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When you bring your baby home no one tells you that "sleep like a baby" only lasts a short time. This article will give you 10 tips to help your newborn sleep better.
Disclaimer: Please note that it can be dangerous for a new newborn baby (just a few weeks old) to sleep all night. They really do need to eat at least every 3 hours in those early days so they can grow well and thrive. It is also safest to place baby on his back to sleep, to guard against SIDS.
1. Short Wake-time
The first week or so, your newborn baby will most likely hardly be awake, but after the first week or two, the #1 key with your newborn is to keep wake times very short, at first. You should soothe your baby for sleep after just 1-2 hours of wake time TOPS.
An overtired baby will have more trouble settling down and going to sleep and staying asleep.
2. Swaddle
To help mimic the feeling of the womb, it helps to swaddle your newborn baby. This basically means to wrap him up in a blanket like a little burrito. This helps him feel safe and secure and also helps him stay asleep during any or more reflex startle reflex moments. It is said that those reflexes are similar to how we have the feeling we are falling while falling asleep.
3. Days bright / Nights dark
Although you might be tempted to keep things quiet and darker for your newborn to nap well, it might prolong the day/night confusion that almost all newborns will have. Day/Night confusion can last up to 6 weeks. Keep days bright and upbeat and nights, dark and boring, and it will help your newborn sort out her days and nights faster.
4. Limit naps
If he is taking longer to sort out days and nights (or you are having a very rough time keeping up with him being up all night), you can further speed up the process by limiting naps to no longer than 3 hours during the day.
5. Post-feeding routine
To help your newborn baby sort out day and night sleeping even more, you may want to develop a play routine after she eats during the day. Keep her awake 30 minutes after feeding by playing, singing, bathing, etc.
6. Co-sleeping
Sometimes it helps to have your newborn in the room with you for quick access for middle-of-the-night feedings and diaper changes. This also can help give him more comfort being close by as he will be able to hear and smell you. For safety reasons, you should use a co-sleeper, sleep positioner or bassinet.
7. Angle the mattress
For babies who spit up a lot or have reflux, it helps to angle the mattress when he sleeps, so baby is not flat on his back. You'll want to angle the mattress so his feet are lower than his head, so his stomach contents can stay put. Please note that the mattress should still remain flat at all times, just at an incline. Check with a knowledgeable health care provider to make sure that what you do is best and safest for your child.
8. White Noise
White noise is made up of the sounds like a fan whirring, vacuum cleaner, hair-dryer, etc. It helps a newborn sleep because inside mom's womb was all white noise. The sound of her blood flow, heart beating, etc.
9. Wear baby
For particularly fussy babies or just for parent's convenience and snuggling, it helps to "wear" baby using a sling. They get very folded up in a sling, but again, it mimics the womb and babies love it!
10. Swing
As I said earlier, mom's movements lulled baby to sleep while in the womb, so I also recommend trying a swing, but don't be surprised if your newborn only likes it at high speeds.
Unfortunately, some of these tips do create sleep associations, but during the first weeks, you really do what you can to survive. Obviously, it never hurts to try to put your baby down to sleep without any of these "tricks, but sometimes that it just doesn't work for all of us.
Nicole Johnson is a sleep coach and the owner of The Baby Sleep Site (TM)
http://www.babysleepsite.com specializing in baby sleep products and consulting services. She also works with Babble Soft
http://www.babblesoft.com, a premier baby software company, in order to further help new parents. Nicole is a wife and the mother of two boys. With a B.A. degree from UC Berkeley and an MBA from Ohio State University, Nicole has also received an honorary degree in "Surviving Sleep Deprivation," thanks to her son's "no sleep" curriculum. She has become an expert on infant and toddler sleep and has made it her mission to help other parents solve their child's sleep problems, too.
Disclaimer: Please note that it can be dangerous for a new newborn baby (just a few weeks old) to sleep all night. They really do need to eat at least every 3 hours in those early days so they can grow well and thrive. It is also safest to place baby on his back to sleep, to guard against SIDS.
1. Short Wake-time
The first week or so, your newborn baby will most likely hardly be awake, but after the first week or two, the #1 key with your newborn is to keep wake times very short, at first. You should soothe your baby for sleep after just 1-2 hours of wake time TOPS.
An overtired baby will have more trouble settling down and going to sleep and staying asleep.
2. Swaddle
To help mimic the feeling of the womb, it helps to swaddle your newborn baby. This basically means to wrap him up in a blanket like a little burrito. This helps him feel safe and secure and also helps him stay asleep during any or more reflex startle reflex moments. It is said that those reflexes are similar to how we have the feeling we are falling while falling asleep.
3. Days bright / Nights dark
Although you might be tempted to keep things quiet and darker for your newborn to nap well, it might prolong the day/night confusion that almost all newborns will have. Day/Night confusion can last up to 6 weeks. Keep days bright and upbeat and nights, dark and boring, and it will help your newborn sort out her days and nights faster.
4. Limit naps
If he is taking longer to sort out days and nights (or you are having a very rough time keeping up with him being up all night), you can further speed up the process by limiting naps to no longer than 3 hours during the day.
5. Post-feeding routine
To help your newborn baby sort out day and night sleeping even more, you may want to develop a play routine after she eats during the day. Keep her awake 30 minutes after feeding by playing, singing, bathing, etc.
6. Co-sleeping
Sometimes it helps to have your newborn in the room with you for quick access for middle-of-the-night feedings and diaper changes. This also can help give him more comfort being close by as he will be able to hear and smell you. For safety reasons, you should use a co-sleeper, sleep positioner or bassinet.
7. Angle the mattress
For babies who spit up a lot or have reflux, it helps to angle the mattress when he sleeps, so baby is not flat on his back. You'll want to angle the mattress so his feet are lower than his head, so his stomach contents can stay put. Please note that the mattress should still remain flat at all times, just at an incline. Check with a knowledgeable health care provider to make sure that what you do is best and safest for your child.
8. White Noise
White noise is made up of the sounds like a fan whirring, vacuum cleaner, hair-dryer, etc. It helps a newborn sleep because inside mom's womb was all white noise. The sound of her blood flow, heart beating, etc.
9. Wear baby
For particularly fussy babies or just for parent's convenience and snuggling, it helps to "wear" baby using a sling. They get very folded up in a sling, but again, it mimics the womb and babies love it!
10. Swing
As I said earlier, mom's movements lulled baby to sleep while in the womb, so I also recommend trying a swing, but don't be surprised if your newborn only likes it at high speeds.
Unfortunately, some of these tips do create sleep associations, but during the first weeks, you really do what you can to survive. Obviously, it never hurts to try to put your baby down to sleep without any of these "tricks, but sometimes that it just doesn't work for all of us.
Nicole Johnson is a sleep coach and the owner of The Baby Sleep Site (TM)
http://www.babysleepsite.com specializing in baby sleep products and consulting services. She also works with Babble Soft
http://www.babblesoft.com, a premier baby software company, in order to further help new parents. Nicole is a wife and the mother of two boys. With a B.A. degree from UC Berkeley and an MBA from Ohio State University, Nicole has also received an honorary degree in "Surviving Sleep Deprivation," thanks to her son's "no sleep" curriculum. She has become an expert on infant and toddler sleep and has made it her mission to help other parents solve their child's sleep problems, too.
Sign Language
Among some of the latest trends in communication with babies is making use of toddler sign language. Many moms and dads are making use of signing to aid communication with their little ones and it has proven to be very effective. Babies and toddlers are especially restricted in their ability to inform others what they would like and have to have. Making use of this form of communication is an effective method to help a little one process language.
Baby sign language helps reduce the number of fits that a young child has. Often times, a young child will come to be very aggravated when he or she is unable to tell others what he would need. He or she does not have the abilities required to articulate his / her desires and desires through regular conversation. Gestures are easier for a toddler to utilize and the gestures do not have to match the American Sign Language designated signs for objects and actions. A baby can use a waving motion to ask for a cookie. On condition that his mom and dad know what the motion means, it works.
Moms and dads can get started using toddler sign language by means of modeling. It is very visual and it is less difficult for a infant to not forget than spoken words. The baby starts to connect the spoken word with the motion and with the item or action in a short time.
My girl does not utilize sign language yet, but she recognizes signs for the words "more, eat, play, help, want" as we make our signs to her. Gradually, she will start to imitate the baby sign language and ultimately she will use the words. My girl does not like when I make use of putting my hand on her
hand to guide her apply some of the techniques. You will probably find that a lot of toddlers won't either. They ought to observe the gestures and begin using them little by little. Child sign language should not be forced and it ought to be not be methodized. The best method to making use of sign language for infants is to relate the words with the signs and with the object or action.
Among the most popular signs to present initially is "more" due to the fact it is very easy for a infant to fully grasp. If you are pushing a baby in a swing, set aside a second to quit pushing and use the sign "more" just before carrying on with pushing him or her again.. It is not imperative the baby to utilize sign language. Modeling the signs is a excellent way to expose them. The child will eventually get started on making use of some of the new motions and gestures on his / her own as he or she discovers to imitate.
Once the child starts to use baby sign language, you will find that he also starts to speak the terms associated with the signs. Make it fun. Include routines and things that the toddler enjoys and you will have a fantastic start on building your child's communication competencies. Baby sign language is the initial step to building fine communication abilities, and in turn, good behavior.
Baby sign language helps reduce the number of fits that a young child has. Often times, a young child will come to be very aggravated when he or she is unable to tell others what he would need. He or she does not have the abilities required to articulate his / her desires and desires through regular conversation. Gestures are easier for a toddler to utilize and the gestures do not have to match the American Sign Language designated signs for objects and actions. A baby can use a waving motion to ask for a cookie. On condition that his mom and dad know what the motion means, it works.
Moms and dads can get started using toddler sign language by means of modeling. It is very visual and it is less difficult for a infant to not forget than spoken words. The baby starts to connect the spoken word with the motion and with the item or action in a short time.
My girl does not utilize sign language yet, but she recognizes signs for the words "more, eat, play, help, want" as we make our signs to her. Gradually, she will start to imitate the baby sign language and ultimately she will use the words. My girl does not like when I make use of putting my hand on her
hand to guide her apply some of the techniques. You will probably find that a lot of toddlers won't either. They ought to observe the gestures and begin using them little by little. Child sign language should not be forced and it ought to be not be methodized. The best method to making use of sign language for infants is to relate the words with the signs and with the object or action.
Among the most popular signs to present initially is "more" due to the fact it is very easy for a infant to fully grasp. If you are pushing a baby in a swing, set aside a second to quit pushing and use the sign "more" just before carrying on with pushing him or her again.. It is not imperative the baby to utilize sign language. Modeling the signs is a excellent way to expose them. The child will eventually get started on making use of some of the new motions and gestures on his / her own as he or she discovers to imitate.
Once the child starts to use baby sign language, you will find that he also starts to speak the terms associated with the signs. Make it fun. Include routines and things that the toddler enjoys and you will have a fantastic start on building your child's communication competencies. Baby sign language is the initial step to building fine communication abilities, and in turn, good behavior.
By Rich Niccolls