More Sleep for you and your Baby

Because babies are initially in the warm uterus of the mother, newborns prefer smaller, cozy areas to sleep, such as bassinets.
During the first few weeks, newborns sleep at lot, mostly in between feedings.
If placing toys in a crib make sure that they are safe and child-proof. Never place battery operated toys in a crib, as they may leak toxic chemicals.
Do not use blankets to cover your baby, until she can roll both ways from front to back, or back to front. Using blankets too early on, can lead to your child suffocating.
A car ride can be a neat trick if the baby is colicky. Simply place your baby safely in the car seat and cautiously drive for a bit until the baby falls asleep. Gently place the baby back to sleep securely in the home crib, after you arrive back home.
Your baby will start to be awake more and require less sleep after a while, usually after about three months of age. Open the blind or curtain in the baby's room in between naps to help your baby to differentiate between night and day. Talk or sing to your baby between nap times to try to stimulate her.
At night time, allow baby to relax by initiating peaceful times. Even at that young age, your baby is quite smart. She will gradually be able to recognize bedtime quickly enough.
Don't play or talk with your baby, if she wakes up or cries during the night for feedings. This will be a hard pattern to break later on. After feeding, immediately place the baby back to sleep.
To lengthen bedtime hours, try speaking and singing to your child for longer periods of time during the day. By engaging her in longer periods of activity, you will stretch your child's amount of sleep time.
Allow for few stimulants in your baby's room. Just like adults sleep better with fewer disturbances, babies are even more sensitive to stimuli. Dim the lights around bedtime to help your baby to prepare for sleep. Don't forget that your baby was inside of you for quite a while, hearing your heart beating. Assist your baby to adjust to this change more easily by trying to imitate some of the sounds inside the womb. You can do this by running a dryer or a fan. Relaxation tapes that imitate the ocean or rainfall are great substitutes and will save you money on electricity.
If you initiate a regular quiet time at night, your baby can adjust to a fairly constant bedtime. Babies and toddlers thrive on routine.
Sometimes a warm bath or a comfort object such as a soft blanket or favorite stuffed toy helps when Mom and Dad are out of the room. Please be sure that you select your sleep time items carefully, always keeping safety in mind.
Be sure to always adapt bed time rituals to your child's age.
Also note that every child is different. Not all babies need the same amount of sleep. Try to familiarize yourself with how long your baby sleeps and note when she wakes up. Once you know your baby's rhythm, it will be easier to establish a sleeping pattern and soon enough you will both be getting your sleep.
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