Baby Sleep Tips

<h1>Baby Sleep Tips</h1>Author: <a title="Maxine Williams" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/maxine-williams/70515.htm">Maxine Williams</a> 
Probably one of the hardest adjustments of having a new baby is the lack of sleep that goes hand in hand with your baby needing regular feeds throughout the night. If your baby is hungry it needs to be fed, but there are a few things that can help your baby settle for longer until it is only hunger that will wake him or her in the night. By six months most babies do not need a night time feed if they have fed well during the day and are not ill. 
 First 9 Months Sleep Advice 
<ul> 
<li>When your baby is newborn, after having 9 months of a nice snug womb and your body noises and motions to settle them, sometimes the adjustment to the outside world can cause more night wakings than is just down to hunger. It is important to remember newborn babies have no concept of time, night or day, so it will take time for them to fall into a pattern. With your help though, it is perfectly possible to have them sleeping through by six months. </li> 
<li>Making sure your baby is ready to sleep first of all is most important. With newborns, as they are so tiny they will mostly drift off to sleep when they are ready but from around 3 months this can change and they may need you to notice the signs of tiredness and help them to settle. </li> 
</ul> 
Ready to Sleep Checklist 
<ul> 
<li>Is your baby well fed, clean, dry and winded? </li> 
<li>Is your baby in good health? Illness can either make babies sleep more or make them find it hard to sleep. </li> 
<li>Is your baby tired enough? Some say most newborns up to three months of age find it hard to stay awake more than two hours without becoming overtired and miserable. Some babies yawn, rub their eyes or pull at their ears when they are tired, watch for signs. </li> 
<li>Is your baby too tired? Overtiredness can mean that a baby will find it very hard to settle due to too much stimulation and lack of sleep. A nice dim lit room, a bit of soothing can help your baby to sleep in this case. Trying to catch your baby before he or she becomes overtired will also help. </li> 
</ul> 
If your baby is most of these he or she will most likely be ready for a sleep. 
<ul> 
<li>Getting a balance with day time naps can also help your baby to sleep longer. It is generally agreed most babies before 6 months need around 3 naps in a day and will sleep roughly an hour before waking, however all babies are different! If your baby is waking a lot int he night and you dont think it is caused by anything but lack or tiredness have a look at your babies sleep in the day and see if you can help encourage your baby to have less or more at certain times. You can never force a baby though, so if your baby really wont tweak his or her naps, you may have to try again in a few weeks or so. </li> 
<li>Have a think about your babies sleeping place as well to help encourage a more settled sleep. Is the room warm but not too warm? It is recommended a babies sleeping room should be constant between 16-18 degrees. Is the room very light? Some babies may find it hard to settle in a bright room, having the room kept dim can help them settle better and also begin to teach them the difference between night and day as well as teach them that when they go into a dark room it is most likely time for a sleep. Is the room noisy or the surroundings of it? Some babies like to hear noise when sleeping, others can be easily disturbed by it so it could be something to watch for. </li> 
<li>Swaddling is something that can be considered for helping your baby to sleep well. Swaddling is the method of wrapping your baby nice and snug in a blanket, with arms and legs by its sides and only the top of the shoulders and head uncovered. The reason this is believed to work so well with some babies is that it replicates the snug feeling of the womb and also that babies are born with the 'moro reflex' (startle reflex) meaning that sometimes when they are drifting off to sleep and their arms and legs begin to go limp, they can get the sensation of falling and suddenly jerk awake. Also any loud noises near by can cause a new baby to fling out its arms and legs in shock and begin to cry. Having your baby swaddled helps control the moro reflex, but it should be understood that not all babies necessarily will like being swaddled. By six months old the moro reflex is minimal or totally gone. Swaddling is really only for the first 3-4 months of a babies life after that, your baby will need to move about a bit and be able to release body heat to prevent over heating. </li> 
<li>If your baby is one who does not like to swaddled, some mums swear by a baby gro bag (baby sleeping bag) that leaves babies arms out and whilst the legs are obviously inside they are not held firm like the swaddle. Being in a baby gro bag has the added benefit that baby will not wriggle out of it and so wake up cold in the night. Be aware though that like duvets there are different thicknesses of gro bags from 0.5 tog being extra light to 3 tog being extra warm. Most gro bags come with instructions regarding this but make sure you have a read before use. </li> 
<li>Having a 'wind down' routine can help as well. Although babies below six months are very young to use a routine with, it is possible to have the beginnings of one. Giving your baby a nice lukewarm bath, a baby massage with some oil (even f you dont know how to do this, your baby will love you to just stroke him or her) followed by a breastfeed or a warm bottle of milk in a dim lit room, perhaps even with some low music playing will help your baby realise that when all this is happening, he or she will be in bed soon and be ready to sleep. </li> 
<li>Using aids such as rocking, dummies or feeding to sleep do all help though sometimes your baby can begin to rely on whichever as the only way he or she can settle to sleep, so when your baby wakes in the early hours of the morning, he or she could come to need you to provide whichever aid they are used to sleeping with. If you would like to avoid this, it can help to use rocking or dummy or a feed as a wind down to get your baby sleepy but try to avoid them actually falling alseep whilst in the process. Gently rousing your baby slightly as you settle him or her into bed for the night will help them begin to learn how to settle off to sleep by themselves. If your baby is waking for a feed after 6 months of age and you are certain he or she does not really need to be feeding (talk to health visitor first) then you can begin to dilute down your babies milk to encourage him or her to drop the feed. </li> 
</ul> 
10 months to 18 months Sleep Advice 
<ul> 
<li>As your baby gets older, his or her sleeping patterns can change. He or she may need less sleep during the day and become harder to settle. </li> 
<li>Having a set bedtime routine will now be very effective in helping your growing baby understand the signals and become sleepy for bedtime. Again, giving your baby a warm bath, a baby massage with baby oil, and then perhaps going into your babies room and sitting down together, reading a book to your baby, will make for a good bedtime routine. If your baby is old enough, offering a beaker of milk whilst reading will keep your baby calm and settled. </li> 
<li>Some babies like to have a comforter during the long hours of the night. A soft cuddly toy or special comforters such as cuskees bought from mothercare or such places can become your child's firm friend and help them sleep better. Sleeping with your chosen comforter for a night or two before giving to your child will provide comfort to your child in the fact he or she will be able to smell you from the toy. </li> 
<li>Avoid watching tv too close to bedtime. Most studies conclude babies who watch a lot of tv especially before bed are much more likely to have unsettled sleeps. </li> 
<li>Your child may still be happy to be in a gro bag at this stage, which is totally acceptable and can help gently restrict your babies ability to try to get up and about in the cot. However from12 months of age, it can be a novelty to your baby to introduce a child's duvet and pillow, especially if you let your child pick his or her own (more around 18 months). </li> 
<li>If you find your baby is waking in the night and the timing is pretty regular, it could be a habit your child has made. To gently break this, there is a method called 'gradual withdrawl'. This means when your baby cries, you can go in and soothe your baby but without picking your baby up. You can do this perhaps by humming softly or stroking babies forehead. Reassure your baby that you are there. Try to avoid turning bright lights on and talking loudly, keep it nice and quiet and sleepy. After a few minutes, sit by the cot on a chair and keep very softly reassuring your baby that you are there. If your baby is happy to settle knowing you are near by, the following evening if your baby again wakes, this time you can move the chair further away from the cot. Continue moving the chair further away until you are by the door. Once you reach the door you may now find that after a quick reassurance your baby will settle if you leave the room. It can take a few weeks and you should avoid letting your baby become hysterical but being patient, gentle and reassuring and providing there is no other reason for your abby to be waking that for reassurance, he or she should begin to settle soon. </li> 
</ul> 
 
About the Author: maxine is a busy mum of 3 and runs a chat forum for women at <a href="http://womens-world.co.uk/forums"><a target="_blank" href="http://womens-world.co.uk/forums">http://womens-world.co.uk/forums</a></a>Article Source: <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/">ArticlesBase.com</a> - <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/babies-articles/baby-sleep-tips-492481.html" title="Baby Sleep Tips">Baby Sleep Tips</a>

Probably one of the hardest adjustments of having a new baby is the lack of sleep that goes hand in hand with your baby needing regular feeds throughout the night. If your baby is hungry it needs to be fed, but there are a few things that can help your baby settle for longer until it is only hunger that will wake him or her in the night. By six months most babies do not need a night time feed if they have fed well during the day and are not ill.

First 9 Months Sleep Advice

When your baby is newborn, after having 9 months of a nice snug womb and your body noises and motions to settle them, sometimes the adjustment to the outside world can cause more night wakings than is just down to hunger. It is important to remember newborn babies have no concept of time, night or day, so it will take time for them to fall into a pattern. With your help though, it is perfectly possible to have them sleeping through by six months.

Making sure your baby is ready to sleep first of all is most important. With newborns, as they are so tiny they will mostly drift off to sleep when they are ready but from around 3 months this can change and they may need you to notice the signs of tiredness and help them to settle.

Ready to Sleep Checklist

Is your baby well fed, clean, dry and winded?

Is your baby in good health? Illness can either make babies sleep more or make them find it hard to sleep.

Is your baby tired enough? Some say most newborns up to three months of age find it hard to stay awake more than two hours without becoming overtired and miserable. Some babies yawn, rub their eyes or pull at their ears when they are tired, watch for signs.

Is your baby too tired? Overtiredness can mean that a baby will find it very hard to settle due to too much stimulation and lack of sleep. A nice dim lit room, a bit of soothing can help your baby to sleep in this case. Trying to catch your baby before he or she becomes overtired will also help.

If your baby is most of these he or she will most likely be ready for a sleep.

Getting a balance with day time naps can also help your baby to sleep longer. It is generally agreed most babies before 6 months need around 3 naps in a day and will sleep roughly an hour before waking, however all babies are different! If your baby is waking a lot int he night and you dont think it is caused by anything but lack or tiredness have a look at your babies sleep in the day and see if you can help encourage your baby to have less or more at certain times. You can never force a baby though, so if your baby really wont tweak his or her naps, you may have to try again in a few weeks or so.

Have a think about your babies sleeping place as well to help encourage a more settled sleep. Is the room warm but not too warm? It is recommended a babies sleeping room should be constant between 16-18 degrees. Is the room very light? Some babies may find it hard to settle in a bright room, having the room kept dim can help them settle better and also begin to teach them the difference between night and day as well as teach them that when they go into a dark room it is most likely time for a sleep. Is the room noisy or the surroundings of it? Some babies like to hear noise when sleeping, others can be easily disturbed by it so it could be something to watch for.

Swaddling is something that can be considered for helping your baby to sleep well. Swaddling is the method of wrapping your baby nice and snug in a blanket, with arms and legs by its sides and only the top of the shoulders and head uncovered. The reason this is believed to work so well with some babies is that it replicates the snug feeling of the womb and also that babies are born with the 'moro reflex' (startle reflex) meaning that sometimes when they are drifting off to sleep and their arms and legs begin to go limp, they can get the sensation of falling and suddenly jerk awake. Also any loud noises near by can cause a new baby to fling out its arms and legs in shock and begin to cry. Having your baby swaddled helps control the moro reflex, but it should be understood that not all babies necessarily will like being swaddled. By six months old the moro reflex is minimal or totally gone. Swaddling is really only for the first 3-4 months of a babies life after that, your baby will need to move about a bit and be able to release body heat to prevent over heating.

If your baby is one who does not like to swaddled, some mums swear by a baby gro bag (baby sleeping bag) that leaves babies arms out and whilst the legs are obviously inside they are not held firm like the swaddle. Being in a baby gro bag has the added benefit that baby will not wriggle out of it and so wake up cold in the night. Be aware though that like duvets there are different thicknesses of gro bags from 0.5 tog being extra light to 3 tog being extra warm. Most gro bags come with instructions regarding this but make sure you have a read before use.

Having a 'wind down' routine can help as well. Although babies below six months are very young to use a routine with, it is possible to have the beginnings of one. Giving your baby a nice lukewarm bath, a baby massage with some oil (even f you dont know how to do this, your baby will love you to just stroke him or her) followed by a breastfeed or a warm bottle of milk in a dim lit room, perhaps even with some low music playing will help your baby realise that when all this is happening, he or she will be in bed soon and be ready to sleep.

Using aids such as rocking, dummies or feeding to sleep do all help though sometimes your baby can begin to rely on whichever as the only way he or she can settle to sleep, so when your baby wakes in the early hours of the morning, he or she could come to need you to provide whichever aid they are used to sleeping with. If you would like to avoid this, it can help to use rocking or dummy or a feed as a wind down to get your baby sleepy but try to avoid them actually falling alseep whilst in the process. Gently rousing your baby slightly as you settle him or her into bed for the night will help them begin to learn how to settle off to sleep by themselves. If your baby is waking for a feed after 6 months of age and you are certain he or she does not really need to be feeding (talk to health visitor first) then you can begin to dilute down your babies milk to encourage him or her to drop the feed.

10 months to 18 months Sleep Advice

As your baby gets older, his or her sleeping patterns can change. He or she may need less sleep during the day and become harder to settle.

Having a set bedtime routine will now be very effective in helping your growing baby understand the signals and become sleepy for bedtime. Again, giving your baby a warm bath, a baby massage with baby oil, and then perhaps going into your babies room and sitting down together, reading a book to your baby, will make for a good bedtime routine. If your baby is old enough, offering a beaker of milk whilst reading will keep your baby calm and settled.

Some babies like to have a comforter during the long hours of the night. A soft cuddly toy or special comforters such as cuskees bought from mothercare or such places can become your child's firm friend and help them sleep better. Sleeping with your chosen comforter for a night or two before giving to your child will provide comfort to your child in the fact he or she will be able to smell you from the toy.

Avoid watching tv too close to bedtime. Most studies conclude babies who watch a lot of tv especially before bed are much more likely to have unsettled sleeps.

Your child may still be happy to be in a gro bag at this stage, which is totally acceptable and can help gently restrict your babies ability to try to get up and about in the cot. However from12 months of age, it can be a novelty to your baby to introduce a child's duvet and pillow, especially if you let your child pick his or her own (more around 18 months).

If you find your baby is waking in the night and the timing is pretty regular, it could be a habit your child has made. To gently break this, there is a method called 'gradual withdrawl'. This means when your baby cries, you can go in and soothe your baby but without picking your baby up. You can do this perhaps by humming softly or stroking babies forehead. Reassure your baby that you are there. Try to avoid turning bright lights on and talking loudly, keep it nice and quiet and sleepy. After a few minutes, sit by the cot on a chair and keep very softly reassuring your baby that you are there. If your baby is happy to settle knowing you are near by, the following evening if your baby again wakes, this time you can move the chair further away from the cot. Continue moving the chair further away until you are by the door. Once you reach the door you may now find that after a quick reassurance your baby will settle if you leave the room. It can take a few weeks and you should avoid letting your baby become hysterical but being patient, gentle and reassuring and providing there is no other reason for your abby to be waking that for reassurance, he or she should begin to settle soon.

maxine is a busy mum of 3 and runs a chat forum for women at http://womens-world.co.uk/forums

Rate this Article:

0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s)

Re-Publish

Related Articles
Related Q&A

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/babies-articles/baby-sleep-tips-492481.html

Article Tags: Newborn Baby, Baby Sleep Advice

Latest Babies Articles
More from Maxine Williams

Cheap Baby Strollers – What To Look For When Buying Baby Strollers

By: Ricky Lim | 04/07/2009
For those on a budget, one need not worry because there are cheap baby strollers available out there. They just have to know where to look and which brands to get. They also need to check the features that are available with the cheap baby strollers they are thinking of getting so that they can maximize their money’s worth.

Best Infant Car Seat

By: Ricky Lim | 04/07/2009
Parents are always on the lookout for the best infant car seat. They make sure that the car seats face the rear of their vehicles only. They should also check whether the car seats that they buy are suitable for newborns and little children.

Best Baby Monitor Reviews

By: Ricky Lim | 04/07/2009
Before you go out and buy a baby monitor, you must read up on baby monitor reviews in order for you to have an idea on what is the best brand out there for you. The two biggest downsides to baby monitors are the static interference and the accidental eavesdropping.

Where to find good agents for child models

By: Jhoana Cooper | 04/07/2009
Finding agents to handle the career of your child model can be easy if you know where to find them. There are agents for child models everywhere, and the key to giving your child a shot at getting a good modeling career started is by finding the right agent for him or her. Child models have a rather short shelf life that could either end when they become teenagers or could continue well into adulthood if they are good enough. They can start a career as baby models and continue on till adulthood

Using web models for effective business promotion

By: Jhoana Cooper | 04/07/2009
Anyone who has seen the beaming face on a billboard or in the newspaper ad cannot deny the truism behind the principle that a pretty face is not only a sight worth looking at, it also do the business good as a means of promotion. But how can one turn a pretty face into some means with which to earn a clean and decent living? The answer is to join the world of web models who have etched their names in the modeling world.

Training kids for modeling and acting

By: Jhoana Cooper | 04/07/2009
When you find that your child can work as a child model, you will need to find ways to get them to be good at what they will be doing. Training kids for modeling as well as for acting can work well for your child if they really want to make a good career out of this. You can find good training classes for them by yourself and you can also ask agents that may be handling them where to find the right acting and modeling coaches for your child models.

Online modeling is a great way for child models to earn income

By: Jhoana Cooper | 04/07/2009
There are a million ways for a person to earn a living. The number of possibilities is made even bigger by the beneficial presence of the Internet that allows people to transact despite huge physical distances and without the need to be physically present in a particular place. Numerous though these possibilities for earning may be, most of the potential for doing business is beyond the reach of a child because of the laws governing child labor and the protection of child welfare. However, there

How to prepare your children for modeling careers

By: Jhoana Cooper | 04/07/2009
Parents who feel that their children have what it takes to become models sometimes do not know how to go about doing this the right way. Preparing children for modeling careers takes more than your knowing that they have the look for becoming a model or the desire to see your child as one of the popular child models you see on ads and commercials. You will need to do a lot of legwork and research to get your child the kind of modeling career that can help him or her get the chance to earn some m

Baby Sleep Tips

Cheap Baby Strollers – What To Look For When Buying Baby Strollers

Best Infant Car Seat

Best Baby Monitor Reviews

Where to find good agents for child models

Using web models for effective business promotion

Training kids for modeling and acting

Online modeling is a great way for child models to earn income

How to prepare your children for modeling careers

Preparing for Pregnancy

Coping With Anxiety

Baby Sleep Tips

Baby Crying Advice