For all the many joys of parenting, we can all agree that sleepless nights aren’t one of them. Adequate sleep is essential to our health and the health of our children, but it’s often easier said than done.
While there isn’t any single way that’s guaranteed to get everyone sleeping through the night, there are some things you can do to help you and your family get a good night’s sleep.
Invest in a Smart Baby Monitor
Transitioning your baby to their own room is essential for creating healthy, independent sleep patterns. A smart baby monitor can make this transition go smoother and allow you to check your baby’s progress without disrupting their nap and sleep schedule.
Baby monitors have long been an essential item for new parents, but advances in technology have significantly expanded their capability and function. The Lumi by Pampers Smart Baby Monitor is the latest state-of-the-art system designed with Logitech to improve you and your baby’s sleep. Not only can you hear and speak to your baby from the other room using the 2-way monitor, but it is also the only baby monitor on the market to feature 1080p HD resolution and an extra-wide 180° view with night vision, so you get crystal clear images directly to your phone even in the dark.
The monitor base/camera is portable, so you can easily move it from the nursery to the living room if your baby unexpectedly falls asleep in their swing or bouncer. The dual audio/video is securely streamed directly to your smartphone or device, so you can check in whenever necessary, and capture those special moments with Lumi’s 60-second daily video “Lookback” feature.
By checking in on naptime or bedtime using the Lumi app, you eliminate the risk of waking your baby up sooner than she should by you entering her room.
In addition to helping baby sleep, the peace of mind parents get from having access to a reliable nursery monitor can help them to relax, too. Your new sense of responsibility as a parent can be overwhelming, and being able to hear and see your baby from anywhere can help you relax and fall asleep more easily.
Create a Sleep Conducive Environment
We can’t always control where the baby falls asleep, but you should have a designated space, such as a nursery, for sleeping and naptime. The baby’s nursery should be soothing with peaceful, subdued wall colors and a white noise machine to create a restful environment and signal to the baby that it’s time to sleep. Find great tips on how to nurture baby’s sleep in episode 5 of Lumi’s Smart Sleep System expert sleep videos.
Sometimes something as simple as room temperature can help or hinder a baby’s ability to drift off. The ideal room temperature for sleep is between 68-72°F. Adjusting the thermostat a half hour before bed can help your baby feel more comfortable when sleeping.
Humidity also impacts your baby’s ability to rest comfortably. Dry environments can irritate an infant’s nasal passage leading to inflammation, excess mucus production and blockage. While a damp room encourages mold and mildew which are detrimental to your family’s health.
The Lumi by Pampers Smart Baby Monitor not only lets you see how well your baby is sleeping, it also monitors the room temperature and humidity levels, allowing you to control your baby’s sleep environment for a more restful sleep.
You should also try and maintain a comfortable, relaxing sleep environment for yourself. Make your bedroom your sanctuary. Leave the laundry that needs folding in another room and keep clutter to a minimum. It should smell, sound, and feel like a place of respite. You can light a candle, listen to soothing music, or add some freshly laundered sheets to your bed. A bit of self-pampering can go a long way in helping you relax.
Bedtime Routine
Parents and babies find comfort in structure and routine. Sticking to a systematic plan each night helps to train your body, as well as baby’s, to know when it’s time to wind down.
You can begin a bedtime routine by giving your baby a soothing bath, followed by a story or some gentle singing, and then to bed. It isn’t always easy to stick to a routine with work schedules, obligations to other children, and the desire to socialize. However, consistency is critical, particularly if your baby is still in the early stages of infancy. The Lumi Smart Sleep System tracks routines completely and seamlessly and shares tips on how to get into a routine fast and easy.
Once you get the baby down for the night, work on creating your own comforting routine. You, too, may opt for a warm bath and a book, but there are no hard and fast rules. Some new parents treat themselves to a special snack or practice yoga or meditation. The bottom line is to start a bedtime ritual that helps you to let go of the stress of the day, relax, and sleep.
Sleep Schedules
Like many aspects of parenting, there isn’t any “one size fits all” baby nap and sleep schedule that works for everybody. It will take some time to get into a regular program, but once you do, stick to it.
A baby’s sleep schedule offers the consistency that babies need when it comes to getting regular, good sleep. In addition, knowing that you’ll likely have free time at some point in the day helps you to plan your day more efficiently.
If you’re still in the early stages and experience a lot of sleepless nights, baby’s nap time is an excellent time for you to catch up on a few Zs. There may be laundry piling up and too many dishes in the sink, but those things can wait if you’re feeling sleep deprived. Even a short nap can help to recharge your battery.
Avoid skipping naps or keeping your baby up late to help them sleep through the night. These strategies seldom work and can backfire if the baby becomes overtired or overstimulated.
To make the transition to a sleep schedule go smoothly, invest in a smart sleep system. The Lumi by Pampers Smart Baby Monitor and Smart Sleep System includes their cutting-edge baby monitor and app, expert sleep coaching, as well as a sleep tracker which attaches to the outside of baby’s diaper with no skin contact.
The Virtual Sleep Coach is an invaluable resource which provides you with easy to access videos featuring experts. They have step-by-step videos explaining sleep coaching for babies from 0 – 16 months. Follow these sleep coaching videos to make changes to your baby’s sleep habits to encourage healthy, consistent sleep patterns.
This device monitors your baby’s sleep habits helping you develop the perfect sleep schedule for your little one. It is the only JPMA-certified baby sensor which offers high-performance functionality while meeting the stringent safety standard of the organization. Lumi uses baby-safe Bluetooth Low Energy and 1-year round the clock use of the smart sleep sensor releases less energy than a single 1-minute smartphone call.
Share Nighttime Duties
Asking for help and dividing the nighttime feeding and changing duties can help everyone get some much-needed rest. For moms that are breastfeeding, pumping during the day allows your partner to feed the baby at night.
Negotiate a shared schedule that works for both of you. You could alternate days or take turns getting up during the night. Make sure you also create space in the schedule for each of you to sleep in on the weekend on occasion.
It’s also a great idea to enlist help during the day. Friends or relatives are a fantastic resource and can look after the baby or go grocery shopping so you can fit in a quick nap to recharge.
The Takeaway
Getting enough sleep is one of the most challenging aspects of parenting, especially when your children are very small. The good news is, there are practical, proactive steps enhanced by the award-winning Lumi by Pampers Smart Baby Monitor and pediatrician approved Smart Sleep System that can improve the quality and quantity of sleep in your household. It won’t happen overnight, but someday soon, you’ll just wake up from a blissfully restful night’s sleep and realize you’ve turned a corner.
