Your Baby Is Ready For Sleep

There are many tell-tale signs that your little one is ready for a day time nap or bed time. Children especially young babies and toddlers can get over tired quickly so it is essential to spot those early signs to start settling them before over tiredness kicks in where they can feel upset, hyperactive, etc making it difficult to soothe and calm into a sleep. They can't let you know that they feel tired at a young age, so it is down to us as their parents to spot their body language and begin their wind down routine.

Popular signs of sleepiness below:

1. Decrease in activity - They may start to slow down, sit quietly, gaze deeply
2. Rubbing their eyes - Their eyes may become red, glazed over and they begin rubbing them frequently
3. Yawning - Lots of big yawns are a big sign for anyone that tiredness is creeping in
4. Temperamental - Becoming overly emotional, shown in lots of variations, could be anger, sobbing, impatience
5. Cuddles - Becoming very cuddly and snuggly could be a sign of sleepiness, wanting to curl up ready for a peaceful snooze
6. Suckling on their dummy becomes slower - A deeper and slower suckle as they begin to want to wind down for a sleep
7. Fiddling for with their hair - twirling or pulling their hair is a self-soothing behaviour similar to thumb sucking
8. Thumb sucking - a harmless comfort that soothes and makes your little one feel secure

All of these signs may show together or maybe just one or two signs show or maybe none of these signs show that your child is sleepy, as all children are totally different from one and other.

Babies, toddlers and children thrive in a routine, they like being in a consistent routine as it provides them with subtility and security. Once you can figure out a sleep routine that works for your baby, it helps with mood, growth, productivity not only for baby but also for the caregiver. All sleep routines differ from the one another, what works for one baby may not work for another. Spotting these popular signs of tiredness will help to guide you and offer your little one a sleep routine.

Popular signs of overtiredness below:

• Irritable
• Fussiness with their food or milk
• Fed up of their toys
• Demanding for constant cuddles and attention
• Crying (first eliminate all other potential causes of crying such as; checking all of the signs, wet nappy, hungry, hot/cold, pain, temperature)
• Clumsiness
• Grizzling
• Clinginess

If your baby, toddler or child has entered the stage of being over-tired the overwhelming feeling can make them feel worked up showing any of the above signs.

Helpful tips to wind down your little one for a sleep:

1. Take them to their usual sleep space
2. Start to communicate is a soft, soothing voice - remember how overwhelming it is to be a toddler/child that cannot properly express their feelings, be their anchor, show patience if they are showing difficult over-tired emotions
3. Make sure their nappy is clean and dry
4. Offer a warm bottle of milk
5. Lots of quiet cuddles with shhhh' ing noises and swaying - quieten down the environment if possible
6. Offer them their comforters to cuddle
7. Darken the room if possible
8. Quietly read them a story that is not too overstimulating

Keep their sleep routine consistent especially in the evening, your baby or child will learn to expect what will happen each night around bedtime and this will help give them cues that it is time to relax and get ready for sleep.