Getting baby back to sleep at night,
Tips and advice for a peaceful night's sleep

Waking through the night is a common but difficult experience for young parents. Reducing the number of times baby wakes up, or making them as short as possible, is essential to recharge the parent's batteries!

Here are some effective tips:

1) Using effective tools and understanding the needs of infants

If the baby is not able to go through cycles, the Ma Petite Laine birth cocoon has been created to help newborns up to 6 months of age to go back to sleep on their own as they did in utero, thanks to its permanent contact, access to the hands to go back to sleep as they were able to do in utero, and the flexed position in the Ma Petite Laine cocoon, which facilitates digestion and nocturnal head movement.

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Is your baby awake as if the night is over? This does indeed happen; he tended to be active in utero when mum was lying down.

All you have to do is set a new pace, and this can take a few days or weeks.

 

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2 ) Checking the child's basic needs

Before trying to put your baby back to sleep, it's important to check that his basic needs are being met. A baby who wakes up at night may be hungry, have a dirty nappy or be uncomfortable. Be sure to :

    Check the nappy: A baby whose nappy is dirty or too wet may feel uncomfortable and wake up.
    Respond to hunger: Young infants have frequent feeding needs. If your baby is less than six months old, he or she may be hungry and need a feed or bottle.
    Controlling the temperature: A baby who is too hot or too cold may have difficulty getting back to sleep. The ideal bedroom temperature is between 18°C and 20°C.

 

If baby is just hungry, it's very simple: you don't have to go on a blog to learn that all you have to do is feed him and go to sleep. No, sometimes it's more complicated. You try to put him to sleep, hoping that he'll be ready in 5 or 10 minutes, but no, he's looking at you with big eyes, ready to discover the world at 3 o'clock in the morning? No, that's not possible.

3) The baby is awake, but we think we can put him to sleep.

Baby is awake and doesn't seem ready to go back to sleep at all

3bis ) Bébé est réveillé et ne semble pas prêt du tout a se rendormir

If your baby is wide awake, with his eyes wide open in the middle of the night, there's no need to panic, because a baby under four months old can get tired in less than 15 minutes.


You can get him to do a little gymnastics, for example on our bed, in subdued light, so that he doesn't think it's daytime.

Then we head for the baby gym:

- We roll him onto his left side a few times, then onto his right side, a little on his tummy.

- Then, on his tummy, we bend his legs a lot and keep his little feet bent against our hands and help him crawl (this tires the baby out a lot).

- You can pedal a little with your legs and arms, which relaxes the body and makes the stools flow, if this bothers him when he's asleep.... Yes, farting wakes up babies under 4 months!

After a while, your baby will start farting, which means he's tired. Don't wait for him to start crying, go on to another exercise to make sure he's tired and then it's the right time to talk to him calmly, in his arms, telling him it's time to go to sleep, smiling to reassure him and taking your time to help him fall asleep, in your arms or in his bed. If necessary, maintain physical contact, for example by placing your hand on the child's chest.

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For an illustration of this little ‘tiring gym’ with baby on video, here's the link



I'd like to remind you of the other Fundamentals that make things easier:

4. Apply a soothing bedtime routine

Babies are sensitive to routine, which helps them to feel secure and to anticipate sleep better. A calm, gentle routine before bedtime is essential to help baby prepare for the night. Here are a few steps to follow:

    Relaxing bath: A warm bath can be an excellent way to relax baby before putting him to bed.
    Gentle massage: A light massage with a soothing oil can have a relaxing effect and help baby to unwind.
    Songs or lullabies: Soft music, songs or lullabies can create a sleep-inducing environment.

Make sure you always follow this routine in the same order to help baby associate these gestures with bedtime.

5. Creating a conducive sleeping environment

A calm, comfortable environment helps your baby fall asleep. Here are a few tips for creating a bedroom that helps your baby fall asleep:

    Total darkness: Use blackout curtains to plunge the room into complete darkness. Babies often need a dark room to fall asleep.
    White noise or soft music: White noise (such as the sound of a fan or special appliance) can soothe your baby by masking ambient noise. This can help your baby fall back asleep more easily.
    A safe and comfortable bed: Make sure your baby's bed is suitable and comfortable. A firm mattress and an environment free from dangerous or superfluous objects will reduce the risk of sleep disturbance.

6. Réagir rapidement, mais avec calme

Lorsque bébé se réveille au milieu de la nuit, il peut parfois avoir du mal à se rendormir seul. Dans ce cas, il est important de réagir rapidement, mais toujours avec calme. Evitez de prendre bébé dans vos bras trop rapidement ou de le laisser pleurer longtemps. Voici comment procéder :

  • Attendez quelques minutes : Parfois, bébé se réveille, mais il peut se rendormir tout seul au bout de quelques minutes. Laissez-lui un peu de temps pour voir s’il se rendort sans intervention.
  • Apaisement verbal : Si votre bébé pleure, il peut avoir besoin de votre réconfort. Dites-lui des mots doux, calme et rassurant sans le prendre immédiatement dans vos bras. Cela lui donnera le temps de se sentir en sécurité.
  • Intervention douce : Si bébé ne se rendort pas seul, allez à son chevet en toute tranquillité. Vous pouvez lui caresser le dos ou lui chanter une berceuse pour l’aider à se calmer. Limitez les stimulations et restez discret, en éteignant ou en atténuant la lumière.

7. Instaurer un rythme de sommeil stable

Les bébés, comme les adultes, bénéficient d'un rythme de sommeil régulier. En instaurant des horaires de coucher et de réveil fixes, vous aidez bébé à mieux réguler ses cycles de sommeil. Voici quelques astuces :

  • Heure de coucher régulière : Essayez de coucher bébé à la même heure chaque soir. Cela permettra de structurer ses rythmes biologiques et de renforcer la notion de nuit et de jour.
  • Consistance : Les bébés s'habituent vite aux habitudes. Plus vous serez cohérent dans votre approche, plus bébé s'adaptera rapidement.

8. Patience et écoute

Il est normal que bébé ait des phases de sommeil agitées, surtout dans les premiers mois de vie. Ces réveils nocturnes font partie du développement et ne doivent pas être considérés comme des échecs. L’important est de faire preuve de patience et d’être à l’écoute des besoins de votre bébé. Si vous avez du mal à rendre votre bébé à dormir, essayez de vous détendre et de vous rappeler que cette phase est temporaire.

9. Quand consulter un professionnel ?

Si les réveils nocturnes deviennent fréquents et que vous avez l’impression que quelque chose ne va pas (difficultés à s’endormir, troubles du sommeil récurrents, ou signes de douleurs), il peut être utile de consulter un pédiatre. Parfois, un petit problème de santé (coliques, reflux, etc.) peut être la cause de ces réveils fréquents.

Conclusion

Rendormir un bébé la nuit peut être un défi, mais avec les bonnes stratégies et beaucoup de patience, vous pouvez l’aider à retrouver un sommeil paisible. En vérifiant ses besoins, en créant une routine apaisante et en aménageant un environnement propice à son sommeil, vous mettez toutes les chances de votre côté pour favoriser un sommeil réparateur pour vous et votre bébé. Et surtout, rappelez-vous que cette phase est temporaire – bientôt, les nuits seront plus longues et plus sereines.

Si votre bébé continue à pleurer le soir, consultez notre article sur comment soulager bébé pour plus d'astuces et de conseils.