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7 Newborn Sleep Tips From The Baby Sleep Whisperer

7 Newborn Sleep Tips From The Baby Sleep Whisperer

If we had a genie’s lamp, “better sleep for everyone in the family” would definitely be at the top of our wish list.

But until that magical day arrives, we did the next best thing. We spoke to a real-life newborn sleep whisperer – Ingrid Prueher, a pediatric sleep consultant, lactation counselor and founder of BabySleepWhisperer.com. She’s a former Wall Street analyst who became a sleep aficionado after the birth of her second son. He kept waking up every few hours at night, so Prueher used her love of data and research to get him in a good bedtime routine. Now she’s on a mission to help families around the country get in tip-top sleep shape too.

Prueher uses a “five-layer cake” approach. That means laying a solid sleep foundation and then applying a training method, aka the icing. With a little groundwork, good sleep can become a reality.

“My youngest client has been a day old and my oldest client has been 71 years old,” Prueher says. “It’s never too late to get healthy sleep habits in your life and make sleep a priority.”

Here are some of her tips for cracking the code to a better night’s sleep for your newborn.

1. Go back to square one.

Baby’s cranky during the day, waking up multiple times during the night and can’t fall asleep without you. To get sleep back on track, Prueher says to start from scratch. Concentrate on sleep for a good two weeks like when baby first came home from the hospital. Use that time to get nap and feeding times running smoothly, perfect the nursery and eliminate negative sleep associations, like being rocked or fed in order to fall asleep.

“In their first three months of life, you want to help them transition from the womb into our world. After that point, if your child has never slept well, start with some basics,” Prueher says. “Treat it like you’re back to newborn days where you stayed home and focused on all of these things.”

That doesn’t mean never leaving the house or taking an extended staycation. But you might have to press pause on play dates and limit baby’s jam-packed schedule until they’re sleeping through the night. Because baby’s first and second naps are so mentally and physically restorative, Prueher suggests saving errands until second nap is over.

“Change your mindset and make sleep a priority, so you can find what the natural rhythm of the child is,” she says.

2. Know thy baby.

Perhaps it’s no surprise that Prueher is a huge fan of analytics! She recommends taking note of everything surrounding sleep, from diet to mood, then looking for trends in the data. Knowledge is power when it comes to figuring out your baby’s best sleep. Be on the lookout for clues. For example, if baby’s really happy, then starts staring off into space, it may be a way of saying, “Hey guys, I wanna go to bed!” Watch for signs of sleepiness like heavy eyes, redness in the face and even hyperactivity.

“Things like tugging on their ear, yawning a lot and starting to get cranky means the child is starting to get in an overtired state,” Prueher says. “But parents aren’t necessarily going to know that right away, so I want them to start logging it because then they start learning.”

3. Designate a sleep zone.

Life is unpredictable, but baby’s sleep shouldn’t be. Until your child’s in a good place sleep-wise, limit zzz’s to one area of the house, like the nursery. No napping wherever baby’s heart pleases. No dozing off in Mom’s arms or the stroller.

“Just for reset purposes, I don’t recommend having the child sleep everywhere,” Prueher says. “Give them a place to rest. A true place to rest. They will become more flexible later on once you teach them to actually sleep.”

4. Make sleep a team sport.

Setting up a routine and establishing positive visual and verbal sleep cues (pulling down the shades, reading a book, coming up with a catchphrase like “It’s time to go to bed!”) are great. But none of it will matter if Mom follows one routine at night, the nanny follows a different one during the day and Grandma does her own thing on the weekends. Get everyone in on the sleep plan – yes, even Grandma! – so that baby’s not caught off guard.

“Anyone who takes care of the child at the parents’ home should be on the same page. You don’t want to do different things because you’re only confusing the child,” Prueher says. “It’s not about everything being exactly the same every single day all day long, but there’s got to be some predictability.”

5. Don’t underestimate the power of milk.

Milk matters. It really, really matters, even when baby starts eating solids around four to six months. They’ll need less milk as they get older. But if baby’s still waking up in the middle of the night to feed, it could mean they’re not getting enough milk during the day.

“A lot of what I see, especially after the doctor has given the okay for the child to start having solids, is that parents just jump into the solids way too fast,” Prueher says. “The child will get to the point where they just eat solids all day long, but then look for milk all night long.”

They might be looking for more than just milk, though. Multiple nighttime wakeups may also indicate a negative sleep association.

“If a child has 10 ounces typically and when they wake up at night they only have two or five ounces, you know they’re not waking up to feed, they’re waking up out of habit,” Prueher says. “And that’s because a sleep association is there – ‘feed to sleep.’”

Prueher advises taking note of how many ounces baby normally consumes or how long they breastfeed, then comparing that to their feeding rituals at night. That’ll help determine if the behavior is driven by a need for milk or a need for you.

6. Practice what you preach.

Infants are like small, very cute detectives. They can tell when parents are wishy-washy about sleep or don’t mean business. “Think about the people you trust in your life,” says Prueher. “They mean what they say and they follow through.”

As babies get older, they could even be affected by your own not-so-great sleep habits. If you don’t take sleep seriously, why should they? “Children learn visually, they will pick up on it,” Prueher says.

7. You do you.

Every baby is different with varying sleep needs, cues and habits. Prueher’s first son was a “stellar sleeper.” Her second son? Not so much. That’s why it’s important to figure out what’s best for baby and you. Even if that means ignoring tips from your well-meaning next-door neighbor.

“When you get advice, you have to take it with a grain of salt,” Prueher says. “It’s all about finding what works for your child.”

If you still need tips for getting your baby to sleep, the Nanit baby monitor offers customized sleep tips based on your child’s sleep patterns. It’s like having a sleep expert in your home.

 

Source: https://www.nanit.com/blog/7-newborn-sleep-tips/

Baby Tips and Tricks New Moms Need to Know

Baby Tips and Tricks New Moms Need to Know

Exhausted doesn’t even describe the newborn days. Waking up delirious from sleep deprivation multiple times a night. Struggling with the initial discomfort of breastfeeding, all while recovering from childbirth.

Life with a newborn also made me doubt myself and question every decision I made. I wondered what in the world I got myself into as I wished for easier days (and reminisced about my old life). I wasn’t sure whether I was even fit to be a mom.

(Read more about the expectations and realities of life with a newborn.)

Baby tips and tricks

But as with all things parenthood, I learned on the job. I discovered little hacks that made the days easier and more manageable. I researched baby tips and grew more confident and better equipped to handle a new baby. And I reached out to fellow moms and discovered their secrets to surviving the newborn stage.

In short, these are the cool baby tips I wish I knew from the start. They’re quick wins when we need them most—baby care tips for new moms to better manage.

Below are my best baby tips I hope you find useful as well:

1. Onesies can also be pulled down during messy accidents

Nearly every onesie will come with those envelope flaps near the collar. At first I thought this was designed to accommodate different-sized heads and to make it more comfortable for baby to pull a shirt over his head.

Turns out, those envelope flaps are much more functional than fitting over a baby’s head. They allow you to pull the onesie down.

Normally, you’d undress the baby by lifting the onesie over the head. But at some point, you’ll likely face the dreaded poop explosion. One so full it spills out of the diaper and onto the onesie—not exactly something you’d want to pull over the baby’s head.

The envelope flaps allow you to then pull the onesie down over the baby’s shoulders, removing it without going near the baby’s head.

Onesie

Onesies can also be pulled down in case of poop explosions.

2. Eliminate gas with the elbow-to-knee trick

One of the biggest challenges with newborn baby care after birth is the baby’s gas and digestion.

My little guy had a serious case of gas, so much so that he was difficult to put to sleep. He’d fuss and cry, and I felt helpless with how to help him. I tried gas drops, which only seemed to help a little. I even tried different bottles, hoping that a new brand would ease his troubles.

Nothing seemed to work—that is, until I learned the elbow-to-knee trick.

Now, I had heard about doing bicycle kicks with a baby to expel gas. I tried this move, moving my baby’s knees closer to his chest, hoping he’d toot a little gas out of his tummy. It still didn’t work.

But then I tried the elbow-to-knee trick, which instantly removed my baby’s gas. Every time I’d touch his elbow to the knee, he’d give a little fart, then another when I repeated with the opposite limbs. It seemed like a miracle!

So, here’s how you do it:

  • Lie your baby down on his back.
  • Move his right elbow and left knee towards each other as if they were going to touch.
  • Do the same with the opposite elbow and knee: Move his left elbow and right knee towards each other.
  • Alternate a few times until your baby stops farting.

Hopefully each time you connect one elbow to the opposite knee, your baby will fart and expel some gas. This will keep him be more comfortable and better able to sleep.

3. Keep your baby awake no longer than an hour and a half to avoid over-stimulation

Before I had kids, I figured babies sleep anywhere. After all, at family parties, we’d pass babies from person to person, and I never considered whether they were asleep or not.

When I had my first, I did the same. I didn’t follow any type of routine, much less look at the clock to see how long he’s been awake.

The result? He felt cranky and overtired, which made it harder to put him to sleep. I couldn’t lay him down drowsy and awake—instead, I had to hold him in my arms, rock or feed him to sleep.

Turns out, babies can only stay awake for so long. And more importantly, they don’t “just fall asleep” when they feel tired. If they’re overstimulated, hungry, uncomfortable or tired, they have a hard time falling asleep.

I then began to be more conscious of how long my baby was awake. I learned that an hour and a half is about the most a newborn can stay awake. And I looked for sleep cues and didn’t hesitate to put my baby down for a nap, even he’d only been awake for 45 minutes or an hour.

And guess what—he began to sleep better. He was less cranky and overtired and instead seemed to welcome his next nap. When I had twins a few years later, I remembered this handy trick and avoided keeping them awake too long, making them easy sleepers from day one.

Sure, this isn’t always convenient, especially if you feel stuck at home, but it can make a huge difference with how easy it is to put your baby to sleep.

4. Track your baby’s feedings and diapers

Your doctor will likely ask a few questions about your baby’s progress:

  • what types of bowel movements he’s had
  • how often he pees
  • how many ounces of milk or minutes he nurses

And if you breastfeed, you’ll want to track how many minutes he nurses and on which breast. If he’s bottle-fed, track how many ounces he drinks.

For accurate answers, record your baby’s feedings so you don’t have to pull the information from memory.

Track your baby’s diapers as well, including, the kind of poop he had, such as color, texture, and how often he peed or pooped. Not exactly enticing, but necessary.

Keeping track of all your baby’s latest feedings and diaper changes can feel overwhelming. Get a convenient way to track feeding and diaper times with my FREE printable tracker! Download it below:

Keeping track of your baby’s latest feedings and diaper changes can feel overwhelming. Get a convenient way to track feedings and diaper changes with my FREE printable tracker! The set comes with templates for both breastfed and bottle-fed babies. Click the button to download!

5. Feed your baby after he wakes up

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links, which means I will earn a commission—at no extra cost to you—if you make a purchase.

It didn’t take long for me to see that my baby would fall asleep with nursing. I even prided myself for being the only who could put him to sleep—I had “mama’s touch,” I assumed.

Trouble is, he’d only fall asleep through nursing (or rocking). Nap times became horrendous—I’d spend several minutes rocking him to sleep only for him to wake up the minute I laid him down.

This also made nap times short. Forget about two-hour naps—each time he stirred, he wouldn’t know how to put himself back to sleep. I’d either resort to rocking or nursing him all over again, making both of us miserable and sleep deprived.

Secrets of the Baby WhispererThen I read Tracy Hogg’s E-A-S-Y technique (eat/awake/sleep/you). Rather than feeding your baby to sleep, you’d feed him after he woke up. At first, I was doubtful. This was, after all, one of the ways I could put him to sleep. But when I saw how much he relied on external sleep aids to fall asleep, I knew I had to try a different way.

I then changed my routine. Rather than feeding my baby to sleep, I fed him after he woke up, which allowed him to try to fall asleep on his own. He stopped tying nursing with sleeping and instead expected to eat when he woke up.

Here’s how it works:

  • Feed your baby (eat) after he wakes up (awake) so he’ll have energy for her awake time.
  • After your baby has been awake a while, put him to sleep drowsy but awake (sleep). He can explore different ways to put himself to sleep, such as sucking on his thumb or rocking his head side to side.
  • Once he’s asleep, you can tend to yourself (you) and repeat the cycle.

6. Find alternative ways to hold your baby

The first day I was home alone with my twins felt like a juggling act. With two babies to care for and only one set of arms, I needed to bounce between one baby to another to get them to sleep.

Because a baby’s preferred position? In your arms. The snuggling feels good, but isn’t sustainable. After all, you need your arms to get things done, from using the restroom to preparing food. And it’s not always safe to fall asleep with the baby in your arms.

Instead, use other techniques to hold the baby. I relied so much on baby gear to hold my babies, giving me time to tend to the other twin or catch a break.

These are the items I recommend the most:

  • Swing: The swing was perfect for lulling my babies to sleep, where they often fell asleep for a nap. The motion soothed them when nothing else seemed to work, or at least kept them entertained during awake time.
  • Baby wrap: A baby wrap allows you to keep the baby close while freeing your arms to do other tasks.
  • Stroller: Many babies will fall asleep in a stroller, making for convenient errands or a walk around the block. A stroller is also helpful for quick shopping trips, placing the baby in the stroller while you put items inside.
  • Infant cushion: The infant cushion below uses the baby’s weight to give the feeling of being held.

Snuggle Me Organic

Infant cushions mimic the feeling of being held in someone’s arms.

Using several baby items to hold your baby is also convenient so that, should he fuss with one, you have other options handy.

7. Swaddle your baby for better sleep

For months, your baby grew accustomed to the tight spaces of your womb. To go from the fetal position to lying flat on his back isn’t the easiest transition. He also has the Moro reflex, which explains the sudden flailing of the arms that can startle him awake or even hit him on the face.

Enter the swaddle. By wrapping your baby systematically in a blanket, you’ll prevent his arms from flailing and waking him up. And by recreating the snugness of the womb, you’re more likely to help your baby sleep longer stretches.

Here’s how to swaddle your baby:
  1. Place a square swaddle blanket (like these Aden+Anais ones I loved) flat on a surface like a diamond.

    Aden + Anais

    Aden + Anais

  2. Fold the top corner down 5-10 inches towards the middle so that the diamond now looks like the top part got cut off.
  3. Place your baby on top of the swaddle with her neck aligned with the straight line you folded.
  4. Keep your baby’s arms straight next to her body. Then fold the left corner of the swaddle over her body and tuck it under her back. Her left arm should still be free.
  5. Fold the bottom corner up and over her left shoulder, tucking it inside the swaddle.
  6. Holding her left arm down, fold the right corner over her arm and entire body, tucking the flap into the swaddle.

Mom holding a baby wrapped in a swaddle

Swaddles help babies sleep longer and feel snug.

Follow this step-by-step illustration of how to swaddle a baby.

For a more convenient option, use a Velcro swaddle blanket or the Baby Merlin Magic Sleepsuit. Both keep your baby snug, are less likely to come undone and take less steps—especially useful in the middle of the night.

A Velcro swaddle is a convenient way to keep baby snug with less steps to do.

The sleep suit is another option to keep your baby snug during sleep.

8. Use white noise so your baby doesn’t startle

In the womb, your baby heard a constant white noise, from the beating of your heart to the muffles of the outside world. But now, he wakes up over the slightest sound.

I learned the magic of white noise early on, when the constant hum of a fan would help my baby sleep much longer than when I didn’t have it running. I was better able to shuffle around the house without tiptoeing, and I didn’t have to worry about noises from the neighbors.

Place a fan or heater in the room your baby is sleeping in to help him fall and stay asleep. Not only is the white noise comforting, it also muffles sounds from elsewhere. If you’d rather get a white noise machine so you don’t affect the room’s temperature, check out these highly-rated options:

Marpac

Palermo

Wave Premium

9. Hang darkening curtains to extend baby’s naps

You may have heard that you should have your baby nap in a bright room during the day to help him learn day from night. You’re avoiding long naps in the day that he should reserve for nights.

I disagree.

Yes, we want our babies to sleep longer at nights, but we want them to take long naps, too. Hang darkening curtains in your baby’s room—even during the day—so he can sleep longer stretches. As anyone with a baby who only naps in 30-45 minute chunks, a dark room can make a huge difference.

Another benefit of a dark room? Drawing the curtains helps signal that it’s nap or bedtime. These routines let your baby know that he should be sleeping rather than playing.

Rarely does a baby nap for five or more hours during the day (I can count twice for mine). And should you want to avoid those long naps, then wake the baby up. Otherwise, dark curtains help your baby stretch shorter naps to longer ones.

And even with darkening curtains during the day, your room won’t get pitch black the way it does at night. So even then, your baby will still learn that darkness means long stretches of sleep at night.

I hung darkening curtains like these:

Conclusion

Welcoming a baby can be one of the most challenging periods in a parent’s life. While nothing can make the hardships disappear completely, we can rely on baby tips to make those months much smoother.

As a recap, here are the newborn care basics we learned:

  • Onesies can also be pulled down during messy poop accidents
  • Expel gas with the elbow-to-knee trick
  • Keep your baby awake no longer than 90 minutes for better sleep and less fussiness
  • Record your baby feedings and diaper changes to monitor his progress
  • Feed your baby after he wakes up to reduce the reliance on feeding to sleep
  • Find alternative ways to hold your baby to free up your arms
  • Swaddle your baby for longer stretches of sleep
  • Use white noise to muffle outside noises that might startle your baby
  • Hang darkening curtains to help your baby fall and stay asleep

Taking care of a newborn is tough enough as it is, but with these baby tips, you’ll have an easier time caring for your baby.

p.s. Want resources to help your baby sleep well, especially if he only sleeps in your arms? I created a guide just for you! Learn about “How to Get Your Baby to Sleep without Being Held” here.

Are your arms tied because your baby will only sleep in them? If your newborn only sleeps when held, don't worry—there are ways to cope and eventually get your child to sleep in other ways. Get the guide that will help ease your baby out of your arms.

Image Source: https://www.thebump.com/a/life-with-a-newborn

4 tips for New Moms

4 tips for New Moms

baby safety

September is Baby Safety Month, which just so happens to coincide with our anxious wait for the arrival of our first child…how fitting! Leading up to September has been a fun and strange combination of gearing up while also paring down. We got the cute outfits, figured out how to execute the perfect “swaddle” and made room in order to create a cozy nursery. But just as important, we focused our energies on making our home safe for our little man.

First things first, my husband, JP, and I knocked out the easiest steps: checking our carbon monoxide detector and smoke alarm to ensure they were both in working order. Check! (Admittedly, creating and crossing off checklists became a serious sport for me during this time. It also perhaps gave me an inflated sense of accomplishment, which explains the exclamation points.)

After we got our crib—in 7,000 little pieces/husband not enthused—we assembled it and then made sure to make it a safe sleeping environment for baby. As tempting as it was to fill it with cute stuffed animals, a chic bumper and a bunch of sanity-saving accessories, those items have no place in a baby’s crib. Simplicity is the name of the game here: a firm mattress covered with a tight-fitting crib sheet is really all you need. Check!

Next up was our car seat. Being a Safe Kids employee doesn’t grant me immunity from an improperly installed car seat. In fact, 73% of car seats are not used or installed correctly. That’s why we made sure to review car seat safety guidelines and check out a local car seat check up event to ensure we’re safely transporting our bambino. Check!

Even though our baby won’t be eating solid foods for awhile, it’s never too early to think about choking prevention , too. Children under 5 should not be given foods that are small, round or hard (think hot dog pieces, cheese sticks or chunks, hard candy, nuts, grapes, marshmallows or popcorn). These food items can put your child at risk for a choking episode. And while we’re on the subject, it’s a great idea to sign up for a CPR class as a new—or repeat—parent as well. The more peace of mind, the better. Check!

As a soon-to-be new parent, I can attest that taking these preventative steps has been fairly simple but also has provided JP and me with a sense of confidence and calm. I know that we can’t control everything that may or can happen to our little guy. All those bumps, bruises and crazy little things that you can’t predict are part of growing up, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. But I also know that if you have the knowledge and tools to reduce serious risk, than why not check it off the list?

Source: https://www.safekids.org/blog/4-tips-every-new-mom

Top 10 Tips To Get Baby To Sleep – Part 2

Top 10 Tips To Get Baby To Sleep – Part 2

We know the basics: early bedtimes, soothing music, getting junior to settle himself to sleep. But many of our kids still struggle with sleep problems. Perhaps try a scientific approach. Trick her body into producing sleep hormones, or providing it with proteins that promote sleep, may work better than any gadget or lullaby.

 

Make the Bedroom a Sleep-only Zone

Much as you may want to stash your child’s toys in bins by their bed, it might be distracting. If your child has trouble sleeping, make her room a single-use facility, for snoozing only. You can even read stories on the couch, and then sneak into that cool, dark and cave-like room just for z’s.

Invent a Ritual

One sleep scientist wraps a towel around her head each night. As soon as her face touches that terrycloth, her body knows it’s time for sleep. Your sleep ritual can include listening to a particular piece of music or inhaling a consistent aromatherapy scent—anything that a kid’s body can recognize as the last thing before bed.

Get Grandma, the Babysitter, or Your Best Friend to Do Bedtime

Often kids will resist bedtime, or wake up more often, if their parents are around; they might misbehave at home but be peachy at school, with Grandma or with the babysitter. If you have the resources, spend up to a week having someone else do bedtime, to help junior establish a new routine.

Press the Right Points

Acupressure in an ancient Chinese medicine that involves pushing on specific pressure points in the body to relieve stress or toxins. Some practitioners believe that manipulating the 12 acupressure points in children can help them sleep. Companies like Holistic Baby recommend pressing on the specific spots several hours before bedtime, but of course you’ll have to take a class or get a video to learn them.

Consider Crying Uncle

If you’ve spent several years and hundreds of dollars—doctors, objects, self-help books—trying to get your kid to 1) fall asleep on her own and 2) stay asleep, and it’s to no avail, then perhaps the best thing is to give in. Lie down with her until she falls asleep—you can read a book on an e-book reader app, fitted with the special filter of course—and let her crawl into your bed if she just won’t stop. Some experts say that the real secret to a good night sleep is to get it any way you can.

Top 10 Tips To Get Baby To Sleep – Part 1

Top 10 Tips To Get Baby To Sleep – Part 1

We know the basics: early bedtimes, soothing music, getting junior to settle himself to sleep. But many of our kids still struggle with sleep problems. Perhaps try a scientific approach. Trick her body into producing sleep hormones, or providing it with proteins that promote sleep, may work better than any gadget or lullaby.

Get Rid of the Blues

Your phone, TV and computer all emit a blue light reminiscent of daylight, and the more your child looks at it, the more her body will respond as if it’s daytime. Some tablets and smart phones have apps that filter out blue lights, and computers can be fitted with a screen that does the same thing. Also be sure that any night lights have a red glow, not green, white, or blue.

Make a Bat Cave

“Why do you think bats congregate in caves for their daytime sleep?” asks the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School. If your child is going to sleep before deep dark night descends, he might not be secreting the hormones that tell him it’s time to sleep. Try dimming the lights one full hour before bedtime, and use heavy blackout curtains once in the room. Some experts even suggest putting on sunglasses as bedtime approaches…if you can get them to wear them.

Rise with the Roosters

Good sleep is not just about how long you’re out. It’s also about your circadian rhythms, the internal clock that tells your body when it’s time to rise and time to rest. One way to reset that clock is to rise with the daylight, and expose your child to sunlight as early as you can. Bad news for those of us dying to sleep in.

Eat Early, Snack Late

While no one likes going to bed hungry, sleep scientists also caution against eating an overflowing meal minutes before slumber. Instead, they suggest eating a regular meal several hours before bed and then supplementing with a light snack right before story time. Don’t forget to brush teeth after, of course.

Ice Up the Room

Many of us have heard that it’s better to sleep in a cool room, but we don’t necessarily know why. Your body knows it’s time to sleep when the temperature starts to descend—the same way it knows bedtime comes with the sunset. Making your child’s room as cool as 60 degrees helps signal that bedtime is coming and can help a body release melatonin. There are even self-cooling pillows that can help you stay cool and sleepy all night.