When your baby is crying and screaming nonstop at bedtime, you’re willing to do just about anything to help them fall asleep. If the lullabies aren’t working, try taking a spin around the block in your car. Going for a drive with your fussy baby is a great option to get your newborn to fall asleep and it can help you destress as well. Read on to learn more about why driving helps babies fall asleep.
The Why
Think of your car as one large rocking chair — that’s how your newborn views your vehicle. The car’s movement feels very similar to a rocking chair, helping soothe babies back to sleep. The soft rocking motion with the engine’s soft purr also reminds babies of their time spent in the womb.
While in the womb, babies are continually rocking in a similar motion that car rides create. Plus, the engine’s sound is white noise they are familiar with, making it more soothing than that new white noise machine you bought.
Helpful Tips for Driving Your Baby To Sleep
Soothing your newborn to sleep isn’t always a guarantee when taking them for a drive. Some babies will find being separate from their mother in the front seat more distressing than soothing. Other times, driving habits and patterns can also cause distress. Keep these tips in mind when you plan to use driving as a sleep method:
- Add a mirror to the backseat headrest. This way, you can see your baby and they can also see you.
- Stick to suburban roads with less commotion.
- Frequent stops, starts, and jerking won’t help your baby sleep. Find an area where you can drive slow and relatively straight.
While you won’t want to hop in the car every time your baby is struggling to fall asleep, driving helps babies fall asleep for those days when nothing else works.
