After the baby has enjoyed a nice, long feed, we place a wrap around her just before settling her into the crib. In warm weather, we use a light, fine knit, cotton wrap. In cool weather, we use a warmer, thicker cotton one.
Again, it is essential to be mindful of the temperature as it is dangerous to overheat a baby. The idea is to keep the baby warm, not hot.
I have always thought that the feeling of being encased in a snug-fitting wrap helps to make baby feel cosy and secure. We always wrap it under the baby's arms, covering the baby's torso and legs, with the over-lap under the baby's back. I know many people place the wrap over the baby's arms, to prevent the baby waking herself from a startle reflex. I am sure this works well, however I have never felt comfortable restricting our babies movement to such an extent.
We usually have the wrap already laid out in the crib, so we simply have to lay the baby on it and wrap it around, without too much movement. We then pull the up sheets (and blankets if it is cold) to just below her chin and tuck them in securely on either side of the mattress.
After a peaceful, warm bath, a relaxing massage, a long feed and tucked into layers of snug, secure warmth, who wouldn't feel sleepy?!
We then quietly turn out the light and all go to sleep.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
9. Give baby a long feed just before bed
After we have dressed the baby in a few warm layers of clothing, we make sure that we don't take the baby into any other room. We keep any conversation and other noise to a minimum, keep the lights as dim as possible and I take the baby into my bed for a long breast feed. After a long bath and relaxing massage, the baby inevitably falls to sleep while filling her belly with milk, setting herself up for a nice long slumber.
I know that some people discourage feeding a baby to sleep as they say the baby comes to depend on it, and becomes unable to fall asleep any other way. I would say that the main objective at this early stage is to set the baby up for a nice, long night-time sleep. The baby and the parents will be much happier for it. So, there's really no point in worrying about the long term consequences of such a simple routine. In any case, with each of my babies, I have continued to feed them just before their night sleep (and before their day time sleeps) up until they have reached toddlerhood. At that stage, they have all been fully able to fall asleep without any external aides or enncouragement, so we have not had any problems with this.
I know that some people discourage feeding a baby to sleep as they say the baby comes to depend on it, and becomes unable to fall asleep any other way. I would say that the main objective at this early stage is to set the baby up for a nice, long night-time sleep. The baby and the parents will be much happier for it. So, there's really no point in worrying about the long term consequences of such a simple routine. In any case, with each of my babies, I have continued to feed them just before their night sleep (and before their day time sleeps) up until they have reached toddlerhood. At that stage, they have all been fully able to fall asleep without any external aides or enncouragement, so we have not had any problems with this.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
8. Dress baby warm for bed
After the massage, we always make sure we dress the baby in snug, cosy layers of clothes to make sure she is warm throughout the night.
When I had my first baby, I was amazed by how many layers of clothing the midwife dressed her in before we left the hospital, even though it was summertime. When I thought about it, however, it made perfect sense. The baby had been kept very warm for 9 months, in the womb, and was suddenly confronted with the harsh realty of external temperature.
Obviously babies can't regulate their own temperature, so it's best to make sure that they aren't at risk of feeling cold. Bearing in mind they have little or no hair on their head to help keep them warm, and a limited amount of fat insulation, it will take a few layers of cozy clothing to help replicate the warmth that they have been used to.
Obviously it is very risky to let babies overheat, so you have to be mindful of the temperature of the heating in your home, if you have any, and keep this in mind when dressing baby. Be careful, though, not to underestimate how cold babies can get without adequate clothing, especially in the early hours of the morning, when the temperature can drop quite considerably.
When I had my first baby, I was amazed by how many layers of clothing the midwife dressed her in before we left the hospital, even though it was summertime. When I thought about it, however, it made perfect sense. The baby had been kept very warm for 9 months, in the womb, and was suddenly confronted with the harsh realty of external temperature.
Obviously babies can't regulate their own temperature, so it's best to make sure that they aren't at risk of feeling cold. Bearing in mind they have little or no hair on their head to help keep them warm, and a limited amount of fat insulation, it will take a few layers of cozy clothing to help replicate the warmth that they have been used to.
Obviously it is very risky to let babies overheat, so you have to be mindful of the temperature of the heating in your home, if you have any, and keep this in mind when dressing baby. Be careful, though, not to underestimate how cold babies can get without adequate clothing, especially in the early hours of the morning, when the temperature can drop quite considerably.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
7. Massage baby after bath
After baby has been washed and dried, we continue to keep the lights dim and keep our voices low, and one of us will give the baby a soft, gentle massage. We use a natural oil (coconut oil) as we believe it is the best for moisturising and nourishing baby's skin. However, you might also want to consider using a lavender oil (Johnsons and Johnsons make one), just to increase the sleepy lavender aroma.
We leave the head and face, but gently massage every limb, the torso and the back, using slow, gentle strokes. with fingers closed and using the whole palm of the hand. We pay extra attention to the feet, as our babies have always seemed to find a good foot massage deeply relaxing. In fact, with out last baby in particular, on any occasion where she didn't quite get to sleep after a breastfeed, I would always lie her down on my bed in front of me and give her feet a rub with oil. This would invariably see her sleeping within a matter of minutes! She is 9 months old now, and I still do this sometimes when I need a surefire way to make her sleep.
We leave the head and face, but gently massage every limb, the torso and the back, using slow, gentle strokes. with fingers closed and using the whole palm of the hand. We pay extra attention to the feet, as our babies have always seemed to find a good foot massage deeply relaxing. In fact, with out last baby in particular, on any occasion where she didn't quite get to sleep after a breastfeed, I would always lie her down on my bed in front of me and give her feet a rub with oil. This would invariably see her sleeping within a matter of minutes! She is 9 months old now, and I still do this sometimes when I need a surefire way to make her sleep.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
