How to Get a Baby to Sleep with Natural Remedies
Having a hard time getting your baby to sleep? Here are some very effective alternative remedies to get your baby to relax. A good night's sleep for the parents is guaranteed as well!
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Things You'll Need
- Lavender oil or soaps or baby shampoo with lavender aromatherapy oil.
- Rescue Remedy from the Bach Flower Remedies
- Reflexology Foot Massage technique (explained below)
Instructions
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Give your baby his or her bath before going to sleep at night. Warm water is not only relaxing to the babies muscles but your physical touch will be reassuring and comforting. Lavender oil is a known natural relaxant and is sleep inducing. Lately, many manufacturers have been adding natural lavender oil to their baby products and for good reason (Johnson's has made a baby shampoo with natural lavender oil).
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If you don't want to bathe your baby at night, you could alternatively wash their sheets and pillow cases with laundry detergent scented with natural lavender oil (Seventh Generation brands make detergent with lavender). Also, a small drop of lavender essential oil dropped on the pillow (put a clean pillow case over the pillow because straight lavender oil should not touch the skin). You could also put a sachet of lavender flowers in the baby's pyjama drawer.
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Become familiar with the Bach Flower Remedies. These remedies have been tested for over 50 years. They are very safe and natural. The company has even come out with a line for "kids" (without alcohol). If you don't want to spend time reading about the different remedies for your child's specific emotional state, you can use the Rescue Remedy. The Rescue Remedy is a combination of five different remedies that restore the bodies equilibrium and casts out stressful emotional states so the body can find peace and heal itself and relax. The "kids" remedies are in a glycerin base to be dropped under the tongue or in juice. If you purchase the alcohol based remedy you can dab it on the baby's temples.
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If you are over tired and worry about your baby, he or she may pick up on your tension. This create a vicious cycle of your tension and worry about the baby getting to sleep and the baby's reacting to your stress A great Bach Flower Remedy for this state is Red Chestnut. It is prescribed for people who fear for the well-being of others. The parent or caregiver should take this remedy as well.
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Finally, a reflexology foot massage technique: Most babies still respond to stimulation of certain reflex points. Reflex points are primitive automatic movements coded into our reptilian brain. One such reflex is called the "step reflex" which essentially makes the baby push it's feet against a surface and extend it's legs. The brain is coded to give the baby a reward of "happy" chemistry if it learns to stand. A baby has this reflex even in the womb and it is this reflex that baby uses to push against the walls of the womb during the birthing process. If you gently press and stroke against the middle of the sole of the babies foot with your thumbs, you will engage this reflex and most likely send many "happy" inducing neuro-chemicals. Be careful when doing this because the baby will push against your hands and extend it's legs. Make sure there is lots of room!
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Tips & Warnings
The Bach Flower Remedies are completely safe. Even pregnant women, pets and flowers can benefit from their use.
There is a new Bach Rescue Remedy with an additional remedy White Chestnut, called Rescue Sleep.
Check to see if your baby is allergic before using Lavender or any other essential oils or sachets.
Lavender oil should not be used undiluted in bath water or on skin, (use a bath oil like jojoba already mixed with lavender),and only a drop or two, not the five drops recommended for an adult.
Essential oil bottles should be kept away from child in child-proof bottles.
When using the massage technique, make sure there is adequate room, if the baby extends it's legs.
Resources
- Photo Credit http://www.sxc.hu/photo/873331
