Baby’s Sleep Routine Over the Holidays

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At Bubbaroo we understand the first few months of your new baby’s life can be a wonderful, but also very challenging time!  In particular getting your baby, toddler or child naturally into a good sleep routine can be easier said than done. The last thing you want to do over the festive holiday season is to undo all the time and effort you’ve put into your baby’s sleep routine. If you’re a new parent this Christmas, you might be feeling the Christmas tensions more than most. Let’s face it Christmas can bring out the best and worst in everyone!

With a 15 and 12-year-old, I’m starting to feel like a bit of a Christmas veteran. So here I will share my advice about getting through the silly season with your new baby. Whether you are travelling or just busy catching up with friends and family, the main goal is to try to keep calm and make sure baby gets enough sleep!

The Importance of Routine

Many of our blogs keep coming back to the central idea of a routine. We’re not saying that you should be staring at your watch all day, but trying to keep the basic idea of a routine will give baby some certainty and make sure they get enough zzz’s over this busy time of year.

For example, if baby is having a morning and afternoon nap, then don’t change it. It might mean one nap is taken in a car or a pram or when at Aunty Shirley’s house for Christmas lunch but it is the continuity of the routine that counts. If you are travelling and changing time zones, try to get onto the local timezone as soon as possible.

Here is our 7 Step plan to set up a a simple routine for your baby wherever you may find yourself this Christmas.

7 Steps to Baby’s Sleep Routine

Step 1 Meal

Make sure you start baby’s lunch or dinner is early enough so that baby is not too tired, otherwise they may be cranky and not feed well. This applies to babies on solid food and those that are still solely having milk. The goal is always to make sure they are feeding as much as possible during the daylight hours from an early age and therefore reducing the need to feed overnight.

Step 2 Bath

Obviously this only applies to the night time routine, but if baby is old enough to have a swim with mum or dad on on a super warm Aussie summer day, then you might find they sleep better afterwards. A bath helps your baby to wind down and most children really enjoy their bath time. Taking a warm bath helps your baby feel sleepy.  It’s the drop in core body temperature after the bath that helps relax baby so they’re ready to sleep. You could massage your baby just before you pop them into their pyjamas.  Who doesn’t feel sleepy after a yummy meal, a nice bath and a massage!

Step 3 Milk feed

At night time, after the bath you could offer a top up breastfeed feed or bottle. As mentioned above, providing more food during the “daylight hours” should reduce some night time snacking. Don’t forget to clean baby’s teeth if they have any. It’s never to early to incorporate this step into your routine. For younger babies you can use a soft cloth or toothbrush with water. Do not use toothpaste until baby can be trusted to spit it out. You should do this with baby morning and night.

Step 4 Wind down time

Take baby to a quiet place away from the Christmas festivities. Let your baby know that it’s time to go to sleep now. It’s important to give babies and children the head’s up about what is going to happen next. Say something like “let’s put our sleeping bag on and start getting ready for bed”. Giving your child prior notice of what is about to happen is helpful and reassuring for them. They will have heard you say this many times before and will know what is going to happen next. At this time avoid stimulating situations such as bright lights or noises such as the television or devices.  Keep everything calm and peaceful.

Step 5 Baby Sleeping Bag/Sleep Sack or SwaddleUsing Bubbaroo as part of a bedtime routine

Bubbaroo’s range can be a very helpful addition to your baby’s sleep routine. Our Joey Swag Baby Sleeping Bag, Joey Pouch Swaddle Wrap and Joey Pod Transitional Swaddle can be used to help cue your little one to sleep. When baby is placed in their Bubbaroo sleepwear, they will know that it will soon be time to go into the cot and settle off to sleep. You can use the Bubbaroo range for all sleeps whether day or night.

Always dress your baby according to the temperature of the room they are in. All of our Bubbaroo products come with a “What to Wear Guide” so you can easily work out how to dress baby. Our Platinum baby sleeping bags are made from organic 500 thread-count cotton sateen with our 1.5TOG and 2.5TOG bags padded with Australian wool.  Wool is a natural insulator keeping your baby at just the right temperature.  Always check that baby is not too hot or cold by placing your hand on baby’s chest. The Bubbaroo baby sleeping bag becomes part of your child’s sleep routine. Once they see the sleeping bag, they will begin to recognise that its nearly time to go to bed.

Step 6 Read a Book

Reading a book is a great way to help develop your child’s speech and literacy skills, but it also serves another important purpose. Reading is another cue for baby that soon they will be going to bed. This doesn’t mean that every time you read a book, baby should expect a nap. It simply means at night time, once baby is dressed in their baby sleeping bag, that they have only a short time until bedtime. Starting literacy early is a huge benefit to your baby. You might like to read our blog Developing Literacy from an Early Age.

Step 7 Bedtime

Well now it’s time for bed – turn the lights off or dim the lights. Talk in a soft voice and make sure the cot is clear of all toys and blankets which could be harmful to baby’s sleep. Give baby a cuddle and place them in the cot. For an older baby you can tell them that it’s time to go to sleep and give them some reassuring pats or stay near them for a moment. For a younger baby take the opportunity to cuddle baby a bit longer so that they are drowsy when you put them down. Caroline’s Angels Baby Sleep Specialists recommend that you encourage your baby to self settle to sleep as much as possible. This means not placing baby in the cot fully asleep but drowsy. The following sleep time recommendations from Caroline’s Angels may be a useful guide for you and your baby:

6-9 months approx 6.30pm

9-12 months approx 6.30 – 7pm

12-18 months approx 7pm

Sleep During the Festive Season

As much as we recommend routine, we encourage you to be realistic over this festive season. Try to keep the general framework of a routine and expect that disruptions are bound to happen. It’s easy for a steadfast routine to fly out the window in the midst of all the fun! Your little one will feel secure in their routine knowing what happens next. So after a big day of socialising, allow plenty of time for winding down for bed.

Christmas is a time for making memories with family and trying to find relaxation amongst large family gatherings! If you are a parent of a young child, particularly a new one, it might mean that your routine might have to be adjusted as you try to keep on top of the Christmas preparations and festivities. Try to stick to the basic steps and principles of a routine such as: making sure baby is not overtired, allowing plenty of time for the wind down period, making small allowances here or there – all will be fine.

It shouldn’t matter if you are a little late to the family gathering if you have allowed baby to finish their nap or you have to leave a little early if baby is getting tired. You know your baby best. Try a few of deep breaths and relax! Christmas should be a time of fun so don’t let busy shops and party invitations get you stressed out!

Self Settling

Self settling is not just for holidays – in fact we highly recommend Neck opening fit on Bubbaroo baby sleeping bagit as an ongoing sleep tool that you can give your child for the future. If a baby falls asleep in your arms then they will expect to wake in your arms. Start the night how you wish to proceed. You may need to stay with your child a little longer for the first few nights while they adjust to their new sleep space. If you are travelling, make sure to take along some comfort toys and your Bubbaroo Baby Sleeping Bag or swaddle for a familiar bed time routine. Even a few of their favourite books will be handy.

Going to Bed Late

If you have an older child, try not to let them get on a late night routine. One late night here or there, will not cause too much trouble (so long as they have a big nap the next day). Parents often believe that if they let their child stay up late, they might just have a big sleep in the next morning. In my experience, and that of many other parents, this is definitely not the case!  Most kids are like clockwork and will rise and shine at their usual time. Therefore, try not to be surprised (or frustrated) when they wake you up at 6am despite only going to bed at 10pm.

Pre-empting Your Child’s Needs

Try to be one step ahead of your child. Is baby starting to get hungry but dinner is going to be a while? Give them a snack before they have a meltdown.  Is baby starting to get overtired? Take baby somewhere for some quiet play and possibly a nap. Too many busy days might get the better of them (and you), so try to clear a day or two to catch up. You don’t have to say yes to every invitation! You and your child’s health, happiness and well being are the most important.

Enjoy the Season

Work out what is most important for your family. Are you happy to socialise during the day and not so much at night? Or vice versa? Possibly you will need to say no to some invitations so that your child can have some down time. Even with older children, it is wise to follow a busy day with a quieter one at home. This gives everyone a chance to regroup and rest. You will be a better parent if you ensure you are also getting enough sleep and downtime. It is important to spend time together with your own immediate family too. Keeping baby’s sleep routine on track every second day might just be the compromise that gets you through!

Be sure to enjoy this special time of year with your family time, soak up the joy and indulge in the cuddles! Try to relax and think about the wonderful possibilities that lie ahead in the New Year! Make the most of having friends and family around.  If you’ve had a bad night, then make sure you find some time for yourself during the day. Put your feet up or have a cheeky Nanna nap! When I’m tired everything feels harder! So some time off is always a much needed treat.

We wish you sleep and happy times this Christmas holiday season.

To view our latest products to help aid your baby’s sleep routine visit www.bubbaroo.com.au

Nicole Cassey

written by

Nicole Cassey

Nicole Cassey, Mum to Jacob and Emily, founder and general dog’s body at Bubbaroo. Nicole was inspired to create Bubbaroo and Australia’s first swaddle after the personal experience she had with her first child, Jacob.

Nicole explains "It is such a steep learning curve becoming a parent. Getting to know the baby you created and finding your groove as a parent. You sometimes feel like you need to become a detective to try to interpret your baby's cues, personality, cries and behaviour. This is my passion to help parents on their journey, especially new parents as they transition to parenthood."

Nicole has a passion for sharing knowledge and community, regularly organising and presenting at various expectant parent and sleep workshops. Nicole ensures she is up to date with the latest evidence-based safe sleep and health research. Bubbaroo collaborates with experts in their field that share similar values and philosophies and have a passion for helping and supporting parents and expectant parents.

Nicole’s attention to detail with the creation of her premium quality baby, toddler and child sleepwear is exceptional. Nicole has been committed to ensure that Bubbaroo is not just a mass market brand producing products, Nicole’s focus is on helping your baby sleep safely in products that stand the test of time.

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