Best and Worst Baby Sleep Hacks
- Jade Sleep Nanny
- Mar 10
- 4 min read
Sleep deprivation is unbelievably tough, and as parent's we are always looking for that magic formula to help our little one's sleep better. As someone who works in the baby sleep industry, I see many trends coming and going, all in the hope of bringing babies better sleep! Some work really well, and others unfortunately don't work so well. Let's have a look at some of the best and worst sleep hacks out there!
Worst Sleep Hacks
Giving baby butter before bedtime
This is one of the most recent trends going around social media. Unfortunately, there is no evidence to suggest that giving butter before bedtime improves sleep. Not only that, it is mostly saturated fat and by filling our little one's on this means they may not take the actual nutrition that they need!
Limes in the bedroom
This one came out last year and went viral on Tik Tok. The theory behind this is that putting cut up limes under your baby's bed improves sleep due to reducing negative energies in the room. I am all for this and bringing calmer energy in sleep - however this won't solve all of your sleep problems. If little one is waking for one of the many different reasons int he night, the limes won't make any difference to this and what they are seeking in the night! It may smell nicer though!
Baby flipping method
Also a recent trend showing parents flipping their little one's upside down. Everymum states this is actually an old wives tale to "reverse" their baby's sleep habits. If not done properly too, could also be dangerous! However, there is evidence to suggest the sensory output this brings before bedtime, which can be key for babies and children to support their sleep - believe me there are easier and safer methods to do this though!
Magnesium spray
This is another recent trend which has parent's spraying magnesium on baby's feet. Magnesium is a strong mineral substance, and often these sprays cause skin irritations even in adults. Magnesium isn't also a quick fix to sleep. Magnesium actually supports the nervous system and helps to regulate, which is important for sleep. Having these as supplements in older kids or adults can work very well, but using a spray on babies is something I would not recommend!
Egg in a sock!
This one has been around for a while, and the theory being that having an uncooked egg hanging in your child's room eases teething discomfort in the night and supporting their sleep better. There is an unapproved theory that eggs can absorb up to 7 times CO2 and this is something that makes teething pain worse. I think the jury is still out on this one!
Best Sleep Hacks
Heating up the crib
This is a great tip for the newborn stage, where you heat up their sleep space for a hot water bottle. Remove the bottle before popping little one in, and that consistent temperature from your arms to their sleep space helps that peaceful transition.
Avoid Blue Lights - opt for Red!
There are many sleep/wake clocks or baby projector lights on the market, and they are a great tool to support sleep especially in toddlers. I recommend picking one where you can change the night light to red (and green for wake time) as this is much for inducive for sleep. Many come with blue lights which can impact their melatonin levels, meaning that it can hinder their deeper stages of sleep. Every time that I tell someone to get rid of the blue clock - they see instant improvements!
Tune in to the day sleep Good day sleep goes hand in hand with the night sleep. Whilst some kids can do well on a flexible routine, many are time sensitive. So this is key to getting your nights in a better place!
Get Cot Side
Often when we try to change up out baby's settle rhythms, we respond leaning over the cot. This can be really confusing for little one as they don't know what it looks like or if they are getting picked up or not. Get cot side! Being able to support them at the side of the cot (even lying down beside it) helps keep you on their eye level, and support them with hands through the bars if possible - this can make a big difference to their reactions and a calmer response.
Try to keep your toddler in the cot until at least 2.5 years!
I've been here, and wish I'd known this advice. Toddlers don't often have the concept of staying in bed until nearer this age, and it can bring a whole different set of sleep challenges. If you are worried about safety and little one climbing - you can try removing the base of the cot and putting the mattress right to the floor! So long as there is a small and safe gap space, this gives enough depth to avoid climbing out!
Consistency
This is truly the best thing that you can do. Keeping consistency in their settle rhythms brings predictability. Trying various different ways to settle them in the night brings confusion, and unsettlement. Pick one and stick to it! this goes for the bedtime routine too. If one night we give in to the 8 stories, and the next we don't - this is going to bring a bigger fight. Create your limits and boundaries and stick to them!
I could write a whole list of hacks here - but the majority of them are all here in my S.L.E.E.P Success Book below which you are welcome to read!
I do hope this blog helps you though, and know that you aren't alone in this. Lack of sleep is one of the hardest parts of parenthood. It can also be hard to know what works for you and your family - what works for someone else may be different for you!
And I do understand how hard it is to cope when you are chronically sleep deprived. I also get how tempting it is to try many of these viral hacks! If you are sick of the guess work and trying every strategy out there, then I'm happy to chat anytime and make sure you have a solid plan of success!
Jade Sleep Nanny
Great tips and advice here!