Top Tips for Pram Sleeping
5 Great Tips to Get Your Baby Sleeping in Their Pram
Preface:
Here at Riff Raff we recommend the use of a consistent routine for best sleep results. And by that we mean napping in the same place each time so the use of the bassinet or cot is recommended. So why talk about pram sleeping?? Because um.. SANITY. That's why. Mums group coffee chat ups, walking the dog, doing the shopping, essentially any activity that means you are going to be away from the house for more than 1.5 hours could mean a nap in the pram.
Generally speaking the first nap of the day is the most important and wherever possible we suggest you try and get them to take that one at home but life must go on and when a pram nap is needed read on below to ensure best pram napping results.
There is nothing better than a beautiful, snuggly, sleepy newborn. The cuddles are endless and you can pass them around, in and out of the car, in and out of the carrier and back home again, and they will just sleep through the whole thing.
Then this amazing phenomenon happens. They develop something called FOMO, better known as ‘fear of missing out’. Let’s be honest, we all suffer from FOMO to some degree or another, I mean, who doesn’t want to be part of the action!? As babies mature and learn more about the world around them, they become more and more curious about what is happening and, well, sleep is the furthest thing from their minds.
Picture this: you head out, pop your little one in the pram for a sleep, rock them, pat them, sway the pram… everything. Finally they are asleep - hooray! And then 10 minutes later they are awake again. You begin questioning your sanity and wondering whether it was all worth it. Don’t worry, you are not alone!
Here are our five top tips to get your baby sleeping in their pram:
1. Mimic Their Bed
The first thing you want to do is set up the pram just like their bed at home - as much as possible of course. If they sleep in a sleep suit, make sure you bring it with you. If they have a dummy - pack it. Their Riff Raff - must have. These are their sleep cues, and if you want them to sleep anywhere and everywhere, you need to stick to it.
2. Stay In The Noise
Ok, so this one seems a little contradictory, but hear us out! If you are out and about in a noisy environment, don’t walk away to get your little one to sleep. Why? Because as soon as you come back in, that noise will be a big shock to their little ears and is more likely to wake them up. If they fall asleep in a noisy environment, it is more likely to become white noise for them and help them to sleep longer.
3. Wait For Their Cues
When you are at home, there is (likely) more distance between you and your little one while they sleep. This means you won’t hear every little cry or squirm, like when they are in the pram next to you. Remember this, and only respond to their cues when they need you, just like you would at home. Many parents make the mistake of constantly reaching a hand in the pram to pop that dummy back in or to pat the baby, yet they wouldn’t sit by the cot doing this at home. This means your baby will be expecting it each time they make a noise, which will make sleep even harder.
4. White Noise
A loud cry form a toddler nearby, a truck braking in front of the pram, people talking noisily. When you are out and about there are so many different noises that can wake your little one. Grab your Riff Raff cuddly and choose from either the soothing lullaby or the white noise setting and pop it in the pram with them. This will help drown out the noise of everything going on around them so they get a better sleep. Plus, it will add the familiar smell of home to their sleeping space which will create a nice and calm environment for them.
5. Make It Dark
It’s natural for babies to wake and resettle between sleep cycles. But just imagine if you wake in the middle of a busy restaurant - would you be likely to put yourself back to sleep? Of course not! So don’t expect your little one too. Lay them flat, and make the pram as dark as possible, so if they do wake between cycles, they resettle themselves without realising all the fun things they might be missing out on. But how do you do this without draping a black out blind over the pram (not recommended)? Well the clever cookies from Musluv have answered our prayers! Available for order now is the first DARK, breathable and all important UV blocking sleep-time pram cover. Genius.
It’s so important to get out and about when you have a baby, so you can socialise and do things for you as well (or the older kids if you have them). Don’t be scared off by the thought ‘but they may not sleep’, one day of bad sleep isn’t the end of the world. With these tips, you will be well prepared for a great day out together without the stress - just the way it should be.
.-The Riff Raff team