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How To Get Your Baby To Sleep Through The Night
Some babies are born great sleepers while others need help mastering this skill. The first few months of life can be rough for parents and siblings if their baby has trouble going down to sleep or frequently wakes during the night.
First, make sure your baby is getting enough to eat and drink. A well fed baby is a happy baby. If you are nursing and you begin to notice your baby waking in the middle of the night, this may be a sign they are ready for solids. If your baby is bottle fed and has already started solids, it may be time to cut back on the bottle and give more food.
Keep your baby occupied during the daytime. Give them plenty of activities and opportunities for exercise. It’s very important to stimulate your baby every day with activities regardless of their age .Activity gyms, exersaucers and learning toys are all ways you can help your baby develop and keep busy throughout the day.
Fresh air is also an important factor in getting your baby on a good sleep schedule. Fresh air is essential for all of us including our babies. Take your baby outside to play or for a walk in the stroller. It will also help to set their internal clock. Getting them to be up and alert in the daytime will help them to start learning that daytime is awake time and night time is for sleeping.
Setting a good bedtime routine will also help your baby to establish a solid sleeping pattern. Children understand and need routines. It helps them to know what to expect at each point of the day or night. You might start by giving them a bath, followed by cleaning their teeth and reading them a story. Some mothers enjoy massaging their baby’s right before bed. Massage is an excellent way to help relax your baby before bedtime.
Try not to over stimulate your baby before he or she goes to bed. If they wake in the middle of the night, keep things around your house real mellow. Keep lights dim in your baby’s room. Use a soft, quiet voice when speaking to your baby. Make sure they do not need a diaper change. If they do, try changing the diaper as quickly as possible while keeping the lights low.
Some women disagree on whether or not you should pick your baby up from the crib in the middle of the night. I feel that for a baby younger than 6 months, its okay to pick them up as much as they want. After 6months of age, try and limit the amount of times you pick them up out of the crib. At this stage, you many want to try doing it once and then leave the room.
Many times babies will fuss for a few minutes and then settle themselves to sleep. Some woman believe that the cry it out method is the best. I don’t agree. If a baby is crying for longer than 15 minutes, they need you. If it isn’t something obvious like a dirty diaper than perhaps they are still very much attached to you and need your reassurance. Be patient with your baby.
Most sleep problems do not right themselves in a day or two. Continue working on it everyday. As frustrating as sleep problems are, they won’t last forever.
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