Top tips so you and baby can sleep like royals

Sleep fit for a Prince and Princess: Top tips so you and baby can sleep like royals

As the beaming new mother stepped outside the hospital, her newborn baby boy, cradled in her arms, was not the only thing the world noticed as they cheered her on. It was her happy glow, her perfectly bouncy and glossy trademark chocolate locks and her proud, confident posture as she sashayed in that silk, blue, polka dot frock and introduced the future king of England to hundreds of fans and media outside the hospital where she had given birth less than a mere 24 hours earlier. And although we know the Duchess of Cambridge always has to look her best for such appearances, keeping up with her beauty sleep might be a tad harder for Kate now baby Prince is in the picture!

Luckily, baby sleep expert and Mum of four, Louise Tanguay from The Sleep Store, is happy to dish out her top tips to not just the Duchess but all new mums out there; “Struggling with sleep deprivation is very common for mums with a newborn baby to love and look after and along with nappy changes, feeds and getting used to new routines, getting baby to sleep is another challenge in itself”, explains Louise.

“In hospital, there is great emphasis put on learning to breastfeed baby, but it’s rare to be taught to identify when your baby is tired and how to get them to sleep”, says Louise.

Although Kate will have to look her best for upcoming public appearances, it is important for all busy new mums to not only look after baby but themselves too and that means getting a good, healthy dose of Zzzs!

That said, here are Louise’s top tips for getting your little prince or princess to sleep so you can continue to reign like the Queen!

• First things first: Establish why your baby might be finding it hard to settle down. The most common reasons for a baby crying are hunger and tiredness. Once you have recognised your baby is tired, you must be confident you can get them to sleep – don’t give up. You are not spoiling them or encouraging bad habits – newborn babies need to adjust to life outside the womb, especially during the first couple of months.

• Swaddling: This replicates the snug space a baby is used to and ensures that their flailing arms don’t wake them up. Babies love being swaddled, provided it is done right – choose a swaddling wrap that is soft, stretchy and big enough but won’t come undone. Or use a fitted wrap like a Miracle Blanket. Swaddled babies generally settle quicker and sleep longer.

• Side / stomach position: If baby is crying after being wrapped or changed, rolling it on its side or tummy may her to calm down. However, babies should always be sleep on their back to reduce the risk of SIDS.

• White Noise – “Sssssshing”: Because babies are used to loud swooshing noises inside your womb, a quiet environment is likely to further upset a distressed baby, than calm it. White noise, ie “Sssssshing”, will replicate womb sounds and work better than playing lullabies.

• Sucking dummies: Many babies suck for comfort and dummies work wonders in calming babies. Furthermore, recent research in the USA has shown a reduced risk of SIDS for dummy users.

• Forehead stroking: A great way to get baby to sleep is to stroke their forehead. Once you’ve swaddled, used white noise and given them a dummy if using one, stroke your baby’s forehead from the bridge of the nose upwards.

• Movement: Your baby is used to being rocked all day inside the womb, so left lying still can be very strange to it. You can try gently rocking or jiggling but if your baby needs more movement, a bouncinette, sling, pushchair can also work well. Swaddling and movement is very effective and it is recommended to only use movement techniques in the first couple of months – baby should be able to self settle by 5 months.

• Feeding to sleep: Sometimes feeding may be just what is needed to get baby to nod off and breast milk is particularly good at making babies drowsy. However, The Sleep Store recommend you don’t use feeding to get baby to sleep after 3 months, as this will likely cause continued or increased night waking as baby gets older.

• Back patting: If you want to put baby into bed awake, back patting can be very effective, especially when combined with white noise and a dummy. Roll baby on it’s side and firmly and rhythmically pat it’s back, then roll onto their back to sleep. This is also a great technique as baby gets older.

• Warm, deep bath: A warm bath can be very effective in winding down a distressed baby before bed. You can use a baby bath but a deep bath with mum or dad is much more effective – and great bonding! Make sure the bath is warm and deep enough for baby to relax and float. Make sure you have everything prepared for after the bath and a warm place to get dressed for bed.

• Baby massage: A gentle massage can really relax baby and help it get to sleep. Make sure baby is warm – sometimes having most of their body wrapped whilst massaging just an arm or leg at a time can work best.

• Comfort and style!: And finally, it should go without saying that all little princes and princesses deserve the best in quality, comfort and style. The Sleep Store’s gorgeous Woolbabe Swaddle makes a divine swaddling wrap for your newborn. The gorgeous 70% cotton 30% merino fabric is luxuriously soft and easy to wrap with and the merino content means that the wrap assists in regulating your newborns temperature. These wraps from Woolbabe also make a beautiful light blanket and are ideal for babies from newborn to six months.

RRP $59.95 from The Sleep Store.

For more information, including products and more tips, head to www.thesleepstore.co.nz

ENDS

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