Share your favourite sleep tip

[Stefka]

It is amazing the things that you become obsessed with once you are a mum - feeding, sleep, poo etc! I just wondered what the best advice you ever had about getting your LO to sleep was - everything I read conflicts and I always get the best advice from here anyway.

nothing new for me - same old trust your instincts do as you want after all baby's not read the books! don't expect too much, but most importantly I think is be consistant otherwise it sends mixed messages.

I was really lucky as my two were good sleepers. I don't know if the fact that I would have them both outside for at least an hour per day in the pram helped - I do though think fresh air did possibly help them sleep at night at first, then they got into the routin and that was that.

dd1 I would walk into town or round the bloke a few times each day. I found this gave me exercise as well and enjoyed talking to the pram! dd2 I used to pop in the garden in her pram and leave her outside for an hour or so. DD2 was sleeping through by 4 weeks, much better than dd1 who didn't sleep through till 9 weeks.

Have a good bedtime routine from quite early on -it gives them all the right messages and cues to know that its time for sleep.

(I'm not talking about a rigid time-driven routine but a "bath, change of babygro, last feed in calm, quiet place, then bed"-type routine)

Don't blame yourself!

It's OK to let them sleep on you/feed to sleep/rock to sleep if that's what you need to do.

If they're horribly overtired and fractious and crying every night then stop trying to get them to self settle/change their routine/introduce new things during the day, just make it your goal to get as much daytime sleep as possible for a few days. Thereafter everything should become a little bit easier.

This too shall pass ... eventually

best and most effective sleeping tip

SWADDLING

works like a dream

and repeating the mantra "it is just a phase"

I second the fresh air every day, and the bedtime routine.

What kept me sane was:
You can't MAKE them sleep.

It's up to you how much you want to go with the flow (let them fall asleep on you/feeding etc) and how much you want to try and fit them into a predetermined schedule, but even adults can't sleep on demand

Relax and do whatever you nee to to keep sane

Agree with bedtime routine thing. Read DD a bedtime story from really early too - same one every night.

For a grumpy tired baby who isnt' going to sleep the cuddly position in the Kari Me sling is a complete godsend and part of my essential baby kit.

Also, in the car we have one song that she always falls asleep to on the second or third play.

Bouncing gently on birth ball while holding baby close is also a great way to wind them down and send them off.