How can I help my baby sleep? Best tips for baby sleep music.
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I feel you mama, if you’ve found yourself on this page- you’re probably sleep deprived and wondering what the heck to do get you and your baby a some much needed rest. (Have you tried baby sleep music?)
No matter what answers you find, I wanted to start with a reminder… every sleep regression is just a season that will pass- no matter how bad it gets or feels! Hang in there mama and don’t forget to ask for help!
Every baby has different sleeping habits.
Some babies sleep more, others less. Some sleep through the night very soon, others wake up multiple times a night. Sometimes we may also have difficulties with getting our babies to sleep.
We all know that babies need to sleep- most importantly getting enough of it. Seeing them having problems with sleeping is very worrying (and exhausting).
A common question I had as a new mom was this: “How can I help my baby sleep?” (Anyone else?) For me, I always had trouble getting my daughter to settle in if she got overtired.
Although there is no definite answer, there are many tips that may help your baby. And baby sleep music is one of them (surprise! ha).
Related read: 10 Must Have Products for Baby’s First Year of Life
Benefits of Baby Sleep Music (or white noise)
Music can be a nice addition to your baby’s daily bedtime routine. When choosing baby sleep music, try to look for something soft and relaxing that can create a nice atmosphere for your baby. Here are a few from my favorite YouTube channels for baby music:
- Wonderful Lullabies
- Best Baby Lullabies
- Relaxing White Noise (This channel is not only for babies, but it has white noise videos to soothe baby as well.)
Music can be very beneficial for babies. (And toddlers as well.) Therefore, music is often recommended even by doctors to help them fall asleep. It may be useful also in the case of baby sleep regression!
So let’s see what are the benefits, and how music can help your little one sleep.
Providing a nice, relaxing environment
Your baby needs a nice, relaxing environment for a good night’s sleep. Soft music creates a calm atmosphere and soothes your baby. If you play music every night, it will become a habit for your baby, and it will function as a trigger. Therefore, your baby will not only feel more relaxed but will also know when it is time for sleeping. With this simple addition to the bedtime routine, your baby may fall asleep easier, and the chance of waking up every hour at night may significantly decrease as well.
Better sleep
The second benefit of baby sleep music is strongly linked to the above-mentioned advantage. Due to the soothing effect of bedtime music, babies feel more secure and they can sleep better at night.
Also, music can improve the length of sleep, because the baby may fall asleep earlier and wake up fewer times during the night than usual.
Pain reduction
Music will not only help your baby to fall asleep, but it can also reduce the pain of growing and teething. The reason behind it is that babies feel less pain as the music distracts their brain from the pain. It is a great benefit, isn’t it?
Brain development
Music can play a huge role in the baby’s brain development. When listening to baby sleep music, babies feel emotions (that may be more complex with time). Babies can also improve in recognizing patterns that can help them later on to develop their problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
Related read: 18 Baby Hacks that Make Life so Much Easier
Other sleep essentials
Besides baby music sleep, many other things can help your baby sleep. In the following list, you will find a few of these useful products, it is worth trying them! I know I was ready to try anything after a few nights of no sleep 🙂
Swaddles
Swaddles are very effective in comforting a baby. Newborn babies sleep longer and better when they are swaddled because it makes them feel like they are still in the womb. It can also prevent the startle reflex, so your baby will be less likely wake up for this reason.
Choose a soft and cozy swaddle like the SwaddleMe’s Original Swaddle.
Baby sleep sacks
I recommend using a baby sleep sack at night. Your baby can’t kick off the sleep sack like a blanket, so it keeps your baby warm all night long. (Remember, blanket are not recommended for babies anyways due to risk of suffocation.) A well-chosen sleep sack can ensure a better, safer, and more comfortable sleep.
The sleep sack we have for our daughter was a gift I did not put on my registry- and it was a life saver form day one! She did not enjoy swaddles but did find comfort and warmth in her sleep sack (thank goodness.)
Our favorite brand it Baby DeeDee– bit’s a little pricier than other options (totally worth it in my opinion!). For a more budget friendly option, I love the Halo SleepSack because it is made of high-quality materials and it has lovely designs.
Blackout curtains
Babies and toddlers can have difficulties napping in a bright-lit or noisy room. A blackout curtain can solve this problem because these curtains are designed to block out the sunlight. They can also help to reduce the outside noise, so your child can sleep better during the day.
Note: While they can help with daytime napping- some baby sleep research suggests that baby benefits from exposure to daylight with daytime napping. This helps with baby’s circadian rhythm so that when it’s nighttime they know they need to sleep! I love our blackout curtains for nighttime but try to avoid using them for naps!
The BGment Kids Blackout Curtain has a lovely stars pattern and it is available in many different colors and sizes.
There are some portable curtains that you can use when you are traveling. AmazonBasics’ Portable Blackout Curtain may be a great choice.
White noise machine
White noise machines are great inventions when it comes to baby sleep. These machines help your baby by playing white noises that can soothe the baby. (I’ll admit it helps me sleep too!)
White noises are good also to cover up the sound of conversations or environmental noises. A lot of people love these machines because it can be very useful when guests are coming over but the baby should sleep, or when sharing the same room with the baby.
Letsfit White Noise Machine is my favorite from the white noise machines. It comes with 14 different sleep soundtracks (white noises, lullabies, fan sound effects, natural sounds). It also has night-light, memory, and timer function.
For travel, there are also great phone apps as well. Some are paid while others are free. Our favorite is a free app called “Baby Sleep- White Noise.”
Bedside sleeper
Bedside sleepers can be attached to the parents’ bed, therefore your baby can feel more safe being close to you while sleeping. The Beside Me Bedside Sleeper is a nice baby sleeper that will make it easy for you to check on your baby at night.
Just remember, while having baby in your room to sleep is highly recommended to lower risk of SIDS, always make sure that baby has their own safe designated space to sleep.
Bedtime routine
A bedtime routine is very important for your baby. A simple bedtime routine helps your baby to prepare for sleeping because it lets your little one know when it is bedtime. It can prevent the occurrence of sleeping problems as well. If you keep the bedtime routine similar, it will give your child a sense of safety.
A soothing bedtime routine can include:
- bath,
- tooth-brushing (if the baby has any),
- change of diaper and clothes,
- preparing the room for sleeping (dimming the lights, closing the curtains),
- putting the baby/toddler in the bed,
- bedtime story,
- singing/using white noise or sound machine,
- goodnight kiss.
Related read: Mom Hacks for Building Routines
Baby sleep music can effectively soothe your sweet baby. Music creates a relaxing atmosphere for babies and helps them sleep better. I hope that the above-mentioned tips will also help you and your baby’s sleeping problems will go away.
Wishing you and baby sweet dreams!
Did you find baby sleep music effective? What is your favorite YouTube channel or device for baby music?