What tips are there for putting baby to bed and helping them fall asleep?
Dr. Valleteau de Moulliac,
Consulting Pediatrician for Laboratoires Sarbec
Of course, everything depends on the baby’s age and the circumstances.
But one fundamental point:
Your baby needs to enjoy the moment of falling asleep and enjoy doing it in their bed, so they naturally accept (for this essential need that is sleep) to leave you. But you also need to accept being separated from them.
- They need to feel safe, fall asleep peacefully, and their sleep rhythms (which vary by age and by baby) must be respected, so it’s important to establish a bedtime routine.
- This routine should be unchanging: always at the same time in the evening so that it becomes a reassuring, calm, gentle, affectionate reference point that lets them know it’s time to go to sleep. This routine involves a familiar and comforting setting (their bed, their room isolated from noise and light at night), a short story, a cuddle, some music, a familiar object like a “lovey,” sharing secrets/confidences—anything is good as long as it doesn’t excite them or last for hours… You need to set limits (especially after 6 months)… otherwise, it opens the door to all sorts of whims!!!
- If you rock them to sleep, lay them down as soon as they start to doze off (they should fall asleep in their bed) and leave before they are completely asleep.
- If they call you back, reassure them calmly but firmly. Don’t get caught in a vicious cycle. Don’t rush in at the slightest cry after they’ve fallen asleep. Give them time to fall back asleep on their own. Don’t give in to giving a bottle to help them fall back asleep…
- Don’t try to put them to sleep if they’re excited (no rough play before bed), agitated, or in the middle of a sleep cycle… in short, if they’re not ready.
- Learn to spot these little signs of tiredness (yawning, rubbing ears or eyes, sometimes even crying…)—signs that they need sleep—especially if family tensions, travel, jet lag, or a change in routine (like daycare) are disrupting their sleep.
- Don’t cut out naps to help them sleep better at night. This could have the opposite effect.
The quality of falling asleep, and therefore of sleep, is taught as always with calm and loving firmness.
