water-pitcher-april-31.html
April
32 / 112
sleep
?certainly not the final frontier of parenthood, but perhaps one of the most dif- ficult. from the moment our children come into the world, we worry about their wellbe- ing. we sanitize, we monitor, we check and recheck every- thing. from offering non- gmo organic foods to limit- ing time spent on electronic devices, we only want what is best for our little ones. just as important as nutrition, shelter, and safety, is sleep. it is the absolute key to mental and physical development. exhausted parents on their fourth cup of coffee will find it hard to believe that a child spends approximately 40 per- cent of their childhood asleep. with the frustration, argu- ments, and crying during bedtime, it can feel like much less. here are some tips to help you feel victorious in the battle for sleep. newborns a newborn?s sleep cycle is nonstop in the first few months. coming into this bright new world is exhausting and they will need time to recover and adjust to outside life. your baby
will sleep be- tween 11 and 18 hours a day
, interrupt- ed only by hunger or discomfort. dur- ing this time, it is important to observe your infant closely to identify patterns and signs of sleepiness. yawning, crying, or rubbing their eyes are a few signs it?s time for sleep. in her book, ?e no cry sleep solution , author and parenting educator eliza- beth pantley reinforces being aware of your child?s signals. ?you need to listen and watch your baby carefully. learn to differentiate between these sleeping sounds and awake and hungry sounds. if she is really awake and hungry, you?ll want to feed her as quickly as possible. if you do respond immediately when she is hungry, she will most likely go back to sleep quickly.? put the baby in the crib when sleepy, but not yet asleep. ?is will encourage self-soothing, which will make for an easier bedtime later down the line. make sure to keep the environment bright and filled with noise during the day and dark and quiet at night. ?is will train your newborn to establish a natural sleep and wake rhythm. infants like an answer to your new parent prayers, by six to nine months many in- fants are sleeping through the night. naps are still common throughout the day but will decrease in frequency as they reach their first birthday. during this age, social issues and de- velopmental leaps will affect every as- pect of baby?s life, including sleep. sepa- ration anxiety, illness, and new motor skills can transform a once peaceful sleeper into an inconsolable stage five clinger. don?t be frustrated by sleep set- backs. create a bedtime routine and pro- vide a safe, soothing sleep environment to keep your little one on track. toddlers getting between 11 and 14 hours of sleep a day may seem impossible with your wildly active toddler. ?ey can now move around more easily and have a broader imagination. while these things are natural, they can lead to an- other sleep inhibitor, nighttime fears. if your toddler is showing signs of unease, encourage the use of a security blan- ket, nightlight, or stuffed animal. naps should be less frequent and should not take place within a few hours of bed- time. stick to your schedule. set limits and enforce them. sleep sanity by season vining avoid raising a night owl 32 brparents.com | april 2016
sleep-bedtime-child-33.html