As we discussed last week, coming up with a suitable child custody agreement for an infant can prove difficult. For military parents who are having to share custody of an infant, creating and sticking to a bedtime routine for the baby can be very difficult. The inability to plan for regular visits and similar issues can wreck havoc on the ability to create a successful bedtime routine. Despite the irregularity of life in the military, our Texas service men and women can still help their infants to have a good bedtime routine.
Are a baby’s sleep patterns ever predicable?
As babies get older, their sleep patterns become more apparent. While it can be hard to determine a sleep schedule for a baby, you can keep an eye out for the baby’s sleep signs so you can know when to put the baby down. Some of these signs include vacant gazing, rubbing the eyes or yawning.
How can I encourage my baby to sleep?
Make sure that the baby is fed and has a clean diaper. You can rock your baby, give your baby a bath or snuggle your baby when it is time to sleep. As you continue to do those, you will create a routine for your baby’s sleep time.
Is there a way to encourage more sleep at night?
As the baby gets older, you can cut down on the amount of time the baby sleeps during the day. This might encourage your baby to sleep for longer periods at night. It can also help the baby to learn the difference between day and night.
How can we work together when we don’t live together?
Putting your baby to sleep when he or she is with you and having the other parent do the same can help your baby to learn to sleep without having only one parent there. When you alternate who puts the baby to sleep, the baby isn’t as likely to associate sleep with only one parent.
Considering your military schedule and the baby’s sleep schedule can make child custody schedules difficult. Staying flexible might help you to ensure you have ample time to bond with your baby as you serve our country.
Source: Military OneSource, “9 Tips for Creating Bedtime Routines for Infants” Dec. 29, 2014
