Baby Not In The Mood To Sleep? Trick - Schedule, Now!

The trending question that leaves every parent desperate is - Why does my baby not sleep on time or on its own or only sleeps on feeding? The answer is - Schedule! Schedule! Schedule!

Whether your child is a few months old or a toddler, it is never late to start a sleep schedule. As per paediatricians, the parents usually ask why their kids become more active at bedtime or are not in the mood to sleep till late at night. And we respond with rhetorical questions like if they are maintaining a sleep routine? If they are offered distractions at the time to sleep? If there is a specific sleep ritual or pattern? Most parents answer negatively.

Why Do Kids Need a Sleep Schedule

The circadian cycle or rhythm is your body's internal process of sleep and wake cycle of bodies that reset every 24 hours. Not following the same leads to poor growth in babies and toddlers. 

Once the rhythm is set, like adults, babies can easily get into the habit of sleeping on time without too much effort. Precisely like Adults, in the absence of a schedule, falling asleep on time becomes difficult for babies too.

Why do we specifically need to develop a schedule?

Are you confused too? Why do you need to specifically inculcate habits and sleep routines when there is a natural circadian cycle?

The answer is that the babies go through growth spurts, adapt to the environment outside the womb and a million other things. The babies need assistance to get in tune with their circadian cycle and eventually form a habit or routine.

Sleep schedule is not only crucial for forming a habit but for better health and optimum growth in babies. Babies do not necessarily need to be trained. They simply need to get in sync with the natural circadian cycle. 

The anti-sleep behavior begins as soon as you think or decide to develop a sleep schedule, usually after just a couple of months after birth. The overwhelming shift into parenthood and sleeplessness induced desire to rest leads to using all tricks and tools to get the baby sleeping. It is natural and a plight of every parent. But do you know that these slacks develop abrupt sleeping patterns followed by issues like babies not sleeping on time or giving a hard time when putting them off to sleep? 

In a rush to do it all, take rest and feed, burp change routine with babies, the parents make a few mistakes that prevent sound sleep in babies. Read our Blog - 6 mistakes to know more.

Know About Tricks for Setting a Sleep Schedule

1. Know that each human being is naturally built to follow the circadian cycle. 

2. The babies might be new to the world, and as they need frequent feeding, it might seem impossible to develop a pattern. But the earlier you start, the easier it is to make them follow a sleep schedule.

3. At night, to rest, the mothers want to lie down and feed the babies and let them sleep while feeding. You can do that for some days, but try not to make it a habit. It becomes tricky when you want to wean off or try to stop co-sleeping. 

4. Use ideas like white sound, day and night light training, not feeding them sleep, not rocking or patting them to sleep too often. Associating any action to sleep will make them unable to identify what being sleepy means.

5. Managing day naps and mealtimes are equally important to develop a pattern for sleeping. Baby not taking day naps or too small naps doesn't only affect your free time but makes it harder to fall asleep at night.

6. If the baby starts a pattern to sleep throughout the night, there is no need to wake the baby after 4 months to feed them at night.

7. The bedtime routine should start atleast an hour before their time for bed. Bathing, changing, reading, feeding/drinking milk followed in the same pattern every day will help them be calm and sleepy naturally at the set time.

8. Lullabies are legit! Use your own versions of your own regional sweet lullaby as a last part of the bedtime routine. It makes them fall asleep faster.

9. Never offer treats or give in to demands to make them sleep. 

10. Offer a particular comforter or swaddle cloths as a bedtime accessory when putting the baby to sleep. It has an instant effect and sends the signal to the brain to get comfortable and sleep.

The babies and toddlers are learning, observing, feeling fascinated with so many things around them. Forcing them out of their excitement bubble will lead to adverse behavior and resistance to sleep. Hence it has to be inculcated as a habit and not a rule. 

Let us know your questions and concerns about the sleeping habits of your babies. Our team and parents will love to share their ideas and suggestions!