How to Help Baby Distinguish Day From Night

While some babies have no problems sleeping through the night, many tend to have reversed sleep patterns. Sleeping all day and staying up through the night may seem fine to baby, but this reversal of day and night can lead to exhaustion for parents. If your baby is confused about day and night, follow a plan to help her begin to distinguish between them.

Things You'll Need

  • Music Player
  • Soft Music or White Noise Recordings
  • Swaddler

Instructions

  1. Setting the Stage

    • 1

      Place your baby's crib or bassinet near a bright window. Avoid placing the bed in direct sunlight. Use thin curtains if necessary.

    • 2

      Keep your house bright during the day. Open the blinds and curtains. Take your baby outside to get fresh air during the day. Allow your child to be stimulated by the sunlight and feel the air on her skin, even if she is asleep.

    • 3

      Make noise in the house as you normally would, even if your baby is taking a nap. Play lively music, run the dishwasher or watch TV at a reasonable volume.

    During the Day

    • 4

      Set a specific wake-up time for the mornings and stick to it. Don't sleep in, even if you and your baby have had a restless night. Get your baby into the habit of waking up in the morning.

    • 5

      Keep your baby active during the day when she's awake. Play with her, sing songs and engage her with age-appropriate toys.

    • 6

      Limit the amount of time your baby sleeps during the day. Allow your child to sleep for two or three hours, then wake her up to eat and play. Try different tactics for babies who are hard to wake, including removing clothing, ticking her hands or feet, moving her arms up and down or putting a cool washcloth on her face.

    • 7

      Avoid activities that will put the baby to sleep, such as swinging. Take a break during feedings if possible to burp your baby and see if she will interact with you before you continue feeding.

    At Night

    • 8

      Establish a bedtime routine so your baby will begin to recognize sleep cues. Follow this routine every night. For example, give your baby a bath, put on her pajamas, sing a lullaby, feed her and put her to sleep in the same order each night.

    • 9

      Swaddle your baby for nighttime sleep. Purchase a special swaddling blanket and only use it during the night.

    • 10

      Keep your baby's room dark and quiet. Don't turn on the lights during nighttime feedings. Avoid playing with or engaging your baby too much during night feedings and diaper changes. Try playing soft music or white noise in the background while your baby sleeps.

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