This is a sponsored by Panasonic Canada, all opinions are my own.
Last week my husband asked me what I wanted for Mother’s Day. I joked, “more sleep!” But, I can’t really complain about my sleep lately. Considering I have an 8-week old baby and a toddler at home, I’m averaging 4 to 6 hours (total) of sleep per night, which is more than I could say when Ben was Bella’s age. This is likely because I am more prepared this time around and know what to expect at each stage. I also know now what worked best for Ben, and while every baby is different I find I don’t need to do as much trial and error with Bella. The reality is, my list is both for you and baby, because when your Baby sleeps better, so do you. Here are a few ways I ensure my little ones sleep soundly, so I can too!
Nail the ideal sleep temperature
Babies sleep safe and sound with an ideal room temperature of 68 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit (20-22 degrees Celsius). Our #Panasonicbabymonitor has a built in thermometer and sends an alert if the room gets too hot or too cold. This way I can quickly adjust the thermostat, or open/close a window before their sleep is interrupted.
Use a sleep machine
You can buy individual sound machines that help babies sleep, but I love multifunctional devices because I hate clutter. Our Panasonic baby monitor has a sound machine built in that I can control from the monitor screen. The gentle, soothing sounds help calm your baby for a deeper, more restful sleep. Sound machines are also great to block out other sounds in the house. Use them when you need to get things done that might otherwise wake the baby, such as emptying the dishwasher, preparing dinner, flushing the toilet, and even trying to homeschool a noisy toddler!
Get an unhackable monitor
It’s a scary world we live in, and unfortunately the reality is that any wi-fi enabled monitor has a chance of being hacked. I sleep much better knowing that my Panasonic baby monitor runs on DECT frequency and the only way to connect to it is if you’re beside it and press a button on the camera. I have heard horror stories of cameras being hacked, and hackers waking babies in the night by speaking to them through the camera. I sleep better knowing that my children are safe in their rooms and their camera monitors cannot be tampered with.
Dream feed
The main reason babies wake in the night is because they are hungry. To get a little extra sleep between night feedings, I recommend dream feeding. Right before you’re ready to go to bed, you rouse the baby just enough so they’re alert enough to feed one more time. The best way to do this is to keep a dark room and feed close to the crib. I accomplish dream feeds in a rocker in Bella’s nursery. You still need to burp your baby after a dream feed, so don’t skip this important step. Dream feeding usually extends the need for another feeding by an extra hour or two. Uninterrupted sleep is so rare, so yes an extra hour or two can make all the difference!
I know this phase can be tough; it’s tough on your body, your mental health and on your relationship, but you can do it! If you need help with the next step, sleep training, I have written a blog post about how I sleep-trained Ben, you can read it here. Good luck, and don’t forget to cherish every minute with your little ones, they grow up way too fast!
This Panasonic baby monitor I honestly can’t stop raving about is on sale right now on Amazon for $149.99.
I’m Elle! A Toronto-based Holistic Nutritionist. I’m a multi-passionate woman, but nutrition and understanding how the body works is really my passion. Through my own personal journey, I have trained my body to heal itself using strategic, natural tools and techniques. Now I’m ready to help others!
As a new Mom, I understand that wellbeing is a journey. I hope my expertise will inspire other parents to choose nutrient-rich foods and the right products to create a happy, healthy and sustainable home. Click Here to Continue Reading
