What do you need in your baby's bedroom? What products can help your baby sleep better? Nowadays, it's quite easy to feel overwhelmed. There are a variety of products that are supposed to help babies fall asleep, such as the ‘magic sleep tog’, the ‘smart rocker’, the ‘ultra premium crib’, and others. 

Even if these products are effective in the short term, a product on its own is unlikely to solve all of your baby’s sleep habit issues - at least, not in the long term. 

There are several factors that can affect babies' sleep and a great starting point is creating the best environment possible. Some parents see a huge improvement in their baby's sleep just by making small adjustments, like darkening the room. 

The 3 most effective tips for an improved bedtime routine

Blackout 

Darkening the room will help your baby's body produce melatonin, the sleep hormone. Just a small amount of artificial light from a lamp or a glimpse of daylight during the first hours in the morning are more than enough for your baby to wake up. Nowadays, there are portable and affordable blackout curtains you can buy. If you’re crafty, some cardboard or spare dark sheets can work too.

White Noise

If used correctly, white noise can be your greatest ally. It can help to isolate any disturbing noises whilst your baby sleeps. Sound machines help with the transition between sleep cycles. 

The recommended volume for a white noise machine is between 50 to 60 dB and it should be at least a 2 metre distance from the crib in your baby’s room. Make sure it stays on all night long. Music doesn’t count as white noise as it has too many changes in rhythm, notes, and frequencies to keep your baby relaxed. 

Temperature

All human bodies, baby or adult, will have trouble sleeping if their body temperature is too high. Sometimes parents worry that their baby might be too cold during the night and they tend to put on too many layers of clothes and blankets or select an inadequate room temperature. As a result, your baby may sweat, meaning more night wakings and poor sleep quality. This is why sleep sacks are quite popular nowadays, to avoid using blankets and to help your baby maintain an adequate body temperature. 

What about nap time? 

Putting your baby to sleep in the same conditions with darkness, white noise, and the right temperature will make a big difference, no matter if it’s daytime or nighttime. With that specific environment comes a clear association with sleep. Some sleep consultants even suggest putting your baby in pyjamas or a sleep sack, to continue building positive sleep associations. 

When your baby needs to be in a certain environment to sleep, this can affect what you do in your free time. Parents deserve weekends outdoors, going out, and visiting friends, but sometimes logistics are difficult to handle. Having the ‘perfect’ room for your baby to sleep in becomes quite unrealistic, stressful, and you might feel discouraged. 

To alleviate these emotions, try planning in advance. You can even put together a portable sleeping kit. You just need the stroller, a dark blanket, and a portable white noise machine. It would be a mini version of the room you have at home and can help your baby sleep better when out and about.

Final thoughts from Kinhub 

If your baby has sleeping problems, it’s important to try and create the same sleep environment each time you put them to bed. Having a dark room, white noise, and moderate temperature can do wonders for helping your baby sleep through the night. Although it’s not essential that you stick with the same elements each time you put your baby to bed, they can certainly help in the long term with your baby’s sleep patterns.