Blogs — Advice

I have spent many hours talking about, thinking about and searching on line on how to get my babies to sleep. Sleep in babies is probably just as important as a nutritious diet.   A well rested baby promotes growth, health, contentment and brain development. Ever since I’ve known that an overtired baby who does not nap during the day, does not equal more sleep or even longer periods of sleep, I’ve been obsessed in getting my babies to nap before they are beyond the point of no return.   The problem for us is, babies do not talk and are not able to tell you when they’re tired - if you try to put them down before they’re ready they end up becoming upset and hysterical.  However, when they're so small, the only way they can communicate to us is through crying and when they do try to communicate to us when they’re tired, it can be difficult to differentiate from whether they are hungry, wet or soiled nappy, bored or in pain.  By spending time with your baby, you get to learn to read the different signs they display when they’re tired and you soon learn to know when they’re ready to sleep. 

Based on my personal experience with my own babies, these are some signs I look out for when my baby is trying to tell me he’s tired and needs to sleep. Some may be obvious but it's always reassuring to know that others are also looking out for the same things. I hope this helps your little baby sleep well.

- droopy eyes making them look smaller

- glazed/glassy look in his eyes with difficulty in focusing

- yawning and rubbing eyes

- rubbing or tugging at ears

- becoming quiet and withdrawn from play or attention

- becoming still, relaxing to fall asleep

- frowning or knotting eye brows

- long drawn out whines

- wanting to be held more than usual/more clingy

- rests his head on me or my lap or on the ground.