Getting Baby To Sleep

Getting your baby to sleep will be one of the most challenging things that parents face. Many times parents wonder if their baby would ever sleep through the night or at least sleep comfortably. They are some tips that can help parents teach their babies to get a better night's sleep.

Babies in the early stages of their lives can be taught to distinguish between night and day and this can help them establish better sleeping habits.

Early Development

When your baby is a few weeks old teach them the differences between morning, nap time, and bed time. During the course of the day, make sure that you play with your child, feeding them and talking to them. During the night, keep the lights low, and limit the amount of noise and voices that your child is exposed to. When your baby is between one to two months, put them to bed as soon as they begin to show signs of being tired.

During the Day

You have to make sure that when baby naps during the day it is different from sleeping at night. During naps let the baby sleep in a portable crib or bassinet. The room should not be left completely dark. This way they begin to recognize what constitutes naps from bed time.

At Night

Newborn babies will sleep an average of sixteen to eighteen hours a day, babies need plenty of rest. In order to try and get your child into a step by step routine to establish bed time, you should try and do the following to settle them down for the night.

Steps

• First you should try and give baby a bath or at least wash her or his hands. This will give them a soothing feeling and help them to relax.
• Change the baby's diaper and put on his or her pajamas, this will give them indication that it is time for bed.
• You can sing softly to the baby or play low music. This will allow baby to hear a familiar voice and recognize the voice before drifting off to sleep. Again this provides a comfortable surrounding for the baby and knowledge that they are not being left alone.
• You should put your baby in your arms and rock them before you lay him or her down to sleep. Don't prolong the situation make it short, put them into their crib while they are still awake and leave the room.

Things to Avoid

They are some things you should avoid doing before putting baby down for bedtime:

• Don't put cereal in his or her bottle at night, it gives them a feeling of being full and does not allow them to sleep comfortable. They might have problems digesting the food while sleeping, leading to an upset stomach.
• Don't let the baby fall asleep with a bottle or while nursing, before going to bed. This will get them into the bad habit of expecting you to feed them when they are awake, so that they may go back to sleep.

While no two babies are the same, the important thing to remember is that promoting a consistent sleep routine will help your baby fall asleep faster and will eventually sleep through the night. By following these routines, the baby will begin to understand that going to sleep does not mean that mommy or daddy is leaving them, but putting them to bed for the night. It will also help to establish a pattern for when they get older, hopefully, making it easier for them to continue to sleep on their own.

source from http://www.babycarehelp.com

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 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

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

How You Can Get Some Sleep

You have a baby and you've never been more tired in your life. Sure, you've heard the advice: Nap when the baby naps. Leave the dirty dishes, and don't worry about the laundry — you'll get to it eventually. But the reality is that most days you need this time to take care of chores and other business. So what advice can you really use to get some sleep?

We invited BabyCenter parents to share their survival tips. One tried and true strategy is to share the nighttime feedings with your partner so you'll both be guaranteed at least five hours of solid sleep. Some families find that bringing their baby to bed with them is the key to staving off fatigue. Read on for more ideas.

Pump and sleep
"We started giving our daughter bottles when she was 2 weeks old. I would pump at 9 p.m. and then go to bed. My husband would wake her at 10:30 p.m. and give her the pumped breast milk. I got to sleep from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m., when she woke up again."
—Jodi Mindell, author of Sleeping Through the Night: How Infants, Toddlers, and Their Parents Can Get a Good Night's Sleep, and mom of Caelie, 23 months

Rock-a-bye, baby
"We had a cradle that rocked, and I tied a rope to it so I could rock it while I lay in bed when my son was a newborn. (I made sure the rope was out of his reach at all times.)"
—Mollie, mom of Nicky, 8 years

Midnight power-snacking
"The best way I've found to cope with disrupted sleep (the twins are on different schedules) is to have 'power snacks' when I'm up with the babies. Peanut butter and crackers, a glass of skim milk, yogurt, etc. The food helps me feel much better in the morning after those nights when it seems like nobody sleeps."
—April, mom of 8-year-old Jeffrey, 6-year-old Erin, and twins Caitlyn and Ethan, 22 weeks

One night on, one night off
"My wife and I took turns getting up with our son every other night like clockwork for the first nine months. It was not pleasant, but was a decent survival tactic."
—Steve, dad of Daniel, 3 years

Separate rooms
"On the nights that I really want undisturbed slumber, my husband and son sleep in a separate room so I don't hear them get up for feeding and changing. We also take turns sleeping in on the weekend."
—Shari, mom of Kevin, 2 1/2, and Brian, 7 weeks

Shift work
"We've found that the best way to protect our sleep and make sure we're functional for work is to take our daughter in shifts. My wife usually handles the first shift (10:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.), while anything after that falls into my territory (2:30 a.m. to 6 a.m.)."
—Dan, dad of Mary Elise, 11 months

"With our first daughter, my husband and I rotated nights. For instance, he had Monday night and I had Tuesday night, and so on. It worked out great! When I knew it was his night, I would help out more with getting everything ready for the night and he would do the same for me. We plan on doing the same for our next child." —Keysha

Early to bed
"Go to bed when the children do. This is hard for me because there's so much that needs to be done, or I'd like to have that time to relax in peace and quiet — but do it!"
—Diane, mom of Bridget, 4, and Kelly, 8 months

Sleep-sharing
"The best strategy I used to get sleep when my daughter was a newborn was to have her sleep with me. At first, she was in her bassinet and would wake for periods of four to five hours, and so we'd walk around and nurse until she fell back to sleep. Finally, my doctor suggested we take her to bed with us. She slept great and woke up only briefly to nurse."
—Trista, mom of Sydney, 8 months

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Establishing Healthy Sleep Habits: 24 to 36 Months

Typical sleep at this age
Between their second and third birthdays, toddlers need about 11 to 12 hours of sleep a night and a single hour-and-a-half to two-hour nap each afternoon. Most children this age go to bed sometime between 7 and 9 p.m. and get up between 6:30 and 8 a.m. It may seem that your child's sleep patterns finally resemble yours, but he'll spend more time than you do in REM sleep and the deeper stages of non-REM sleep. The result? Because he'll be making more transitions from one sleep phase to the other, he'll wake up more often than you do. That's why it's so important that he learn how to soothe himself back to sleep.

How you can establish healthy sleep habits
Now that your child is getting older, you can try a few new techniques to help him get a good night's sleep, including:

Moving him into a big bed and praising him when he stays in it.
This is the age when your toddler is likely to make the transition from crib to bed, probably because he'll have outgrown his babyhood digs. The arrival of a new sibling can also prompt the decision. If you're pregnant, move your toddler at least two to three months before you're due, advises sleep expert Jodi Mindell. "You want your older child well settled in his new bed before he sees the baby taking over his crib," says Mindell. But if the switch doesn't go well, it's okay to put it off until the new baby is 3 or 4 months old. Your newborn may spend those months sleeping in a bassinet anyway, and your older child will have time to get used to having a sibling, making the crib-to-bed transition easier. Other reasons to consider making the move include frequent jumping out of the crib and toilet training — your child may need to get up at night to go to the bathroom.

Once he's using his new bed, be sure to praise your child when he stays in it at bedtime and overnight. After the confinement of his crib, your child may get out of his big-kid bed over and over just because he can. If your toddler gets up, temper your reaction. Simply take him back to bed, firmly tell him that it's time to go to sleep, and leave.

Anticipating all his requests and including them in your bedtime routine.
Your toddler may start trying to put off bedtime by wheedling for "just one more" — story, song, glass of water. Try to anticipate all of your child's usual (and reasonable) requests and make them part of your bedtime routine. Then, suggests Jodi Mindell, allow your child one extra request — but make it clear that one is the limit. He'll feel like he's getting his way, but you'll know you're really getting yours.

Giving him an extra goodnight kiss or tuck-in.
It's okay to promise your child an extra goodnight kiss after you've tucked him in the first time. Tell him you'll be back to check on him in a few minutes. Chances are he'll be fast asleep by the time you return.

Potential pitfalls
If your toddler starts getting up more often once he graduates to a big bed, tuck him back in and bid him a firm goodnight. Other than that, how to handle the situation is a personal decision. Experts' opinions vary. Some say: don't coddle him or bring him into your bed. Some say that as long as your child is falling asleep on his own, it's fine to go in and soothe him, and others recommend going to your child immediately, finding the source of the problem and comforting him.

Another widespread sleep problem at this age: resistance to bedtime. Ease or avoid the problem by anticipating and managing your child's before-bed requests. Few toddlers will run happily to bed every night, so be prepared for a few struggles.

You'll probably notice that your child has some new nighttime worries these days. Being afraid of the dark, monsters under the bed, or separation from you is common in toddlers, so don't be too concerned. Fears are part of your child's normal development. If he starts having nightmares, go to him right away and talk to him about his bad dream while you calm him down. If bad dreams persist, look for sources of anxiety in his daily life. Most of the experts agree that if your child is truly terrified, it's all right to let him into your bed every once in a while, too.

source from http://parentcenter.babycenter.com

What I Wish I'd Know About Getting More Sleep

"In the morning, stay in your PJs and keep going back to bed until you get enough sleep - even if that means you don't get up until noon!"

"My husband and I slept in shifts. After feeding the baby around 10 p.m., I went to sleep and my husband stayed up and put him to bed. Since I was breastfeeding, I was the one who needed to get up at 2 or 4 a.m. to feed him, so my husband slept through that. I felt better with that extra two hours I got early in the night."

"Sleep when the baby sleeps except for one nap. Use that time to do dishes and laundry."

"Buy a baby swing. They are wonderful for those late nights when your baby is either crying or won't sleep. Strap her in and you know she's safe — then you can catch some zz's on the couch next to her."

"Once I made up my mind that I wasn't going to get any sleep that night, it made it easier to cope. It was when I obsessed about getting sleep that I had problems dealing with the lack of sleep."

"If your partner's habits (restlessness, snoring) keep you from sleeping, ask him to sleep somewhere else for awhile."

"Don't wait until nighttime to catch up on sleep, because that's when your baby wants to be up. I slept at least once during the day when my baby napped, and that made all the difference between being a nice mommy and a mean mommy."

"The first four nights were the hardest, getting up every two hours to go into another room to feed the baby, hoping she wouldn't wake when I laid her down. The fifth night, I took her to bed with me, and we both slept like a dream. Now I enjoy eight hours of sleep a night."

"Have a lot of pillows for comfort — even if you don't get a lot of sleep, it feels good."

"Don't worry about getting the dishes done or cooking dinner. I lost out on so much sleep because I was trying to keep my house together, and by the time I was ready to lie down, guess who was awake."

"Get someone else to watch the baby while you nap, even if you have to pay a babysitter."

"I've learned after three children not to worry too much if my baby doesn't want to eat every three hours. If her last feeding was at 11 p.m. and she sleeps until 4 a.m., then the best thing to do is enjoy the sleep while you can."

"When all else fails, put a blanket (not a comforter, but a flat blanket) on the floor and lie down with your baby. You will get some sleep — maybe not the most comfortable sleep, but sleep nonetheless."

"My husband gets up with the baby first, changing her and comforting her, which gives me time to prepare for breastfeeding (waking up a little, using the restroom, and getting a glass of water). He has been a great help!"

"Catnapping works wonders for new moms. Set an alarm for 15 or 20 minutes. You'll be surprised how much it helps to close your eyes for even a short period of time."

"At night, put the baby down in a separate room and turn the monitor low enough so you can hear a cry but not grunts and whines."

"My nurse advised me to take six-hour shifts with my husband. That way, each of us got some solid sleep. Once we started doing that, we both felt better."

"You know how they always tell you "Sleep when your baby sleeps"? Well, I tried, but I was so overtired and anxious about being a new mother that I couldn't sleep! My doctor prescribed a sleeping pill, and it really helped me get the rest I needed."

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Establishing Healthy Sleep Habits: 18 to 24 Months

Typical sleep at this age
By now your toddler should be sleeping about 11 to 12 hours at night and taking a one-and-a-half- to three-hour afternoon nap every day. Some children will hold onto two shorter daily naps until their second birthday. If yours is one of them, don't fight it.

How you can establish healthy sleep habits
At this age, these are the best things you can do to make sure your child's sleep habits are on the right track:

Help him break bad sleep habits so he can fall asleep on his own.
Your child should now be drifting off on his own at night without being rocked, nursed, or otherwise lulled to sleep. If he learns to depend on any of these external cues, he won't be able to fall back to sleep during the night when he wakes up and they're not there. Think of it this way, say sleep experts Jodi Mindell and Richard Ferber: You fall asleep with your head on a pillow, only to wake up in the middle of the night and find the pillow gone. You'd probably be concerned about the pillow's absence and look for it, rousing from your sleepy state. Similarly, if your child falls asleep every night listening to a particular CD, he'll wonder what happened when he wakes at night and doesn't hear the music, and he may not be able to drop off again easily. To help prevent this, try to get him into bed when he's sleepy but still awake, so he can fall asleep by himself.

Offer him acceptable choices at bedtime.
These days your toddler is beginning to test the limits of his newfound independence, wanting to assert control over the world around him. To curtail bedtime power struggles, let your child make choices whenever possible during his nighttime routine — from which bedtime story he wants to hear to which pair of pajamas he'd like to wear. The trick is to offer only two or three alternatives and to make sure you're happy with every choice. For example, don't ask, "Do you want to go to bed now?" He could very well say no, which isn't acceptable. Instead, try, "Do you want to go to bed now or in five minutes?" He still gets to make the choice, but you win no matter which option he picks.

Potential pitfalls
Two of the most common sleep problems for toddlers of all ages are difficulty falling asleep and frequent night wakings.

This age group has its own particular challenge, too: Sometime between 18 and 24 months, some children start climbing out of their crib, potentially putting themselves in danger (falling out of a crib can be pretty painful). Unfortunately, just because your toddler can get out of his crib doesn't mean he's ready for a big bed. Try to keep him safe and stationary with these tips from Sleeping Through the Night, by sleep expert Jodi Mindell:

Lower the mattress: If you move the crib mattress to its lowest position, you may be able to physically prevent your child from getting out. This probably won't work when he gets bigger, though.

Empty the crib: Your child may be using crib toys or bumpers as stepstools to help him get out. If you remove them, he may stay put a little longer.

Don't make jumping out worth his while: If your child jumps out of his crib and you react by giving him lots of attention or letting him get in bed with you, he'll keep doing it. Instead, stay calm and neutral, firmly tell him not to climb out, and put him right back in his crib. He'll get the idea pretty quickly.

Consider a crib tent: Crib tents are widely available. They attach to crib rails with Velcro and keep your toddler safe inside.

Keep watch: Nip his escapades in the bud by standing where you can see him in his crib — but he can't see you. If he tries to get out, immediately tell him not to. After you've done this a few times, he'll probably learn to stay put.

Set up a safe environment: If you can't keep your child from jumping out, you can at least make sure he stays safe. Place pillows and other padding on the floor around his crib and on nearby toy chests, dressers, and other objects that could cause a hard knock. If he absolutely won't stop climbing, you can always lower the crib rail and leave a step stool nearby. At least then you won't have to worry about him falling and hurting himself. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Establishing Healthy Sleep Habits: 12 to 18 months

Typical sleep at this age

Now your baby is officially a toddler — but he still needs as much sleep as he did when he was younger. Until his second birthday, your child should get about 14 hours of sleep a day, 11 of those hours at night. The rest will come in nap form. He'll still need two naps at 12 months, but by the time he's 18 months old, he may be ready for a single hour-and-a-half to three-hour nap in the afternoon — a pattern he may follow until he's four or five. The transition from two naps to one can be difficult. Sleep expert Jodi Mindell suggests alternating one-nap and two-nap days, depending on how much sleep your toddler got the night before. You can also try putting your child to bed a little earlier on one-nap days.

How you can establish healthy sleep habits
There's not much new you can do to help your child become a good sleeper at this age — look for fresh issues such as bedtime resistance to show up sometime between 18 months and your toddler's third birthday. Your best bet now: Continue practicing the strategies you've been developing since your child was 6 months old, including:

Following a nightly bedtime ritual.
A regular bedtime routine will help your child wind down at the end of the day and get ready for sleep. If he needs to work off some excess energy, it's okay to let him run around for a little while before moving on to something more calming, such as a quiet game, bath, or bedtime story. Follow the same pattern every night — even when you're away from home. Toddlers love consistency; being able to predict when and how something's going to happen helps them feel in control.

Stick to a consistent daily schedule, as well as bed- and naptimes.
As always, it's also a good idea to set and stick to consistent bed- and naptimes as part of your daily schedule. If your child naps, eats, plays, and gets ready for bed at about the same time every day, he'll be much more likely to fall asleep without a struggle.

Make sure your child is able to fall asleep on his own.
Don't forget how important it is for your toddler to fall asleep by himself every night. He shouldn't depend on rocking, nursing, or being sung to to fall asleep. If he does, he'll never learn to settle himself back down when he wakes up at night. That situation is less than ideal for you, too — if he does wake up, he'll probably cry for you.

Potential pitfalls
At this age your child may have difficulty falling asleep or wake up frequently at night. The reason behind both problems is probably the new developmental milestones he's reaching, especially walking. Your toddler is so excited by his new skills that he wants to keep practicing, even if you say it's bedtime.

If he resists going to sleep, most experts advise leaving him in his crib for a few minutes to see whether he'll calm down. If not, you may want to consider using some version of the "cry it out" approach. You'll also have to decide what to do if he wakes up at night, can't soothe himself back to sleep, and ends up crying for you. It's fine to go in and check on or comfort him. But if he wants you to stay and play with him, gently remind him that nighttime is for sleep.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Establishing Good Sleep Habits In Your New Born

Typical newborn sleep patterns
Newborns sleep a lot — about 17 to 18 hours a day for the first few weeks and 15 hours a day by the third month. But, at least for the first couple of months, they're almost never asleep for more than three to four hours at a time, day or night. Translation: You won't be getting much uninterrupted sleep, either. At night you'll need to get up to feed and change your baby; during the day, you'll play with him, too. And while some infants sleep through the night as early as age 8 weeks, many babies don't reach that milestone until they're 5 or 6 months old. You can help your baby get there sooner by teaching him good sleep habits from the start.

How you can establish healthy sleep habits
Learn the signs that mean he's tired.
For the first six to eight weeks, your baby won't be able to stay up longer than about two hours at a time. If you wait much longer than that to put him down, he'll be overtired and may have trouble falling asleep.

Swaddling your newborn — an age-old technique for wrapping him snugly in a blanket — may help him feel warm and secure and fall asleep more easily during the first month..

Watch your baby for signs that he's sleepy. Is he rubbing his eyes, pulling on his ear, or developing faint dark circles under his eyes? If you spot these or any other signs of sleepiness, head straight for the crib. You'll soon develop a sixth sense about your baby's daily rhythms and patterns, and you'll know instinctively when he's ready for a nap.

Begin to teach him the difference between day and night.
Some infants are night owls (something you may have gotten a hint of during pregnancy) and will be wide awake just when you want to hit the hay. For the first few days you won't be able to do much about this. But once your baby is about 2 weeks old, you can start teaching him to distinguish night from day.

When he's alert and awake during the day, play with him as much as you can, keep the house and his room light and bright, and don't worry about minimizing regular daytime noises like the phone, radio, or dishwasher. If he tends to sleep through feedings, wake him up. At night, don't play with him at feeding time. Keep the lights and noise level low, and don't spend too much time talking to him. Before long he should begin to figure out that nighttime is for sleeping.

Give him a chance to fall asleep on his own.
When your baby is 6 to 8 weeks old, start giving him a chance to fall asleep on his own. How? Put him down when he's sleepy but still awake, suggests Jodi Mindell, director of the Center for Sleep Medicine at MCP-Hahnmann School of Medicine in Philadelphia and author of Sleeping Through the Night: How Infants, Toddlers, and Their Parents Can Get a Good Night's Sleep. Mindell advises against rocking or nursing your baby to sleep, even at this young age. "Parents think that what they do this early doesn't have an effect," she says, "but it does. Babies are learning their sleep habits. If you rock your child to sleep every night for the first eight weeks, why would he expect anything different later on?"

How to keep your sleeping newborn safe
The best way to protect your new baby from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and other sleeping hazards is to learn the rules of safe sleeping. Then make sure your bassinet, crib, or any other place you plan to put your baby for napping and at night is properly set up .

Create a safe sleeping spot
Resist the urge to set up a bassinet or crib with pillows and fluffy comforters. As cozy as that may look, it's not the safest sleeping environment — your baby needs a surface that is firm and flat. Any blankets and bumpers should be thin, flat, and fastened securely to minimize the risk of covering the baby's head or face. Keep stuffed animals and toys out of the sleeping area, too.

If your crib is new and you bought it in the United States, it was made to meet strict safety regulations. If it's borrowed, though, be extra careful: Make sure crib slats are no more than 2 3/8 inches apart (a canned soda shouldn't fit between the slats) to prevent your baby's head from slipping between the bars. Also check that the mattress fits snugly — you should be able to fit no more than two fingers between the matress and the side of the crib.

For more details, see our articles on cribs and childproofing your nursery.

Put your infant to sleep on his back
Putting your baby to sleep on his back reduces the risk of SIDS. Experts estimate that up to 2,000 lives have been saved since the "Back to Sleep" public awareness campaign began in 1994.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Circumstances That Complicate Sleep Training

t's all well and good to hear that most experts think it's okay to let your child cry a little to settle himself to sleep, but what if the neighbors complain? What if you live in a one-bedroom apartment and you need to get to bed yourself? What if you have two children, and they share a room? Sometimes tackling your toddler's sleep problems can get complicated. So what can you do about it? We asked our resident sleep expert, Jodi Mindell, author of Sleeping Through the Night, who had the following suggestions:

• If your children share a bedroom and one is having sleep problems, have the good sleeper move out for a few days. The child with the problem needs to learn to sleep well and peacefully in his bedroom — the other one has already learned how to do that, so he'll be fine spending a week or so sleeping in another room.

• Make sure you and your partner — and any other relatives living with you — agree on how to handle sleep problems. This is particularly important if you share living space with your child's grandparents or other family members who may think they know more than you do. If you and your partner decide that you're going to let your child cry for five minutes before going to him, it will disrupt your plan if Grandma comforts him right away. Consistency is key when you're trying to establish healthy sleep habits, especially with toddlers.

• If you live in a one-bedroom or studio apartment or an apartment complex with thin walls, there may not be much you can do without the neighbors complaining. If and when your situation changes, you can start teaching your toddler the basics of good sleep then (it's never too late, after all). Another strategy is to start with naptimes when others may be out for the day.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Bedtime Battles

Why it happens
You put your toddler to bed at 8:30 at night. You hug him, kiss him, and wish him sweet dreams. It's been a long day. The dinner dishes await you, your spouse has to pay the bills, the dog needs to be walked, the cat needs to be fed, and you haven't had a moment to sit down and put your feet up. But nope — instead of spending the rest of the night catching up on your chores and spending some precious time with your partner, you're in and out of your child's room, cajoling him to go to sleep. He finally does — three hours later. Sound familiar? You'd be surprised at just how many of your fellow parents face this scenario night after night.

Sometimes you can tell your toddler's fighting sleep — he rubs his eyes, yawns repeatedly, and falls apart at the merest hint of frustration. Other times he may seem wide awake, even hyper, but this can be another form of exhaustion. What's happening is the toddler version of "so much to do, so little time"; there's so much going on around him — Daddy's in the living room poring over the mail, the pets are scuttling about, and you're moving from room to room — that he wants to be part of the action. Also, just like other toddlers, your child is beginning to understand that he's separate from you and is his own person, so he wants to assert his independence. Refusing to go to bed at night is one way he asserts control.

What to do
Teach your child to fall asleep alone. If your child will to go to bed only if you're around, he's forming bad habits that will be hard to break later. The best lesson you can teach him is how to soothe himself to sleep. Follow a nightly bedtime ritual (bath, books, and bed, for example) so he knows what's expected of him and what to expect at night. You can tell him that if he stays in bed you'll come back in five minutes to check on him. Let him know that he's safe and that you'll be nearby.

Don't let him dawdle. Toddlers are great negotiators, and they're no different when it comes to bedtime. And because they so enjoy the time they spend with you, they'll do what they can to prolong the time they have with you. Your child may take his time doing his usual nightly routine, ask repeatedly for a glass of water, or keep requesting that you come to his room because he needs something. If you suspect he's stalling, don't let him. Tell him it's time for bed and that he can finish working on his art project the next day or find the stuffed bunny the following morning.

You may want to anticipate all of your child's usual (and reasonable) requests and make them part of the bedtime routine. Fill up a glass of water before bed and have him put it on his night table, remind him to use the potty one more time, and give him lots of extra hugs to last him the whole night. Then allow your child one extra request — but make it clear that one is the limit. He'll feel like he's getting his way, but you'll know you're really getting yours.

Offer him acceptable choices at bedtime. These days your toddler is beginning to test the limits of his newfound independence. To help him feel empowered, let your child make choices whenever possible at bedtime, from which story he wants to hear to what pajamas he'd like to wear. The trick is to offer only two or three alternatives and to make sure you're happy with every choice. For example, don't ask, "Do you want to go to bed now?" He could very well say no, which isn't acceptable. Instead, try, "Do you want to go to bed now or in five minutes?" He still gets to make the choice, but you win no matter which option he picks.

Be calm but firm. Stand your ground even if your child cries or pleads for an exception to the going-to-bed rule. If you're frustrated, try not to engage in a power struggle. Speak calmly and quietly but insist that when time's up, time's up. If you give into his request for "five minutes more, please" once, you'll hear it again and again. If he throws a fit, ignore it as you do other tantrums. By paying attention to him — even if you're displeased with him — you've reinforced his behavior.

Moving him to a big-kid bed. Between the ages of 2 1/2 and 4, your child has probably outgrown his crib and is ready to give it up. Moving from his crib to a bed signals to him that he's becoming a big kid. You can tell him that part of getting older is learning how to go to bed when he needs to rest and doing so on his own. Once he's using his new bed, be sure to praise your child when he stays in it at bedtime and overnight. After the confinement of his crib, your child may get out of his big-kid bed over and over just because he can. If your toddler gets up, temper your reaction. Simply take him back to bed, firmly tell him that it's time to go to sleep, and leave. If he still won't stay in bed, you can try one of several strategies recommended by the top sleep experts.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Surviving Bed Rest

Until this point in your pregnancy, you've probably been going about your normal activities of work, chores at home, spending time with family and friends, and exercise. But one day, suddenly or perhaps planned in advance, your doctor tells you that for your health and the health of your baby, you'll be restricted to bed rest.

Even though your friends and family may envy you for what they see as a mini-vacation, don't be fooled - bed rest during pregnancy is no walk in the park. Fortunately, though, there are plenty of ways to make your time in bed more enjoyable and productive, so keep reading and find out how to make the best of bed rest.

Doctor’s Orders

There are several situations that might cause your doctor to recommend bed rest for some portion of your pregnancy. If your medical history, including previous pregnancies, contains information that might point to a medical complication, your doctor might recommend bed rest. Or, you might experience symptoms, such as bleeding or contractions, that require you to go on bed rest.

Even if your medical history is clear and you experience no symptoms, your doctor may require bed rest if the results of a test or procedure indicate a medical complication or if your baby's growth is determined to be poor.

So what are some common pregnancy complications that often result in bed rest? A few include: high blood pressure (including pregnancy-induced hypertension, preeclampsia, and eclampsia), vaginal bleeding (including placenta previa), premature labor, and cervical changes (such as incompetent cervix and cervical effacement).

If you're having multiples, your pregnancy may be termed high risk and will require close monitoring by your doctor. If you develop any problems, your doctor might place you on bed rest. Bed rest might also be recommended if you've had previous pregnancies that ended in miscarriage, stillbirth, or a premature birth.

Just as every pregnancy is different, every woman's experience with bed rest is different. Some women may know early on that because of their medical histories, they will have to go on bed rest at some point in their pregnancies. Other women may be surprised to hear their doctors announce, after a routine appointment, that they'll be on bed rest for a few weeks.

Some women are on bed rest early in their pregnancies and then released, whereas others spend their entire pregnancies confined to their beds. Your doctor can give you specific information about the duration of your bed rest.

How Does Bed Rest Help?

Women with pregnancy conditions related to high blood pressure may be placed on bed rest to decrease stress, both physical and emotional, with the hope of lowering their blood pressure. Vaginal bleeding can be aggravated by activity, lifting, or exercise, so bed rest may also be used to reduce bleeding. Women experiencing premature labor and contractions may also be restricted, because activity and stress can also aggravate these conditions.

Depending on your condition, your doctor may ask you to lie on your side to facilitate blood flow to the placenta or to rest with your feet up and your back elevated.

What Can-and Can’t – You Do on Bed Rest?

Sometimes, doctors recommend modified bed rest or "house arrest," which generally allows women to stay on the couch, bed, or in a sitting position, but restricts them from sexual intercourse, exercise, or lifting. Other women may be told to remain in bed, only sitting up for meals or standing to take quick showers. Some women have to remain in bed in the hospital because their pregnancies require closer monitoring by a trained hospital staff.

Whatever kind of bed rest your doctor recommends, if it's long-term, you'll need to remember to exercise your legs to keep the blood circulating and prevent clots. Because every woman who experiences bed rest is different, be sure to get answers to the following questions from your doctor:

• Can I get up to use the bathroom?
• Can I get up to prepare quick meals or to do light chores?
• Can I take a bath or shower?
• What position should I be in while I'm resting?
• Can I go to work or work from home?
• Is driving OK?
• How much walking is safe?
• How much and what kind of sexual activity is OK?
• What activities can I do to increase blood circulation safely?

Tips for Surviving Bed Rest

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to make your bed rest enjoyable without becoming addicted to daytime TV. Try these tips:

Stick to a schedule. Even if you have to stay in bed all day, you'll feel better if you take care of yourself. After you wake up, change into comfortable clothes and plan what to do for the day. Having a plan will make you feel as if you're accomplishing something and will give you something to look forward to.

Catch up while you can. Let's face it, after the baby arrives, you'll be too busy to think about catching up on correspondence or reading your favorite author's latest novel. Try these time passers:

• choose a doctor for your child, find quality child care, or write up a birth plan (if you haven't already done these things)
• start a journal chronicling your pregnancy - and your bed rest
• start a family tree that you can share with your child someday
• firm up your baby-name choices; use books and websites for ideas
• organize photo albums
• read anything - newspapers, magazines, classic novels, the latest bestsellers, compilations of fiction or poetry; you could even revisit some of your favorite childhood stories or try out some books from the library for your little one
• watch rented videos/DVDs or taped TV shows
• answer letters or correspondence
• write thank-you cards if you've already had a baby shower; if not, start addressing the envelopes to people (friends and family) whom you know will probably give gifts
• build an email and phone list of people to call when the baby comes, if you haven't already done so
• start a calendar of important dates to remember (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.)
• contact your job about your maternity-leave benefits
• fill out health insurance paperwork for your baby in advance
• designate a guardian for your child and have your lawyer draft a new will

Stock up. Just because you're on your back doesn't mean you have to be unprepared. You can fully stock your baby's nursery and layette by phone or the Internet. Order all the items you think you'll need for the first 3 months - including diapers! In addition to baby stores and centers, online drugstores often carry a wide variety of baby care items that they'll deliver right to your door.

Don't be afraid to ask visitors for assistance. Your friends and family would probably love to help you with household chores, errands, or meal preparation. Create a task list so that when someone offers help, you can assign him or her a task. Visits from your friends and family can boost your spirits - just make sure you ask them to come at a time that's convenient and comfortable for you.

Become a parenting expert. Plenty of parenting books and websites can help to answer many of your parenting and children's health questions. If you feel uncomfortable reading about high-risk pregnancy issues, learn about breastfeeding or how to encourage your child’s development instead. You could also get subscriptions to local and national parenting magazines and start clipping out useful articles and tips. File your clippings in folders (i.e., new baby care, feeding, crying, sleeping, safety, development, etc.) for future reference when the baby comes. Also file away any articles you print out from the Internet.

Seek out a support system. The Internet is a great place to find support from other moms on bed rest. Check out bed rest message boards and chat rooms, where you can share tips and get advice.

Support your support person. You're probably relying heavily on your spouse or partner to tend to household chores, child care, and errands during your bed rest. Make sure you take the time to show your appreciation - you can always order a nice gift by phone or online!

source from http://kidshealth.org