Settling your baby
It is normal for babies and
children to wake in the
night and this only becomes
a problem when they have
difficulty putting
themselves back to sleep.
If you're having
difficulties settling your
baby as sleep patterns
change, or your baby is
waking and not resettling
in the night, here are some
things you might want to
try.
Remember, consistency is
important and you have to
follow these guidelines for
a few weeks.
Ensure
that your baby is clean,
dry and comfortable and
neither over or under
dressed. A double nappy or
a good quality disposable
is a good idea at night.
Comfort settling
This method can be
difficult for many parents
to implementing, that they
don't have a physical cause
for waking, eg. An ear
infection.
Settling
your baby can be
frustrating and exhausting.
Remember, your calmness
will be reassuring and
comforting. If you feel
your baby's sleeping
patterns are making you
over-tired and irritable,
seek advice from your
pediatrician. It's
important that parents get
sleep too.
Many new
mothers (and fathers!) say
that the change to their
own sleeping pattern is the
hardest thing about having
a baby. Try to sleep when
your baby does if you need
to catch up. Take the phone
off the hook and take a
break when you can.
Friends, relatives and
neighbours can be great for
a helping hand.
Here are
some ideas you might like
to try to settle your baby
-
Put
your baby down in the
cot, then leave the room
for 2-5 minutes. At this
point, your baby is
likely to turn on the
waterworks, screaming and
crying for your
attention.
This can be just as
traumatic for parents as
it is for babies, so do
try to stay as relaxed as
you can manage.
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-
Return
to the room, but don't
turn on the light. Making
as little eye contact as
possible, speak firmly
and quietly, gently
urging your baby to lie
down and sleep. Tuck your
baby in again with a
gentle stroke or pat for
a moment when the crying
has reduced to soft sobs
and sniffles and then
leave the room for 5-10
minutes.
If your baby still won't
sleep, keep repeating
this process, gradually
increasing the time that
you are out of the room.
Eventually, your baby
will know that you will
always come when needed
but all that crying is
just too much like bard
work. These times are an
indication only and you
may need to start by
leaving your child for
shorter periods.
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Tips
-
Some
babies get even more
distressed when parents
come back into the room.
You may want to check if
baby's sleeping from the
door, without entering.
-
If
your baby's distressed to
the point of vomiting or
soiling a nappy, attend
to your baby without
talking or turning on the
main light. If possible,
wash and change your baby
in the comfort of the
cot, before comforting
and trying to settle once
again.
-
The
same rules apply for
settling your baby for
daytime sleeps, but if
you haven't had success
after an hour or so, get
your child up and start
your settling routine
only at the next sleep
time.
If you
feel your baby has a
sleeping problem that you
can't cope with, remember
that help and support are
always available. Ask your
Child Health Nurse or
Doctor for advice. |
