A Sleep Schedule For Baby

A Sleep Schedule For BabyBy Jan Bay
Has it gotten to the point that you want to cry right alongwith your baby when it's time to put her to sleep? We've allbeen there. Parents who have much better little sleepers than mybaby all have had "THOSE NIGHTS" from time to time.
There does seem to be light at the end of the tunnel. Theproblem of getting baby into a sleeping routine that allhousehold members can live with seems to be one that's solvedwithin a year or so.
A year or so you say?
I know, when you're dead tired and can hardly hold your head upthe last thing you want to hear is that there will be a sure fixin the distant future. There are a few things that can be donenow. Well, how about we start fresh tomorrow.
That's really lesson number one, don't wait till 9pm and baby'sscreaming every time there's a lack of body contact to look fordirection! I'm convinced that the best strategy for getting babyto sleep at night begins with a well-laid plan beginning earlythat morning.
Take a look at baby's nursery, is it an ideal environment forsleep? The room should be dark and quiet as possible. Roomdarkening shades for daytime sleeping are a must. There areseveral ways described athttp://www.unique-baby-gear-ideas.com/baby-sleep.html to makethe nursery more sleep friendly.
Learn to read your baby's signals. The moment you see baby'seyes droop, her little mouth open in a yawn, stop what you aredoing immediately and begin your bedtime routine. If you letbaby get past this stage without making your move, you will mostlikely regret it. They can go from pleasantly drowsy to fussy todownright worked into a lather in record time. Timing isimportant.
Every mother's procedure for settling baby down is unique,there is no steadfast rule for what should be involved. Whateveryour pre-sleep actions may be, they should vary very little fromday to day. In order for baby to get a routine, mommy must haveone too.
Be very predictable. You will have a calmer and more confidentchild if she always knows exactly what to expect. This is not tosay you should train baby to be in a rut. Where surprises andtreats are the frosting on the cake of life, surprises for babyat bedtime are not advisable.
Try to keep to an approximate timetable. Put baby's jammies onat a certain time and begin working your way toward the crib. Afriend whose child had been keeping her up past midnight told meshe went through the same steps every night for a week andalmost gave up several times, then at the end of the week thebaby drifted into an 8pm to10pm bedtime. She still has a littlework to do, but as of this writing mother and baby are muchhappier.
Along with a routine, there's some baby gear available to makeyour task more pleasant. Of course, there is the trusty nurseryrocking chair. However, if you've exhausted all the standardmethods for putting baby to sleep. I have a few suggestions youmay not have gotten around to that are definitely worth a try.
Have your sleep aid equipment checked, in place and ready to gobefore anybody goes into meltdown mode:
A baby sling You carried baby for nine months without a hitch. Maybe sheneeds a little time to adjust to the world? The motion of yourbody may be all that it takes to get you through a rough patchand get a few chores done while you're at it! Start baby out ina ring sling and if it proves to be a workable solution for thetwo of you, graduate into a mei tai or a backpack.
A fan Yes a common fan can produce wonderful baby calming whitenoise. White noise machines are available that mimic the soundsthat baby was used to while still happily enclosed in your womb,but the common fan will work in a pinch.
A Warm Water Bottle How many times have we rocked baby to sleep in our arms only tohave them wake when we put them down on a cold crib sheet? Placea warm water bottle in the crib as part of your routine, andwhen you slip baby out of your arms safely into her crib thesheets will be warmed and the transition won't be as much of ashock. Always remove the water bottle before placing baby in thecrib.
The list of tried and true baby sleep tips is a long one. Whatworks for you one day, may not work every time but there's oneindisputable fact, calm, loving perseverance will be invaluablein building your child's healthy sleep habits
About the Author: By Jan Bay. Freelance Author of NurseryDecorating Articles Baby Gear Reviews and Webmaster forhttp://www.unique-baby-gear-ideas.com Use of article requires anactive link tohttp://www.unique-baby-gear-ideas.com/baby-sleep.html
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