Help! My Baby Won't Sleep!
🎙 Listen to this teaching (click here), or 📖 read below.
Having a baby struggling to sleep on a road trip can be very frustrating, especially if instead of sleeping...they're crying. In this situation, there are a few initial steps I want you to take:
- Take a few deep breaths. Relax your forehead and shoulders. Wait for your heart rate to be even and steady.
- Check that your baby is safe and comfortable (as far as you can control). Are all of their straps on correctly? Are they too hot or too cold? Do they have a dirty diaper? Are they hungry? If their tummy is upset and that is why they're crying, unfortunately you can't immediately fix that for them. It might be something you cannot control, but always check that it isn't something you can control.
If your baby is both safe and "comfortable" (remember, only in what you can control), then here are a few other things you can try to help your little one sleep...
- Turn on a portable sound machine, if that's what they're used to at home.
- Turn on some lullabies or classical music.
- Put up the sun shade on their car seat to minimize distractions/stimulants.
- Pull over at a safe spot and get your baby out. Try to burp them, let them stretch, get them some fresh air.
When you've exhausted all of your options but your little one still won't settle down, simply keep driving. You know your baby is safe, you've done everything in your control to make them comfortable, and there's nothing else you can do. Keep driving, take lots of deep breaths, and repeat some of the mantras I cover in the next lesson to yourself...
Tomorrow, we'll dive into the next lesson: Mantras to Encourage Yourself.