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Expert tips to get your baby to sleep longer and sleep better

By Kim Gillan | Presented by Children's Panadol |

Sleepless nights don't need to be a rite of passage.

Get the baby sleep fundamentals right and you'll be well on your way to a well-rested household.

Ask any new parent for their number one wish, and there's a good chance they'll tell you it's to get a good sleeper.

The good news is that if you know some key baby sleep fundamentals จC and practice them consistently จC baby sleep expert Emma O'Callaghan says you'll give yourself a great chance of a consistent sleeper. Here's how.

1.?Create a dark space

Whether you use blackout blinds or string a dark towel across the window, a dark room for naps and overnight will help train your baby's sleep hormones to kick in at appropriate intervals.

"A dark space is important because it helps them develop the circadian rhythm [body clock], which starts developing at around eight weeks," O'Callaghan explains.

"When babies are out in natural light, it builds [the neurotransmitter] serotonin in their brains. Then when they go into a dark space, that serotonin is converted into [sleep hormone] melatonin จC and that's a really good thing."

The darker the room, the better.

"The research tells us that the darker the space, the more melatonin will develop in the brain," O'Callaghan adds.

"A good rule of thumb is that you should struggle to read a book in there."

2. Use white noise

The womb was a noisy home for our babies, and introducing some white noise during naps and overnight can be a great bridge to the outside world.

"It's great to recreate this 'cocoon' of sound using a dark space and white noise played continuously through all naps and overnight," O'Callaghan suggests.

"Parents often use it too soft, but remember that the sound inside the womb is noisier [to the baby] than a vacuum cleaner, so make sure you can hear it in the hallway."

Before long, O'Callaghan says babies cotton on to the fact that the sound means it's time to sleep.

"It's also great for blocking out household noise, and you can take it with you to use in the portable cot if you are travelling," she adds.

3. Put them down awake

Babies are quick learners and if you always cuddle them to sleep, O'Callaghan says they'll likely become dependent on the warmth of another body to nod off.

"In the newborn stage, practice putting your baby down in the bassinet awake, in their swaddle, with a hand on them to settle them in the bassinet," she suggests.

"It doesn't have to be for every nap จC but try to do it at least once a day consistently. It might take a few days or a week for them to get the hang of it but before you know it, you'll have a baby that can fall asleep independently."

O'Callaghan says that committing to one or two naps a day means parents can still enjoy those special sleepy snuggles at other times.

"It's instinctual to want to cuddle your newborn, but if you do it for every single nap, they never get used to the feeling of lying flat on their back without the feeling of being on a warm human," she says.

"This is where parents often run into trouble down the track."

4. Wake older babies at the same time

Starting each day at roughly the same time can set up a consistent evening sleep hormone spike.

"For babies from five months to one year old, it's good to get them into a routine of starting the day at, say, 7am," O'Callaghan suggests.

"Roughly 11 hours later, they'll get a big surge of melatonin so their body clock is ready for sleep at 6.30pm or 7pm."

O'Callaghan acknowledges this may go against parent instinct to let them sleep in after a rough night but it can be one of the best hacks for creating easier, more consistent evening bedtimes จC and therefore giving parents more time to unwind after a busy day with their baby.

"Parents often think, 'I'll let my baby sleep in until 9am to catch up from missed sleep, but then their circadian rhythm has no signal of when to make melatonin in the evening and the result can be bedtimes that range from 6pm to 10pm with no consistency," she says.

"They will be grumpy for a few days [when you first try this] but they will quickly sync with this new time จC it's short term pain for long term gain."

5. Limit on-the-go naps

Naps in prams and car seats can be helpful on occasion, but O'Callaghan says it's best to make them the exception rather than the rule.

"For older babies, you want them to have their big nap in the middle of the day around 12.30-2.30pm so that they're not crying into their dinner at 5pm," she says.

"Have that nap at home as much as you can because as they get older, they'll be less likely to be able to sustain a two-hour restorative sleep in the pram."

If you want to go out to see friends and family during nap time, O'Callaghan suggests using a portable cot with white noise in a dark space.

"Practice with it at home so it's not a foreign feeling, and accept that the first few times you use it, they may not nap as long," she says.

"But if you start doing it over and over, about six or seven times in, they'll get used to it and nap at other people's places, so you can still go out in the day."

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Always read the label and follow the directions for use. Incorrect use could be harmful.