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Baby Safety Checklist - Protecting Your Baby
When bringing home your new baby, there are so many things to do in order to get ready. Making your home a safe haven for your new little one is one of the most important things you will do to get ready. Each room contains its own set of dangers....
Baby Shower for Second Baby
Having a shower for second baby used to be considered greedy and unacceptable. But now it is not only acceptable, but it is actually necessary for some families to have a baby shower for second baby. Though mom-to-be may already have a lot of the...
The Chinese Year of the Monkey
The Chinese Year Of The Monkey.. People born under the Chinese sign of the Monkey are great fun to be around. Monkeys are bouncy people, always young at heart, born entertainers, loving pranks and riddles. Happiest when they have an audience,...
The Chinese Year of the Rat
The Chinese Year Of The Rat.. People born under the Chinese sign of the Rat are lucky! Rats are intelligent and great with people, surrounding themselves with many friends. The Rat's natural charisma ensures they are the centre of attention at...
To Love Forever
Some time ago we were leading a college seminar for sexually sophisticated, exuberant and articulate young couples from a local church when James, one of the husbands, said: Nancy and I have long since learned how to insert Tab A into Slot B, so we...
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How To Get Your Baby To Sleep At Naptime
If you baby is not napping well during her first few months of life, you may want to try to cut back on the time she is awake by 15 minute increments. If she is getting overstimulated, then she will fight sleep and be difficult to get to nap. The way to prevent this is to watch her "sleepy" cues to make sure that you put her down when she is beginning to get sleepy.
Some parents believe that letting their child cry will harm him or her. Fifteen or twenty minutes of crying will not harm your child physically or mentally. Babies will learn to self-soothe and fall asleep by themselves, but only if you let her. It is very important that babies learn to fall asleep by themselves so that they can self-soothe if they awake in the middle of the night. Otherwise, you may have a child that will not sleep through the night for years.
Regular sleep patterns are intermeshed with regular eating patterns, so let us look at the stages of a baby's life:
Newborn: Your newborn will sleep anywhere from 16 to 20 hours a day, including the naps that he takes between feedings. When your baby has been fed, let him stay awake for a short while and then put him down before he becomes overstimulated.
Two months: At two months and older, your child should be allowed to try to self-soothe during their naptimes and bedtime. Crying is normal when you put your baby down, but it is okay. If he cries for longer than 10-15 minutes, then go in and check on him. Don't get him up, but pat his bottom or lightly rub his back until he calms down.
3-6 months: At around 3-6 months, your baby will stop taking one of his naps. Usually
it is the third nap or late afternoon nap that they do not need as much. He may be a little fussy and may want to take a little nap, but you need to try to keep him up if you want him to go to bed at a decent time and sleep soundly through the night.
16+ months: When your child is between 16-20 months, they usually quit taking the morning nap in favor of a longer nap in the afternoons. Babies this age usually sleep between 10-12 hours a night and take a 2-3 hour afternoon nap.
Ground Rules about Naps:
1. You decide when the nap starts and ends, not the baby.
2. When your baby is older than 4 months old, she will wake up crying if she hasn't slept enough. She might have a dirty diaper, be in a position that is not comfortable, or cold/hot. Fix the problem and encourage her to go back to sleep. Babies that have enough rest wake up happy, talking, and in a good mood!
About The Author:
Melida Cohen is author of "Baby's First Year: Everything You Should Know but probably don't," She is a mother to 3 children. Her goal is to empower new moms and mothers to be. Visit http://www.CareForMyBaby.com to get a free copy of her baby care newsletter or visit her blog http://www.CareForMyBabyBlog.blogspot.com to chat with her and other new moms.
Copyright Melida Cohen - http://www.CareForMyBabyBlog.blogspot.com
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