Baby Sleep Patterns

Once the baby is born, your baby will spend the better part of the day sleeping. Sleeping is an essential and important activity for your baby. Growth hormones work most effectively when the baby is asleep. Initially for the first few months, your baby will continue with their own sleep pattern, sleeping as and when they like. As they grow older they will slowly learn to adjust their sleep pattern to your daily routine. When they are about three months old your baby will normally, sleep for 10 hours at night on the whole, even if he or she wakes up in between. Your baby's daytime sleep can often be divided into two sessions - morning and afternoon.

Everybody has his or her opinion when it comes to care and upbringing of a baby, therefore sleep is no different. Even the simple task of deciding the length of a baby's nap, or how to put your baby to sleep has become complicated, because of the number of opinions you will get. As a result of the emotional involvement in caring for your baby every small aspect becomes an issue. Most mothers are more than happy to make adjustments and will schedule their sleeping pattern to fit their baby's sleep pattern. This ensures that mother and baby sleep together which is ideal. Sleeping together ensure strong emotional bonding between the mother and her baby. Studies have shown that babies who sleep with their mother receive more touching, breastfeeding and protection.

If you feel that your baby should have a sleep pattern that is convenient for everyone at home and that does not interfere with your sleep pattern, you will have to make the baby learn a sleep pattern. One of the most common ways to make a baby sleep, is to use music, either sing to the baby or play some soothing music and before you know the baby is fast asleep. This is a method that has been tried and tested over the years and this wisdom has been passed on from generation to generation, though the type of music used may vary.

Some parents choose a particular song for each child and sing this special song day after day at the baby's bedtime. They begin this when the baby is a few days old. After some time the baby gets conditioned and will sleep easily once you start singing the song. If you don't want your baby to get used to the habit of being rocked to sleep you can try using a musical toy. Wind-up this toy and it will play music for a few minutes. Use this toy every time you want to make your baby sleep. Place it close to his or her cot. After sometime he or she will get accustomed to falling asleep to the sound of the musical toy. This method will help your baby sleep comfortably even if you are away from home.

Today CDs are created with specific music, which help very young babies fall asleep. While selecting music, they use music with the same beats per minute as the heartbeat of the mother, which the baby hears while in the womb. This has a soothing effect on the young baby, helps him relax and fall asleep comfortably. You can choose whatever method suits you or try all of them and decide which one works best for your baby.

Baby Massage
Baby massage is an ancient childcare practice that is still practiced all over the world. Recent medical research has proven the benefits of the same. Studies have shown that premature babies when regularly massaged require minimum hospitalization. All newborns show healthy growth

Baby Sleeping Bags
The concept of baby sleeping bags, though considerably new in many countries of the world, has been in vogue since quite sometime. They are nothing, but specially designed sleeping bags that are meant for the purpose of keeping a baby warm, secure and comfortable at night.

Baby Cot Safety
There is nothing more peaceful than the sight of a sleeping baby. At the same time, there is no thought more terrifying than having to see your baby hurt himself/herself, while sleeping soundly. Unfortunate as it is, there are a few instances of cot deaths. Every parent’s main concern is to keep their baby safe and sound

Co-sleeping With Baby
When we think of a young baby sleeping, the most natural assumption is that, the baby will be sleeping with his mother. Babies have slept with their mothers from time immemorial. This was thought to be the best practice as constant contact between mother and baby not only gave the baby a sense of security

Baby Sleep Routines
Though babies sleep a lot, it may not be in long sessions. In the initial weeks, the baby will take a number of naps, which may vary in length. As a result, he/she will have no set sleep sequence. Hence, his/her sleep pattern can vary from not sleeping to sleeping every now and then.

Baby Napping Tips
Having a new born baby is an incredible experience. However, this experience can also bring along anxiety. One source of that anxiety is when your baby is not sleeping well. Proper sleep is, as we know, very essential for babies. Some babies are not able to complete their cycle of sleep due to various reasons.

Baby Sleep Problems
Nothing can be more pleasing than to see a newborn sleeping peacefully. A newborn needs 14 to 20 hours of sleep a day. It is essential for a baby to complete his/her cycle of sleep; otherwise, lack of sleep may affect his/her health adversely. Some kids get up from sleep, eat and go back to sleep.

Getting Baby to Sleep in Crib
Patting them, swaddling them, singing lullaby to them, taking them for a walk, and many more things just to make the little babies get some proper sleep. However, it is not an easy task. Babies are very choosy and restless when it comes to sleeping. During the first few days, you prefer making your baby sleep next to you.

Getting Twins to Sleep
Twins are double delight, but this fun can also get along double of problems and responsibilities as well. Having twin babies is quite lucky and can be a great fun only if you know how to handle them together. It becomes troublesome at times for parents to take care of twins, especially when both are as demanding and as fussy.

Getting Your Baby on a Sleeping
Rock them, cradle them or wrap them up, whatever you do your baby is not ready to sleep! This situation can occur with any parent. Babies are usually restless and getting them to sleep at night is very difficult, as they are still in an excited mind frame. It is beneficial for this reason to have a fixed sleeping routine for your baby.

Newborn Sleeping Positions
Newborns need a lot of sleep. While this helps the child in his/her overall health and growth process, it also gives you a little rest to the new mother. However, you need to consider if your child safe while sleeping. This may sound a bit strange and out of place, because a baby can’t be safer than when he/she is sleeping soundly.

Positional Asphyxia in Infants
Babies are like these charmers, who can just cast a few spells on you and make you wander around them. If there is a newborn baby in the house, he/she makes sure everyone’s attention is focused only on him/her. Babies will wake up in the wee hours of morning, sleep at odd times, and cry continuously for you to figure out the reason.

Baby Care
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