The best way to calm your infant is by mimicking his environment in the womb. Mothers have been doing this instinctively for years by rocking their babies, while holding them tightly next to their bodies saying "sh sh" in a rhythmic fashion. Others ways to mimic the womb include swaddling your baby, an infant swing, rhythmic and gentle rocking and bouncing, dim lights, limited inconsistent sounds, and your soothing voice.
Keeping these ideas in mind lets address night time routines. Getting your newborn to sleep for longer stretches of time at night is a parents dream and actually a necessity for sanity sake. Don't wait for your baby to do this on his own but rather help facilitate this happening. When your baby is about 4 to 6 weeks and older try to help him stay up in the evening. You do this by keeping your baby in a brightly lit noisy room and changing his position frequently. If your baby doses off don't transfer him to a his quiet crib or basinet keep him in the busy environment you set him up in so his snooze will be a short one.
When you decide it is time for you baby to go to bed for the night start his routine. The routine should begin apporoximately 30 minutes to 1 hour before his next feeding is expected. The routine should consist of a physical activity, cognitive activity, massage, and music. An example of the routine I used with my babies is starts off with tummy time while listening to the music of the mobile. When the baby tires roll him onto his back and do some toy tracking activities. Use a black and white or bright object, rattles that make gentle sounds are recommended. Have your baby track the object, about 8 inches from his face, to the right and left, up and down, in circular and diagonal directions, slowly and carefully. Follow this up with a nice full body massage. Make eye contact and sing to your baby through out the massage. A consistent song or two at this time is recommended. Your baby will begin to relax and calm down from the massage, the expected song, and sound of your voice. Following the massage you can do some gentle moving of your babies arms and legs such as bicycle feet riding and arm lifting and clapping. Your baby will have worked hard and will be ready for his nice warm bath. Encourage your baby to kick his feet and splash his hands in the tub and just enjoy the warmth and feeling of the warm water surrounding his body before you wash him. Following the bath and pajama time your baby will be ready for his bedtime feeding. This feeding is the most important feeding of the day since you will be wanting your baby to fuel up for his long sleep stretch. Swaddle your baby dim the lights and get ready to settle in for the last feeding of the day. Your baby should be tired and might have difficulty finishing the full feeding at this point. Wiggle, jostle and talk to your baby as necessary to ensure that he eats as much as possible before he falls into a deep delicious sleep.
Feel free to mix this routine up to fit your baby's needs.
After you do this with your baby for a few nights he should begin to sleep for longer and longer periods of time.
Good luck, and let me know how it goes!
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