Getting Baby to Sleep {The Ordinary Moments}
Have you got a knack to get your baby to sleep? A fool proof method that works every time and a way that you revert to when nothing else is working?
Dave and I started something when we had LP that is now second nature to us. It’s something we’ve done for every nap time and every night wake up when feeding to sleep hasn’t worked or after I stopped breastfeeding. It’s something that people find amusing but sweet and things that friends and family have seen repeatedly over the last couple of years from us as a family.
When LP was teenie, literally a day or two old, we’d rock her and sing to her to go to sleep. It was lovely having those cuddles and we soon fell into the rocking rhythm of Frere Jacques but although Dave has a love of french and a great accent when he speaks the language, I don’t have any accent apart from Surrey/London and I definitely cannot remember the words to a french song – albeit a nursery rhyme! So we started counting to the tune of Frere Jacques.
One Two Three Four, One Two Three Four,
Frere Jacques, Frere Jacques
Five and Six, Five and Six,
Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?
Se-ven Eight Nine T-en, Se-ven Eight Nine T-en,
Sonnez les matines, Sonnez les matines
Ele-ven Twelve, Ele-ven Twelve.
Ding dang dong, ding dang dong.
Before Little Man came along we didn’t realise how natural it would be to fall back into the old habit and now Little Man is rocked to sleep for naps to this same tune. Dave and I both sing our new number song and LP even rocks her doll to sleep singing the number song too – even with the right tune! If LP hears us singing the number song she knows it’s her Brother’s sleeping time and to be a little bit quieter so he can sleep.
I didn’t even think how much part of our lives this song was until Dave started rocking LM to sleep and I started absentmindedly singing along with him. Frere Jacques will forever have a place in my heart and remind me of my children’s first years.
I love this, it’s so sweet!! It’s funny how you end up customising songs particularly with a baby around!! It’s particularly lovely that LP still recognises it as bed time song and is so respectful that she goes a little quieter
X
Quite often she’ll say things like ‘Shhhh Brother sleeping’ and she’ll play quieter and things. She’s amazing! Thanks for reading x
my husband sung her lots of times frere jacque 🙂 (and still does!)
Oh how wonderful! We do a sleeping bunny song with our kids that kind of signifies bedtime, but I love how you as a parent change songs to suit you all the time. We do too!
Most of the songs I sing end up with me free styling as I don’t know the words anyway 🙂 Thanks for reading x
Love this. The song I treasure is ‘you are my sunshine’ – my 4 year old still has to have me sing it every night before sleep. And I love the words of it too.
Xx
That’s one of my favourites too along with Fly Me To The Moon:) Thanks for reading x
What a lovely post. It reminded me of my little boy’s first few weeks, when singing was ALL that would keep him happy, never mind help him sleep.
These days I sing either “You are my sunshine” or “Morningtown ride”.
I sing You Are My Sunshine too, or Fly Me To The Moon 🙂 Thanks for reading x
I think this might be my favourite one of your ordinary moments ever Donna, I love that we get a glimpse into your life. It’s very sweet that they get rocked to that song, I remember it from my own childhood too! X
Ah thanks so much Katie, I think it’s my favourite too! I know throughout my life there are times that I’ll be taken back to these moments 🙂 x
Our son’s now almost nine months old and it’s not as easy to get him to sleep as it used to be. My wife still manages to get him to sleep by feeding him. When I’m looking after him when my wife’s out, putting him in a sling and walking around for a bit often seems to do the trick.
I found with my Daughter, getting her to sleep only got easier when she learnt to self settle at about 15m old! Looking forward to that day with Little Man too. Thanks for reading 🙂 x
Ah, that is so sweet. It’ll forever remind you of these baby days x
It really will! I’m sure in years to come we’ll hear that song and be transported back to these baby days. Thanks for reading x
What a lovely way to count! Happy memories in the making too.
It’s definitely a memory that’ll stay with us forever 🙂 Thanks for reading x
It’s great when you having something that you know will get them to sleep! 🙂 x
That’s very cute! It’s nice that only you know the song too, something special to share. Thanks so much for reading x
What a lovely moment to share Donna, we have a special bedtime song that we made up when F was small but he doesn’t like it an anymore as he’s ‘not a baby’!! 😉