Selfish or Self care???

Selfish or Self care???

I published on the blog a little while ago and thought it would be perfect to include in our self care month. I need this reminder lately.

Working out whether you are being selfish or merely self caring can be confusing and  something that causes many some angst.  This is a challenge for all of us but especially those caring for others, and parents are doing that 24 hours a day to more than one other.

The “right” thing to do, or the “nice” thing to do is to be there for others, put others first,etc.   This is great however no one ever told me that to be able to be at your best to, give others your best,  you have to put yourself first at times. That is something I have learned in more recent years and have found it to be so very true.  I have become happier from it too.  I certainly notice the difference in me, my reactions particularly, when I have had time for me to do my thing just for me.  Even for a snippet of time compared to what  I used to.

There is no point giving, giving, giving when you have nothing left in the tank to enjoy.  Life is meant to be a balance.  In order to enjoy giving, we also need to enjoy receiving. It is a two way street. Think how good you feel when you give to others.  Is it right to deny that feeling for someone else?

Parents particularly seem to feel a greater burden of putting themselves second behind their children.  While to an extent this may be necessary  in some aspects, there still needs to be some room for self care.

Parents usually want to be good role models for their children. We all are better human beings when our needs are met if we are to be great role models for others , this is important to remember.

We can’t expect others to respect us and help us if we don’t respect our selves. Part of self respect is self care.  Besides, no-one enjoys being with someone who is so exhausted and unhappy that they are cranky and not fun to be around.

So are you giving your best?  If you are not getting some time out from your day to day activities with some fun, chances are that your best is yet to come.

Give it a go.  It may be hard to say “no” to a request at first or to “ask” permission from your partner or children or to even start thinking about the possibility.  The fact remains it is important for your wellbeing to take care of you. Self care not selfish.

How are you going to give your self care today?

Teaching Patience (3)

Teaching Patience

3. Relax about the cleanliness  and tidiness of the house.

A common concern for new mothers is to be able to do as much in the house when you have the baby as you were able to before the baby came along. For most women, prior to the baby’s arrival, they were at work full time. Of course they managed to run a house and keep it clean and everything else that goes with it and hold down a full time job.

A common thought is “I’ll be home all day. I’ll probably get bored. Of course I’ll be able to do everything”.

How much time caring for a baby takes up can be surprising. Even when others inform you of how it was for them, it can seem unreal that this little person takes up so much time, energy and patience. Often times you will feel like you are doing nothing but holding them. 

This is an important part of caring for a newborn. It is the crux of their care. 

Newborns are building trust and cuddling them is part of it. 

Feeding also takes a long time initially. As time goes on, they get more mature and you develop a system or routine, it does take less time.

Some women have a plan of doing one thing a day. This might be to vacuum the lounge on Monday, Wash on Tuesday, do the bathroom on Wednesday etc.

Others elect to get a cleaner once a week, fortnight or once a month even just to do the basics.

Of course if friends or family offer to help out with this we encourage to take them up on the offer.

For extra tips visit insyncwithinfants.com

How to Lengthen Day sleep

The dreaded cat nap! Is it possible to lengthen my baby’s day sleep? is a frequent question I hear.

The answer can be yes… and it can be no! 

Basically see what your baby needs. Some may be quite happy to have a number of shorter sleeps in the day. Others very obviously need to have at least one longer sleep because of their behaviour.

If your baby is cranky or unhappy a lot of the time in the day it may be that he or she needs more sleep even if he or she is getting some sleep already.

Here are 3 tips to help lengthen your baby’s sleep time:

1. Catch early tired signs:

 If your baby is going to bed already overtired it is harder for him or her to get to sleep initially and then to stay asleep. This is because they feel yucky from being overtired.  Think about when you are overtired.  It  usually takes a long time to go to sleep, by time you do you feel even more cranky and frustrated because you just want to sleep.

2. Watch what,if any, sleep associations your  little one needs for sleep:

A sleep association is something your little one needs to go to sleep.  As adults we may have a favourite pillow, need a blanket on etc to sleep well.  These are all sleep associations that are helpful. If your baby has a sleep association that is not there when he or she comes into a light sleep, it may prevent him or her from going back to sleep in the next cycle. For example a young baby falling asleep with a dummy and then losing it.

3. Be persistent:

If you can see that your little one needs more sleep, keep at it. Your little one is too immature to decide this for him or herself.  This is where as a parent, it is up to you to seek out ideas, tips or strategies to help, to implement them and to stick with it. Your baby’s age will affect how long it will take to teach something new. A younger baby may not have habits ingrained as much as an older baby. It takes time to form a  new habit which is basically what we are doing. We are teaching something new.  A lot of parents give up too soon.  Keep at it and it will change.

Helping your baby to get more sleep will bring it’s own rewards.  Your baby will be so much happier. In addition you will enjoy him or her even more and you will feel happier that your little one is happier. Babies thrive when they are well rested.

Peaceful baby sleep & getting rid of the dummy

Peaceful baby sleep and getting rid of the dummy

Baby sleep and dummies.

 

So many parents struggle with how to get rid of their baby’s dummy.

It’s a question I answer almost weekly. If you are wanting to ditch the dummy don’t worry!
It can be done, probably more easily than you think!

Using a dummy to help soothe your baby can be helpful when your baby is little. However, a dummy can go from being helpful to becoming a problem  for baby sleep as your baby grows. By this time the baby can be very dependant on his or her dummy.

Anything we do repeatedly becomes an ingrained habit for babies, toddlers and children. Repetition is a useful way to learn. It gives little ones that sense of security because they know what to expect. Changing what they know can be a hard task. A change to any habit is usually met with resistance, particularly by young babies because they cannot put into words what they may thinking or feeling.

Most babies will scream when any changes are made to habits and expectations that are really ingrained.It’s their only way of protesting.  Most parents, understandably, avoid this situation and inadvertently make unhelpful habits even stronger. Don’t be afraid of crying. You can support help them to work through their feelings.

A dummy is used to soothe. When you are getting rid of the dummy it is essential to show your baby other ways to soothe. A firm, calm cuddle is one of the best ways to soothe your baby.

Some techniques and principles to assist in getting rid of the dummy:

• clear communication
• plenty of emotional support
• planning and alternatives
• expecting and working through resistance

With careful planning and a concerted follow through getting rid of your baby’s dummy can be achieved with relative ease. You can also enjoy peaceful baby seep again.

How do sleep cycles affect your baby's sleep?

Most of us are aware of sleep cycles. As adults we have learned to sleep from one cycle to the next
without any fuss or trouble.

 

The exception may be if it is raining heavily outside or storming, a dog is barking or there is something very different to normal happening at night. this is when we may wake up between sleep cycles and check out what is going on. As adults we usually can go back to sleep easily.

 

Your baby also has sleep cycles. Newborns have quite short cycles- as short as 20 minutes. As your baby grows the sleep cycles lengthen gradually. Babies often wake up between cycles and this is a normal part of newborns. It doesn’t always mean they have to be entertained when he or she wakes, just that it is the break form one cycle to the next.

 

The waking that you see between short cycles is not always actual waking. With newborns, that waking may just be a light sleep between cycles. This is the bit that often trips people up:

 

New parents are so in love with their baby and so committed to be the best parent they can, not harming their baby and ensuring their baby gets everything they could possibly need, parents often inadvertently misinterpret light sleep for wake and wake up their baby when they probably needed to go back to sleep and weren’t really awake at all.

 

This can be really tricky and can be quite confounding to begin with. As time goes on it will be easier to work out when your baby needs to go back to sleep and when he or she is ok to stay awake for some play or talk time.

Are day time and night time really that different for baby sleep?

Does your baby seem to fight day sleep, refusing to nap?
Have you heard that you absolutely MUST make your baby’s day and night sleep very different so that he or she learns the difference between day and night sleep?
Have you tried to make day and night different and it is still not working?

 

Babies with mixed up sleeping patterns, partying all night and napping all day, are a common problem for new parents. I often hear new parents say they have to make day and night sleep different for the baby. They want their babies to know the difference between night and day to help everyone have a good, restful nights sleep.

If you are trying to make day and night sleep different for your baby - STOP!

Your energy is better spent in other ways.

 

You don’t need to do things differently for day and night sleep

Being consistent about sleep is more important. Sleep routines and sleep cues help to get your baby to sleep easily and in a more reliable pattern. Your baby already can tell there is a difference between day and night just from different noises and noise levels, activity levels, light and dark and temperature to name a few.You already do things differently at night to day. There is no need to make a bigger issue out of it.

 

Have you heard these common myths about day sleep, naps and night sleep?
- She is sleeping too much! That’s why she doesn’t sleep at night!
- He won’t sleep because he’s bored! You need to wear him out during the day!

 

These baby sleep myths need to be busted. Your baby needs lots of good day sleep to sleep well at night. Babies don’t get bored, but they do get overstimulated easily. Both of these myths lead to overtired, overstimulated babies who don’t sleep well at night. Understanding sleep will help when well meaning friends and relatives offer this kind of advice to improve your baby’s sleep.
Learn more about Baby Sleep Click here

Healthy sleep habits

[caption id="attachment_2114" align="alignleft" width="150"] Early tired signs[/caption]

 

We have already talked about habits or routines. There are routines for bathing, feeding, changing and sleep to name a few. Mostly everything we do has developed into a pattern of activities whether you realise it or not.

It is possible to start developing helpful sleep habits from early days home from hospital. Most parents find this easier to do with second or third baby just because with the first one it is such a huge change to your daily life that trying to do this from day one is quite overwhelming.

 

Flexibility  and consistency is key. Generally if you have an idea of what you’d like  your baby’s sleep habits to be from birth that is great. If you remain flexible with it but still have the main goal in mind you will get there.

 

Newborns are immature and all sorts of things affect them- some we don’t even realise. Expecting your baby to fit into your idea of what he or she should do at any given time will probably end up in tears.

 

Healthy sleep habits are those that fit in with natural principles of sleep, are respectful of individuals and are activity based rather than strict and rigid.  It includes choice of bedding and sleep clothing, the environment for your baby to sleep in and timing of sleep so your baby is as relaxed as possible to go off to sleep rather than over tired, overwhelmed, over stimulated and cranky and so needing a lengthy time to unwind before going to sleep.

 

Healthy sleep habits often mean the difference between peaceful, restful sleep  resulting in a relaxed happy baby and a cranky baby who struggles with sleep every time. When your baby is relaxed and happy often so is everyone else.

Sleep associations & healthy baby sleep

Sleep associations

 

[caption id="attachment_2523" align="alignleft" width="150"] healthy baby sleep[/caption]

 

When we talk about healthy sleep, how sleep works and how to maximise sleep for anyone not only your baby, knowing about sleep associations is an important part of it all.  Knowing about sleep associations will help you trouble shoot sleep problems and get you the sleep you are after.

Sleep associations come into play in light sleep states. Generally if what was happening when you  went to sleep isn’t happening in light sleep, you will usually wake up because the trigger for sleep isn’t there any more. This is a sleep association.

Basically the thing that is associated with sleep usually needs to be there  at light sleep to give that signal that it is still sleep time. Remember light sleep is usually just a lighter consciousness ideally, Not a complete wake up.

For your baby the same applies.  This is often one of the main reasons that  your baby may at times wake up after a short time and need help to get back to sleep again.

Once your baby knows about sleep  this is not such a big factor. When learning about sleep it is a bigger influence.

Sleep associations can be termed helpful or unhelpful. As long as they are working they are helpful. When they are not, they are unhelpful.  Sleep associations can start out being helpful and then change into being unhelpful after a time.  As your baby grows and matures what once was helpful may become unhelpful. This is how some sleep difficulties inadvertently come around.

 

Young babies will usually require a number of  things to help him or her sleep. When you use a number of things for sleep some of them may eventually be unhelpful and some will always remain helpful.  If there are a few associations we can wean off the unhelpful ones when they are no longer helpful. In this way you still have helpful ones so you are not trying to start something new at a time that is stressful for everyone.

Night time routine

Night time routine

[caption id="attachment_2188" align="alignleft" width="150"] night time sleep routine[/caption]

 

Most new parents find their baby’s night time wakings a rude shock to the system.  They quickly find out that the tiredness you experience as a parent is very different to the tiredness you feel as a partying young adult with no children. As a parent there is no night off, and no sleep in the next day either! Think about going out partying late into the night every night and then getting up to go to work and trying to perform at your job - every day. You would probably not be looking, feeling or performing at your best.  Sleep deprivation can impact on your mood, health, judgement, decision making and so many other important skills. Any parent will tell you there are no days off, so it is essential to minimise the disruption to a good night’s sleep.

 

Babies are immature little beings who wake at night for any number of reasons, importantly they need night feeds until around six months of age. We understand this and accept it.  You can streamline night time wakings by developing night time habits that assist everyone to go back to sleep easier.

 

Five top tips to minimise night time waking:

 

1. Swaddling - Swaddling newborns if they are in their own cot or bassinet is the number one tool to help babies sleep at night.  This would be our most important habit to use to help your night time get better.

 

2.  Low lights - Only turn on the light if you really need to. Keep lights down low so that you keep baby as drowsy as possible so that he or she hopefully settles easily at the end of the feed.

 

3. Avoid changes -  Only change nappy if you need to. If you are using disposables be aware they are designed to soak up a lot of fluid. Your may be able to go all night comfortably without a change.

 

4. Quiet - Use a gentle, calm, soft and quiet voice and keep talking to a minimum.

 

5. Avoid play time at night -   Remember just because your baby is ready for play doesn’t mean you have to play with them. Let your baby play if he or she wants- you don’t have to join in. There is plenty of opportunity to play during the day. By reducing stimulation it encourages your baby to settle back to sleep easier.
There are a number of habits you can employ to foster a helpful nighttime routine. These top tips are a great place to start. For more information get one of our resources here-    http://insyncwithinfants.com/baby-sleep/

What is a sleep routine?

[caption id="attachment_2513" align="alignleft" width="150"] What is a sleep routine[/caption]

 

Do you cringe when you hear the word “routine” in regard to babies? In the past strict rule-driven advice, particularly around sleep, has been associated with negative outcomes. That is not what we are encouraging any more. So if you love the idea of a baby routine you can stop feeling guilty!

 

When we talk about babies and routine people often have visions of strict time frames of when your baby will feed, sleep, bath, etc.   Really, a routine with your baby is more a pattern than a schedule. While it will certainly happen that sometimes you will do  the same thing with your baby at the same time, we’d prefer that you think of routines as patterns of activity rather than being held strictly to time. As your baby grows the timing will be more do able. However in the beginning, habits work better usually.

Why should you avoid a time based schedule for your baby?

 

Babies don’t know how to tell time!

 

If your expectation is to do the same thing every day at the same time with your baby, you may be setting yourself up for some unhappy and frustrating days. There will definitely be a few babies who are very laid back and fit into a time based pattern.  However it is our experience that this is the exception rather than the norm. Most times when you try to make your baby fit into a timeframe for your ideal day, the result is tears for both of you.

 

When we talk about a sleep routine  for your baby we are encouraging you to set up habits around sleep that create a predictable, familiar pattern for your baby rather than sticking to a strict time driven routine. Habits come about by doing the same thing over and over again. Most adults have developed habits around everything they do including washing, dressing, folding, packing, eating and yes even sleeping. Mostly we don’t even realise it.

 

Creating a sleep routine actually means setting up habits around sleep so that your baby knows that when you do certain things it is sleep time. When your expectation is shifted to a pattern of activity with some flexibility rather than a set time, your day usually flows better and life is easier.

Heating rooms in winter for snuggly baby sleep

Heating

[caption id="attachment_2188" align="alignleft" width="150"] safe winter sleep[/caption]

 
Heating rooms in winter to take the chill off the air is a common practice for many parents and is also a common dilemma for many. This is mostly to keep the babies room at a constant temperature in an effort to ensure baby sleeps through the night. It is also nicer for the person going to the baby in the middle of the night if the room is a little warmer.
Is it necessary? In Australia - No.

Not unless you live somewhere where the temperature is constantly low and the building you are in is always cold.

 

Many avid campers go camping in cold weather and manage a baby well with appropriate clothing and layering.

 

Even though the air temperature may be low, if your baby is rugged up in swaddles and blankets and appropriate clothing there may be no need to heat the room.
If you do decide to heat the room, we would encourage you just to take the chill off the air not to heat it to a tropical summer island holiday type of temperature. Different seasons offer us different positives and experiences. Winter is no different. It is up to us to adapt.
Enclosed heating devices or reverse cycle air conditioners are the most preferred heating appliances mostly from a safety perspective and also from an energy efficiency consideration.
Heating a room using any means usually has the effect of dehydrating the room and anything in the room. People will often notice potplants needing a little more water. Adults will also notice that they are more thirsty or may even feel like they are hung over if the heating is too high and causes dehydration.

 

Something as simple as putting a bowl of cold water in the room that is heated may help towards stabilising the moisture content in the room.
Babies can easily dehydrate and if you are using even low level heating , may be a little more thirsty and may want to feed for a little longer or have an extra feed. It is realistic to expect this however it may not be noticeable.

 

If you do decide to heat the room in winter for snuggly baby sleep, I hope these ideas will help you.

Swaddling and blankets

[caption id="attachment_2506" align="alignleft" width="150"] snugly winter sleep[/caption]

 

 

Now that winter is here are you thinking - to swaddle or not to swaddle? How can I keep my wiggly baby warm and safe? Are blankets better and warmer than swaddling? Do you need to change what you are doing?

 

 

There is no need to change what you are doing if it is working for you. Remember this Insync with Infants mantra, “there is no problem unless it is a problem for you”. This is our standard advice with anything- if it isn’t broke, then don’t fix it!

 

 

Young babies under three months of age usually respond well to swaddling. We would continue this for as long as it is helpful. Generally a newborns startle reflex disappears around three months of age and any time after that that swaddling may not be as magical. It doesn’t mean you have to stop swaddling though. There are many seven, nine or even 12 month old babies who still enjoy being swaddled for sleep even though they may wiggle out of the swaddle before they go to sleep. For others babies swaddling may not have been helpful from a much younger age.

 

 

So, swaddle or blanket? Personal preference really. I personally think babies are warmer swaddled. They can have a number of layers of swaddling or have a swaddle and then a couple of layers of blankets over them and tucked under the mattress to keep them extra toasty. Blankets that are tucked under the edges of the mattress usually provide a little more warmth than if edges are not tucked.

 

 

It is equally ok to have just blankets. Blankets and swaddles should be made of natural breathable fibres. A number of layers of thinner fabrics works better and is warmer than one or two thick layers. Man-made synthetic fibres are generally not as warm as natural fibres that trap a layer of air next to the skin and keep the warmth next to our body more stable. Thinner layers also protect against overheating (a SIDS risk) by being breathable.

 

 

If your baby is in your bed with you a sleeping bag or blankets is better from a safety point of view than swaddling. When your baby is in your bed with you he or she gets warmth from you and generally stay warmer at a more steady temperature than if in their own cot or bassinet.

 

For most parents a combination of swaddling and blankets works well to help babies sleeping through the night in winter.

 

Follow Insync with Infants on Facebook for more tips and hints on great baby sleep in winter.

PS. Join our webinar Wednesday 18th JUne-8pm-   "Layering for warmth- best options for snuggly sleep". Click here to register-

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/layering-for-warmth-best-options-for-snuggly-sleep-tickets-11914575817

 

snugly winter sleep

Safe sleep in winter

[caption id="attachment_2188" align="alignleft" width="150"] safe winter sleep[/caption]

Many new parents worry about safe sleep in winter.

Is baby too hot? Too cold? Is she/he at risk of smothering or SIDS? There are so many ideas, tips and old wives tales out there that it can be confusing. Babies who don’t sleep well with the onset of cooler weather may be too hot or too cold. No surprises there, but how do you make sure your baby is snug and warm, not too hot and safe as well?
If your baby is too cold, he or she may just not settle and get into as deep a sleep as usual. He or she may wake a bit more frequently than usual. You may find feeding is a little more frequent as they attempt to get warmth from feeding (warm milk)and a cuddle.
IF too hot, an older baby will become sweaty and possibly cranky. A newborn usually doesn’t sweat and has limited ability to create warmth. He or she will become very red looking and cranky and will feel very hot.
Your baby’s head is a large surface area that is used for temperature regulation when too hot particularly. Your baby’s hands and feet can be a little cool and not be a problem. Hands and feet also have a large surface area to help with cooling if too hot. Usually as long as their torso feels toasty that is the main guide for warmth.

 

Safe winter sleep guidelines:

• Use breathable, natural fibre clothing and bedding, preferably fire retardant. ( natural fibers like cotton and wool are also warmer)
• Dressing and wrapping baby in layers of thinner fabrics is much more effective than using one or two thick layers
• Keep open flames or heating elements well away from curtains or where blankets may fall on them
• Always supervise when any heating device is in use around little ones
• Expect your baby to be a little more thirsty if the room is warmed

 

 

When the weather cools down the idea of snuggling in bed with your baby is even more attractive. However, with our knowledge of SIDS, many parents are scared of having their baby in their bed with them in case they roll on them or endanger them in some way. But with those uncomfortable cold winter nights where no-one wants to get out from under their covers the temptation to have your baby in bed with you, even for the last sleep stint before you get up in the morning, can be really enticing. In fact, many parents inadvertently fall asleep at that last feed of the night and wake up in the morning thinking, “Oh, I wasn’t going to do that.”
If you do find your baby in bed with you there are things you can do to minimise risks to your baby and ensure your shared bed is a safe sleep space. Make sure that:
• Your baby is on top of your covers and has his or her own bed clothes( a sleeping bag works really well)
• Your mattress or bedding is firm
• Only one adult is responsible for the safety and wellbeing of your baby
• Your baby is in bed with safe sleepers – no one affected by sleeping tablets, drugs or alcohol
If you plan on co-sleeping with your baby, or just end up co-sleeping as the weather cools down, be sure to read my article on co-sleeping here safe sleep space  for more tips.
Hopefully these tips will help you get your baby sleeping through the night with this onset of colder weather.

 

Safe sleep in winter is just as important as any other time.

Need more help with your baby’s sleep?  Purchase my baby sleep ebook HERE  or  if you want to find out how to enjoy awesome days and blissful nights with your baby  go here   to find out more.

 

Baby Sleeping AND have a Social Life that Works!!

Having your baby sleeping and having a social life is one of the things that seems impossible to new parents. Suddenly their ideas about what life with a new baby would be like is shattered with reality.

What they once thought would be easy; “it’s a baby, how hard can it be? They are so little, surely it’s not that hard?”, is not so easy in reality. The idea of getting out of the house with their baby often seems overwhelming.
Questions come up like: Is it ok to go out with my baby?
When should I go out?
How long is ok to stay out?
Should I just stay at home?
How do I breast/bottle feed/ get baby to sleep when we’re out?
How will I know if my baby is ok with going out?

It is not impossible. Here a few tips to help.

 

1. Take Baby steps.

When you first go out, make it a very short trip. Perhaps to a friend or family nearby. Then perhaps to the shops for bread and milk or something simple that won’t take long. Perhaps meet up with a friend for coffee. Build on longer outings as you gain your confidence.

2.  Wait until you are ready.

There is no timeline for when you have to go out with your baby. Most new parents go out with someone else to start with. Usually we encourage you to wait until you feel more confident with feeding and handling your baby. Get comfortable with the basics first, then consider going solo in public with your baby.

3. Practice at home before you go.

Practice putting your baby in the capsule and the capsule in and out of the car. Practice getting the pram in and out of the car and unfolding the pram so that when you are out you are confident with the mechanical things.

 

These ideas will hopefully help on your way to getting out with your baby. Having a baby sleeping will be easier when you can see your baby sleeping patterns. Once you can get your baby sleeping better then a social life is easily sustained that will benefit your baby too.

Baby sleeping problems- Reflux and babies who don’t sleep.

 

 

Reflux is so very common these days. I have difficulty believing that it is normal for so many babies to be in such discomfort. I have to say I can’t believe mother nature would make so many babies have this uncomfortable thing on purpose. Especially when it causes so many sleep problems in babies.

[caption id="attachment_2319" align="alignleft" width="150"] Baby sleeping problems[/caption]

Reflux occurs when the acid contents of the baby’s stomach wash up in to the baby’s oesophagus. Sometimes babies vomit often and particularly around feeding times. For others there is no vomiting but the symptoms of discomfort are very obvious. These include back arching and crying, sometimes being very rigid in their body, coughing or swallowing after feeds and needing to be upright most of the time.

 
I do believe it is an affliction of our modern life. I intend absolutely no blame here. Medical professionals, mums, therapists, healers, myself- all are doing our best in the way we know how to help mums and families not only manage a baby in distress from reflux, but also to look at ways to avoid it.

 
For those families experiencing reflux, you know that sleep is a scarce commodity and a precious one as a result. Any baby who is in some discomfort will have difficulty with sleep. Catnaps are common and also for sleeping against mum or dad’s chest , usually because being upright is more comfortable than lying horizontal. The problem with this is that mum or dad become exhausted because they are constantly holding their baby. In times gone by when families we’re closer, there would have been another pair of arms to help but in our modern ways when families are often geographically distant it all falls to the few and they quickly become drained and exhausted,thus causing a viscious cycle of tiredness, emotional responses rather than objective clear thinking.

 
In all families experiencing reflux, using posture and possibly different milks is the first line of intervention. With breastfeeding, we’d look at dietary tweaks as a way to help reduce or avoid reflux as a possible option. It is not easy and does take time. Medication and more intensive medical therapies is always secondary and surgery a last resort when other things fail.
Osteopathy or chiropractics may be helpful also.

 
Pre biotics and pro biotics are also mentioned as being useful. Pre biotics are the specific simple sugars that feed the probiotics. Probiotics are the good bacteria that live in the gut and help to break down food adequately.

 
Often in babies with “reflux”- the gut “health” is impaired. All of you in tune with food and our bodies are already aware of the types of foods/herbs that repair gut health. In some it may take a little longer to repair. And for those babies who have a more complex problem that is more than this, it won’t be the only answer either.

 
Reflux may be a very real problem in babies who don’t sleep. For those experiencing baby sleeping problems, whether your baby has reflux as a cause is worth considering.

Baby sleeping

 

Baby sleeping all night-Does your baby’s personality affect sleep in babies who don’t sleep?
Parents struggling with their baby not sleeping all night often wonder if their baby’s personality is part of the cause.

 

Afterall, amongst adults there are varying amounts of sleep per night that are considered normal or adequate for effective functioning.
Often I hear parents say out loud maybe it’s my baby’s personality that makes my baby one who doesn’t sleep. My response is yes , personality can absolutely be a part of your baby’s good or not so good sleep. The good news is that we can always build habits/ routines around sleep so that they all get what they need for sleep.

 
My biggest babies sleeping tip is to follow their lead. If you can follow what your baby needs from you at each point in the day, you can’t go wrong. The tricky bit is working out what that is and timing it right too. This may sound impossible or hard work at the least, however once you are aware of what to look for and are aware of what is reasonable for their developmental ability it becomes much easier. You as a parent don’t have to do the research into this because, guess what, it has all been done for you. Over the previous 50-100 years researchers have been watching, documenting and comparing behaviours, needs and responses for decades all so that it can become easier for you.

 
Afterall if it is easier for you to look after your baby, both you and your baby are going to be happier, you as a parent will enjoy the experience more, feel more confident and empowered and have a stronger relationship with your baby. Stronger family relationships mean stronger community relationships and the snow ball effect from there means greater self esteem, prosperity and country health and wellbeing.
Got off on a tangent. Coming back to the point. Yes your baby’s personality does have an effect on sleep but not to the effect where he or she is overtired all the time from lack of sleep. Your baby may not need as much sleep as another however each and every one of us, your baby included, needs a certain amount to function effectively and feel calm and relaxed.

 

This is the most important bit. If your baby has only 10 hours sleep in a 24 hour period and is calm relaxed and thriving, all good. However if your baby gets 16 hours and is still cranky, upset and needy a little more sleep may make a big difference, even 1 hour can make a big impact.

 

Babies who don’t sleep and babies who sleep all night can both be affected by personality, however the amount of time spent by your baby sleeping needs to be suitable to him or her as an individual.
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Sleep training-Getting your baby to sleep using the pouch or sling

Baby sleep training-

Getting baby to sleep using the Pouch or sling

 

Baby sleep training is still one of the most controversial subjects for new parents. When parents use a pouch or sling in getting their baby to sleep, many from old school type of thinking  may caution that they are spoiling their baby or creating bad habits.

 

Is this really the case though?

[caption id="attachment_2460" align="alignleft" width="150"] sleeping baby[/caption]

 We know that babies love to be held, rocked, soothed, sung to and generally held.  They love the contact and closeness, the security and comfort feelings that it brings. Babies need these feelings for  survival, it is required. So why then are we so averse to giving this to babies when they need it most?

 When your baby feels secure, calm, safe, relaxed and content, he or she requires less of you emotionally and physically because they are ok. When your baby is out of sorts, feels “yucky” for some reason then he or she will require more of you to help him or her return to a calm, soothed and relaxed state.

At times, particularly when discussing infants sleep methods or baby sleep training, using a pouch or sling is often frowned upon. However, it is a very useful tool for helping your baby soothe and calm so that he or she can get the sleep needed to feel calm again. When your baby is overtired he or she needs help to get to sleep and then sometimes to stay asleep. Baby sleep training can play a role here without being strict and harsh and using the pouch in a positive way.

Most babies love being in the sling/pouch because they are near you and feel safe, secure and content. Certainly young babies love it as do their parents mostly.  It is a handy tool for soothing or when doing shopping or walking so that hands are free and baby is calmed.

If you do feel the need to do some baby sleep training in getting your baby to sleep, using the pouch or sling can still be a useful and positive tool to achieve your goals and will not necessarily spoil your baby.

Baby Sleeping -  Babies Who Don't Sleep

To enjoy your baby sleeping he or she must first get to sleep. Babies who don't sleep often either don't know how,  are not given the best opportunities to go to sleep or simply can't because of discomfort.

The good news is that this is all changeable with a little bit of knowledge.

Most of you who know me or have worked with me know that I am often talking about building sleep in babies who are overtired to help get their babies to sleep.  When we are discussing what is happening or not happening for sleep so we can work out what steps to take, the knowledge that sleep builds sleep often takes people by surprise.

 

All too often when we explore what has been trialled, I hear that they have tried everything including keeping their baby up longer hoping that it would completely tire him or her out and so sleep better. Unfortunately that is the exact opposite of what would be helpful.

 

To get good quality sleep, you need to be relaxed.  When any of us are overtired, we tend to have more difficulty going off to sleep. The same is true for your baby sleeping and also for your toddler.

 

When this idea is new to you , it can take a little while to get your head around.  For a lot of us it doesn’t seem to make to make sense.  Most people think that if any of us are over tired we will just go to sleep because we are exhausted.

 

At times this may appear true. Certainly there are many, many babies who do this every day.  They are so beyond overtired that they just crash, often after being awake for hours on end , beyond what they can cope with.  Most times, they are cranky and not happy when awake. Usually sleep will occur in waves with a few nights of problem sleep and then one or two nights of blissful sleep.  When good sleep is not sustained like this there is usually a problem of overtiredness.

 

Babies who don't sleep can become a baby sleeping peacefully and without fuss in most situations, once we work out what is and is not happening for your baby around sleep.

 Why stop thumb sucking?

 

There are many parents concerned about their child still sucking their thumb when most people have the opinion that they shouldn’t.  This can be frustrating, confusing, upsetting and even undermining to a parent.   My hat off to the parent with great internal fortitude to ignore others’ comments and not feel compelled or pressured to address something that until now has not been an issue for themself or their child., and instead to recognise when the time is right for them.

 

Remember a parent is doing their best with what they have and what they know in the circumstances they find themselves at this point of time.

 

The timing of when this is a concern varies . For some it is when their baby starts to suck his or her thumb or finger. For others it is 12 months and others still not until about 5 or 6 years of age.

Generally it seems to be sometime before adult teeth erupt.  Tis would put it about 6 or 7 years of age.  Many would recommend that from age 5 years if thumb or finger sucking is an obvious issue, do not let it go past this age before you start to address the problem.

As a child health nurse we would become aware of it and monitor it from 12 months on and as the child matures, utilise non invasive habits to discourage it.

 

Why is it of such concern?  Most concerns tend to be about teeth and skeletal development  of the mouth. The risk is that pressure from the thumb can eventually change the shape of the growing jaw and cause things such as overbite, or buck teeth or  uneven or mispositioned teeth.

 

It may also interfere with speech.  The tongue is a muscle so if it is worked for lengthy periods in the wrong way it may become thicker in some areas and cause speech problems.  in some instances  it may cause a delay in speech development and others inducing a lisp or mis pronounciation of certain sounds.

 

Ideally we would like thumb sucking to stop somewhere between 2 and 4 years.  As long as it is stopped before adult teeth come through. If left unchecked  it can go to adulthood.