How to create a sleep haven for your baby

Whether your baby is a sleeping angel or a night-time party animal, there is no question that sleep is a non-linear journey for most parents. Your child will go through many stages and, at some points, struggles as they adjust to sleeping schedules and routines. However, there are certain things you can do to make your child’s sleep easier—one of the most important being creating a peaceful and safe environment for them to rest in.

Start with a crib

Your baby will be sleeping a lot for the first year of their life, so having a dedicated space to put him or her to bed at night is a great way to start creating consistency. Your baby’s crib should be free of blankets, toys, stuffed animals, and bumpers. For safety, you should always put your baby to sleep on her back.

If you choose to, you can also put your baby to sleep in a bassinet. This is a great option if you are breastfeeding and want to be able to easily feed your baby at night.

Choose the right room

The environment of your baby’s room matters. Your baby should go to sleep in a space that is cool, well-ventilated, and clean. It’s also important that you are able to dim the room so that your baby is able to understand that nighttime is when sleep occurs.

Noise can also keep a baby up, so if you can, keep your baby in a quiet room. Some babies also do well with white noise or lullaby music.

Start a routine

Helping your baby wind down should always be an important part of your evening. A bath, reading, singing, and quiet time can all be great ways to relax your child. It’s also important to cue into when your baby is tired so that you can begin winding him down before he gets overtired.

About Sleep Shop

The Sleep Shop is led by Melissa, a mother of four, and is a member of the International Association of Professional Sleep Consultants.

We offer one-one-one unlimited consulting, sleep classes with our founder, phone consultations, 1-week jumpstarts, infant sleep guides, 2 weeks of consulting, toddler nap guides, toddler sleep guides, toddler total resets, and “the toddler tune-up”.

We offer sleep consulting services in all of New York City including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Flat Iron District, Turtle Bay, Tribeca, Upper East Side, Soho, Staten Island, and the greater NYC area.