Three ways to get a newborn baby to sleep
The arrival of a newborn baby is one of life’s most incredible gifts!
Yet, life with a newborn isn’t easy and babies don’t come with instruction manuals, so it can become overwhelming if you find that you struggle to settle your newborn baby to sleep.
Some call me ‘The Baby Whisperer’
In my work as a newborn photographer, getting babies to sleep is part of my day job, which is why it’s not uncommon for new parents to want to pick my brains for baby sleeping tips.
When they see how confidently I handle their little one, they often ask me for advice on how to get their newborn baby to sleep. I’m always more than happy to share what I know.
As a mother of three myself, I can clearly remember how tiring it is being a new mum. Everything feels harder when you haven’t had enough rest, doesn’t it?!
Rather than just share those baby sleeping tips with my clients though, I thought I would also share them here, on my blog, so that more parents can benefit.
Three ways to get a newborn baby to sleep
These are things I’ve learnt over the years, both as a mother and as a fully trained and experienced professional newborn photographer.
While all babies are different, one or all of these three techniques I’m about to share with you will probably work for you!
1. Ensure your baby is comfortable and as relaxed as possible
Your baby’s comfort is key to whether they will sleep or not, so to help ensure that they settle to sleep, change and feed them. If babies have clean bottoms and full tummies, they are generally very happy to nod off for a while!
This is why I ask new parents coming for newborn photographs to feed their baby just before they leave the house.
With a fuller tummy, your baby is more likely to sleep on the way here, whether in the car or in the pushchair, and be in a deep sleep when they arrive. This is ideal, as I can then get to work creating portraits of them straight away.
Of course this doesn’t always happen as babies do tend to have a mind of their own! But whether you arrive with a sleep, or a wide awake little one, we will always be able to get some beautiful images.
2. White noise products
Another way to help your baby get to sleep is by using white noise products.
Ahead of your portrait session, my photography studio is prepped and ready for your arrival complete with the props and accessories that I use to settle babies to sleep.
An essential part of my kit is a ‘Baby Shusher’.
Babies love white noise, so these are wonderful as they create a sound that is loud enough for your baby to hear it and be comforted by, and cleverly, they turn themselves off after 20 minutes of shushing! It also saves you having to make a constant ‘Shush”-ing sound yourself!
Alternatively, you can download onto your phone one of the many free, or paid, apps that work in a similar way. Most emit a variety of white noises, and then you can simply put the device near your baby when nap time’s approaching to help them settle.
White noise products are a lifesaver!
3. Try to be patient
A final suggestion is try to stay calm when settling your baby to sleep and to be as patient as possible.
Your patience can end up being in short supply after a prolonged period of sleep deprivation - mine definitely is - but please stick with me on this one!
I’ve honestly found that, while it takes time to settle a baby, if you can hold out a little longer than you might feel you want to, your baby will settle off to sleep eventually.
This is why I advise clients before their baby’s photo session to expect a newborn shoot with me to last a good few hours. A lot of time needs to be spent settling them down and getting things in place before I even think about reaching out for my camera.
Related reading: How long will a newborn photography session last?
Patience is an essential trait for all newborn photographers. We know from experience that it’s only when we are relaxed ourselves that the baby will feel safe and comfortable enough to nod off, and those beautiful sleeping baby portraits can be captured.
How to get a baby to sleep
Your baby’s first ever photoshoot involves a lot more than just the taking of the photographs. Settling them to sleep is a key part of the process, and photographs are only taken after a LOT of cuddles and once I’m satisfied that your baby is sleeping well.
As well as leading the session, styling the shoot and creating the baby portraits, I soothe your little one until they are sound asleep. I also allow time for regular feeds and nappy changes to ensure their comfort at all times.
All my newborn sessions are baby-led, meaning that your baby’s needs come first, above all others. When you come to me for a newborn photo session, we work around them and nothing is rushed.
Three tried and tested methods to get your newborn baby to sleep
So these are my three main suggestions if you are struggling to settle your newborn baby to sleep.
Remember, every baby is different. What works for one may not work for another, and sometimes things that work one day for your baby, then don’t work the next. That’s all part of the joy and the frustration of parenthood!
If there is ever a time when a baby is too unsettled to be photographed – perhaps they’re suffering from colic or are having a growth spurt which means they need constant feeding – then, there’s always the option to reschedule your newborn session, so there’s no pressure from me to make it work if it simply isn’t!
If you try out these ways to get a newborn baby to sleep for yourself, I hope they work well for you. Do comment below to let me know how you get on.
Andrea
Related reading:
Newborn photoshoot checklist: What to bring to your baby’s portrait session
