Correct Sleeping
Position
What is the best sleeping position
for my baby ?
Initially, doctors used to recommend making
babies sleep on their tummies to reduce the risk of their choking on spit. Some recent
studies have shown that there is an increased risk of cot death or Sudden Infant Death
Syndrome (SIDS), when babies sleep on their tummies. Thus, doctors now recommend that
babies be made to sleep on their backs or sides. Once your baby can turn over on her own,
this point is moot because she will settle down in whatever position is most comfortable
for her.
Sleeping and Waking
at Odd Hours
My baby is an early riser !
Sometimes you do not know which is worse
– a baby who wakes up at night or one that stirs at the crack of dawn. The latter
situation is probably more painful because the baby is unlikely to go back to sleep as she
is ready to start her day.
- In situations like this, it may help to keep
her room dark so that the early morning light does not wake her.
- Try to keep her in a room where there is
likely to be less noise.
- Try and keep her awake later at night and
dissuade her from falling asleep an hour or two after she wakes up in the morning.
- Try to see that she does not sleep too much
in the day, but make sure that she does not get too tired from lack of sleep.
- Help your baby to amuse herself in bed. Hang
a mobile over her cot and keep some interesting toys within arms reach. Let your baby
chatter to herself. Only go to her when she shows signs of getting upset.
- Postpone her breakfast hour so that she is
less likely to wake up early for it.
Babies who sleep through meals
Some babies seem more interested in
sleeping than eating. If your baby has a tendency to sleep through mealtimes or to doze
off while nursing, you should attempt to rouse her gently before feeding. You can do this
by changing her position, tickling her feet, removing swaddling clothes, etc. If this does
not work, let her sleep, but see to it that there is no more than a five hour gap between
her meals. Do not establish a pattern where your baby nips and naps at fifteen to thirty
minute intervals. Do whatever it takes to rouse her and ensure that she has a full meal
before she goes to sleep again.
What can I do to help my baby sleep ?
Sleeping in a cot may be quite a strange
experience for your baby. She has just had nine months of the closest contact in your
womb. The surface of a cot may seem like a vast expanse to her. Babies may find it easier
to sleep in the snugger environs of a cradle or a basket for the first few months. To add
to her sense of security you can swaddle the baby and tuck her in snugly. Ensure that your
baby is not too hot or too cold. Rocking, patting and swaying should help her sleep. The
baby might find it difficult to fall asleep without some soothing sounds in the background
like the hum of the fan or the strains of a radio playing softly.
Establish a regular bedtime
routine and ensure that your baby gets enough rest during the day. Preventing her from
sleeping in the day to increase the likelihood of her sleeping through the night may
backfire. This is because an overtired baby tends to sleep more fitfully than a
well-rested one. It may help to keep your baby in a separate room sometimes, but close
enough so that you can hear her if she wakes up. This is to prevent your tendency to pick
her up at the slightest whimper, thus breaking her sleep.
Baby’s need
for Security Objects
My baby won’t sleep without
her teddy bear !
When babies are about nine weeks old, they
sometimes develop an attachment for certain objects like a teddy bear or a blanket, or
develop a habit like sucking their thumb or pulling an ear before going to sleep. Habits
like these were discouraged in earlier times. Parents felt that attachment to security
objects as a crutch to help babies sleep was unhealthy. Today the trend is not to prevent
your babies from becoming attached to security objects. This change in attitude is based
on a belief that habits like this are the baby’s way of learning to cope without you
and helps them to become self-reliant.
Should I be worried if my child is obsessed with the security object ?
However, if your baby is clinging to his
security object all the time, even when you are around, it may be a sign that you are not
fulfilling her need for love and comfort, forcing her to seek it elsewhere.
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