Sleep Aids For Pregnancy

If you're reading this article, chances are you've been spending too many nights tossing and turning. Knowing this is normal during pregnancy — especially in your first and third trimesters — doesn't make it any easier to bear. Now you're desperate to get some shut-eye, and we can help. If you're already practicing good sleep hygiene but still not slumbering peacefully, here are a few remedies to help you get the sleep you crave.

Pillows
Using pillows to support your belly and back in bed can mean the difference between a sleepless night and a peaceful slumber. Tucking a pillow between your bent knees supports your lower back and may make side-sleeping (your best option as pregnancy advances) more comfortable. A pillow tucked behind your back can also help you to maintain a side-lying position while you sleep. Maternity pillow abound, but regular pillows work fine, too.

• Single or dual pregnancy wedge
Wedge-shaped pillow support your belly when you lie on your side. You can also use them to prop yourself up to a semi-recline when you're lying on your back. The dual pregnancy wedge is two pillows (attached with adjustable Velcro tabs) that provide simultaneous support in front and back.

• Full-length body pillow
Body pillow are at least 5 feet long and are designed to support the back and cradle the belly.

* Sleeping Bean
Support your belly and your back by wrapping yourself around this column-shaped pillow. It makes a good nursing pillow later, and you can use a smaller Sleeping Bean as a bolster or bumper to protect your baby in his crib. Available from Bean Products ; call (800) 726-8365.

Foods
What you eat — and when you eat it — can affect the quality of your sleep.

Warm milk
Drinking a glass of warm milk before bedtime is a time-tested way to bring on sleep. Experts believe the amino acid L-tryptophan (found in milk and other foods such as turkey and eggs) makes eyelids heavy by raising the level of a chemical in the brain called serotonin. Others suggest the somnambulant effects of warm milk may be all in your head. But if it helps you snooze, does it really matter? Warning: Don't go all the way and take tryptophan supplements — they're not safe during pregnancy.

Protein-packed snacks
If bad dreams, headaches, or full-body sweats are disturbing your sleep, you could be suffering from low blood sugar. To fix the problem, try a high-protein snack before bed such as an egg, some peanut butter, or a slice of turkey on bread to keep your blood sugar up during the night.

Relaxation techniques
If you're tense, anxious, or overtired, sleep can seem as hard to grab as your own shadow. Try these simple, time-tested techniques to help calm your mind, relax your muscles, and put sleep within your grasp.

Yoga and stretching
In addition to helping you relax, yoga and stretching have the added benefit of keeping you toned and flexible during pregnancy. Many gyms, health clubs, and YMCAs offer yoga and stretch classes; some are designed specifically for pregnant women. Or you can create your own stretch routine with simple moves for your neck and shoulders, calves and hamstrings, and back and waist. Although you don't want to work up a sweat too close to bedtime (see Exercise, below), gently stretching your muscles during the day and before bedtime can make falling asleep easier.

Massage
Getting a massage relaxes tense or tired muscles. If you visit a professional massage therapist, make sure he or she has experience working with pregnant women and uses a table and pillow designed for that purpose. Professional massage can be expensive, but getting a foot, hand, or neck massage at home from your generous partner is a perfect way to wind down before bed.

Deep breathing
Breathing deeply and rhythmically can ease muscle tension, lower your heart rate, and help you fall asleep faster. Lie down on the carpet or your bed with your feet shoulder-width apart. (If you're in the second half of your pregnancy, rest on your side with a pillow between your legs for support or wedge a pillow partly under the right side of your back so you're tilted slightly to the left.) With your mouth closed, breathe slowly through your nose, feeling your stomach rise as you gradually fill your diaphragm and lungs with air. Hold for one second before exhaling through your nose to the count of four.

Progressive muscle relaxation
It may take you several weeks to master progressive relaxation, but once you do, it can really help you sleep. Lying on your bed or even on the floor, you can release tight muscles by first tensing and then completely relaxing them. Focus on one group of muscles at a time and alternate between your right and left side. Start by tensing and releasing your hand and forearm muscles, followed by your biceps and triceps, face and jaw, chest and shoulders, stomach, thighs, and so on until you reach your feet.

Guided imagery
Picture yourself in a quiet, relaxing scene — lying on a warm sandy beach or walking in a field of wildflowers. Now imagine every detail of the scene, including the sounds, smells, tastes, and textures around you. If you can't picture a relaxing setting, use an image from a photograph or magazine and fill in the missing details. It may take some practice, but guided imagery can calm your restless or anxious mind and help you slip into a deep sleep.

Exercise
Regular exercise during pregnancy makes you healthier both physically and mentally, and it can help you sleep better, too — provided you don't exercise vigorously within four hours of bedtime. Working out too close to bedtime can rev you up and even rob you of deep sleep by interfering with your natural sleep cycle. Instead, work up a sweat in the morning, afternoon, or early evening.

Prescription and over-the-counter medications
Ideally you should avoid all medications (including herbal remedies) during pregnancy, since most drugs have not been tested on pregnant women and it can be hard to know what affect they may have on your baby. If you have a severe sleep problem or disorder, your practitioner may recommend a prescription or over-the-counter drug to use during your second or third trimester. But you should never take any medication during pregnancy without first consulting your doctor or midwife.

Over the counter medications
Ask your doctor or midwife if you can take an antihistamine. Diphenhydramine hydrochloride and doxyalamine (brand names include Benadryl, Sominex, and Unisom) are generally considered safe during pregnancy, although drowsiness is a side effect — not the primary effect — of the drug. Since other possible side effects include impaired alertness and dizziness, you should not drive or operate machinery after taking this medication.

Prescription medications
If you're suffering from severe insomnia or anxiety, your healthcare provider may recommend that you take a prescription sleeping medication. Warning: Never drive or operate machinery after taking a drug to help you sleep.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Sleep Aids For New Parents

Some weary new parents are shocked to find that instead of falling asleep the minute their head hits the pillow, they suddenly can't get to sleep at all. If you've eliminated all the usual sleep-spoiling suspects, such as caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine, and your normal bedtime routine still isn't working, you may need some extra help, whether it's a glass of warm milk, a cup of chamomile tea, or even — as a last resort — an over-the-counter sleep aid (but only if you're not pregnant or nursing).

Warm milk
A favorite of babies and parents alike, drinking warm milk before bedtime is a time-tested way to fall asleep. The amino acid l-Tryptophan (found in milk and other foods such as turkey) is thought to play a role in making you sleepy by upping the level of serotonin in the brain, although the benefits may be purely psychological. A drop of vanilla extract in the warmed milk can help make it more palatable.

Herbal remedies
Herbal remedies come in many forms, including the fresh or dried plant, pills, tinctures, and powders. Although herbs are considered natural alternatives to certain drugs and for the most part have a good safety record, they can be equally powerful, as well as toxic. That's why it's vital to consult a knowledgeable herbal expert and to let your primary caregiver know before taking any herbal remedy, either on its own or in combination with other herbs or medications, particularly if you're breastfeeding. Also, since the quality of herbs varies among manufacturers, ask an expert to recommend a brand name.

Chamomile
Your grandmother was probably a big believer in chamomile tea. Some studies have found chamomile to have a mild sedative effect. It's also used to calm the stomach in cases of indigestion, flatulence, gastrointestinal spasms, and inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The FDA says chamomile is safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Hops
Sleeping on a pillow stuffed with dried hops (a common ingredient in beer) is a traditional remedy for sleeplessness and nervous conditions. Hops can also be taken as a bitter tea or as a freeze-dried extract in capsule form.

Lavender
Aromatherapists love lavender. You can sprinkle lavender oil on your pillow or put it in a warm bath with some lemon balm for a soothing aroma that should make you feel sleepy. But not all lavender is tranquilizing: Watch out for Spanish lavender, which can be stimulating.

Lemon balm
Also known as melissa, lemon balm is a sedative and stomach-smoother often used in combination with other sedative herbs. Add 2 or 3 teaspoons of the dried herb to a cup of freshly boiled water and let steep for 5 to 15 minutes for a soothing, good-tasting tea.

Passionflower
Though it sounds like an aphrodisiac (it was named for Christ's passion because of the cross at the center of its flower), this plant is actually a mild sedative. It is usually taken as a tea — about 3 to 6 teaspoonfuls a day, combined with other sedative herbs — for various types of nervous conditions, including insomnia and related disorders. No side effects have been reported.

Valerian
Generally thought of as an effective and reliable sedative, valerian can help relieve anxiety, insomnia, and nervous irritability. It's not habit-forming and doesn't have any hangover-type side effects. Put 2 to 3 droppersful of tincture made from fresh valerian roots (or 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried valerian root) in hot water for a bedtime time. If the strong smell doesn't appeal to you, try it in capsule form.

Over-the-counter medications
Antihistamines
Antihistamines are the operative ingredient in most over-the-counter sleep medications. Benadryl (whose active ingredient is also found in Tylenol PM) and Chlor-Trimeton, two of the most common types of antihistamines available in drugstores, also have a sedative effect. They're not addictive, but dizziness, dry mouth, and next-day drowsiness are potential side effects. Over-the-counter sleep aids, such as Sominex and Unisom, contain antihistamines and can also leave you with a "hangover" effect the next day. Pregnant and nursing women should check with a doctor before taking any of these products. They're not recommended for chronic insomnia, so don't take them for more than two weeks at a time.

Melatonin
Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone often touted as a cure for jet lag and insomnia. It's available in most health food stores in synthetic and natural forms (usually from sheep), but little is known about its safety, side effects, interactions with drugs, and long-term effects. Women who are trying to conceive, are pregnant, or are nursing a baby should not take melatonin.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Sleep Aids For Babies

Part of helping your baby learn good sleep babits is teaching her to fall asleep on her own. But even the best sleepers sometimes need a little extra assistance — which is where sleep aids come in. These techniques and products run the gamut from a motorized bassinet to swaddling, but all share a common purpose: Helping your baby get to sleep. However, while sleep aids are often very useful, some come with a downside. You want your baby to learn to get to sleep by herself, not depend on the presence of a particular product or condition.

Look below to find a sleep aid that's right for you and your baby. For each item, we've included the age group it's best for — newborns (birth to 3 months) or older babies (3 to 12 months).

A word of caution: Never give your baby sleeping pills or other drugs that encourage sleep without consulting her doctor first — they may not be safe or effective. Most experts also frown upon giving herbs to babies, since no safe pediatric doses have been established and they could be toxic in high doses.

Tried and true
Choose one of these sleep aids and you can't go wrong — all will help your baby fall asleep without leading to any problems or bad sleep habits.

Swaddling
Works best for: Newborns
Infants under a month old (and some older babies) often appreciate being swaddled — snugly wrapped in a blanket for warmth and security. It can help calm a baby down and may keep her from being awakened by her own startle reflex at night.

Thumb sucking
Works best for: Newborns, babies
Thumb sucking is a perfectly acceptable way for your child to comfort herself, at bedtime or any other time — at least until the permanent teeth start coming in, around age 6. (After that it could lead to dental problems.) Babies are born with the need to suck, and most can't get enough just from the breast or bottle. And unlike a pacifier, your baby's thumb can't get lost in the middle of the night.

Bedtime ritual
Works best for: Babies
The experts all agree: One of the best ways to help your child make the transition to bedtime and sleep is to establish a calming, consistent bedtime ritual. You can start putting together a bedtime routine when your baby is as young as 6 or 8 weeks old, but it won't really kick into high gear until she's a little older. Your ritual can include any (or all) of the following: giving your baby a bath, cuddling, changing into pajamas, reading a bedtime story or two, singing a lullaby, and giving her a kiss goodnight. Whatever routine works for your family is fine, as long as you do it in the same order and at the same time every night. Setting and sticking to a consistent bedtime — on weekdays and weekends alike — is key to establishing good sleep habits.

Maybe, maybe not
While some parents swear by the following methods and products, the experts are divided on their usefulness. Pediatrician William Sears endorses doing anything that helps your baby fall asleep, but other sleep experts — such as Richard Ferber and Jodi Mindell — advise against any practice or gizmo that leads to your baby depending on its presence to nod off.

Dryer
Works best for: Newborns
Some parents swear by resting a newborn in a car seat on top of a running clothes dryer. The quiet thumping of tumbling clothing can be very comforting. Just be sure not to leave your baby unattended, for safety's sake.

Rocking
Works best for: Newborns, babies
Rocking your baby is a wonderful way to parent her to sleep, says Sears, author of Nighttime Parenting. Whether you do the rocking yourself or use a cradle, he advises you to stick to a rate of 60 beats per minute, the rhythm your baby got used to when you were pregnant and she could hear your heartbeat. Ferber and Mindell don't recommend rocking, arguing that you'll only be teaching your baby to depend on it to get to sleep. (Plus, shifting your baby from your arms to her crib without waking her is often a tricky matter.)

Breastfeeding
Works best for: Newborns, babies
Sears also encourages nursing your baby to sleep, especially when she's very young. Breastfeeding can comfort both you and your baby, he says, and a special protein in breast milk may actually help your baby fall asleep. Again, however, not everyone agrees with him. Many other experts believe this approach will prevent your baby from learning to fall asleep by herself. If you're nursing but are concerned about establishing a bad sleep habit, feed your baby earlier in your bedtime routine and end with a bedtime stor instead.

Motorized cradle / bassinet
Works best for: Newborns, babies
Some babies fall asleep faster if they're moving, whether it's in the car or your arms. If you want a little help from technology, invest in a self-rocking cradle or pick up a battery-powered clip-on attachment that simulates the feel of a moving car. Remember, though, that most experts discourage using this kind of contraption; they think they're a crutch and a poor substitute for teaching your baby to sleep on her own.

Pacifier
Works best for: Newborns, babies
While pacifiers help many babies comfort themselves back to sleep if they wake up during the night, some experts argue they're not the best sleep aid. Why not? If your baby learns to depend on one at bedtime and it falls out of her reach, she won't be able to go back to sleep until she finds it. You can try to avoid that problem by strategically placing several pacifiers in her crib.

Something else to consider: Studies have shown that babies who use pacifiers at bedtime and naptime have a reduced risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).

Ambient noise recording / machine
Works best for: Newborns, babies
You can buy or record regular household "music" (vacuuming, water running, or windshield wipers) or invest in a white noise machine. These products supply calming background sounds to help your baby fall asleep. If you'd rather not spend the money, try leaving the radio on quietly in the next room. All these remedies should be considered short-term solutions, though, if you want your baby to learn to fall asleep on her own rather than depend on special noises — or any of the other products discussed below.

Music
Works best for: Newborns, babies
In the same family as ambient noise CDs are recordings of lullabies, classical music, and other kids' favorites. Of course, singing a lullaby to your child yourself before she falls asleep is always a great option, since she responds best to your voice, but popping a tape in after you've belted out your favorite tune may help her drift into dreamland. A music box or musical lamp may also work.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Sleep Aids For Toddlers

Part of helping your toddler learn good sleep habits is teaching him to fall asleep on his own. But even the best sleepers sometimes need a little extra assistance — which is where sleep aids come in. These techniques and products run the gamut from a teddy bear to a glass of warm milk, but all share a common purpose: helping your toddler get to sleep. But although sleep aids are often useful, some come with a downside, too. You want your child to learn to get to sleep by himself, not depend on the presence of a particular product or condition.

Look below to find a sleep aid that's right for you and your toddler. (A word of caution: Never give your child sleeping pills or other drugs that encourage sleep without consulting his doctor first — it may not be safe or effective. Most experts also frown upon giving herbs to toddlers, since no safe pediatric doses have been established and they could be toxic in high doses.)

Tried and true
Choose one of these sleep aids and you can't go wrong — all will help your toddler fall asleep without leading to any problems or bad sleep habits.

Thumb sucking
Thumb sucking is a perfectly acceptable way for your child to comfort himself, at bedtime or any other time — although it can lead to dental problems in older children. Thumb sucking is a way for a toddler to soothe himself, not only when he's sleepy but also at other times of the day.

Nightlight
Many toddlers get disoriented and upset when they wake up at night in a dark room and can't see anything they recognize. Luckily, there's a simple solution: A night-light will reassure your child that he's in familiar surroundings and help him settle himself back to sleep. Get in the habit of flipping it on as you're getting him ready for bed. Any kind will do, though some fancy models include a tape or CD player you can attach to your toddler's crib.

Bedtime ritual
The experts all agree: One of the best ways to help your child make the transition to bedtime and sleep is to establish a calming, consistent bedtime ritual. Your ritual can include any (or all) of the following: giving your toddler a bath, playing a quiet game, helping your child into his pajamas, reading a bedtime story or two, singing a lullaby, and giving him a kiss goodnight. Whatever routine works for your family is fine, as long as you do it in the same order and at the same time every night. Setting and sticking to a consistent bedtime — on weekdays and weekends alike — is key to establishing good sleep habits.

Transitional object
Your toddler may fall asleep more easily if he has a soft, cuddly blanket or stuffed animal nearby to keep him company. According to T. Berry Brazelton, author of Touchpoints, toddlers who learn to comfort themselves with loveys (as he calls them) are demonstrating their inner strength.

Warm milk
Drinking a glass of warm milk before bed is a time-tested way to fall asleep. The amino acid l-Tryptophan (found in milk and other foods, such as turkey and eggs) is thought to play a role in making you sleepy by raising the level of serotonin — a sleep-inducing chemical — in the brain, though the benefits may be purely psychological. Be sure not to let your toddler take a bottle or sippy cup of milk or juice to bed with him, though, since that can lead to cavities.

Maybe, maybe not
Although some parents swear by the following methods and products, the experts are divided on their usefulness. Pediatrician William Sears endorses doing anything that helps your toddler fall asleep, but other sleep experts, such as Richard Ferber and Jodi Mindell, advise against any practice or gizmo that leads to your toddler depending on its presence to nod off. Read through the following list with this thought in mind: The ultimate goal isn't just a sleeping child, but one who knows how to get to sleep by himself every night.

Rocking or breastfeeding
Rocking or nursing your toddler is a wonderful way to parent him to sleep, says Sears, author of Nighttime Parenting. Ferber and Mindell don't recommend rocking or nursing to sleep, stating that you'll only be teaching your child to depend on it to get to sleep. (Also, shifting your growing toddler from your arms to his crib without waking him is often a tricky matter.)

Pacifier
Although pacifiers help many toddlers comfort themselves back to sleep if they wake up during the night, some experts agree they're not the best sleep aid. Why not? If your toddler learns to depend on one at bedtime and it falls out of his reach, he won't be able to go back to sleep until he finds it. Of course, suggests Jodi Mindell, you can try to avoid that problem by strategically placing several pacifiers in his crib.

Ambient noise recording / machine
You can buy or make simple compact discs and cassettes of regular household "music" (vacuuming, water running, or windshield wipers) or invest in a white noise machine. These products supply calming background sounds to help your child fall asleep. All these remedies should be considered short-term solutions, though, since your toddler needs to learn to fall asleep on his own rather than depend on special noises — or any of the other products discussed below.

Music
In the same family as ambient noise are tapes and discs of lullabies, classical music, and other kids' favorites. Of course, singing a lullaby yourself before he falls asleep is always a great option, since your toddler responds best to your voice, but popping a tape in after you've warbled your favorite tune may help him drift into dreamland. A music box or musical lamp may also work.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Sleep "Intervention" Helps Babies And Their Tired Mons

Tue, Nov 13, 2007 (Reuters Health) - Teaching new mothers strategies to help their babies overcome sleep problems yields significant benefits for both of them, according to a study conducted in Australia.

Among 328 moms who reported that their 7-month-old was having sleep problems, those who were randomly assigned to participate in a brief behavioral intervention noticed an improvement in their child's sleep problem, and in their own sleep, and felt less depressed compared with those randomly assigned not to participate in the program.

Dr. Harriet Hiscock, of the Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, and associates report their study in this month's Archives of Disease in Childhood.

The sleep intervention entailed having a trained nurse determine the nature of the sleep problem, identify solutions, and write an individualized sleep management plan with the mother. Moms were also educated on normal sleep patterns for 6- to 12-month-olds.

The mothers in the intervention group had to pick one of two strategies: the "controlled crying" strategy, whereby parents respond to their infant's cry at increasing time intervals to allow "independent settling;" or the "camping out" strategy, whereby a parent sits with the baby until the child falls asleep and gradually leaves the room over 3 weeks.

After adjusting the data to account for factors that might influence the results, the odds of reporting a sleep problem in the intervention group were 42 percent lower at 10 months and 50 percent lower at 12 months compared with the 154 moms who did not participate in the intervention, the investigators report.

The sleep intervention also had "important" beneficial effects on mothers' mental health. Moms in the intervention group were less depressed at 10 and 12 months than moms in the control group, and they had better overall scores on a validated measure of mental health.

Sleep quantity and quality also improved in mothers in the intervention group. Better overall sleep may reduce problems associated with maternal sleep deprivation such as "maternal overload and dysfunction and later child behavior problems," Hiscock and colleagues contend.

Mothers who participated in the intervention were also less apt to seek paid professional help for infant sleep problems, suggesting the intervention may also save money.

Given the apparent benefits of such a program, "the change now is to translate this intervention to the wider population in a sustainable and feasible way," the team concludes.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Our Favorite Picture Books (birth to 12 mo.)

There's nothing like a book full of bright, sharp pictures to captivate a newborn — or a toddler. To stock your baby's bookshelf with the best picture books, choose from our delightful dozen below.

Some of the best
Toby, Where Are You?, by William Steig, pictures by Teryl Euvremer
Toby, a kid who is probably a weasel, is hiding again. His good-natured parents, dressed in gay 1890s style, look for him everywhere, while your young reader — all-knowing and superior — can just barely make him out on each page.

A Friend for Minerva Louise, by Janet Morgan Stoeke
Minerva Louise is a wise fool chicken, whose misunderstandings make toddlers and elementary schoolers chortle. This time she's mistaken the baby for a bunny and the stroller for a wheelbarrow! You'll find much artistry in the simple charcoal and pastel illustrations — airy and sweet, like taking a good, deep breath.

Bunny Cakes, by Rosemary Wells
These chunky bunnies are heroes for the red-wagon-and-rompers set. Today, Max wants to make earthworm birthday cake for his grandmother, but his sister Ruby insists on angel surprise cake. Their expressive bunny eyes tell the whole saga of disappointment (broken eggs, can't write real English) and triumph (we're not giving away the happy ending). Wells's best yet.

Young Larry, by Daniel Pinkwater, illustrated by Jill Pinkwater
Larry is a typical polar bear (his father ate a whole whale one time). But then Larry learns from humans how to love blueberry muffins and eventually becomes a lifeguard at a hotel swimming pool... Lots of tomfoolery, the kind your favorite uncle would come up with, egged on by the sloppy, clever drawings. Once you're four or so, you can probably appreciate Larry.

To Market, To Market, by Anne Miranda, illustrated by Janet Stevens
So what would REALLY happen if a modern-day Aunt Mildred sort went to market, to market, to buy a fat pig, and so forth? "The pig's in the kitchen. The lamb's on the bed. The cow's on the couch. There's a duck on my head!" Think of a Lucy Ricardo routine, with very large, realistic renderings of animals in preposterous situations. Big bad belly laughs.

Little Oh, by Laura Krauss Melmed, illustrated by Jim Lamarche
Elegantly detailed paint-and-colored-pencil drawings sweep the reader into this first-time telling of the story of Little Oh, an origami girl who is separated from her mother. Along with the beauty (any page could be framed as art) and drama comes a message about strength in small places: "I may be a paper child ... but I sailed the raging river." Perfect for those who love dolls, good stories, and fine art.

Open Me...I'm a Dog!, by Art Spiegelman
This is the book with a leash that thinks it's a dog. It simply jumps off the shelf to explain about all the folks who got terribly temper-tantrum mad and eventually turned a lovable pup into a, well, don't say that word. The only book that can wag its tail, the only dog that won't mess a carpet...

Flashy Fantastic Rain Forest Frogs, by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent
The rain forest frogs live up to their name in these sprawling, bright paintings. Some are poison, some can fly, some have horns. The explicit, straightforward text will satisfy the most curious nature lover.

I Met a Dinosaur, by Jan Wahl, illustrated by Chris Sheban
After a farm girl goes to the natural history museum, she is seeing dinosaurs where before there were only clouds, cows, and lakes. "Fine. Girl. Fine. Have a drink," says her mother, and gives her water from the sink. We say we can see the splendid, crafty, lovable extinct creatures, too, right in these gorgeous paintings. Dedicated to dinos or poetic thoughts? This is for you.

How It Was With Dooms: A True Story From Africa, by Xan Hopcroft and Carol Cawthra Hopcroft
Imagine having a pet cheetah. Xan Hopcroft did. When Dooms, the cheetah his family raised from a kitten, died, Xan was seven. This book, told in his own words and decorated with his and his mother's art, celebrates the cheetah's life — avoiding baths, getting on the roof, learning to hunt — and shares the sadness of his death. Sharp photos, with a story well done, not overly cutesie, no matter what the author's age.

My Life With the Wave, by Catherine Cowan, illustrated by Mark Buehner, based on the story by Octavio Paz
A boy brings a wave home. His father tries to send her back, "but the wave cried and begged and threatened until he agreed that she could come along." The story is sometimes funny, always understated, even philosophical, and the wave comes alive in each of her moods — the illustrations so serious you almost believe.

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, by Rudyard Kipling, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
Kipling's taut, touching classic brought to life: A mongoose wages war on a couple of cobras, defending his family's honor, "his" garden in India, and the English family who adopted him. Rikki-Tikki-Tavi nickers, pounces, and slinks right into your heart in Pinkney's beautifully realistic watercolors; while battle scenes that include cobras Nag and Nagina will make your heart thud. Perfect for reading aloud, even to teenagers.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Our Favorite Bedtime Stories For Toddlers

Reading any book is a soothing way to send your toddler off to dreamland — but stories about going to bed, sleeping, or dreaming are particularly suitable for bedtime, and can even help your child understand and accept bedtime rituals. The right book will also help your toddler view going to bed as a natural part of her day, and the recitation of daily activities will help her link words with objects and activities, as well as build her vocabulary. No matter which book you pull out at bedtime, read it in a soothing voice to help calm and reassure your toddler.

Once your child is 2, even a sleepytime book may need a bit of plot to hold her interest. But don't choose something too action-packed or one that introduces new concepts. After all, you want your child to be putting aside thoughts and worries before sleep, not grappling with new ones.

Here are some of our favorite books for toddlers, guaranteed to make at least one of you sleepy:

• The Big Red Barn, by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Felicia Bond
Follow the charming story of a day in the life of a group of farm animals told with appealing color illustrations and simple rhymes that even the youngest toddler can enjoy. A pink pig learns to squeal, a mouse is born in a field, and by the last page the baby animals are snuggling up with their parents for the night. If you're looking for bedtime books, this gentle tale is one of the best.

• Good Night, Gorilla, by Peggy Rathmann
When the zookeeper makes his nighttime rounds, one mischievous gorilla steals his keys and follows him, releasing the other animals from their cages one by one. Under a moonlit sky, they parade silently behind the sleepy zookeeper and follow him into his house, where the keeper's wife discovers them and escorts them back to their beds. Practically wordless, the book tells a delightful going-to-bed story with magical illustrations that will enchant your child.

• Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd
For decades children have taken the story of the little rabbit in Goodnight Moon to heart as he performs his evening ritual of saying goodnight to every object in his room, including "a comb, and a brush, and a bowl full of mush." Clement Hurd's illustrations start out intensely colored and gradually fade to shades of gray as the bunny grows drowsy. Many parents tell us they depend on this quintessential bedtime book to help their children nod off at night.

• Mama, Do You Love Me?, by Barbara M. Joose, illustrated by Barbara Lavallee
When you want your child to know your love is forever, this book offers a warm way to get that message across. A little girl poses a series of questions such as, What if I broke something? Played a trick on you? Ran away and lived with wolves? Her mother replies that no matter what, "I will love you, forever and for always, because you are my dear one." What better message to send your child off to dreamland with? Dashes of humor ("What if I put salmon in your parka ... and lemmings in your mukluks?") add a light touch, as do the joyful illustrations depicting a snowy landscape of sleds and sled dogs, wolves, walruses, and other animals.

• The Runaway Bunny, by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd
When a young bunny threatens to run away and become a rock ... a fish ... a flower ... his mother joins him in his imaginary flight and assures him that she'll follow wherever he goes. It's a sweet story of the unconditional love of a mother for her child, told in soothing rhythms — an ideal book for helping your toddler go to sleep feeling safe and cared for.

• Snoozers: Seven Short Short Bedtime Stories for Lively Little Kids, by Sandra Boynton
Sandra Boynton's charming Snoozers serves up seven bite-size tales sweetened with humor to help reluctant sleepers get to bed with a giggle. Each little story takes a minute or less to read — so you can tailor bedtime reading to your child's attention span. Colorful tabs help kids turn the pages themselves. And the wonderfully absurd "Silly Lullaby" at the end just might become a family favorite: "Go to sleep, my zoodle / my fibblety-fitsy foo / Go to sleep, sweet noodle / The owl is whisp'ring, 'Moo.' "

• Sylvia Long's Mother Goose
Lavish illustrations filled with gentle animals create a magical backdrop for all the familiar Mother Goose rhymes, plus some you've never heard before. Scary images have been carefully softened: When Humpty Dumpty falls off the wall, a duckling emerges from his broken egg. And instead of whipping her children, the old woman who lives in a shoe "kissed them all sweetly and sent them to bed."

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Our Favorite Bedtime Stories For Babies

Reading any book is a soothing way to send your baby off to dreamland — but stories about going to bed, sleeping, or dreaming are particularly suitable for bedtime, and can even help your child understand and accept bedtime rituals as he gets older. No matter which book you pull out at bedtime, read it in a soothing voice to help calm and reassure your baby.

Here are some of our favorite bedtime books, guaranteed to make at least one of you sleepy:

* Good Night, Gorilla, by Peggy Rathmann
When the zookeeper makes his nighttime rounds, one mischievous gorilla steals his keys and follows him, releasing the other animals from their cages one by one. Under a moonlit sky, they parade silently behind the sleepy zookeeper and follow him into his house, where the keeper's wife discovers them and escorts them back to their beds. Practically wordless, the book tells a delightful going-to-bed story with magical illustrations that will enchant your child.

* Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd
For decades children have taken the story of the little rabbit in Goodnight Moon to heart as he performs his evening ritual of saying goodnight to every object in his room, including "a comb, and a brush, and a bowl full of mush." Clement Hurd's illustrations start out intensely colored and gradually fade to shades of gray as the bunny grows drowsy. Many parents tell us they depend on this quintessential bedtime book to help their children nod off at night.

* The Runaway Bunny, by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd
When a young bunny threatens to run away and become a rock ... a fish ... a flower ... his mother joins him in his imaginary flight and assures him that she'll follow wherever he goes. It's a sweet story of the unconditional love of a mother for her child, told in soothing rhythms — an ideal book for helping your baby go to sleep feeling safe and cared for.

* Hush Little Baby, by Sylvia Long
If you don't think the classics can be improved on, reading Sylvia Long's new edition of "Hush Little Baby" may change your mind. Unlike the original song's language, which spoke of a mother buying her child all sorts of things to comfort him, this new version emphasizes the beauty and comfort found in the natural world. The familiar bedtime melody will calm and soothe your child, and you'll appreciate the book's tender, gentle spirit.

* Counting Kisses: A Kiss-and-Read Book, by Karen Katz
"My tired little baby, do you need a kiss?" From "ten little kisses on teeny tiny toes" to "one last kiss on your sleepy, dreamy head," sparse text and winsome illustrations lead you and your baby through a kissing countdown that'll soon be a favorite bedtime ritual for you both.

* Snoozers: Seven Short Short Bedtime Stories for Lively Little Kids, by Sandra Boynton
The charming Snoozers serves up seven bite-size tales sweetened with humor. Each little story takes a minute or less to read. Colorful tabs help older babies turn the pages themselves. And the wonderfully absurd "Silly Lullaby" at the end just might become a family favorite: "Go to sleep, my zoodle / my fibblety-fitsy foo / Go to sleep, sweet noodle / The owl is whisp'ring, 'Moo.'"

* Good Night, Little Bear, by Patsy Scarry; illustrated by Richard Scarry
Here's a classic Little Golden Book that many moms and dads will remember from childhood. After finishing a bedtime story, Father Bear hoists Little Bear on his shoulders and takes him to bed. In this playful tale of "Where could Little Bear be?" Father Bear searches (wink, wink) high and low — above the china cabinet, under the stove, even in the woodbox outside — to find him. Little Bear finally reveals himself when they pass a mirror. In a gesture every parent can relate to, Little Bear goes to bed believing he's fooled his dad.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Your Likelihood Of Having Twins Or More

How common are twins and other multiple pregnancies?
Increasingly common, largely because more and more women are taking fertility drugs or turning to assisted reproductive technology (ART) to help them conceive. These treatments greatly increase a woman's chance of having twins or higher-order multiples. The famous McCaughey septuplets are one extreme example of the potential consequences of fertility treatments.

These days, about one in 32 births are twin births. This rate has gone up 65 percent since 1980, and it's more than double the rate among women who conceive without medical assistance — one in 89.

The rise in triplets and quadruplets is even more dramatic. Between 1980 and 1998, the rate of triplets and higher-order multiple births shot up by more than 400 percent, but it's crept back down over the past few years as fertility treatments have become more refined. In 2003, one in 535 births resulted in triplets, quadruplets, or more.

Meanwhile, the likelihood of having identical twins (when one fertilized egg divides in half) is about one in 250. This rate hasn't changed over the decades and is remarkably constant all over the world.

How likely am I to have more than one baby if I'm undergoing fertility treatment?
Fertility drugs stimulate your ovaries, increasing the odds that you'll release several eggs at the same time. On average, 20 percent of women taking gonadotropins will become pregnant with more than one baby. Women who get pregnant while taking the drug Clomid have a 5 to 12 percent chance of twins.

If you undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF), your chances of having more than one child are 20 to 40 percent, depending on how many embryos are placed in your womb. Other fertility techniques such as GIFT (gamete intrafallopian transfer) and ZIFT (zygote intrafallopian transfer) are also more likely to result in multiple pregnancies.

On its own, IUI (intrauterine insemination), in which sperm are injected into the uterus with a syringe, is the only fertility treatment that doesn't increase the chances of conceiving multiples. But most women who undergo IUI also take a fertility drug.

Fertility drugs and other treatments primarily increase your chance of having fraternal twins, where two eggs are fertilized by two different sperm. But there is now some evidence that women who undergo certain treatments also have somewhat higher rates of identical twins.

What other factors affect the chances that I'll have more than one baby?
While identical twins generally happen by sheer chance, there are several factors that influence your chances of having fraternal twins:

• Heredity: If you're a twin or if twins run in your family, you're slightly more likely to have a set yourself. Women who are fraternal twins have a one in 60 chance of bearing twins.

• Race: Twins are more common than average in African Americans and less common in Hispanics and Asians.

• Age: The older you are, the higher your chances of having fraternal twins or higher-order multiples. A 2006 study found that women over 35 produce more follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) than younger women. Ironically, increasing levels of this hormone are a sign of failing ovaries and declining fertility. But FSH is also the hormone that causes an egg to ripen in preparation for ovulation each month, and women with extra FSH may release more than one egg in a single cycle. So while older women are statistically less likely to get pregnant, if they do get pregnant, they're more likely to have twins.

• Number of pregnancies: The more pregnancies you've had, the greater your chances of having twins.

• History of twins: Once you have a set of fraternal twins, you're twice as likely to have another set in future pregnancies.

• Body type: Twins are more common in large and tall women than in small women.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

When And How To Find Out If You're Carrying Twins Or More

How and when will I learn whether I'm carrying twins or more?
Several decades ago, most women who were pregnant with multiples didn't find out until they were in labor. But such late-term surprises are rare today. Women typically discover they're having more than one baby during a routine ultrasound, often in the first trimester.

Your practitioner will likely recommend an ultrasound in your first trimester if you're unusually large for your gestation date. The most likely explanation is that you or your practitioner miscalculated your conception date. The ultrasound will help determine how far along you really are and whether your size is due to your carrying more than one baby.

If you're pregnant as a result of a fertility treatment such as Clomid, gonadotropins, or in vitro fertilization (IVF), you'll probably have an ultrasound within the first eight weeks to count the number of embryos that have implanted. Ultrasound is almost foolproof at revealing multiple pregnancies, particularly after six to eight weeks. However, the more babies you're carrying, the easier it is for one to get overlooked.

How do twins end up fraternal or identical?
Fraternal twins develop from two eggs that are released and fertilized at the same time. They're known as dizygotic (DZ). Identical twins develop from one egg that splits into two and are thus known as monozygotic (MZ).

By the way, since they come from the same egg, monozygotic twins do share the same DNA, but these so-called "identical" twins are never truly the same. Although they have the same genetic makeup, they may have distinguishing characteristics that allow their parents to tell them apart. This may be due to environmental influences, either inside or outside the womb. Also, certain genes may end up being expressed differently in each twin.

How and when can I find out whether my babies are DZ or MZ?
Prenatal tests such as chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and amniocentesis can tell you for sure — at least in theory. These tests can be tricky to perform in multiples, and you may not be able to get a sample of each baby's DNA.

If you can't or don't want to have these tests, an ultrasound can often tell you whether your babies are dizygotic or monozygotic, based on whether there are one or two placentas and whether the babies are the same gender.

An experienced technician performing a trans-vaginal ultrasound between 9 and 14 weeks can determine with nearly 100 percent certainty whether your babies share a single placenta. (The accuracy rate drops to about 90 percent in the second trimester as the womb becomes more crowded.)

If your babies share a placenta, they're monozygotic. If there are two placentas, your twins may be DZ or MZ. All dyzygotic twins and 20 to 30 percent of monozygotic twins have separate placentas.

By 18 to 20 weeks, a technician may be able to identify the babies' genders, assuming that both babies are positioned so that the technician can get a good look at their genitals. If an ultrasound clearly shows that you have a boy and a girl, you'll know that your babies are dizygotic. Monozygotic twins are nearly always the same sex.

If the ultrasound shows two placentas and only one gender — or if the results are unclear — you may have to wait until your babies are born for your answer. After the birth, your practitioner will determine whether the twins shared a placenta. Because separate placentas sometimes fuse together and appear as one, a laboratory test may be needed to tell how many there were.

If placental analysis doesn't solve the mystery, you can order an at-home DNA test for a little over $100, but you'll have to wait one or two weeks for the results. As mentioned above, monozygotic twins will have almost always have identical DNA, while dizygotic twins will share about 50 percent of their DNA.

As your babies grow up, it'll probably be easy to tell what type of twins they are just by looking at them. If they look so much alike that other people can't tell them apart, they're almost certainly monozygotic. Any obvious difference in their hair color, eye color, or facial features means that they're dizygotic.

Why is it important to know whether twins are dizygotic or monozygotic?
Finding out whether twins are DZ or MZ isn't simply a matter of satisfying idle curiosity. It can also be important to know for medical reasons.

For one thing, monozygotic twins who share a single placenta face a special health risk during pregnancy. Up to 15 percent of these twins will develop twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), a dangerous condition in which one twin "donates" fluids to the other. The twin on the receiving end tends to grow more rapidly than the donor twin.

Without treatment, the condition is usually fatal for both babies. If your twins are sharing a placenta, your caregiver will monitor their weight gain and watch for other signs of TTTS. If your caregiver suspects TTTS, prompt treatment may prevent complications and keep your babies healthy.

Even after your babies have grown up, it could be important to know whether they're dizygotic or monozygotic. For example, if one twin is found to have a genetic disease, an MZ sibling will have it, too. A DZ sibling, on the other hand, might be spared.

There's one more reason to find out whether your twins are fraternal or identical: Everyone will ask — from friends and relatives to strangers on the street. People are fascinated by twins, so be prepared to answer the question over and over again throughout your pregnancy and for years to come.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Having Male Twin Sibling Reduces A Woman's Fertility

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Women who have a male twin are less likely to marry and have children, perhaps because of being exposed to their brother's testosterone for nine months in the womb, researchers reported on Monday.

A study of Finnish twins showed that women were 25 percent less likely to have children if their twin was a male. Those who did have children gave birth to an average of two fewer babies than women who had a twin sister.

Based on an analysis of 18th and 19th century data, researchers found women who had a male twin also were 15 percent less likely to get married, Virpi Lummaa of the University of Sheffield in Britain and Finland's University of Turku and colleagues reported.

"We show that daughters born with a male co-twin have reduced lifetime reproductive success compared to those born with a female co-twin," they wrote in their report, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "This reduction arises because such daughters have decreased probabilities of marrying as well as reduced fecundity."

Researchers have long known that fetuses are influenced by hormones in the womb. Because male and female fetuses have similar levels of the "female" hormone estrogen, girl twins are more likely to be affected by testosterone in the womb.

Studies of rodents show that hormones in the womb affect a baby's development, but researchers have lacked studies of actual populations to see if what is in theory possible biologically in fact happens in real life.

Lummaa's team used Finnish church records that dated from 1734 to 1888, looking at the births and marriages affecting 754 twins.

"The study used data from humans living in a pre-industrial era so as to obtain results that are not affected by advanced health care and contraception," Lummaa said in a statement.

"Our results show that females who had a male cotwin have reduced fitness compared to those who had a female cotwin, but the success of males is unaffected by the sex of their cotwin," the researcher wrote.

Perhaps the female twins had more masculine attitudes and behaviors that affected their decision to get married, the researchers speculated. Male features could have made the women less attractive to mates, they added.

Other studies have shown, for instance, that exposure to testosterone in the womb affects facial features and even finger lengths.

Also, exposure to elevated levels of testosterone during development can promote diseases that compromise fertility, such as reproductive cancers, the said.

By Maggie Fox

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Second-born Twin Has Higher Post-delivery Risk

Second-born twins are twice as likely as the firstborn to die at birth or shortly after due to complications during delivery, British researchers report.

The risk — which remains very small — appears to be lessened when both twins are delivered by caesarean section, the study found.

"Compared with the first twin, the second twin is more than twice as likely to die during delivery or in the first four weeks of life," said lead author Dr. Gordon Smith, the head of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Cambridge University. "This is observed among twins born at term — 36 weeks or later — but not in prematurely delivered twins," he added.

The absolute risk to the second twin is still very small, about one in every 250 twin births, Smith said.

His team published its findings in the March 2 online edition of the British Medical Journal.

In the study, Smith's group collected data on twin pregnancies in England, Northern Ireland, and Wales between 1994 and 2003. The researchers detected 1,377 cases of twin pregnancies where one twin died during delivery or shortly after.

The deaths were due to direct complications of birth, Smith said. These included prolapsed umbilical cord (delivery of the baby's umbilical cord occurs prior to the baby's birth), complications of breech birth, and separation of the second twin's placenta after delivery of the first twin.

"We found that the risk for the second twin tended to be less among those delivered by caesarean section," Smith said. "This is consistent with previous studies, which had also suggested that planned caesarean section was associated with lower risks of death and morbidity for the second twin," he said.

However, there is no information that shows directly that caesarean section is protective, and the risk to any one twin baby remains very small, Smith said.

"Among twins born prematurely, the high risk of death due to prematurity probably masks the small additional risk of death due to complications of delivery for the second twin," the researcher added.

Whether a woman chooses to have a caesarean delivery depends on the viewpoint of the individual woman, Smith said.

"This will involve her motivation to achieve a normal birth, her attitudes toward small risks of serious adverse events and her plans for future pregnancies. In particular, women planning many future births, and younger women, whose plans may be difficult to predict, may do better not to consider planned caesarean section due to the effects of this on future pregnancies," he said.

One expert believes that the risk of death of the second born twin is even smaller in the United States than in Britain.

"I would hate to see this study used as an excuse to have every mother with twins have a caesarean section," said Dr. F. Sessions Cole, the director of newborn medicine and head of the neonatal intensive care unit at St. Louis Children's Hospital.

Cole said that most twins delivered at full term are delivered vaginally. "Having all mothers with twins deliver by caesarean section would result in more risk to the mother than the small risks to the babies," he said.

Once the first twin is delivered, it is important to carefully monitor the second twin, Cole said. If there appears to be problems with the second twin, that baby may be delivered by caesarean section, he noted. "That's the standard of care today."

Cole believes that the data in the study applies only to Great Britain. "There would be fewer such deaths in the United States," he said. "There is much greater monitoring attention given to the second twin in the United States, given the malpractice risk that any obstetrician faces when he or she delivers twins," he said.


-- Steven Reinberg, HealthDay News

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Helping Twins Sleep At The Same Time

You've heard it a million times — twinsmean double the trouble and double the fun. (Parents of triplets and other multiples can change the numbers accordingly!) But it's hard to remember the fun part when you're struggling to get your crying twins to go to sleep and stay that way. We asked twins and multiples sleep experts Rebecca Moskwinski, M.D., of the National Organization of Mothers of Twins Club and Alexander Golbin, Ph.D., director of the Foundation for Children's Sleep Disorders, for their best strategies and tips. Here are their top suggestions:

Put your twins to sleep at the same time
Keeping your toddlers on the same sleep schedule is the key to developing a healthy sleep pattern and giving you some hope of time off. If your twins nap or go to bed at different times, one or both of them may be awake at any given time — leaving you feeling overwhelmed.

Establish a calming bedtime routine
A quiet, soothing bedtime routine such as a warm bath, a bedtime story, and a few minutes of cuddling, back rubbing, and quiet talk will help you prepare your twins for sleep. If you stick to a consistent bedtime routine, your toddlers will soon learn the signal that it's time to settle down.

Put your little ones to bed drowsy, but not asleep
Help them learn to fall asleep on their own by letting them drift off once they're in bed, rather than just before you put them down to sleep Moskwinski doesn't recommend rocking your twins to sleep, since they may come to depend on that cue to fall asleep. Moskwinski suggests using Richard Ferber’s gradual method to teach them to get to sleep by themselves.

Tend to your calm toddler first
If one is a screamer and the other is calmer, you may be tempted to tend to your wailing toddler first. Golbin strongly advises against this. The danger, he explains, is that your quiet one will miss out on the attention he needs. Before you focus on the screamer, make sure your quiet one is happy and settled. Don't worry about one twin waking up the other: Most twins and multiples don't seem bothered by their sibling's crying, even when they're in the same room.

Discourage nighttime waking
You can do this by keeping your twins as calm and quiet at night as possible. Keep their room dimly lit, and don't play or talk to them during the night more than necessary. You can encourage self-soothing by giving them a special soft toy or blanket to sleep with. These "transitional objects" are comforting and can help them go back to sleep.

Try separate rooms
Now that your twins are getting older, they're more likely to spend bedtime and naptimes talking and playing rather than getting their needed shut-eye. Some parents find that giving each twin his or her own room stops the nighttime antics and gives everyone some much-needed rest.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Poor Kids Have More Sleep Problems

Compared to middle-class children, youngsters in low-income families are more likely to have sleep problems, which can affect their health and performance at school, a U.S. study finds.

The study compared the sleeping habits of 64 healthy inner-city Hispanic and black children, ages 4 to 10, to those of middle-class white children.

Parents provided information about their children's amount of sleep, sleep anxiety, night awakenings, night terrors, bedwetting, sleepwalking, sleep-disordered breathing, daytime sleepiness, bedtime resistance, and the time it took to fall asleep.

The incidence of sleep problems was 25 percent higher among low-income children than among middle-class children.

The study was expected to be presented this week at the American Academy of Neurology's annual meeting, in Boston.

"While these results aren't surprising, they need to be followed up with a study involving a larger number of children, since sleeping problems can have a negative impact on a child's health and may hinder a child's performance at school," study author Anuj Chawla, of Tulane University's School of Medicine in New Orleans, said in a prepared statement.


-- Robert Preidt, HealthDay News

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Kids' Sleep Problems Can Hurt Parents' Health

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Children's bedtime problems may not only make parents lose sleep, but could also take a toll on their physical and emotional well-being, researchers reported Monday.

In a study of more than 10,000 families with infants or preschoolers, Australian researchers found that parents who said their children had sleep problems tended to report poorer physical health and more emotional distress.

Mothers appeared to be particularly affected, the study found. Whereas only infant sleep problems were linked to poorer health among fathers, sleep difficulties at any age seemed to affect mothers' physical and psychological well-being.

This may be because mothers are usually the ones who deal with their children's sleep issues, according to the study authors.

They report the findings in the current issue of the journal Pediatrics.

The bottom line for parents is that they shouldn't simply live with sleep problems that are draining them physically and emotionally, said study co-author Dr. Harriet Hiscock, of the Royal Children's Hospital and the University of Melbourne.

"They don't need to 'put up with it' if their child's sleep is a problem for them," she told Reuters Health.

She suggested parents talk to their pediatrician about behavioral techniques for helping their children fall asleep and stay asleep.

A popular technique for helping babies learn to sleep through the night is "controlled crying," where parents gradually let their child's crying go on for increasingly long stretches before checking on them. When they do check in, it's a low-key visit, with no lights or playing.

Consistent bedtime routines can also help when preschoolers are resistant to the idea of turning in, Hiscock noted.

She and her colleagues based their findings on a national survey of 5,107 families with infants and 4,983 with preschool-aged children. Based on parents' responses, 17 percent of infants and 14 percent of preschoolers had a moderate or severe sleep problem.

Overall, mothers of these infants had poorer scores on standard measures of general health and psychological distress, while fathers had lower scores for general health. Similarly, mothers who preschoolers had sleep problems tended to show poorer general health.

There are no hard definitions of child sleep problems, Hiscock said. "In reality, if parents think that their child's sleep is a problem, then something needs to be done about it," she explained.

Typically, infant sleep problems include frequent wakings not related to feedings, and difficulty going to sleep in the first place, according to Hiscock. With preschoolers, bedtime resistance tends to be parents' top complaint.

By Amy Norton, Reuters

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Parents Center: Reducing The Risk Of SIDS (birth to 12 mo.)

What is SIDS?
SIDS stands for sudden infant death syndrome — and it's the leading cause of death in the United States for babies between 1 month and 1 year old.

SIDS isn't any one illness or disease. Rather, it's the diagnosis that's given when a child under a year old dies suddenly and an exact cause can't be found after a complete medical and legal investigation, including an autopsy. That it can happen without warning makes SIDS particularly devastating for families.

Approximately 2,500 infants die suddenly and without explanation in the United States each year. SIDS most commonly affects babies between the ages of 2 and 4 months, with 90 percent of cases in infants under 6 months. It occurs most frequently during cold-weather months.

SIDS is also known as crib death because it happens most often during sleep, usually between the hours of 10 p.m. and 10 a.m.

Night isn't the only time that SIDS strikes, however. If your infant is in daycare, it's important to know that 20 percent of SIDS deaths happen in childcare settings, according to a study published in the journal Pediatrics in 2000.

This is a surprisingly high number when you consider that babies spend much less time sleeping at daycare than they do at home. This statistic points out how crucial it is to make sure your daycare providers follow safe sleeping guidelines (see "How can I lower my baby's risk of SIDS?").

What causes SIDS?
Researchers have learned a great deal about SIDS in the past three decades, but they still have no definitive answer to that question.

Some experts believe that SIDS happens when a baby with an underlying abnormality (for example, a brain defect that affects breathing) sleeps tummy-down or is faced with an environmental challenge such as secondhand smoke during a critical period of growth. Others have published studies that contradict this hypothesis.

One study published in 2007 cites a connection between hearing ability and SIDS. Pediatric anesthesiologist Daniel D. Rubens at Seattle Children's Hospital studied the results of newborn hearing tests and found that babies who died of SIDS had consistently tested lower on the inner ear function of the right ear than babies who didn't die of SIDS. (Healthy infants typically test stronger in the right ear than the left; these results flipped those scores.) This study suggests new areas of research and points to the possibility of identifying babies who are at higher risk for SIDS.

Experts are continuing to study the brain, the autonomic nervous system, infant care and sleep environments, infection and immunity, and genetics in search of answers.

Which babies are most at risk?
Although the exact cause of SIDS is unknown, some risk factors have been identified. They include:

Tummy sleeping
A baby's risk of SIDS has been found to be 1.7 to 12.9 percent higher (depending on the study) if he sleeps on his tummy instead of his back. According to Betty McEntire, the executive director of the American SIDS Institute, when a baby sleeps tummy-down he's more likely to overheat, have pauses in breathing, and re-breathe the air he has just exhaled, which can raise his level of carbon dioxide.

In addition, several studies have shown that if a baby is used to sleeping on his back and is placed to sleep on his tummy, his risk of SIDS rises markedly. (This may account for the unexpectedly high rate of SIDS in daycare settings.)

Having a parent or caregiver who smokes
Studies show that a baby's risk of SIDS rises with each additional smoker in the household, with the number of cigarettes smoked around him each day, and with the length of his exposure to cigarette smoke.

Being born prematurely or at a very low birth weight
The earlier a baby is born, the higher his risk of SIDS. Likewise, the lower his birth weight, the higher the risk.

Overheating while sleeping
There's strong evidence that becoming overheated can substantially raise a baby's risk of SIDS. "Overheating can result from being in an overheated room, wrapping or covering a baby in too many blankets, or putting a blanket over a baby's head, particularly when the baby has a fever or respiratory infection," says Warren Guntheroth, a SIDS expert and a professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Sleeping on a soft surface
Several studies link soft sleeping surfaces to a higher risk of SIDS. Quilts, comforters, sofas, waterbeds, beanbags, and other soft surfaces are all unsafe for a baby to sleep on. Like tummy-down sleep positions, soft surfaces increase the chance that your baby will encounter problems with breathing or overheating.

Being born to a mother who smoked or abused drugs during pregnancy
Almost every study of risk factors for SIDS has identified smoking during pregnancy as a risk factor. Of course, both smoking and drug use can compromise a baby's healthy development during pregnancy.

Being born to a mother under the age of 20
The risk of SIDS increases with each baby born to a teen mother. Also, the shorter the time between a woman's pregnancies, the higher her baby's risk of SIDS.

Suffering an apparent life-threatening event (ALTE)
Babies who have suffered what's called an apparent life-threatening event (stopped breathing and turned pale, blue, and limp and required resuscitation) have a higher risk of SIDS.

Having certain ethnic backgrounds
African American infants are two and a half times more likely to die of SIDS than are Caucasian infants, and Native American babies have three times the risk.

Some researchers hypothesize that a cultural preference for putting babies to sleep on their stomach puts certain groups at higher risk. Asian families, who have a cultural preference for placing infants on their back, have had a lower than average risk for SIDS. When they emigrated to North America and began placing babies on their tummy, their SIDS rates rose.

Being a boy
Boys of all ethnicities are at slightly higher risk than girls by a ratio of 1.5 to 1.

How can I lower my baby's risk of SIDS?
There's no guaranteed way to prevent SIDS, but you can do a number of things to greatly reduce your baby's risk:

Put your baby to sleep on his back.
This is the single most important thing you can do to help protect your baby.

The rate of deaths from SIDS has dropped more than 50 percent since 1994, when the Back to Sleep campaign was launched by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the U.S. Public Health Service, the SIDS Alliance, and the Association of SIDS and Infant Mortality Programs. Make sure that anyone who cares for your baby — relatives and babysitters, for example — knows not to place your baby on his tummy to sleep.

Most people don't know that side sleeping isn't safe, either. In fact, if your baby sleeps on his side rather than on his back, his risk of SIDS is doubled. That's because babies placed on their side can easily end up on their tummy.

Of course, by the time your baby is 5 or 6 months old, he may be able to roll over in both directions, making it a challenge to keep him on his back at night. At this age his risk for SIDS starts to drop, though, so just do your best to get him settled on his back, and then don't worry if he rolls over.

Keep in mind that putting your baby on his back all the time can cause him to develop a flat spot on the back or side of his head, called plagiocephaly or flat head syndrome.

You can help prevent this condition by learning how to position your baby when you lay him down. (If you have any questions about your baby's sleep position, talk to your doctor or nurse.)

Take care of yourself and your unborn baby while you're pregnant.
To protect your baby's health and reduce the risk of a premature birth or low birth weight (both of which are risk factors for SIDS), get proper prenatal care and nutrition. Don't smoke cigarettes or use illegal drugs during your pregnancy.

Don't allow smoking around your baby.
Keep the air around your baby — at home, in the car, and in all other environments — free of smoke. If others insist on smoking, make sure they go outside the house to do it. If you need help quitting, read our article and talk to your doctor.

Choose bedding carefully.
Put your baby to sleep on a firm, flat mattress with no pillow and nothing but a fitted sheet under him. Don't put stuffed toys or other soft materials in your baby's crib, either.

Some SIDS prevention groups recommend that you not use any blanket at all. The AAP suggests that if you can't resist covering your baby, you should use a thin blanket. Tuck it around the mattress, under your baby's arms and only as far up as his chest.

If you think your baby is chilly, dress him in warmer clothing such as footed pajamas or in a cotton one-piece under a "wearable blanket" — a sleeveless garment that's closed along the bottom like a bag. (Get more ideas for keeping your baby warm at night without blankets.)

Crib bumpers are not necessary, and SIDS prevention groups recommend that you not use them. If you choose to use bumpers, the AAP advises selecting ones that are thin and firm (not pillow-like) and attaching them securely to the crib. Make sure no strings are dangling inside the crib.

Avoid overheating your baby.
To keep your baby from getting too warm while he sleeps, don't overdress him. The room he sleeps in shouldn't be too toasty, either. The room should be comfortable for a lightly clothed adult.

Signs that your baby may be overheated include sweating, damp hair, heat rash, rapid breathing, restlessness, and fever.

Try to limit exposure to infection.
SIDS sometimes occurs together with respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. Feel free to ask people to wash their hands before holding your baby. And avoid exposing your baby to sick people whenever possible.

Does breastfeeding prevent SIDS?
There's no conclusive evidence that breastfeeding itself will lower your baby's risk of SIDS. However, breastfeeding will help reduce your baby's likelihood of getting of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, which often occur along with SIDS.

Will sharing a bed with my baby raise the risk of SIDS?
Not everyone agrees on this one.

Some experts believe there are compelling reasons not to take your baby to bed with you during your baby's first months. For one thing, your bed surely has pillows and blankets and other soft bedding, all of which are risk factors for SIDS. It's also easier for your baby to become overheated (another risk factor for SIDS) while sharing your bed.

"The vast majority of studies conducted on this subject have shown that bed-sharing increases the risk of SIDS," says John Kattwinkel, chairman of the AAP Task Force on Infant Sleep Position and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

On the other hand, some experts believe that bed-sharing (also called co-sleeping) might allow a mother to respond more quickly to changes in her baby's breathing and movements, and that when risk factors like maternal smoking and tummy sleeping are removed, bed-sharing could lower the risk of SIDS. And many parents are comfortable with and committed to bed-sharing.

If you do decide to co-sleep with your baby, James McKenna, head of the Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame, advises making sure that your mattress is firm and flat and that it fits tightly against the headboard with no space around it where your baby's head could get stuck. Never co-sleep on a softer surface, such as a couch. Keep heavy, fluffy bedding away from your child, and even in your bed, put him to sleep on his back.


The AAP may discourage bed-sharing, but the organization actually recommends having your baby room in with you. British researchers found that when a baby is in his own bed in his parent's room his risk of SIDS is lower. So as an alternative to having your baby in bed with you, keep him in a crib or bassinet in your room.

Is it okay for me to swaddle my infant?
Some researchers suggest that swaddling — the practice of wrapping a baby securely in a blanket or cloth — may help prevent SIDS because it can help a baby sleep more comfortably on his back. If your baby startles while he's sleeping, his own body movements can wake him up. Swaddling can limit those movements and help a young baby feel more secure.

Other SIDS experts caution that swaddling could contribute to overheating. So if you do swaddle your baby, use a thin blanket and make sure the room isn't too warm. And, of course, never put your baby on his tummy when he's swaddled.

Does using a pacifier affect my baby's risk of SIDS?
Studies show a lower incidence of SIDS among infants who use pacifiers, although experts don't know whether there's a direct cause and effect. Because of the correlation, the AAP suggests that you give your baby a pacifier when putting him down for naps and at bedtime for the first year of life.

It's not necessary to reinsert the pacifier if your baby drops it once he falls asleep, and you certainly shouldn't try to force your baby to use one. The AAP also cautions that if you're nursing, you shouldn't begin using a pacifier until breastfeeding is well established. It's up to you to weigh the pros and cons of using a pacifier.

Does my baby need a sleep monitor?
There are two types of sleep monitors. Your baby's doctor may have prescribed a cardio-respiratory monitor if your baby has had a life-threatening breathing incident or severe respiratory problems. If such a monitor was prescribed for your baby, of course you should use it diligently.

You may also see home sleep monitoring systems sold by baby product retailers. These systems detect a baby's movements and alert you if movement (and presumably breathing) stops for a certain amount of time.

There's no harm in using one of these for your healthy baby if it helps you rest easily at night. Just keep in mind that there's no evidence these systems will help prevent SIDS. You'll still want to take every precaution you can to protect your baby.

What other products can help reduce my baby's risk of SIDS?
Some companies offer mattresses with a built-in ventilation system that supposedly prevents the buildup of carbon dioxide. These mattresses may keep more fresh air circulating around your baby, but there's no evidence that they lower the risk of SIDS — so don't let them give you a false sense of security. If you decide to buy one, you should still follow the SIDS prevention guidelines above.

If you don't like the idea of leaving your baby uncovered, you may want to try a wearable blanket — a sleeveless garment that's closed along the bottom like a bag. A wearable blanket keeps your baby warm while eliminating the possibility that the covers will slip over his head.

Where can I get more information?

• The American SIDS Institute conducts research and offers education and round-the-clock support to pediatricians and families. Call (800) 232-7437 or (770) 426-8746.

• The Back to Sleep Hotline, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, offers information, support, and referrals. Call (800) 505-2742.

• The CJ Foundation for SIDS is the largest nongovernmental funder of SIDS-related programs in the United States. Visit the foundation's website for news about SIDS, a look at ongoing research, and updates on fundraisers and events around the country.

• The National SIDS/Infant Death Resource Center provides information sheets, annotated bibliographies, and referral services to parents, caregivers, and researchers.

• First Candle (formerly SIDS Alliance) provides education and research as well as support for families who have lost a baby to SIDS.

source from http://www.babycenter.com