- By 

Misbah

Before going to bed, everyone of us has a regimen that we stick to in order to have a good night's sleep.

Before sleeping, we frequently engage in a variety of routines, including getting into comfortable pyjamas, reading a book, saying a prayer, turning on calming music, assessing the temperature of the room, choosing whether to curl up in our blankets or let them hang loose, sleeping on the softest pillow possible, putting on an eye mask, and other activities that encourage sound sleep.

Likewise For babies and toddlers, too, developing a proper night-time schedule is essential. It enables them to recognise when it’s time to go to bed and acquire the rest they require.

Your youngster will feel more secure and at ease if you stick to regular sleep schedule.

It might be challenging as a parent to establish a healthy sleep schedule for your infant or toddler. However, you and your child might benefit much from having a regular sleep schedule.

A regular sleep schedule also aids in giving your child's daily life shape and regularity. Maintaining a consistent sleep pattern with regular bedtimes and wake-up times will help you and your child receive the restful sleep you both need.

The sooner you setup a bedtime routine, the better.

According to experts, babies should start a sleep regimen as early as 2-3 months old.

Dear parent, it's okay if you haven't begun your child's night routine yet; it's better late than never.

Simply start by adhering to the schedule appropriate for their age and developmental stage.

 BENEFITS OF FOLLOWING SLEEP PATTERN

• Your child's physical and mental development will be boosted if you promote proper sleep habits.
• A child who goes to bed on time will be happier. It also improves emotional control and steadiness.
• Healthy sleeping habits improves sleep for the entire family. It also aids in planning, taking care of oneself, and improves household predictability and stability.
• It also strengthens the relationship between parents and their children by spending quality time around.
• Making a sleep regimen assists in synchronising your child’s biological clock. Your child's learning and attention span will enhance if they get enough sleep.

Did you know? Children with longer sleep cycles were found to have higher IQs, according to research.

Do’s and Donts

Do’s

1. Infants' bedtime routines may change slightly because they nurse or drink bottles of formula to fall asleep, but once the baby is four or five months old, you can try to start putting them to bed while they are sleepy but still awake.

2. Consider a pacifier if your baby has trouble settling down.

3. Follow a consistent and calming bedtime routine for baby like feeding, diaper change, bath time, baby massage, singing or playing a lullaby, swaddling them or cuddling them to sleep.

4. Follow a specific nap and wake time during the day. Make sure to follow the routine with the same time every day.

5. For toddlers and older kids, follow dental hygiene, bathing time, potty time, reading books, cuddle them with lots of love and kisses, have a little chat with them or play a quiet game.

Don’ts

1. Don’t rock your baby to sleep, if your baby wakes in the middle of night, they want you to rock back to go back to sleep. Try to avoid it.

2. Rubbing the baby’s back, putting on a lap, keeping the lights on or leaving the television on all night doesn’t work as this will make them dependent instead of sleeping on their own.

3. For toddlers avoid screen time before 30-60 minutes of sleep.

4. Don’t skip day time naps.

5. Make sure your kid consumes healthy foods throughout the day because they promote restful sleep. Avoid giving caffeinated drinks, sodas or sugary snacks right before bedtime.

6. Watch your child’s cue to see when they feel sleepy. If your child is overtired, it will be difficult for them to sleep and follow a routine.

The purpose of sleep schedule is to help your child fall and stay asleep independently, so remember that getting your child to sleep through the night is not an assessment of your parenting skills. To help your infant develop good sleeping patterns, become familiar with their behaviours and ways of communicating.

If you are worried about your child’s sleep pattern, talk to your child’s specialist.