One of the great mysteries for new parents is when to put baby to bed. And the signals baby gives out can only lead to further confusion!

One minute they’re content and the very next they are grizzly and can’t be jollied into a better mood. Is this the moment to move them to bed? In truth, it’s probably already too late to settle them without tears as they are over-tired and will struggle to relax into sleep.

Next time, when you know your baby is due for a sleep, look for the following signs of tiredness and move them off to bed. Baby will hopefully be much more relaxed – as will you!

Newborns signal tiredness by:

• closing their fists up around their cheeks
• tugging at their ears
• fluttering their eyelids
• having difficulty focusing their eyes
• sucking on their fingers
• jerking their arms and legs
• yawning
• looking worried
• arching their back

Older babies express tiredness by:

• needing constant attention
• becoming disinterested in their toys
• getting fussy with their food
• becoming clumsy
• getting clingy
• crying easily
• displaying grizzly behaviour

Once your baby starts to grizzle – a low-grade constant crying – they are likely absolutely exhausted, so try to avoid letting them get to that stage before tucking them into bed. Before putting baby down to sleep, try some quiet time to allow relaxation to begin naturally.

Read More:

• How to read your baby’s sick signs
• Crying checklist
• Seven reasons why a will  newborn cry
• Understanding your babies wind
• Understanding your babies reflux
• The 3 golden rules of baby sleep

This article was written by Ella Walsh for Kidspot.