Five Natural Remedies to Help Baby Sleep

1 Massage
Giving baby a leg and foot massage as part of his bedtime routine is not only a great way to help him relax but also a great way to connect with baby after a long day. If baby fusses in the middle of the night but doesn't fully wake and just needs a loving touch to fall back asleep, try rubbing his feet. Following the idea of reflexology, you can help lots of different organs just by focusing on the feet! I recommend using coconut oil to massage your baby.

2. Aromatherapy
From birth on, you can put diluted lavender oil in your humidifier or a diffuser. For babies older than three months, you can add lavender essential oil to the coconut oil during massage time.  I've seen this ratio: 1-2 drops to 1/2 – 1 teaspoon carrier oil OR this ratio: 1-2 drops to 2 tablespoons carrier oil — I would say err on the side of caution and go with a "less is more" attitude when it comes to essential oils. Click here for other essential oil uses and precautions.

Cherry Pit Pillow3. Cherry Pit Pillow
This pillow is an old, traditional European household remedy for colic. It is essentially an eco-friendly, all-natural cold or hot pack. Its heating capabilities are especially useful at night when baby may wake up with a tummy full of gas. Simply heat the pack (in a microwave for quick results) and drape it over his belly. The cherry pits release a soothing moist heat.

4. Wool Soaker
One thing that may startle a baby awake at night is a leaky diaper. Avoid such an issue by dressing baby with a 100% wool soaker over her diaper. This kind of diaper cover works great over traditional prefold diapers but works just as well over disposable diapers. How does it work? From Pooters Diapers, "When baby's diaper becomes wet, the wool soaker wicks the moisture away from the diaper by absorbing it. Lanolin… keeps the urine from leaking back out of the wool…" Your baby and her clothes stay drier than they would with an AIO or PUL cover or disposable diaper alone.

5. Homeopathy
Remedies like Hyland's Colic Tablets feature natural ingredients that can temporarily soothe a baby suffering from gas and other icky issues that may disrupt sleep.