The secret to nurturing a good night's sleep for children

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Although babies' sleep needs often vary, if you know how to apply the secret to getting a good night's sleep, your baby will benefit. These strategies will build the foundation for a good night's sleep from day one, helping you raise a happy baby.
This article was professionally consulted by resident Doctor Ho Thi Hong Tho - Neonatologist - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Phu Quoc International General Hospital.

1. Choose a suitable bedtime and stick to a fixed schedule every day

Put your child to bed when he or she shows signs of drowsiness or drowsiness. Experts generally recommend choosing a bedtime for babies between 7-8 p.m. Staying up too late can easily make your baby irritable, tired and refuse to lie still, thereby making it difficult to fall asleep.
Newborns also thrive on consistency. This means that if you put your baby to bed at the same time every night, after a short while, he will quickly know it is time to sleep.

2. Create a simple and relaxing routine before bed

Establishing a regular bedtime routine is the foundation for a good night's sleep and offers many benefits, including:
Babies fall asleep earlier, have a shorter lull time, reduce nighttime awakenings, and increase total sleep time. Sleep time Improve infant sleep awareness and parents' sleep quality Improves baby's mood when waking up in the morning Contributes to many other positives, including language development, reading ability Writing, regulating children's emotions and behaviors, parent-child bonding, and family activities... This is considered the focus of methods to help babies sleep well. You can choose and do 3 - 4 gentle activities with your baby each night, such as:
Warm bath for baby Gentle massage Read a book or sing a lullaby. The simpler and shorter the habit, the easier it will be for you to stick with it. Try to turn off the lights within 30 minutes of the bedtime relaxation period.

3. Put your baby to bed when tired but still awake

Let your baby learn to fall asleep without your help. If you cuddle, rock, or breastfeed your baby to put her to sleep, she'll need to do the same when she wakes up in the middle of the night.
Meanwhile, babies who are put to bed when they are just sleepy will learn to fall back to sleep on their own. After 3 - 4 months of age, babies need to learn to fall asleep on their own while still awake, rather than falling asleep in your mother's arms.

4. Know the night weaning time

By 6 months of age, most normally developing babies can sleep through the night without waking up for a feed. When your baby is around this age, start weaning at midnight by feeding him just before bedtime. If your baby still jerks awake, comfort him with a back rub instead of a feed, and he'll settle down and go back to sleep.

5. Create a safe sleeping space

Experts have advocated the following ABC safe sleep methods:
Sleep Alone: ​​Meaning that babies should sleep alone, in their own crib and without blankets, pillows, etc. Most babies, as well as people of all ages, sleep best in their own space. In general, children aged 6-12 months who sleep in separate rooms sleep better and are less dependent on their parents than children who share a room or bed with their parents. Children 4 to 9 months old who sleep with their parents may sleep less at night in both the short and long term. On their Back: Sleeping on their back is the best sleeping position for babies, unless they're old enough to roll on their own. In a Crib: Babies should sleep in a crib with a flat surface, surrounded by safety rails. Children should be kept in a sturdy crib until at least 3 years old. Note: Do not use Rock 'N Play rocking bassinet for babies to sleep. You can also install a white noise machine and keep the room completely dark to help your baby sleep soundly.
The above tips on how to make your baby sleep well are both effective and safe, and help improve infant sleep without side effects. Parents and health professionals can confidently use these techniques to reduce infant sleep problems, as well as postpartum depression.

When babies have sleep problems, you can go to the Psychological Clinic - Vinmec International General Hospital. This is the leading prestigious facility in the country in the treatment of diseases related to psychology and mental health.
In addition to the secret to nurturing a good night's sleep for their children, parents should pay attention to the nutrition that improves the child's resistance. At the same time, add supporting foods containing lysine, essential micro-minerals and vitamins such as zinc, chromium, selenium, B vitamins,... snacks and less digestive problems.
Parents can learn more:
Why do you need to supplement Lysine for your baby?
The role of zinc - Guidelines for reasonable zinc supplementation
Please visit the website Vinmec.com regularly and update useful information to take care of your baby and family.
Reference source: babycenter.com