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About Your Baby About
Your Baby - Main
Page /
Infant & Baby Sleeping Issues
“People who say they sleep like a baby usually don't have one.” -Leo J. Burke |
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There is nothing more precious than a sleeping baby ... except maybe when baby first smiles at you and then you won't care if your baby ever falls asleep again. Well, almost. ;-) When my daughters were newborns, they slept in a bassinet on the changing table by my bed, where I was able to tend to them and still maintain a reasonable amount of sleep, without jumping up every hour to check on them. If they needed to be fed, changed or comforted, I was just a few feet away. By 3 months, they were moved to their room and into that beautiful crib waiting for them. :-) They were also sleeping at least 6 or 7 hours at a stretch by this time and life went back to the normal it would become. One of the most-asked questions and uppermost in every parent's mind is: How do I get my baby to sleep 'through the night'? Actually, you don't. It's more a matter of baby being comfortable, well-fed, dry and learning how to fall back to sleep on his/her own. Your baby wants to sleep. Baby's job is to sleep almost 20 hours in a day. It's just that they wake up a lot. ;-) 'Sleeping through the night' means many things to many people. Sleeping through the night to baby means sleeping until baby feels the need to wake, for whatever reason baby deems appropriate. If baby is hungry, baby will wake to be fed. If baby is wet, baby will wake to be changed. If baby is feeling uncomfortable, baby will wake to be soothed. You get the picture ... baby is gonna do what's right for baby. If that means waking at 'all hours', that's what the plan is. If your baby is sleeping six hours in a row, this could be considered 'sleeping through the night.' Count your blessings. A lot of babies wake every two, three and four hours. I found that once my babies were well fed, they tended to sleep in longer intervals. Also, three months old seemed to be the magic number where I put them to bed at around nine or 10 at night and they didn't wake until six or seven the next morning. Of course, I woke every hour, bolted upright in a panic and rushed to make sure they were still breathing. By golly, they were breathing and sleeping soundly. This was as blissful as it got. One book I wish I had when my daughters were infants is The No-Cry Sleep Solution, by Elizabeth Pantley. This is excellent infant/baby sleep advice and I highly recommend the book. You and your baby will sleep better after you read this and it will be one of the best investments in sanity you ever make. Don't wait ... buy it now: Sleep Solution. Another super baby sleep book that you can instantly read from your computer (or print it out) for immediate sleep relief is: Baby Sleep Secrets, by Michael F. Quarles, Sr., the "Baby Sandman," who really knows his stuff, too. You can never find out too much about this vital issue, for you and baby! Babies love soothing classical music or lullabies. Played softly at bedtime, soft music can condition baby to relax and fall asleep. Studies have also shown babies and children who are exposed to classical music as infants and throughout childhood thrive better and seem to have better math skills later in life. Wow ... gimme some of that! ;-) I said this on the 'Bringing Baby Home' page and it needs to be repeated here, too: Don't listen to anyone who tells you to let baby 'cry it out'. This is cruel and does not teach your infant to sleep longer or better or not to cry. What this teaches your 100 percent dependent newborn is that the world is not a safe or nurturing place; that mom and/or dad (or whoever) is not there when needed; that baby's needs are not going to be met, no matter how hard baby tries to communicate those needs. Newborns cannot be spoiled. Thinking that they can be is just plain nonsense. Infants possess no guile or cunning nor do they possess the power of reason ... just yet. What they do possess is untold amounts of need and dependency on you. I don't think any parent wants their baby to feel insecure, hungry, uncomfortable or pain. So welcome to the 21st century and think about this seriously. When your baby cries, pick baby up, comfort baby, feed baby or offer distilled water in a bottle or a pacifier if a feeding or cuddling isn't doing the trick. Sometimes, you're not going to know what in the world baby wants/needs/demands. You're just gonna have to live with it and figure it out as you go. Babies should be put to sleep on their backs. This has been shown to reduce the occurrence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). If I felt my baby needed a little side-sleeping time, I would prop a pillow or rolled baby blanket against her back and one against her tummy to keep her from rolling over. Another good sleeping arrangement for babies is the 'foot to head' sleeping position which is arranging the bedding to be snugly tucked under the foot of the mattress with baby's feet at the bottom of the crib. This will greatly reduce the possibility of baby's head becoming wrapped in the blankets at night. An illustration and explanation of foot to head position can be found here: Foot to Head Sleep Position Here are some good links to help you with baby sleep issues:
One day, you'll be hard-pressed to wake your baby-turned-teenager up for school ... and therein lies one of the many practical jokes the universe plays on parents. Just remember ... infant and baby stages that seem burdensome don't last forever. You will sleep like a normal person again, although maybe never as soundly as you did before becoming a parent. It just goes with the territory. ;-)
About Your Baby - Site Map This site provides general information and the author's opinions. It is designed for educational purposes only. Always consult with a healthcare professional if you have any concerns about the health of your child. |
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