Friday, December 4, 2009

Using a Sleep Machine as Part of Your Baby's Sleep Routine

For most babies, routine is a huge part of the learning process. Babies like to have an eating routine and a napping routine, and it can be a good idea to have a bedtime routine, too. In fact, even most adults benefit from having a routine that starts an hour or so before bedtime, and starting habits like these with your baby when he's young can help him figure out how it works when he's older.

There are several things that you might consider including in your baby's bedtime routine, and they totally depend on your preferences and your baby's preferences. You might want to use a swing or carry the baby around in a sling for a while, or you might give the baby a warm bath each night. If you and your baby like to rock, you can try rocking and either talking to the baby or singing to her for a while, either until she falls asleep or until she is sleepy enough to transfer to her crib.

There are plenty of other things that you can consider working into your baby's nightly routine. One such thing is your baby's sleep machine. These nifty little devices mimic womb noises, heartbeat noises, and other soothing white noise that helps your baby fall asleep and stay asleep. Instead of simply turning the machine on before you leave the room after your baby is in his crib, consider working it into your routine.

If your baby needs to be snuggled for a while before he'll sleep, try snuggling in his room after you switch the sleep machine on, as this might help him calm down faster. The same thing goes for babies who like to be rocked or put in mechanical swings for a while. Pretty much no matter what you're doing to calm your baby down, you can turn on the sleep machine in the background.

If your baby is really wound up, you can even move the machine into the bathroom as you give her a bath before bed. You can listen to the soothing background noises while you feed her, dress her in her pajamas, or swaddle her. The noises will only make the going-to-sleep process simpler and, hopefully, a little bit quicker.

Besides this, a sleep machine may help your baby sleep through the night more soundly, as it can drown out background noises that might startle her awake, and it can help soothe her back to sleep if she wakes up on her own.

Check out these great baby sound machines:

posted by Melissa Nathans at 12:30 PM