Baby sleep from 0 to 4 months: Baby's natural ability to soothe himself

This article was written by Agathe, paediatric physiotherapist, and Ksénia, sleep coach.

To understand how babies sleep, we need to understand their sleep in utero:

- Baby had access to his hands through the uterine wall and sucked on his hands to go back to sleep between 2 sleep cycles.

- Baby was in flexion, which facilitated its movements.

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At birth, babies no longer have access to their hands and are in full extension, with no possibility of flexing themselves.

 

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Lying on his back is not enough for baby's daily well-being. You'll need to help baby regain his hands and flexion through cuddles and the cocoon to ensure a relatively peaceful night's sleep.

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Avoiding baby's jolts

In a birth cocoon, baby can be put to bed without jolting, and fall back to sleep between micro-awakenings.

 cocon emmaillotage moderne

 Discovering hands

The first stage in motor development, the discovery of hands helps children to calm down independently.

 cocon mains bébé dort

 

Putting baby in his sleep suit before bedtime

Once baby is asleep from his bottle/teat, all you have to do is put him gently to bed, sometimes keeping one hand on baby for a few minutes.


In the birth cocoon, baby will be able to fall back asleep easily by sucking on his hands if necessary, as he already did in utero. In the cocoon, baby can remain in the foetal position, which will also help with digestion.

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Slow down
Soothing starts with the right environment, even before bedtime. We need to help the baby disconnect from the outside world by cutting him off from stimuli: avoid noise, bright light and interaction with family members, speak softly and move slowly.

Monotony
Monotonous, repetitive gestures and movements help your baby to relax more quickly (rocking, stepping forwards and backwards, patting, stroking the same spot, etc.).


Bedtime ritual
A regular, predictable and consistent bedtime routine is essential. Performed in dim light, in the bedroom and alone, it fills the baby's emotional reservoir. Adapted to his temperament and needs (massage, singing, caresses, etc.), it soothes him and makes it easier for him to fall asleep.


White noise and familiar noise
Monotonous sounds soothe newborns by reminding them of the sound they were expecting in their mother's womb. So the sound of a heart beating, the wind blowing, the waves, the rain, etc. will relax your baby. It can also be a lullaby or a prolonged shhhh.

The calmer, more relaxed and serene you are, the easier it is to soothe your baby. The parent's emotions and state of mind are transmitted directly to the baby. So if you feel you're losing patience, take three deep breaths before going to bed.