Your Baby Can Sleep and so Can You
Author: David CummingsAfter nightly waking to a crying baby, no one is getting a good night's sleep, and everyone is getting frustrated. It is possible for your baby to learn that sleep is a necessary part of the day, but you cannot force your baby to sleep. Although there are many different theories on the best way to help your baby and you get the rest you need, the crux of the matter is how to help your child develop a sleep pattern which matches your lifestyle?
One possibility to consider is that you may need to change your daytime or nighttime routines to help your baby sleep throughout the night. Take some time to observe where your baby sleeps the best. This can provide some helpful clues as to how to get him to sleep through the night. Does your baby rest better in her own room or in a bassinet in your room? Perhaps she would sleep better in her room if you left some music playing softly. One thing that can help is determining which sleep time activities work the best for her. Change up one evening by singing her to sleep instead of rocking her to sleep. On another evening nurse or feed your baby while she drifts off to sleep. Additionally, have your spouse put your baby to bed. In this way you can find one or two ways that your baby prefers and then you can use those methods in your bedtime routine.
Your baby will need to learn how to soothe herself back to sleep as well. Eventually this is less work on the parents, but it does take some time and patience and your baby needs to be of the correct temperament. This method may not work well if your child is more high-strung than easy-going. This method should be discussed with your pediatrician if your baby has medical conditions which may cause them to wake and cry in the night.
Take stock of what your baby's day has been like if she has trouble sleeping at night. Has she had a peaceful day? Is she at a day care during the day? How stimulating is the environment there? Does she nap during the day? Some studies have shown that babies who are carried in slings or use other types of carriers like those in use with attachment parenting get a lot of positive attention and nurturing during the day tend to sleep better at night.
A good sleeping routine can be derived from predictable nap and bedtimes as well. You need to determine the routine that works best for everyoone in your family. Your spouse's and your work routine may not allow for an earlier bedtime. A change in bedtime or naptime may be helpful as well. This may especially be true if you have other children that are going to try to stay up later to get some attention from you or your spouse because of arriving home after work. Develop the daily routine that works best for you and your family.
Once you determine what method or methods work for you and your family, you can create a routine which can everyone get the sleep they need and help your baby grow into a well adjusted toddler.
David Cummings is a devoted parent and husband and a regular author on many family topics. He is devoted to helping parents build better family time together and to ensuring a brighter future for all children through his contributions to children-oriented organizations. David is also the General Manager for Bustling Baby, LLC - a company that knows the business of parenting and offers a wide variety of products to make daily life with baby easier, such as the Messenger Diaper Bag by O Yikes!
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/your-baby-can-sleep-and-so-can-you-758341.html
No comments:
Post a Comment