6 tried and tested baby sleep hacks with videos
Tips and tricks from fellow mums and dads for getting your baby to sleep instantly - with reviews and videos to prove that they work
Getting your baby to sleep can be a challenge for any new parent. And then keeping them asleep can feel like an uphill battle. But there are sleep hacks that parents have shared which work for their babies, and may be worth a try...
1. The 2-letter word method
Watch dad Daniel Eisenman get his daughter Divina to sleep in a matter of seconds in the video, above, simply by chanting the word 'om' in a low, quiet tone.
'Om'. You know, that word characters say when they're doing yoga in films, with an elongated 'mmmmmm' at the end. Sounds more like 'ommmmmm'.
2. Running bath water
The latest hack to go viral involves mum named Lauren Sessions, from Michigan in the US, soothing her wailing nephew with a simple trick she'd used on her own kids: popping them within close hearing distance of some running bath water.
Seconds beside it and *poof* the little one is fast sleep...
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Obviously, never leave your baby near water or a bath, even if they are asleep. Once they've nodded off, you need to move them to a cot or crib.
3. The sssh and swing
This hack is the trademark of Dr Harvey 'The Baby Whisperer' Karp. You gently swing your baby to sleep as you make gentle 'ssshhh' sounds. Dr Karp recommends also swaddling your baby, holding them on their side while you 'shh' (but always putting them down in their cot on their back) and using a dummy.
4. The 40-second tissue trick
Nathan Dailo got a whopping 12M views on this vid... but more importantly, got his tiny baby off to nod-land with a super soft tissue and 40 seconds of his time.
He gently strokes the tissue over his child's face, and voila. Job done.
5. Darth Vader breathing
Deep, deep breathing (inspired by Star Wars villain Darth Vader) puts this dad's baby to sleep in 30 seconds...
6. Lush's Sleepy lotion
Who can forget the furore around this £8 jar of Lush lotion? One mum came out to say it had worked wonders for getting her child to sleep, and others quickly followed suit. It just about sold out instantly, but now it's back in stock...
Safety warning: Don't put this directly onto the skin of babies under 6 months, but you might want to put it on yourself to let them casually get a whiff of the lavender and other soothing ingredients.
Some of our mums tested Lush's Sleepy lotion for us - see what they thought
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