What Should You Do If You Are Really Struggling
Poor infant sleep is often very stressful for parents and is associated with postpartum depression. Compounding parental exhaustion is the fact that parents in the United States have significantly less parental leave than parents in other industrialized nations, often returning to work before their babies are sleeping through the night. I suspect this is why adherence to the Back to Sleep recommendation for safe sleep plateaued in 2001. Although sudden infant death syndrome rates continue to decline, a concurrent increase in the rate of suffocation and strangulation deaths has led to a plateau in the rate of infant sleep-associated deaths since the late 1990s. These may be associated with the kind of unsafe sleep practices that are used by exhausted parents, often accidentally . Although it is difficult to study, there is some evidence that increasing parental leave is associated with fewer infant deaths.
I spoke with Dr. Harvey Karp about the challenges facing new parents. He noted that the safe sleep guidelines can only go so far when no provision is made for the sleep of exhausted parents.
If you are struggling, I strongly recommend discussing your concerns with your childs pediatrician, both to rule out any medical cause for your babys irritability , and to come up with strategies to help you manage your exhaustion. These may include asking a grandparent or friend to provide some respite care or, if your child is over 4 months old, sleep training.
Dont Let Your Newborn Sleep In The Car Seat
This is a contentious one, because weve all been there: Your baby conks out in the car seat while youre driving home or running errands, and the beauty of the bucket seat is that you can pop it out and transfer your sleeping infant inside for the remainder of her nap. But according to the AAP, allowing an infant to sleep in a bucket car seat thats been placed on the floor or clicked into a stroller is a safety hazard, as the babys head can fall forward and cause something called positional asphyxiation. Due to the angle of the seat design, its much safer to let your newborn nap in the car seat while its attached to the base and installed in the car. Letting your baby sleep in a car seat overnight when youre not awake enough to check on her is a serious baby sleep mistake. In fact, experts actually recommend limiting the time your baby spends in a car seat, bouncer or swing to 30 minutes, mostly for developmental reasons and the risk of developing positional plagiocephaly . However, wed like to acknowledge that this 30-minute maximum is downright impossible on road trips, for parents who have long work or daycare commutes, or when the swing is truly the only place you can get your infant to nap. Wed love to see some more research on this recommendation.
When Is It Safe To Have Your Child Sleep Elsewhere
Sometimes sleep on the move is inevitable, and most babies will need to fall sleep in a car seat or stroller from time to time the authors of the Pediatrics study took pains to reiterate the fact that car seats remain the safest way for babies to travel, and to note that almost all of the car seat-related deaths occurred outside a motor vehicle. Its also important to remember that deaths in these devices were relatively rare. Yet there are a few rules of thumb to keep in mind.
First, babies in car seats, strollers and bouncers should be observed. Obviously, this is impractical if you are, say, driving a car, but you should never leave your child alone in a car seat. For devices like swings and rockers, you must be nearby and keeping an eye on your baby.
Heres the most important part: Once your child falls asleep in a swing or a car seat , you should transfer him to a crib or bassinet. As Dr. Colvin noted, Just like you would never let your infant travel in a car unless they were in a car seat, you should never let your infant sleep when outside of the car unless they are in a crib or bassinet.
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Dont Buy Those Cute Crib Bumper Sets You See On Blogs And In Catalogs
This ones pretty easy to follow: dont use crib bumpers. They are a SIDS risk, the sale of them is even banned in some US states, and doctors have been lobbying against crib bumpers for years. Yes, some babies flail around a lot in their sleep, especially when theyre on the verge of learning to roll, crawl, or walk. But they probably wont seriously injure themselves by bumping their heads on a crib rail. While those breathable mesh bumpers do a good job of keeping soothers from poking out of the crib slats, they are not recommended due to the risk of entanglement and strangulation. And while were at it, you shouldnt use a DockATot or infant lounger for unsupervised sleep inside the crib, either. Theyre technically no longer available in Canada, but similar products are still on the market.
Baby Wont Sleep In The Bassinet Why And What To Do
It can be so physically and mentally exhausting when your baby wonât sleep in the bassinet. In these scenarios, usually your baby prefers to sleep on you or in your arms. At first you might have found this adorable and loved the cuddles, but as the weeks fly by youâre finding yourself being held captive and having other things that need your attention.
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Is It Safe To Stop Cosleeping
Safety-wise, theres nothing that you should be worried about. The most important thing that you have to consider if you want to enable your newborn to start sleeping on their own is how comfortable they and you are. It can be emotional for both of you when you choose to stop co-sleeping, so if you have decided that this is best for your family, dont be afraid to start slow.
If you are sharing a bed, move babys crib into your room by your bed and lay them in there. Once he or she gets used to that sleeping environment, you can slowly introduce them to the new world, which would be a separate bedroom, when you are ready.
Baby monitors can help you rest a bit easier once you make the move. You will be able to check on them and be aware of whats going on whenever youd like.
Want to know more? Read our safe co-sleeping guide here.
Why Does My Baby Not Sleep In A Crib Anymore
You might have had some initial success with this sleeping arrangement only to find that you regress weeks or months later. Consider what kinds of habits you may have inadvertently developed or take into account some other changes your infant may be going through. Here are some things to think about to get you started:
- Have you been using the crib as a place for timeout or a safe place to put your little one when you need a few minutes on your own?
- Are you only using the bedroom for sleep and nothing fun?
- Is your child used to falling asleep in your arms or while being fed?
- Are there other big changes happening in your life or your childs? Are you pregnant, is your little one teething or has he begun to show signs of separation anxiety.
If your child has gone from sleeping successfully in their own bed to no longer enjoying it, one of these environmental factors could be at play.
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Spend Time In The Nursery
Your little one may not be too crazy about their crib right now because they are unfamiliar with it. If theyve been sleeping in a bassinet or a bedside co-sleeper, this is all they know and are comfortable with.
One of the best ways to familiarize them with their crib is to spend more time in the nursery.
This might involve playing in the room during the day, reading, or feeding them in the space. You can also start laying them in the crib for their daytime naps to help ease the transition.
Establish New Sleeping Routine
This is the first step on how to get your baby sleep in the crib. Let your baby know when its time to sleep regardless of where to sleep. Make it a routine and let your baby know he/she belongs to the crib. Let her know the crib is good and comfortable. It is always good to have the crib in your bedroom so as to monitor the kid. When the crib is rightfully placed in your bedroom, you will be able to monitor the kid and breastfeed when necessary.
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When Newborns Sleep The Night
Many factors come into figuring out when your baby will be ready to sleep through the night. Whether they are bottle-fed or breastfed, the kind of sleeper youve chosen, your babys temperament and personality, will all play a factor.
Every baby is different some will start sleeping longer earlier, whereas others take their sweet time. Any mother with multiple children can probably confirm this, as sleep patterns even vary between siblings!
However, dont be too discouraged. By six months, most babies will be sleeping for long stretches during the night. Having a bedtime routine can help speed this process up .
Can A Bedtime Routine Help Your Baby Sleep
Yes. Your babys sleep schedule changes over time, but sticking to a routine can make bedtime easier for the both of you. Start setting a bedtime routine when your babys around 4 to 6 months old.
Heres how to get your baby ready for bedtime:
- Wind down any playtime fun.
- Turn off the phone, television, etc.
- Give your baby a warm bath.
- Softly stroke your babys back.
- Give your baby a pacifier.
- Sing to your baby or play soft music.
- Read your baby a bedtime story.
Stick to your babys sleep routine as much as you can. Plan ahead if your babys routine may need a temporary change, like if youre going out of town travel or attending family parties. Change his bed time the best you can but try to get back to his schedule and routine as soon as possible.
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My Baby Won’t Sleep In His Crib What Can I Do
Published : 23-11-2018 11:53:00 Categories :baby-sleep
In the evening, it’s time to relax and the whole family deserves a good night’s sleep. Yet your little one doesnt agree: he wants to spend more time with you and wont sleep in his crib. And your baby will use all possible means to achieve it. Weeping and shouting, then later on other excuses appear “I’m thirsty”, “I need a hug from Mom, then from Daddy … then from Mom” , “The door creaks” etc
Why does your baby refuse to sleep in his bed? Should you surrender or be firm when you are confronted with your childs big tears? You, like most of the parents, have to face all those numerous questions and dilemmas and the answer is never obvious! Let’s go together through this difficult stage in a young parent’s life.
When To Start Transitioning To The Crib
Its best to start thinking about how to get your baby to sleep in a crib and then taking steps to get there during the first six months of their life. After six months, your little one will be set in their ways and it may be difficult to get them to change.Once youve decided to make the switch from your babys current sleep environment to a crib, the question then becomes how to make the transition easier.
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Baby Sleep: A Dilemma For Parents
Baby sleep is a controversial topic. Should your little one sleep in his crib or on the contrary, should you co-sleep? To those simple at first sight questions, there are as many answers as families! It’s up to you to choose according to your feelings, your way of living and of course the comfort of your baby. The good sleepers who have a large bed, will not mind if their child slips into their bed in the middle of the night. On the contrary, the big insomniacs will prefer that the baby learns to sleep by himself. In either case, there is no right or wrong solution. Do not blame yourself if you let your baby sleep with you, or if you want to teach him to fall asleep alone without Dad or Mom. The difficulties related to infants sleep are present in any family . Think about the day when you will wake up your child who has become a teenager in the morning at 11 AM!
Let Your Baby Cry It Out
One crying-it-out type of sleep training is the well-known Ferber Method, also known as “Progressive Watching” or “Graduated Extinction.” The goal is to teach your baby how to sleep on their own and put themselves back to sleep if they wake up during the night. Richard Ferber, MD, director of the Center for Pediatric Sleep Disorders at Children’s Hospital Boston, developed this method. He advises parents not to start this training until their baby is at least 5 or 6 months old. Heres an overview of how its done:
- Put your baby in their crib — drowsy, but awake. Once you’ve finished their bedtime routine, leave the room.
- If your baby cries, wait a few minutes before you check on them. The amount of time you wait depends on you and your baby. You might start waiting somewhere between 1 and 5 minutes.
- When you re-enter your babys room, try to console them. But do not pick them up and do not stay for more than 2 or 3 minutes, even if they are still crying when you leave. Seeing your face will be enough to assure your baby that you are close by so they can eventually fall asleep on their own.
- If they continue crying, gradually increase the amount of time you wait before going in to check on them again. For instance, if you wait 3 minutes the first time, wait 5 minutes the second time, and 10 minutes each time after that.
- The next night, wait 5 minutes the first time, 10 minutes the second time, and 12 minutes each time after that.
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