Making Sense of Your Baby’s Sleep

There is nothing more exhausting about motherhood (the early years) than having a baby who will not sleep and then spending those half-conscious waking moments trying to find a sane solution to the sleeplessness.
Let’s forget the books, the Google-ing, other mother declarations (or maybe your mother’s two cents worth) for now. Instead, let’s focus on the here and now on what is right in front of you.

Sometimes all you need is a fresh perspective—attune yourself more closely to your baby’s experiences to turn on that ‘night light’. Here’s my mommy brief on some of baby’s key senses. There are actually 11, but here are the top five:

1. Smell. It’s incredibly heightened in the early months! Have you ever been awoken by the smell of coffee, or maybe bacon? Keep your baby’s room as free as possible of chemical scents found in detergents (on their sheets, clothes), bath soaps etc.
2. Hearing. White noise all the way, mamas! Invest in a white-noise machine, or turn on a fan. Babies have many more frequent wakings through the night than we do, so any sort of noise may intrigue them to wake and see what it is.
3. Sight. Remove the mobile and toys! It’s too stimulating. Bed is boring, so boring in fact there is nothing else to do but sleep.
4. Intuition. This is your baby’s superior sense. If you are frustrated with your baby’s sleep situation, they’re feelin’ it, too. Find peace in the moments you spend with your child before bed—always!
5. Sense of Time. Babies’ circadian rhythms are dictated by the sun. Develop a 24-hour routine and once baby’s on one, they know what time it is.

Good to know: Babies will hone their senses between four to seven months of age. Tune in next week for more on sleep and your baby.