Unhappy, crying babies tend to generate miserable and frustrated parents.
There are any number of reasons whby a baby might seem fussy or unable to sleep, including illness, colic, or something as simple as either too much or too little noise. Before altering your baby’s sleeping environment, take a moment to evaluate just what is really going on at baby's bedtime.
Things like changes in the weather, a neighbor’s new puppy continually barking, a loud car stereo blaring, or a bright street light, can all contribute to upsetting a baby’s otherwise familiar and comfortable sleeping environment. If after a solid evaluation of the environment, you discover that there has been a significant change, but something that is outside of your control, you might consider creating some ‘white noise’ in your baby’s environment to help drown out these unpleasant and instrusive sounds that are disrupting baby's sleep.
Noises that are repetitive and almost monotonous sounding are known as ‘white noise’ – noise that is occurring constantly, and, as a result, gets ‘tuned out.’ There are many items in your house that create white noise that we might not even recognise – air conditioners, vacuum cleaners, ticking clocks, clothes dryers, and fans - all create white noise as they operate. Other things such as running water, or a fish aquarium can also create white noise. These noises might actually help ‘drown out’ the disruptive external noises that are keeping your baby, and thereby you, from a good night’s sleep.
Another option might be to run a favorite lullaby on continuous play in your baby’s room.
There are many options out there for newborns and toddlers alike in the music department of your favorite store. You could even put together a special mix just from mommy and daddy on your personal computer. Better yet, put together a recording of mommy and daddy’s soft, soothing and gentle voices, and baby will be back in dreamland before you know it – and so will you be!