How to Help Your Newborn Self-Soothe

Life with a newborn can be a lot of fun, but it is also exhausting for you and your baby. Helping them learn to self-soothe can bring big benefits for both of you and make your life a little more manageable. Here are a few tips that can get your baby on the way to a pattern of self-soothing.

Create a Calm Atmosphere

It is difficult to get calm in a chaotic space, and that is true for your newborn as well. According toKiddy Charts, when you work to cultivate a calming environment, it is more conducive to self-soothing for your baby. Soft colors can promote feelings of calm and help babies to regulate their emotions a little more effectively. Calming music is another useful tool that can help your baby to feel safe and comfortable. When you are stressed, your baby can sense it, so part of creating a calm atmosphere is staying calm yourself. Sometimes that means stepping away for a moment so you can take deep breaths and compose yourself.

Set Sleep Routine

Routines can be incredibly comforting for babies and will help them to learn self-soothing skills. Setting a sleep routine takes time and effort but it will pay off for you and your baby if you take the time to make it happen. According toStellar Kids Dentistry, pacifiers are often a great way to help soothe your newborn. Incorporating a pacifier into your child’s sleep routine can help them to calm down at the end of the day and get ready for sleep.

Pay Attention to Stimulation

One thing that can make it difficult for your newborn to self-soothe is too much stimulation. That’s why it is important to pay attention to the stimulation your child receives and to keep it in check. According to theRaising Children Network, you should manage your child’s stimulation by leaving loud environments and paying attention to your baby’s changes in behavior in different situations. Many times, a situation will seem totally manageable to you but still be overstimulating to your baby. Giving them a break from stimulation can help you both to feel better.

Everything is new for your baby, so it will take time for them to learn to self-soothe. When you provide them with calming environments and give them regular patterns to follow, it will make the process much easier. There is no better time than now to start giving your baby the tools of successful self-soothing.

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