Sleep

Sleep for babies

For babies

Sleep is essential to the entire family’s health and well-being, but many parents struggle to establish an effective bedtime routine. Recommend a few small changes that can make a big difference.

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Parent counseling tips

Ways to create a healthy sleep routine

  • Teach how to sleep: Put your baby to bed when they’re drowsy, but still awake, to help them learn to fall asleep on their own
  • Avoid overtiredness: An overtired baby can become stressed, releasing hormones like adrenaline into their bodies, which can make it harder to fall asleep
  • Set the tone: Try to keep your baby calm and quiet during nighttime feedings or diaper changes
  • 3-part ritual: Experts say a consistent bedtime routine can help your baby fall asleep and stay asleep. They suggest a 3-part ritual, such as a warm bath, a soothing massage, and a nighttime lullaby
  • Avoid evening screen time: Studies show that babies who are exposed to screen time in the evening go to sleep later and sleep for a shorter period of time
 

Zarbee’s® Nine Sleep Tips Guide

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The importance of fragrance and touch

fragrance and touch
  • Massage: Research suggests that infant massage can promote relaxation before bedtime and improve sleep outcomes
  • Gentle oil or balm: Try a calming product like Zarbee’s® Baby Calming Massaging Oil or Balm, made with lavender and chamomile. These ingredients will calm the baby, while massage may help with sleep
  • Calming scents: Some scents can signal that it’s bedtime
 

Zarbee’s® Baby Massage Steps

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Good to know

Research ties infant sleep problems to screen time

A recent meta-analysis of 30 scientific studies found that babies and children, ages 0 to 5 years old, are experiencing sleep problems because of exposure to screens.

In infants, higher levels of total daily screen time were associated with shorter total sleep duration, more night awakenings, and longer sleep onset latency. Evening screen time, in particular, was associated with shorter nighttime sleep duration and later bedtime for babies ages 0 to 1.1

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children younger than 18 months not use screen media for anything other than video-chatting. Parents of children 18 to 24 months of age may introduce digital media with high-quality programming or apps, preferably using them together with their children. The AAP recommends against letting children use media by themselves and suggests keeping screens out of children’s bedrooms.

Featured resources

Baby Bedtime Support

Zarbee’s® Baby Bedtime Support*

Sleep tips from the AAP, plus information about baby calming products.

Download Resource
Baby Massage Step by Step

Zarbee’s® Baby Massage Step by Step

Give parents a step-by-step guide to infant massage.

download handout
Nine Sleep Tips Guide

Zarbee’s® Nine Sleep Tips Guide

Nine tips for a good night’s sleep, written by our founder, Dr. Zak Zarbock.

Download Guide

Discover more sleep resources in the Resource Suite

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

REFERENCE: 1. Janssen X, Martin A, Hughes AR, Hill CM, Kotronoulas G, Hesketh KR. Associations of screen time, sedentary time and physical activity with sleep in under 5s: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Med Rev. 2020;49:101226.