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A Dad’s Guide to Sleepless Nights

by admin on Jun.21, 2011, under Kids and Parenting

With fathers providing half of the care for a new baby, they can have almost as many sleepless nights as Mommy when the baby is being fussy and refusing to calm down for a good night’s sleep. There are some quite reliable ways to soothe an irritable baby, though.

Bedtime Routine
It is important to have a bedtime routine for babies – particularly if you have one that does not settle down easily. The first step to a bedtime routine is getting rid of extra energy. It’s good to do this even with small babies. Dance around with your baby or allow a little baby-bouncer time. Afterward, give the baby a warm bath. Unless he or she particularly hates bathtime and gets upset in the water, a bath is a great way to induce calm. Perform a fresh nappy change and place your baby down for sleep. Sit and talk to him or her, say a nursery rhyme, or sing a song. When you establish a routine, keep it the same every night. This will signal to your baby when it is time to rest.

Baby Massage
Performing baby massage is comforting and calming for both baby and father. The key is a careful touch. You can’t massage as hard as you do with adult skin. When changing your baby’s nappy for the last time before bed, before putting on a new nappy, use his or her favorite lotion and rub some between your palms. Smooth this down their arms and legs, over chest and tummy, and into little hands and feet with firm but gentle circular motions.

Walking Around
Bouncing a baby and walking around is usually the last resort, but it does tend to work. Motion is a great sleep inducer – particularly for a new baby that is used to being bounced around all day inside the womb. Humming or singing while doing this provides a vibration that your baby feels through your chest. If nothing else seems to be working, try walking through the house with your baby held close to your chest, humming or singing any tune you want.


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