03_BT_March 2022

6 Months Old and Above
Your baby would sleep for 10 to 11
hours and takes almost 3 naps during
the day. By 9 months, your baby will
sleep longer at night, needing only
2 naps during the day. Around 12
months, you can expect your baby to
only take one long afternoon nap.
Sleeping issue: Your baby can’t sleep
independently
What it looks like: Your 6-monthold
still needs to be fed or rocked to
sleep. Your baby eventually needs to
learn the skill of falling asleep herself
by giving her sleep training.
How to solve it: Revamping the
bedtime routine. For
example, you can
breastfeed your baby
for 30 minutes
before her nap
or bedtime.
When you notice
her getting
sleepy, give
her a pacifier
and move
her to the
crib. Practice
this for a few nights and she will
eventually get used to it.
SLEEPING TIPS FOR BABIES
Have a regular bedtime routine
Parents need to establish a consistent
bedtime routine by carrying out
calming activities such as bathing their
baby, singing lullaby or storytelling.
“It’s a common practice for parents
to put baby to sleep while holding
them in the arms, rocking back and
forth. This soon creates a pattern as
your baby may begin to expect to be
in your arms in order to fall asleep.
When your baby briefly awakens
during a sleep cycle, they may not
be able to go back to sleep on their
own,” Dr Goh explains.
“The idea of a bedtime routine is to
help your baby learn to self-comfort
and sleep on their own. After the
newborn period, most experts
recommend allowing your baby to
become sleepy in your arms, then
placing them in the bed while still
awake. This way, your baby learns
how to go to sleep on their own.”
Learn to notice when your baby
gets sleepy
There are many telltale signs that
your baby is tired and needs to sleep.
According to Dr Goh, there are six
common signs that your baby is
becoming tired and ready to sleep:
yawning, droopy eyes, rubbing eyes,
reduced activities, increased fussiness,
and pulling or tugging their ears.
Ensure baby’s room is safe and
conducive for sleep
Babies sleep best in a dark, quiet,
and cosy room. Remember to set the
light to dim and make sure the room
environment is the same as bedtime.
This environment will soothe your baby
to sleep. You should decide on your
baby’s sleeping arrangement in the
long run by 3 months of age. If you
can’t make a decision, practise the
ABC’s of safe sleep – that is, babies
should sleep Alone, on their Backs, and
in a Crib.
Dr Goh shares a few guidelines on
how to create a safe, comfortable
environment for your baby to sleep:
• Total darkness in the room during
sleep to promote melatonin
production in the baby’s brain
• Avoid using smartphones, tablets,
and any electronic devices with
led screens as the brightness may
disrupt the baby’s circadian rhythm
by falsely mimicking daylight
• White noise mimics sounds your
baby heard in the womb and
encourages them to calm down. For
example, shushing sound, ocean
waves, raindrops, or the flowing
sound of a river
• Empty crib with no gap between
the mattress and side of the crib to
prevent entrapment
• Keep the crib clear of objects that
may pose a suffocation hazard.
Loose bedding, blankets, quilts, soft
toys, stuffed animals, toys should be
avoided in cribs. As a rule of thumb,
keep the crib simple and clean!
• Pay attention to the room
temperature. Find an optimum
temperature suitable for your baby
and yourself. A good starting point
would be setting the temperature at
22-25°C.
• Keep your baby away from cigarette
smoke exposure as it increases the
risk of SIDS.
30 BabyTalk | March 2022