You have a new baby, oh what wonder and joy this little guy or gal is, however, you have not had a good night's sleep since being home with this wonderful little creature. Don't give up. You can help your new baby sleep all night, every night. And remember, you are certainly not alone. Sleepless nights are something common for most new parents.
Newborn babies often sleep 16 or more hours per day. Their sleep time, however, is often done in stretches of just one to two hours at a time. As your baby's nervous system matures a more consistent sleep schedule emerges and he or she can go longer between feedings.
By the time your new baby reaches three months of age he or she will probably be sleeping for as long as five hours during the night. At six months of age, nighttime stretches of nine to 12 hours are most likely.
Look over the following tips to help your baby become a good sleeper:
?Encourage activity during the day: During the waking hours with your baby keep him or her busy by talking, singing and playing. Provide your baby with lots of light. This type of stimulation during the day can help promote better sleep at night. ?Monitor your baby's naps: Allow your baby regular naps during the day and not large chunks of time that may cause your baby to stay wide awake at night. ?Follow a consistent bedtime routine: If you bath, cuddle, sing or read to your baby just before bedtime he or she will soon associate these activities with sleep. ?Put your baby to bed drowsy but awake: This technique helps your baby associate bed with the process of falling asleep. Place your baby to sleep on his or her back. Clear the crib or bassinet of blankets and other soft items. ?Give your baby time to settle down: If your baby fusses when you first put him to bed, allow him or her to find a comfortable position for falling asleep. If the crying does not stop within a reasonable amount of time, try speaking calmly to your baby and stroke his or her back to provide reassurance of your presence. ?Consider using a pacifier: If your baby has trouble settling down, try using a pacifier at naptime and bedtime to help reduce his anxiety. One problem of using a pacifier might be if he or she loses during the middle of the night and cries for its replacement. Guess who has to get up in the middle of the night to find the pacifier for baby? ?Expect frequent stirring at night: Don't be alarmed if you hear your baby squirming and wriggle as they sleep. This is quite normal. Some babies can be noisy. All these things may simply be a sign of settling down. Unless you suspect your baby is hungry or uncomfortable (needing a diaper change or whatever), it is OK to wait a few minutes to see if he or she finally settles down. If not, then better check on baby. ?Keep nighttime care low-key: When you feed your baby or care for he or she during the night, use dim lights, a soft voice and very calm movements. This will teach your baby that it is time to sleep and nothing else.
Some babies sleep throughout the night the first night home. I know my baby slept through the night straight from the beginning of our nights at home. She was such a good baby I would always say.
However, not all babies are alike; respect your baby's preferences. Take time to understand your baby's schedule and ways of communicating. They will eventually settle down and sleep the whole night through. If your baby is still fussy at nighttime by age 6 months, ask your baby's doctor for instruction and suggestions.
The goal here is for everyone to get a good night's sleep. It is not a measure of your parental skill or a sign of a good or bad baby. I just always thought my baby was the absolute best at everything, and sleeping throughout the night was just one more reason I thought she was ?perfect.? She has paid me back though as an adult, and what I got to say about her now is not the same?..At times I ask myself is this the same person I use to know as a baby, toddler and child?
Source: Mayo Clinic, personal knowledge
Disclaimer: The information in this article is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about specific medical concerns.
This article is FREE to publish with the resource box. Article written 2-2007.
If you want to keep your guests intrigued and your senses stimulated then keeping your home fresh and lively will be essential. This is really important if your house is on the market to sell. This may be as simple as moving some accessories around or just changing some bedding. Of it may be more involved and include changing the color schemes and moving the furniture around occasionally.
If you're looking for ways to spruce up your home's personality, there are many ways to approach it. Here are a few ideas for updating each room in your home.
Bedroom(s): If you want to have what looks like a new bedroom every once in awhile, here are some ideas. To keep things as simple as possible and to have the most options it is best to keep the colors on your walls neutral. Change your accessories in the room. This can work really well if you break them into different sets. You can do the same thing for bedding and pillows.
Kitchen: One way to enliven your kitchen area is to change out your color scheme with items as simple as your hand towels, window coverings, table settings and any accessories you might have. A more permanent way to really add a new life to your kitchen is to add a colorful backsplash in solid tile or mosaics. Aside from investing in new countertops, this is one way to certainly add value and visual interest to your kitchen area.
Living Room: Most living rooms are filled with many knick-knacks and items that we hold dear. This is definitely and area that can use some simplification! Try to rotate out your accessories and create areas of focal points. Changing out an area rug and throw pillows on the couch can make a big impact on changing out the look and feel of the room as well. And quite often, it's important to assess whether the arrangement of the furniture suits the room in the best way possible. It makes sense to move the furniture around to better accommodate the current functions and daily activities of the room.
Both Connie Limon & J Isaacs are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Connie Limon has sinced written about articles on various topics from Careers and Job Hunting, Dogs and Colon Cleanse. Author: Connie Limon. Please visit our collection of Nutrition and Health articles at http://nutritionandhealthhub.com Articles are available for FREE reprint to your newsletter, website or blog. Please sign up for our weekly nutrition and health tip. Connie Limon's top article generates over 135000 views. to your Favourites.
J Isaacs has sinced written about articles on various topics from Babies. It's plain to see why there is an industry that specializes in the staging of homes. A lot of folks could use , especially if they are trying to sel. J Isaacs's top article generates over 480 views. to your Favourites.