| Probably one of the hardest adjustments of having a | | | | swaddle. Being in a baby gro bag has the added |
| new baby is the lack of sleep that goes hand in hand | | | | benefit that baby will not wriggle out of it and so |
| with your baby needing regular feeds throughout the | | | | wake up cold in the night. Be aware though that like |
| night. If your baby is hungry it needs to be fed, but | | | | duvets there are different thicknesses of gro bags |
| there are a few things that can help your baby settle | | | | from 0.5 tog being extra light to 3 tog being extra |
| for longer until it is only hunger that will wake him or | | | | warm. Most gro bags come with instructions |
| her in the night. By six months most babies do not | | | | regarding this but make sure you have a read before |
| need a night time feed if they have fed well during | | | | use. |
| the day and are not ill. | | | | - Having a 'wind down' routine can help as well. |
| First 9 Months Sleep Advice | | | | Although babies below six months are very young to |
| - When your baby is newborn, after having 9 months | | | | use a routine with, it is possible to have the |
| of a nice snug womb and your body noises and | | | | beginnings of one. Giving your baby a nice lukewarm |
| motions to settle them, sometimes the adjustment | | | | bath, a baby massage with some oil (even f you |
| to the outside world can cause more night wakings | | | | dont know how to do this, your baby will love you |
| than is just down to hunger. It is important to | | | | to just stroke him or her) followed by a breastfeed |
| remember newborn babies have no concept of time, | | | | or a warm bottle of milk in a dim lit room, perhaps |
| night or day, so it will take time for them to fall into | | | | even with some low music playing will help your baby |
| a pattern. With your help though, it is perfectly | | | | realise that when all this is happening, he or she will |
| possible to have them sleeping through by six | | | | be in bed soon and be ready to sleep. |
| months. | | | | - Using aids such as rocking, dummies or feeding to |
| - Making sure your baby is ready to sleep first of all | | | | sleep do all help though sometimes your baby can |
| is most important. With newborns, as they are so | | | | begin to rely on whichever as the only way he or |
| tiny they will mostly drift off to sleep when they are | | | | she can settle to sleep, so when your baby wakes in |
| ready but from around 3 months this can change and | | | | the early hours of the morning, he or she could come |
| they may need you to notice the signs of tiredness | | | | to need you to provide whichever aid they are used |
| and help them to settle. | | | | to sleeping with. If you would like to avoid this, it can |
| Ready to Sleep Checklist | | | | help to use rocking or dummy or a feed as a wind |
| - Is your baby well fed, clean, dry and winded? | | | | down to get your baby sleepy but try to avoid them |
| - Is your baby in good health? Illness can either make | | | | actually falling alseep whilst in the process. Gently |
| babies sleep more or make them find it hard to sleep. | | | | rousing your baby slightly as you settle him or her |
| - Is your baby tired enough? Some say most | | | | into bed for the night will help them begin to learn |
| newborns up to three months of age find it hard to | | | | how to settle off to sleep by themselves. If your |
| stay awake more than two hours without becoming | | | | baby is waking for a feed after 6 months of age and |
| overtired and miserable. Some babies yawn, rub their | | | | you are certain he or she does not really need to be |
| eyes or pull at their ears when they are tired, watch | | | | feeding (talk to health visitor first) then you can |
| for signs. | | | | begin to dilute down your babies milk to encourage |
| - Is your baby too tired? Overtiredness can mean | | | | him or her to drop the feed. |
| that a baby will find it very hard to settle due to too | | | | 10 months to 18 months Sleep Advice |
| much stimulation and lack of sleep. A nice dim lit | | | | - As your baby gets older, his or her sleeping |
| room, a bit of soothing can help your baby to sleep | | | | patterns can change. He or she may need less sleep |
| in this case. Trying to catch your baby before he or | | | | during the day and become harder to settle. |
| she becomes overtired will also help. | | | | - Having a set bedtime routine will now be very |
| If your baby is most of these he or she will most | | | | effective in helping your growing baby understand |
| likely be ready for a sleep. | | | | the signals and become sleepy for bedtime. Again, |
| - Getting a balance with day time naps can also help | | | | giving your baby a warm bath, a baby massage with |
| your baby to sleep longer. It is generally agreed most | | | | baby oil, and then perhaps going into your babies |
| babies before 6 months need around 3 naps in a day | | | | room and sitting down together, reading a book to |
| and will sleep roughly an hour before waking, | | | | your baby, will make for a good bedtime routine. If |
| however all babies are different! If your baby is | | | | your baby is old enough, offering a beaker of milk |
| waking a lot int he night and you dont think it is | | | | whilst reading will keep your baby calm and settled. |
| caused by anything but lack or tiredness have a look | | | | - Some babies like to have a comforter during the |
| at your babies sleep in the day and see if you can | | | | long hours of the night. A soft cuddly toy or special |
| help encourage your baby to have less or more at | | | | comforters such as cuskees bought from |
| certain times. You can never force a baby though, so | | | | mothercare or such places can become your child's |
| if your baby really wont tweak his or her naps, you | | | | firm friend and help them sleep better. Sleeping with |
| may have to try again in a few weeks or so. | | | | your chosen comforter for a night or two before |
| - Have a think about your babies sleeping place as | | | | giving to your child will provide comfort to your child |
| well to help encourage a more settled sleep. Is the | | | | in the fact he or she will be able to smell you from |
| room warm but not too warm? It is recommended a | | | | the toy. |
| babies sleeping room should be constant between | | | | - Avoid watching tv too close to bedtime. Most |
| 16-18 degrees. Is the room very light? Some babies | | | | studies conclude babies who watch a lot of tv |
| may find it hard to settle in a bright room, having the | | | | especially before bed are much more likely to have |
| room kept dim can help them settle better and also | | | | unsettled sleeps. |
| begin to teach them the difference between night | | | | - Your child may still be happy to be in a gro bag at |
| and day as well as teach them that when they go | | | | this stage, which is totally acceptable and can help |
| into a dark room it is most likely time for a sleep. Is | | | | gently restrict your babies ability to try to get up and |
| the room noisy or the surroundings of it? Some | | | | about in the cot. However from12 months of age, it |
| babies like to hear noise when sleeping, others can be | | | | can be a novelty to your baby to introduce a child's |
| easily disturbed by it so it could be something to | | | | duvet and pillow, especially if you let your child pick |
| watch for. | | | | his or her own (more around 18 months). |
| - Swaddling is something that can be considered for | | | | - If you find your baby is waking in the night and the |
| helping your baby to sleep well. Swaddling is the | | | | timing is pretty regular, it could be a habit your child |
| method of wrapping your baby nice and snug in a | | | | has made. To gently break this, there is a method |
| blanket, with arms and legs by its sides and only the | | | | called 'gradual withdrawl'. This means when your baby |
| top of the shoulders and head uncovered. The | | | | cries, you can go in and soothe your baby but |
| reason this is believed to work so well with some | | | | without picking your baby up. You can do this |
| babies is that it replicates the snug feeling of the | | | | perhaps by humming softly or stroking babies |
| womb and also that babies are born with the 'moro | | | | forehead. Reassure your baby that you are there. |
| reflex' (startle reflex) meaning that sometimes when | | | | Try to avoid turning bright lights on and talking loudly, |
| they are drifting off to sleep and their arms and legs | | | | keep it nice and quiet and sleepy. After a few |
| begin to go limp, they can get the sensation of falling | | | | minutes, sit by the cot on a chair and keep very |
| and suddenly jerk awake. Also any loud noises near | | | | softly reassuring your baby that you are there. If |
| by can cause a new baby to fling out its arms and | | | | your baby is happy to settle knowing you are near |
| legs in shock and begin to cry. Having your baby | | | | by, the following evening if your baby again wakes, |
| swaddled helps control the moro reflex, but it should | | | | this time you can move the chair further away from |
| be understood that not all babies necessarily will like | | | | the cot. Continue moving the chair further away until |
| being swaddled. By six months old the moro reflex is | | | | you are by the door. Once you reach the door you |
| minimal or totally gone. Swaddling is really only for the | | | | may now find that after a quick reassurance your |
| first 3-4 months of a babies life after that, your baby | | | | baby will settle if you leave the room. It can take a |
| will need to move about a bit and be able to release | | | | few weeks and you should avoid letting your baby |
| body heat to prevent over heating. | | | | become hysterical but being patient, gentle and |
| - If your baby is one who does not like to swaddled, | | | | reassuring and providing there is no other reason for |
| some mums swear by a baby gro bag (baby sleeping | | | | your abby to be waking that for reassurance, he or |
| bag) that leaves babies arms out and whilst the legs | | | | she should begin to settle soon. |
| are obviously inside they are not held firm like the | | | | |