In case you haven’t heard, sleep is absolutely crucial to your baby’s proper development. With a few simple strategies, you can help your little one get the high-quality, restful sleep he deserves. We are offering up our best, easiest hacks to make your child’s sleep environment more blissfully sleep-conducive... which means your whole family will be able to get some amazing, healthy sleep!
Keep a fun and colourful checklist of bedtime routine items in your child’s room, and have her check the items off as you do them together every night, in order to avoid bedtime battles and serious stalling!
Use a fan for white noise to drown out those loud street noises (or your toddler’s tantrums!) while your baby is trying to sleep.
In-laws’ house is full of bright rooms and sheer, 1970’s style lace curtains? Put a blanket or a doubled-up dark sheet in the window to ensure it is a dark, peaceful, sleep-conducive environment for your baby.
Travel with thumb tacks (though not in your carry-on!) and a dark sheet – pin up the sheet in your hotel room to make a separate “room” that your baby or toddler can call her own.
Place duct tape over the last two numbers on a digital clock, so that only the first number remains. Then explain to your toddler or pre-schooler that it is ok to get up once they see the…. 6? 7? Your choice!
Keep the room cool for bedtime, setting the thermostat set between 67 and 68 degrees. A high body temperature at bedtime will make it hard for your child to fall asleep at night.
Place pool noodles lengthwise on either side of your toddler’s bed, under the fitted sheet, to keep him from rolling out of bed and waking at night.
Remove any bright lights, ceiling stars, stimulating toys, and other distractions from your child’s room to turn your little one’s sleep environment into a more peaceful, dreamy place.
For great tips and loads of advice on baby and toddler sleep, check out www.weesleep.ca, and www.facebook.com/weesleep.
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