Every parent of a newborn finds themselves asking that question! Wether you have a perfect sleeper, meaning a nice
4 hours at a stretch, or a colicky uncomfortable baby, or a catnapping night owl, you most likely want more sleep. So
how do you get it? Well that depends on what you are like, what your baby is like and what you want. Some people
use co-sleeping in order to get more rest. Some people find the opposite helps, moving their kid out of the room
completly, with a monitor to hear real crying, helps both baby and mother sleep better. Other people find that niether
really helps, they have to try other methods to get their little one to sleep longer Check out.
Night is for sleep! for some tips to get a baby to sleep at night, or if that isn't enough try
Midnight for more help.
Co-Sleeping
Co sleeping can be a wonderful bonding experience, and many mothers love not having to wonder all the way accross the
house to get their little one, and less travel for your baby means less waking up, better chance of them falling right back
to sleep with just a snack.
But many worry about the safety, so long as you are not a super heavy sleeper, or under the influance of any drugs, the
baby is as safe in your bed as his own crib, when the same rules are followed. This means no suffocating bedspreads,
no fluffy pillows in their face, and so on. Which brings up my first question, "how does mom and dad stay
warm?" For many the little heater known as a baby continues to heat up momma long after birth, and dad just wears warmer PJs!
The next worry many have is that once in a child will never leave. Many, many people can attest that a child will
not take mom to colllege with them! I always figured it is hard to convince many children to sleep alone, I would rather
save it for when I am not so exausted and trying to recover from birth.Check out the tips on this page for help getting an
older kid out of the bed.
Ending co-sleeping
Moving a young baby out on their own
In infancy this is often harder on mom than on the baby. So long as a infant is feeling secure, comfortable and
full they will often sleep. Of course all children have a different idea of what is comfortable and secure! Once
you manage to get an infant asleep, moving them without waking can be easy, so long as you have four arms, and the reach
of a gorrilla! If not, then here are a few tips to let a sleeping baby sleep.
Babies do not generally like the 'freefall' feeling of being lowered away form the nice warm chest they were snuggled
against. If you can bring your chest as close to the mattress as possible to minimize the feeling, use the rail lowering
option if you have it, and while your little one can't push up on all fours keep the mattress as high as you can (lower it
if you have small siblings to worry about).
Babies hate the change in temperature, mom or dad is a nice cozy 98.6 degrees (give or take) the bed is often quite a
bit colder, so try to keep warmer fabrics for sheets, flannel works well. In summer try to have a cool blanket on them
before they hit the bed, so that the sheets are not a shocker, but you might want to avoid flannel it will help keep warmth
on the baby.
A blanket of their own is very useful in winter, when nursing I am often snuggled under a blanket, I would love to share,
but the big blanket will not follow my little one to his crib (where he starts the night) so I get him one of his own that
can follow him.
A sense of security can be encouraged by the scent of a secure parent. Try leaving a shirt you have worn in the
crib, under your child as a sheet, or on them as a blanket. Of course do not use a plush sweater or something that becomes
a suffocation risk. Also you may find that a shirt smelling of breakfast wakes your little one up, so if you nurse,
use Daddys shirt instead.
Consistancy is the most useful tactic for most infants, and one of the hardest to follow for parents. Children
love routines and pridictability. A calming atmosphere, a repetative song and a constant order to bedtime creates a
feeling of security that many children carry into bed with them. An infant is never to young for a bedtime routine,
create one with your little one, and stay flexible as they grow so that the routine grows with them. (adding a story
or questions about the day, ect.)
