeding DS.

5.45pm - DD has a bath while DS plays quietly or helps wash his little sis. Every 2nd night DD just has a little wash with a cloth but same routine (take it slow - not rushed) - In reality DD has a bath every 3 days or so..otherwise just a wash a moisturise

6pm - DS picks books for after bath while I feed DD - she is then in bed at about 6.15 and DS then has a bath.
(SHe is put in her cot, One bedside lamp on and classical music playing in the background for 10 mins)

6.30pm - DS has bath, milk and books - finished and in bed by 7pm

So BOTH kiddies are in bed by 7. Although DD then wakes around 10 for another feed :)

Now that I have written this - I can imagine that my night is going to end in tears and this routine will go out the window :(

[bootiful]

hi chickies

have a look at this, very interesting read.

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T070200.asp#

i don't think i'll get so upset at being woken by nicole anymore

[Shell31]

Couldnt read that without registering Angel :confused:

Settling - Feed play sleep routine here. Im very diligent about watching for tired signs as Daisy can go from smiley to screaming in about 2 seconds flat. First signs of clenched fists, jerky movements & grizzling.. I offer her the breast again as a top up, quick burp, cuddle, wrap & into bed.
If she wakes after 45mins-1hr I go in & tuck her arms back into her wrap, re adjust her in the bassinette incase she is uncomfy, replug her with the dummy, stroke her forehead & leave her be. I'll go back in & do that for awhile & if she obviously isnt going to settle depending on the time & how long to the next feed I may get her up & bring the next feed forward.

Of an evening a find the bath is a great way to calm them & get them ready for bed. After her bath I spend a few mins massaging her all over with some nice lotion then a feed, wrap & into bed.

Middle of the night.. Dont even unwrap her.. Feed & burp & straight back to bed.

Of course some days nothing works & I am happy to cuddle her on those days but we havent had many of them thankfully.:)

[bootiful]

Couldnt read that without registering Angel :confused:

hmmm odd..i didn't register

its too long to post here sorry. maybe try the link again, i just clicked it and it came up okay.

[Cordelia]

yeah feed play sleep here....

I dont want DS to develop any bad sleep associations!! so have been quite strict on just putting him wrapped in the bassinet in darkness (well, in the day he sleeps in the luonge with all the hustle and bustle - i dont want him to need silence for sleep!) i'm lucky as he's a very placid happy baby - it didnt wokr with DD as i had to rock her for hours every night.

you have to do what you need to do for your type of baby! (and sometimes that's hard to figure out!) but one size does definitely not fit all.

[bootiful]

you have to do what you need to do for your type of baby! (and sometimes that's hard to figure out!) but one size does definitely not fit all.

:yelclap: well said :D

[tracynben]

ours is going a bit pear shaped at the mo, cos some times jayden is hard to settle to sleep.
BUT we usually do eat, play then sleep.
He has a dummy to settle him to sleep, but sometimes i wish i didnt use it in case it becomes a prop.

WOW to fugs on gettin a great rountine with 2 of them, do u wanna have my kids and get them sorted lol.

I just dont have no routine going at all, so its becmon quite tough, esp at bedtime.

tracy xxxx