Post-bath and massage, keep baby close to you for a bit longer before they nod off to sleep. This period of quiet time, paired with low-lighting, can include reading, chatting, singing lullabies — check out the making of the scientific lullaby Johnson's created — or whatever it is that relaxes your baby.
Though this is a great time to nurse as well, Mays advises not using feeding as a way to get baby to sleep: "Experts agree that feeding up until the time baby is asleep is probably not the best thing to do. You want to feed and then talk and then use your voice to soothe and comfort."
A consistent bedtime routine — which Dr. Meltzer stresses should occur at or just around the same time every single night — will help your baby to calm down, relax, and fall into a deep and lasting sleep, which gives you the opportunity to jump into bed for a well-deserved good night's sleep yourself. A happy, healthy, well-rested baby means a happy, healthy, and well-rested mama!
