Share your pearls of wisdom about babies' sleep with Pampers and you could win a £200 John Lewis voucher NOW CLOSED

[AngelieMumsnet]

We’ve been asked by Pampers to find out what Mumsnetters’ pearls of wisdom are for getting your little one to sleep as much as they need.

Pampers say “Getting your baby to sleep as much as they need is the holy grail for parents, and everyone loves hearing their baby wake up in the morning with a giggle. Whether it’s teething, wind, or a damp nappy that’s disrupting those golden hours, every parent has their own tried and tested methods to help guarantee their little one has a restful slumber. Pampers Baby-Dry nappies with Micro PearlsTM stay up to 2 times drier than ordinary nappies, giving your baby the sleep they need to wake up giggling.”

Pampers are asking Mumsnetters to share their own pearls of wisdom for babies' sleep. They want you to post the useful nuggets of advice, the most valuable tips, which worked for your baby and which could help another baby to get a bit more shut-eye.

Whatever your top baby sleep tips are, Pampers would love to hear them.

Everyone who posts on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will receive a £200 John Lewis voucher.

Please note your comments may be included on Pampers social media channels, and possibly elsewhere, so please only post if you're comfortable with this.

Thanks and good luck,
MNHQ

PS: To be in with the chance of winning a pack of Pampers Baby-Dry visit facebook.com/PampersUKIre or tweet @Pampers_UK and use #BabySleep and nominate another parent to do the same to help more babies get enough sleep! See facebook.com/PampersUKIre for T&Cs.

Reduce stimulation such as loud noises and bright lights and keep everything low key.

A damp nappy never bothered our 3, but the best tip for ensuring your baby sleeps well, and everyone else, is to have your baby in bed with you. They feel reassured and safe as they are right next to you, it's how they are designed to develop, and you feel reassured and comforted that you can see and feel your baby breathing right next to you. I know not everyone is comfortable with this method but it worked well for us and our older two are brilliant sleepers with very little problems. Our youngest (13mths) is still in with us and is likely to be in with us for another year or so. There's something very special about snuggling up to your baby, it's precious, and the time goes so fast. I feel like I'm making the most of it.

Baby sleeping bags worked wonders for us! Once our son couldnt kick his covers off anymore, he slept all night

Listen to all the advice and tips people give you - that are only trying to help. Smile and then do whatever works for you and your baby!

In my [admittedly limited, two-child] experience , babies don't usually need complete silence and/or darkness to sleep. If babies are used to general household noise (footsteps on stairs, clanking pipes in the airing cupboard, toilet flushing, etc.), they might be able to stay asleep better.

Learn more than one lullaby, cos you get really bored singing Twinkle Twinkle x infinity.

Thebreast not everyone can Co sleep unfortunately! Safe co sleeping guidelines need to be followed ... Also some babies don't sleep wonderfully even in the bed and if the parent gets so exhausted they're unrousable (which can happen after weeks of slight sleep with a non sleeping baby) it's no longer safe Co sleeping.

Co sleeping is wonderful when it works but and mumsnet sometimes does this shouldn't be assumed to be a magic bullet that works for every baby. (Nor is it absolutely needed for successful breastfeeding - as I found when my dd couldn't Co sleep, a sleepyhead or sidecar crib can work fine if your head is near the baby to pick up night cues ).

Routine! When I was an au pair, I always sang them a song or read them a story as they had their bottle, then we had a wee cuddle and they went off to bed. Babies naturally wake during the night - I always found a wee shoogle (Scottish word for "rocking" lol) did the trick!

A few drops of lavender oil on bedding ( away from babies skin), helps to create a soothing/calming aroma to aid sleep.

Bath time is essential for our routine, not only does it signal to my two (14 months and 2.8 year old DD's) that it's time to calm down, it also helps me relax for 20 mins because I can keep them relatively contained before I have to tackle the gauntlet that is getting two toddlers in to their pajamas and beds . A calm (ish !) Mummy makes for calmer DD's

Have a consistent routine, keep lights dim and t.v. off. Snuggles and if he is very fretful some soothing songs. If he does wake up, don't be quick to rush up to him but give him a few minutes to at least try and self settle. If he doesn't then go up and try to soothe him without making it too much fun! No smiling and keep talking to a minimum. My little one has been sleeping through (90% of the time) from 6 months.

Agree about sleep breeding sleep and the importance of routine. But you have to be flexible too, as they develop their sleep patterns are disturbed or change, the important thing to remember is that it all works out in the end, and 7-7 becomes a reality and not just the impossible dream!

Routine is the key I think. It doesn't matter what it is but keep it the same so that your baby picks up the cues that it is bedtime. Also if your baby is unsettled, don't turn on the light. I was taught that they will then associate the dark with being on their own and light to mean mum and reassurance. It worked for me!

Really struggling with getting 17 month old to bed right now .... Routine used to work .. Fresh nappy, pjs on, brush teeth, let her choose a story then have a bottle ... Now she knows what's coming and refuses the bottle so I put her into her cot and she screams for as long as she has energy for and when she is really distraught sometimes she will accept the bottle and fall asleep sniffling which really breaks my heart but what else to do I don't know! ...she has been progressively been getting worse at night and for nap times not better! And a bath even with infused lavender livens her up as she loves playing in the bath! It's tough, I am a calm person but when your tired it is very stressful.

Erm... DD1 slept through the night from 12 weeks. Thought this sleep thing is easy!
DS woke 5-12 times a night FOR A YEAR. I learnt not to focus on how bad the nights were.
DD2 currently 6 months and will only sleep if I am right next to her. So I've gone against my wishes and she co-sleeps.

Nuggets of advice? Don't think there is one thing that will work for you/your baby. Each one is different. Try lots of stuff but ultimately remember - it's only sleep. You can do a lot more than you realise when sleep-deprived. You just won't remember any of it.

During those early days, we have a very loose routine of sleep, feed, playtime, then sleep again.

I never used a strict timed routine but having a loose routine definitely helped.

Once baby is around a month old, I switched from blankets to a growbag which definitely helps. Even as they get older (as you can get them into toddler sizes even) it helps little ones know it is time to stay in bed and go to sleep.

Having a specific cuddly toy for bedtime is a great cue too.

try not to let your baby get over tired or over stimulated when its bedtime. Gentle winddown time helps.

You can do a lot more than you realise when sleep-deprived. You just won't remember any of it.

the thing to hold onto ti - is this doesn't last for ever - maybe 5 years if you are unlucky like me! Also, listen to a radio in the night to pass the time and make you feel not so alone in all this. And ask him indoors to play his part too!

Don't put it off and think that it will get better...
Our boy is now 15 months and we recently did some sleep training - nothing major but wish had done it sooner and actually tried to break his body clock. It's harder to do now I'm sure than a few months ago.
it has made such a difference him waking up later (just a bit) but I don't feel the same resentment when I get that wake up call..
No need for alarm clocks any more!

Get babies used to ordinary noises in the house e.g. people talking and don't sneak around the house in silence, advice I didn't follow for the first DC. Although it's great to get into a routine, remember that babies change routines through things like teething. And most of all never be smug and complacent if your baby sleeps through the night from very early on, it is very likely that your second child will be the complete opposite!

Making the nursery or cot as cosy as possible. Lovely blankets, warmed sheets/duvet, warmed pjs and socks.

Lots of cuddles and music and trying to be as calm as possible so bedtime is something to look forward to.

I agree that routine is the thing. But keep it simple as you have to do it every time even when away from home. Babies love routine.

A warm bath, cuddles and a night light

A routine - starting with a bath, interaction while we dry off and dress (raspberries on the tummy make both my children happy ), then calm time with a story for both and milk for DS.
It's a simple and transportable routine - we use it whether we are at home, on holiday or visiting family. It adds normality to the day.

I used to think that DS1's fab sleeping was a sign of my good parenting skills. And then I had DS2, who wasn't as bad as some I've heard about, but was definitely not in the same league! He didn't sleep through consistently until he was over 1. But I was far more relaxed the second time and it didn't matter as much.

We do a bedtime routine of bath, stories and bed for both ever since they were little and I'm sure this has helped.