Sleeping Basics of an infant

As a new parent, you may be surprised to learn that your newborn, who seems to need you every minute of the day, actually sleeps about 16 hours or more! Newborns typically sleep for periods of 2-4 hours. Don't expect yours to sleep through the night — the digestive system of babies is so small that they need nourishment every few hours and should be awakened if they haven't been fed for 4 hours (or more frequently if your doctor is concerned about weight gain).

 

When can you expect your baby to sleep through the night? Many babies sleep through the night (between 6-8 hours) at 3 months of age, but if yours doesn't, it's not a cause for concern. Like adults, babies must develop their own sleep patterns and cycles, so if your newborn is gaining weight and appears healthy, don't despair if he or she hasn't slept through the night at 3 months.

 

It's important to place babies on their backs to sleep to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). In addition, remove all fluffy bedding, quilts, sheepskins, stuffed animals, and pillows from the crib to ensure that your baby doesn't get tangled in them or suffocate. Also be sure to alternate the position of your baby's head from night to night (first right, then left, and so on) to prevent the development of a flat spot on one side of the head.

 

Many babies have their days and nights "mixed-up" when they are first born. They tend to be more awake and alert at night, more sleepy during the day. One way to help them is to keep the stimulation at night to a minimum. Keep the lights low, such as by using a nightlight. Reserve talking and playing with your baby for the daytime. When your baby wakes up during the day try to keep him or her awake a little longer by talking and playing.

 

Even though you may feel anxious about handling a newborn, in a few short weeks you'll develop a routine and be parenting like a pro! If you have questions or concerns, ask your doctor to recommend resources that can help you and your baby grow together.

What you should know about Circumcision and Umbilical Cord Care

Immediately after circumcision, the tip of the penis is usually covered with gauze coated with petroleum jelly to keep the wound from sticking to the diaper. Gently wipe the tip clean with warm water after a diaper change, then apply petroleum jelly to the tip so it doesn't stick to the diaper. Redness or irritation of the penis should heal within a few days, but if the redness or swelling increases or if pus-filled blisters form, infection may be present and you should call your baby's doctor immediately.

 

Umbilical cord care in newborns is also important. Some doctors suggest swabbing the area with rubbing alcohol until the cord stump dries up and falls off, usually in 10 days to 3 weeks, but others recommend leaving the area alone. Talk to your child's doctor to see what he or she prefers.

 

The infant's navel area shouldn't be submerged in water until the cord stump falls off and the area is healed. Until it falls off, the cord stump will change color from yellow to brown or black — this is normal. Consult your doctor if the navel area becomes reddened or if a foul odor or discharge develops.

The basics of bathing a baby

You should give your baby a sponge bath until:

• the umbilical cord falls off (1-4 weeks)
• the circumcision heals (1-2 weeks)
• the naval heals completely (1-4 weeks)
• A bath two or three times a week in the first year is sufficient. More frequent bathing may be drying to the skin.

You'll need the following items before bathing your baby:

• a soft, clean washcloth
• mild, unscented baby soap and shampoo
• a soft brush to stimulate the baby's scalp
• towels or blankets
• an infant tub with 2 to 3 inches of warm — not hot! — water (to test the water temperature, feel the water with the inside of your elbow or wrist). An infant tub is a plastic tub that can fit in the bathtub and is better fitted for the infant and makes bath time easier to manage.
• a clean diaper
• clean clothes

Sponge baths. For a sponge bath, pick a warm room and a flat surface, such as a changing table, floor, or counter. Undress your baby. Wipe your infant's eyes with a washcloth dampened with water only, starting with one eye and wiping from the inner corner to the outer corner. Use a clean corner of the washcloth to wash the other eye. Clean your baby's nose and ears with the washcloth. Then wet the cloth again, and using a little soap, wash his or her face gently and pat it dry.

Next, using baby shampoo, create a lather and gently wash your baby's head and rinse. Using a wet cloth and soap, gently wash the rest of the baby, paying special attention to creases under the arms, behind the ears, around the neck, and the genital area. Once you have washed those areas, make sure they are dry and then diaper and dress your baby.

Tub baths. When your baby is ready for tub baths, the first baths should be gentle and brief. If he or she becomes upset, go back to sponge baths for a week or two, then try the bath again.

Undress your baby and then place him or her in the water immediately, in a warm room, to prevent chills. Make sure the water in the tub is no more than 2 to 3 inches deep, and that the water is no longer running in the tub. Use one of your hands to support the head and the other hand to guide the baby in feet-first. Speaking gently, slowly lower your baby up to the chest into the tub.

Use a washcloth to wash his or her face and hair. Gently massage your baby's scalp with the pads of your fingers or a soft baby hairbrush, including the area over the fontanelles (soft spots) on the top of the head. When you rinse the soap or shampoo from your baby's head, cup your hand across the forehead so the suds run toward the sides and soap doesn't get into the eyes. Gently wash the rest of your baby's body with water and a small amount of soap.

Throughout the bath, regularly pour water gently over your baby's body so he or she doesn't get cold. After the bath, wrap your baby in a towel immediately, making sure to cover his or her head. Baby towels with hoods are great for keeping a freshly washed baby warm.

While bathing your infant, never leave the baby alone. If you need to leave the bathroom, wrap the baby in a towel and take him or her with you.

 

How to use the diaper

You'll probably decide before you bring your baby home whether you'll use cloth or disposable diapers. Whichever you use, the baby will dirty diapers about 10 times a day, or about 70 times a week.

Before diapering a baby, make sure you have all supplies within reach so you won't have to leave your baby unattended on the changing table. You'll need:

• a clean diaper
• a fastener (if cloth is used)
• diaper ointment if the baby has a rash
• a container of warm water
• clean washcloth, diaper wipes, or cotton balls
• After each bowel movement or if the diaper is wet, lay your baby on his or her back and remove the dirty diaper. Use the water, cotton balls, and washcloth or the wipes to gently wipe your baby's genital area clean. When removing a boy's diaper, do so carefully because exposure to the air may make him urinate. When wiping a girl, wipe her bottom from front to back to avoid a urinary tract infection. To prevent or heal a rash, apply ointment. Always remember to wash your hands thoroughly after changing a diaper.

Diaper rash is a common concern. Typically the rash is red and bumpy and will go away in a few days with warm baths, some diaper cream, and a little time out of the diaper. Most rashes occur because the baby's skin is sensitive and becomes irritated by the wet or poopy diaper.

To prevent or heal diaper rash, try these tips:

• Change your baby's diaper frequently, and as soon as possible after bowel movements.
• After cleaning the area with mild soap and water or a wipe, apply a diaper rash or "barrier" cream. Creams with zinc oxide are preferable because they form a barrier against moisture.
• If you use cloth diapers, wash them in dye- and fragrance-free detergents.
• Let the baby go undiapered for part of the day. This gives the skin a chance to air out.
  If the diaper rash continues for more than 3 days or seems to be getting worse, call your doctor — it may be caused by a fungal infection that requires a prescription.

 

How to bond and smooth your baby

Bonding, probably one of the most pleasurable aspects of infant care, occurs during the sensitive time in the first hours and days after birth when parents make a deep connection with their infant. Physical closeness can promote an emotional connection.

 

For infants, the attachment contributes to their emotional growth, which also affects their development in other areas, such as physical growth. Another way to think of bonding is "falling in love" with your baby. Children thrive from having a parent or other adult in their life who loves them unconditionally.

 

Begin bonding by cradling your baby and gently stroking him or her in different patterns. Both you and your partner can also take the opportunity to be "skin-to-skin," holding your newborn against your own skin while feeding or cradling.

 

Babies, especially premature babies and those with medical problems, may respond to infant massage. Certain types of massage may enhance bonding and help with infant growth and development. Many books and videos cover infant massage — ask your doctor for recommendations. Be careful, however — babies are not as strong as adults, so massage your baby gently.

 

Babies usually love vocal sounds, such as talking, babbling, singing, and cooing. Your baby will probably also love listening to music. Baby rattles and musical mobiles are other good ways to stimulate your infant's hearing. If your little one is being fussy, try singing, reciting poetry and nursery rhymes, or reading aloud as you sway or rock your baby gently in a chair.

Some babies can be unusually sensitive to touch, light, or sound, and might startle and cry easily, sleep less than you might expect, or turn their faces away when you speak or sing to them. Keep noise and light levels moderate.

 

Swaddling, which works well for some babies during their first few weeks, is another soothing technique first-time parents should learn. Swaddling keeps a baby's arms close to the body and legs snuggled together. Not only does this keep a baby warm, but the surrounding pressure seems to give most newborns a sense of security and comfort. Swaddling may also help limit the startle reflex, which can wake a baby.

 

Here's how to swaddle a baby:

• Spread out the receiving blanket, with one corner folded over slightly.
• Lay the baby face-up on the blanket with his or her head above the folded corner.
• Wrap the left corner over the body and tuck it beneath the back of the baby, going under the right arm.
• Bring the bottom corner up over the baby's feet and pull it toward the head, folding the fabric down if it gets close to the face.
• Wrap the right corner around the baby, and tuck it under the baby's back on the left side, leaving only the neck and head exposed.

How to handle a Newborn

If you haven't spent a lot of time around newborns, their fragility may be intimidating. Here are a few basics to remember:

• Wash your hands (or use a hand sanitizer) before handling your newborn. Young babies have not built up a strong immune system yet, so they are susceptible to infection. Make sure that everyone who handles your baby also has clean hands.
• Be careful to support your baby's head and neck. Cradle the head when carrying your baby and support the head when carrying the baby upright or when you lay him or her down.
• Be careful not to shake your newborn, whether in play or in frustration. Shaking that is vigorous can cause bleeding in the brain and even death. If you need to wake your infant, don't do it by shaking — instead, tickle your baby's feet or blow gently on a cheek.
  Make sure your baby is securely fastened into the carrier, stroller, or car seat. Limit any activity that would be too rough or bouncy.
• Remember that your newborn is not ready for rough play, such as being jiggled on the knee or thrown in the air.

A guide for Frist-time parents to do a baby bath

Bathing a slippery newborn can be a nerve-racking experience. Your baby may not like it much, either. With a little practice, however, you'll both start to feel more comfortable at bath time. Start by learning baby bath basics.

1. You'll need:

A baby bath tub with a sling or mat to prevent the newborn from being immersed in water (not necessary for sponge bathing, but useful). There are infant tubs which support little heads and necks (like the Washpod, which purportedly mimics the womb experience) or bath positioners you can use in your tub. Before your baby's umbilical cord stump falls off, you won't be submerging her or him in water, so you'll want supplies for a sponge bath. Using any plastic container full of warm water or putting a small amount of water in your infant tub should be enough.

A baby bath towel washed in appropriate baby detergent. Hooded towels help you keep your baby's head warm when coming out of the bath – and they are some of the cutest things you've ever seen.

Sterile cotton balls to clean his or her eyes. Cotton balls and Q-tips are also convenient for cleaning behind ears, under arms or anywhere that needs closer attention or is still covered in vernix, the layer of cheese-like coating found on baby's skin at birth.

At least two soft washcloths – one for soaping and one for rinsing. It's not necessary to buy washcloths specifically for baby (though they are typically smaller in size, cuter, and can potentially match your towels or baby d'cor).

Fresh diapers and ointment for diaper rash and/or circumcision if necessary.
Rubbing alcohol and cotton swabs if needed for umbilical cord.
Access to warm water or a bucket filled with warm water.
Clean clothes
 

2. Useful Accessories

Gentle soap and/or shampoo. At the very beginning, simply wash your baby with warm water. When the weather is very hot or humid or when baby's had a bad spit-up or bowel movement, you may decide that a gentle baby soap would be best. If you do use soap, use it toward the end of the bath, so baby doesn't wade too long in soapy water. It can be very drying to your newborn's delicate skin.
Brush and comb. When your newborn has more hair, you might like a brush or brush and comb set.
Baby skin care. Beyond a gentle soap, you don't need much, but many parents use sweet smelling lotions, cleansing cloths, powders or other goodies. Just make sureto always check for any skin reactions. Your newborn's delicate skin can respond differently than adult skin to fragrances.
Additional items: You may want a few more items to make baths easier or more fun.
A thermometer to make sure bathwater isn't too hot.
Bath toys
A spout cover to protect baby's head
Tub treads to keep a tub in place on the bathtub surface
A container for bath toys.
 

3. How Much Water

Until the umbilical cord stump has fallen off, only sponge-bathe your newborn. Once it's fallen off and your newborn is ready for the tiny tub, you still won't be fully submerging your baby. For newborns you need only fill the baby tub with a couple of inches of lukewarm water.

Temperatures

Babies don't like baths as hot as adults do, so testing the water is very important.

Make the water warm but not hot. A lukewarm tub is perfect for your newborn, anywhere between 90°F and 100°F.
Your hands are tougher than your newborn's skin and therefore won't feel heat like a baby's bum will.
Test the tub by dipping your elbow into the water; it's more sensitive than your hands.
Mix the water around with your hands or a cup to ensure there are no scalding spots.
Intermittently (and carefully) pour small cups of water over baby to keep him from getting cold.
 

4. How Often and When

For the first couple of weeks, sponge-bathe your new baby until the umbilical cord stump has fallen off and the circumcision, if one was had, has healed. Newborns only need to be cleaned three or four times a week, but a nighttime bath can be an excellent bedtime ritual.

 

5. Holding and Positions

Getting the positions just right can take some time. It's very important to always keep at least one hand on your newborn as they can be slippery and wiggly in bath water.

After undressing your baby, place him very gently in the tub feet-first, always making sure you keep one hand supporting his head, neck and back.
Some baby tubs come with built-in head and neck supports, but still make sure you keep a hand on your baby.
Wash your baby with your free hand.
Be careful lifting your baby from the bath. Again, make sure to support the head and neck with one hand and hold their tiny tush and thigh with the other. This is often referred to as the "safety hold."
 

6. Washing

Start with the face. Use one sterile cotton ball for each eye, gently wiping from the inner eye outward. For the rest of the face, wash using just water.
Then move to the chest and neck. Continue to use only water unless the baby is particularly dirty for some reason. Do the same for the arms, legs and back. Make sure you clean in all of those adorable folds.
Lastly, wash the baby's genitals. Follow the care for circumcision instructions for boys, but for girls, wash front to back with water. You might notice a normal vaginal discharge.
To wash the hair, wrap your baby in a dry towel and hold him in a football hold over a sink. Use a cup to pour warm water over the scalp, and then wash the hair with just water or with a small amount of shampoo.
Hands and feet will need a small dab of baby soap, but make sure to rinse thoroughly as they'll most likely be in your baby's mouth in no time.
 

7. Bathing Rituals

Bath time is a perfect time to bond with your newborn. By forming rituals with your children, bath-time can become something you all look forward to.

Start with a toy, maybe giving a favorite ducky a name or making a puppet washcloth talk.
Schedule a bath time and be consistent. Some parents prefer morning baths as they can be invigorating for baby, but most parents seem to agree that evening is the best time, as baths can be quite calming and help give baby a good night's rest. But there is no wrong time of day, so find the time that works for you.
Making your own rituals will happen naturally. Whether it's singing a certain song or climbing in too, bath time can be fun. Enjoy it!
 

8. Post-Bath Care

Baby's post-bath routine can take just as long as the actual bath, but it's important not to miss anything, especially if baby's next stop is bed.

Dry your baby well and apply any needed cream for diaper rash or healing ointment for circumcision before diapering, clothing and swaddling.
Find clothes with snaps or zipper closures and wide openings for the neck. Now is not the time to be fumbling with buttons. Also, onesies with built-in mittens are great to protect your baby from her surprisingly sharp fingernails.
Take the opportunity to sing and talk to your little one, both for distraction and bonding. Explain what color the shirt and pants are, count how many snaps you're fastening, and label each body part as you kiss them.
Instead of trying to shimmy sleeves and pants over uncooperative limbs, try reaching into the openings and pulling his or her extremities through.
Don't overbundle babies at night, as instinctive as that seems. Believe it or not, babies are comfortable in 61°F to 67°F. Dress your newborn in light pajamas and a sleeper or swaddling blanket. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, overheating increases a baby's risk of SIDS.

How to do a baby bath

Bathing your newborn can seem incredibly daunting. They look so small and vulnerable naked, and can be so slippery and seemingly impossible to get into the tub. Before placing your newborn in the tub, you'll want to make sure everything is ready for washing, playing, and drying.

How often does my newborn need a bath?

There's no need to give your newborn a bath every day. In fact, bathing your baby more than several times a week can dry out his or her skin. If you're quick with clean diapers and burp cloths, you're already cleaning the parts that really need attention — the face, neck and diaper area.

Is it better to bathe my baby in the morning or at night?

That's up to you. Choose a time when you're not rushed or likely to be interrupted. Some parents opt for morning baths, when their babies are alert and ready to enjoy the experience. Others prefer to make baby baths part of a calming bedtime ritual.

Is a sponge bath good enough?

A baby bath doesn't necessarily need to be done in a tub of water. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends sponge baths until the umbilical cord stump falls off — which might take up to three weeks. If you'd like to give your baby a sponge bath, you'll need:

A warm place with a flat surface. A bathroom or kitchen counter, changing table or firm bed will work. Even a blanket or towel on the floor is OK if it's warm enough.
A soft blanket, towel or changing pad. Spread it out for your baby to lie on.
A free hand. Always keep one hand on your baby. On a changing table, use the safety strap as well.
A sink or shallow plastic basin to hold the water. Run warm water into the basin or sink. Check the water temperature with your hand to make sure it's not too hot.
Essential supplies. Gather a washcloth, a towel — preferably with a built-in hood — cotton balls, mild baby shampoo, mild moisturizing soap, baby wipes, a clean diaper and a change of clothes.
When you're ready to begin the sponge bath, undress your baby and wrap him or her in a towel. Lay your baby on his or her back on the blanket, towel or pad you've prepared. Wet the washcloth, wring out excess water and wipe your baby's face. There's no need to use soap. Use a damp cotton ball or clean cotton cloth to wipe each eyelid, from the inside to the outside corner. When you're ready to clean your baby's body, plain water is usually OK. If your baby is smelly or dirty, use a mild moisturizing soap. Pay special attention to creases under the arms, behind the ears, around the neck and in the diaper area. Also wash between your baby's fingers and toes. To keep your baby warm, expose only the parts you're washing.

What type of baby tub is best?

Many parents choose free-standing plastic tubs specifically designed for newborns. Others opt for plastic basins or inflatable tubs that fit inside the bathtub. Lined with a towel or rubber mat, the kitchen or bathroom sink might be another option.

Remember, though, safety is the most important consideration — not necessarily the type of tub. Gather the same supplies you'd use for a sponge bath and a cup of rinsing water ahead of time so that you can keep one hand on the baby at all times. Never leave your baby alone in the water.

How much water should I put in the tub?

You'll need only 2 to 3 inches (about 5 to 8 centimeters) of warm water for a baby bath. To keep your baby warm, pour warm water over his or her body throughout the bath.

 

Sleep and your newborn baby 3~12 months

What to expect at 3-6 months

By three months, many babies are managing a good old stretch of night-time sleep (maybe even up to six hours between feeds). Whether you call this 'sleeping through' or not largely depends on your abilities to spin the situation: for every parent who thinks 11pm to 5am is living torture, there's another thinking, 'Result!' (And, very probably, a third who'd give her eye teeth for even half a night like that.)

 

Over the next few months, your baby's sleep habits should start to bed down (as it were) into a more predictable (ok, slightly less chaotic) pattern. She'll gradually start to sleep less in the day (as she becomes more alert and engaged with the world around her) and more at night (as she becomes able to go longer without a feed).

 

At this point, some parents like to get cracking with 'proper' daytime naps and strictly scheduled bedtimes; others prefer to go with the flow for a while longer yet.

 

Whatever your inclinations, it's definitely worth trying to establish some kind of bedtime ritual to wind your baby down nice and calmly to a good night's sleep.

 

"I think a bedtime routine can really help at this age – and it allows you some free time in the evening, too. By routine, I mean a feed, a bath, a quiet time and a feed, in that order, and at about the same time every night. If your baby wakes or doesn't settle, then you don't take her downstairs again but settle her in or near the cot. This is not controlled crying, which I feel is too much for a baby of this age. It's just establishing a quiet end to the day." Tiktok

Of course, getting to sleep calmly doesn't guarantee staying asleep calmly. The average three to six month old may be capable of clocking up six to ten hours a night but all sorts of things can come along to interrupt their slumber. In which case...

 

"If your baby suddenly starts waking again, after having been a good sleeper, don't despair. It could be teething or hunger triggered by a growth spurt. As long as you're not doing anything to reinforce the waking, like turning on the light or talking to your baby, it'll pass." Jraven

"A baby sleeping bag was the answer for us. My baby used to wake himself up moving around and banging his head against the cot but that's stopped now." Carosue

 

What to expect at 6-12 months

By six months, most babies are sleeping 11 to 15 hours a day. Of that, about three or four hours is daytime sleep, which they'll usually pool (or can be persuaded to pool) into two decent-length naps, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

 

This leaves a nice, healthy eight to ten hours for gloriously uninterrupted night-time sleep, slowly increasing to around 11 hours by the age of one (when the two daytime naps will have shortened or gone down to one).

 

So much for the theory.

Back in the real world, where theories are just theories and babies are a lovely but unpredictable reality, you may still be struggling to string together even a couple of nights of unbroken sleep.

 

If your baby's still regularly waking in the night, you may want to:

•Move her to her own room.
"We seemed to be waking our daughter every time we moved or turned over
in bed, so we whipped her into her own room. She immediately started
sleeping right through." Umberella

•Cut down/out the milk.
"If feeding at night really bugs you and you're really knackered, then don't do it. I always go cold turkey with mine. It takes a couple of nights and then they sleep through. By six or seven months, there really is no need to feed in the night." Kittymaspudding

•Get tough. If you're up all night, every night and you're beside yourself with exhaustion, you could try controlled crying or one of the other methods of sleep training.
"It's not for everyone – and I wouldn't ever use it on a baby under six months – but it worked brilliantly for us." Porpoise

 

Why Dummies or not?

It's amazing, really, how much emotion a small piece of plastic can stir up. But it can – and does. Ranged in the 'against dummies, no matter what' corner are, generally speaking, the older generation, mutteringly darkly about bad habits and wonky teeth. Facing them from the 'for dummies, actually' corner are, equally generally speaking, an evangelical crowd of new parents who've finally found the way to get a moment's peace.

To save you time sifting through the (occasionally dodgy) claims of either side, here's a quick dummy-debate lowdown...

 

The pros of dummies (maybe)

•They soothe your baby's cries when nothing else can. This is certainly true for some 'sucky' babies who just don't seem to be able to settle any other way. Not for nothing are dummies called pacifiers in the US.

•They can reduce your baby's risk of cot death. There are indeed studies that shown an association between giving your baby a dummy while he sleeps and a lower risk of cot death. But it's not yet clear whether it's actually the dummy itself that's providing this protective effect or simply the action of sucking (which a baby could do just as well on his fingers or at the breast).

•They're (eventually) simple to get rid of. Because you can chuck 'em out when the time comes. Which you can't really do with your child's thumb.

 

The cons of dummies (maybe)

•They are ugly. Granted, they're no thing of beauty but maybe, like Unfitmother, you can live with that.
•They make breastfeeding harder. Breastfeeding experts say that giving a very small baby a dummy can cause 'nipple confusion' – because sucking on a dummy is quite different to sucking on a human nipple. And that can make it harder for you to establish breastfeeding. For this reason, breastfeeding mums are generally advised not to introduce a dummy until their baby is a month old and feeding is going well.

•They can give your child wonky teeth. True, but only if your child still has a dummy at age five or six when his permanent teeth are coming through. And sucking a thumb can cause tooth-wonkiness, too, of course.

•They can delay language development. Possibly, but only if your child's plugged in to it morning, noon, and night.

•They become such a source of comfort, you'll have a battle getting your baby to give it up when he's older. Maybe; maybe not. But if you're desperate to settle your screaming baby, that probably sounds like a good trade.
•They can cause night-time waking when they fall out of your baby's mouth. Often true but at least the back-to-sleep solution is close at (your) hand.
•They are used by lazy mums who can't be bothered to find out what their baby's really upset about. A sentiment, it has to be said, that is generally only expressed by people who have yet to attempt to calm their squalling progeny for three ear-splitting hours on the trot.

"This is outrageous, arrogant and downright rude. It is pure snobbery. Dummies are totally harmless and, if anything, they are good for babies, yet they attract such hostility. My son had a dummy and he really, really needed it. And I am really glad I followed his needs and not other people's snobbery when I made choices about his wellbeing." aloha

And, as to the whether you should join the dummy-doomsayers corner or the dummy-devotees, we really wouldn't bother fretting because, odds on, the choice isn't going to be yours to make, as this mum explains: "It can go both ways. My daughter used one up until she was about two. I'd actually rather she hadn't but, on many occasions, I was glad that she did. My son has never liked them, which is great for many reasons but there have been lots of occasions when I have wished he would take one. Dummies are neither good nor evil. They are just a choice. And, generally it's the baby who makes the choice."

 

How to settle your newborn baby

Parent plus new baby equals serious loss of sleep. It's a simple enough equation but a darn difficult one to live through.

It doesn't matter how ready (or not) you think you are for motherhood, nothing, but nothing, can prepare you for the brain-numbing, bone-aching reality of new-parent sleep deprivation.

The average newborn sleeps for 16 to 20 hours a day. But not all at once. And not all at night. It's pretty shattering for those of us who are meant to be in charge.
 
The early weeks are worst. Your baby's doing a random, round-the-clock waking and dozing thing, and often has a distinct aversion to sleeping anywhere other than your arms.
 
"My newborn wouldn't go to sleep on his own – only in my arms or in our bed. If we put him down in the Moses basket, he would wake after 20 minutes at the most. I was worried this might be the start of major bad habits but now he's seven weeks and is settling much better." Katyw
 
"My first child got her days and nights mixed up: she would sleep nearly all day and then be awake almost all night!" Pupuce
 

If you're not having any luck with the lay-down-and-leg-it approach, try our Mumsnet tips for settling your newborn.
 
Safe sleep
 
Although the causes of cot death (SIDS) are still not completely clear, health experts are agreed that there are steps you can take to reduce the risk for your baby...
• Put your baby on her back to sleep.
 • Do not let anyone smoke in the same room as your baby.
 • Do not let your baby get too hot or too cold.
 • Do not cover your baby's head while she's sleeping.
 • Place your baby down to sleep, so that her feet at the foot end of the cot.
 • Consider using a dummy to settle your baby to sleep.
 • Do not share a bed with your baby if you smoke.
 • Do not share a bed with your baby if you have been drinking or taking drugs.
 • Understand that the safest place for your baby to sleep in her first six months is in a cot in your room.
 

As the weeks pass, it does, ever so slowly, get better (honest). Your baby will gradually cotton on to the difference between night and day and, by six to eight weeks, will probably be putting in more time at the cot-face during the wee, small hours.
 
Even the most diehard of night-time wakers are usually sleeping less in the day and more at night by 10 to 12 weeks.
 
"My daughter was either sleeping, feeding or screaming – none of the peaceful 'surveying the world' the baby books tell you about. I found it very depressing and worried that things would never change and that I must be doing it all wrong. But she changed and at ten weeks slept though the night." Elliesmum

Settling your newborn
 
Frustratingly, newborns don't come equipped with a 'now go to sleep' button. While some nod off angelically at the drop of a hat, there are many who, no matter how tired they are, often need some serious parental persuasion on the closing-eyes front. Mumsnet's top 10 sleep-persuasion tactics include...
 
1. Swaddling. "It saved my sanity. My daughter was far more settled when we wrapped her – you just have to be careful to make sure that they don't overheat. We used a cotton cellular blanket but, when it was really hot, we used a sheet." Sass
 
2. "Gently stroke your baby's nose in little downwards movements. This encourages them to close their eyes and fall asleep." Sexgoddess
 
3. "My son wouldn't settle if he was lying flat. We found putting him in a bouncy chair and rocking it gently worked." Dm2
 
4. "The spin cycle on the washing machine is very effective! Sometimes, I'd put several consecutive spins on just to lull her to drowsiness." Sass
 
5. "Try a lambskin. My two slept on them for years and they're so easy to take everywhere. I just put it on the floor and they'd settle straightaway." Alibubbles
 
6. "Keep things quiet and boring in the lead-up to bedtime and limit the number of people holding him. I underestimated how unsettling and over-stimulating being held by visitors can be." Bloss
 
7. Watch the clock. "A good rule of thumb is that a newborn can't stay awake more than two hours at a time. So, if yours has been wide awake for two hours, retreat to a quiet room with little stimulation." Amber1
 
8. "If all else fails, put your baby in a sling. She'll almost certainly fall asleep in there, close to your body, and at least you've got your hands free to make yourself a cup of tea." Porpoise
 
And for the baby who falls asleep beautifully in your arms but snaps awake again as soon as his head hits the sheets...

Helping baby sleep through the night

If you haven't had a good night's sleep since your baby was born, you're not alone. Sleepless nights are a rite of passage for most new parents — but don't despair. You can help your baby sleep all night. Honestly!

 

Developing a rhythm

Newborns sleep 16 or more hours a day, but often in stretches of just a few hours at a time. Although the pattern might be erratic at first, a more consistent sleep schedule will emerge as your baby matures and can go longer between feedings.

 

By age 3 months, many babies sleep at least five hours at a time. By age 6 months, nighttime stretches of nine to 12 hours are possible.

 

Encouraging good sleep habits

For the first few months, middle-of-the-night feedings are sure to disrupt sleep for parents and babies alike — but it's never too soon to help your baby become a good sleeper. Consider these tips:

 

1. Encourage activity during the day. When your baby is awake, engage him or her by talking, singing and playing. Stimulation during the day can help promote better sleep at night.
2. Follow a consistent bedtime routine. Try relaxing favorites such as bathing, cuddling, singing, playing quiet music or reading. Soon your baby will associate these activities with sleep.
3. Put your baby to bed drowsy, but awake. This will help your baby associate bed with the process of falling asleep. Remember to place your baby to sleep on his or her back, and clear the crib or bassinet of blankets and other soft items.
4. Give your baby time to settle down. Your baby might fuss or cry before finding a comfortable position and falling asleep. If the crying doesn't stop, speak to your baby calmly and stroke his or her back. Your reassuring presence might be all your baby needs to fall asleep.
5. Consider a pacifier. If your baby has trouble settling down, a pacifier might do the trick. In fact, research suggests that using a pacifier during sleep helps reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
6. Expect frequent stirring at night. Babies often wriggle, squirm and twitch in their sleep. They can be noisy, too. Unless you suspect that your baby is hungry or uncomfortable, it's OK to wait a few minutes to see if he or she falls back asleep.
7. Keep nighttime care low-key. When your baby needs care or feeding during the night, use dim lights, a soft voice and calm movements. This will tell your baby that it's time to sleep — not play.
8. Don't 'bed share' during sleep. This can make it harder for your baby to fall asleep on his or her own. Bed sharing might also increase your baby's risk of SIDS. If you'd like to keep your baby close, consider placing your baby's bed in your bedroom.
9. Respect your baby's preferences. If your baby is a night owl or an early bird, you might want to adjust routines and schedules based on these natural patterns.
10. Keeping it in perspective

Getting your baby to sleep through the night is a worthy goal, but it's not a measure of your parenting skills. Take time to understand your baby's habits and ways of communicating so that you can help him or her become a better sleeper. If you continue to have concerns, consult your baby's doctor for additional suggestions.

8 Infant Sleep Facts

In order to better understand the how-to's of getting you and your baby to enjoy going to sleep and staying asleep, here are some important principles of sleep that every new parent needs to understand.

1. How you sleep.

After dressing or undressing for bed, most adults help themselves relax for sleep by performing various bedtime rituals: reading, listening to music, watching TV, or having sex. As you drift into sleep, your higher brain centers begin to rest; enabling you to enter the stage of deep sleep called "non-REM" (non-rapid eye movement -- NREM), or deep sleep (also called quiet sleep). Your mind and body are quietest during this stage of sleep. Your body is still, your breathing is shallow and regular, your muscles are loose, and you're really "zonked." After about an hour and a half in this quiet sleep stage, your brain begins to "wake up" and start working, which brings you out of your deep sleep and into light sleep or active sleep, called rapid eye movement or "REM" sleep. During this stage of sleep your eyes actually move under your eyelids as your brain exercises. You dream and stir, turn over, and may even adjust the covers without fully awakening. It is during this sleep stage that you may fully awaken to go to the bathroom, then return to bed and fall back into a deep sleep. These alternating cycles of light and deep sleep continue every couple hours throughout the night, so that a typical adult may spend an average of six hours in quiet sleep and two hours in active sleep. Thus, you do not sleep deeply all night, even though you may feel as though you do.

 

2. How babies enter sleep.

You're rocking, walking, or nursing your baby and her eyelids droop as she begins to nod off in your arms. Her eyes close completely, but her eyelids continue to flutter and her breathing is still irregular. Her hands and limbs are flexed, and she may startle, twitch, and show fleeting smiles, called "sleep grins." She may even continue a flutter-like sucking. Just as you bend over to deposit your "sleeping" baby in her crib so you can creep quietly away, she awakens and cries. That's because she wasn't fully asleep. She was still in the state of light sleep when you put her down. Now try your proven bedtime ritual again, but continue this ritual longer (about twenty more minutes). You will notice that baby's grimaces and twitches stop; her breathing becomes more regular and shallow, her muscles completely relax. Her fisted hands unfold and her arms and limbs dangle weightlessly. Martha and I call this "limp-limb" sign of deep sleep. Baby is now in a deeper sleep, allowing you to put her down and sneak away, breathing a satisfying sigh of relief that baby is finally resting comfortably.

Babies need to be parented to sleep, not just put to sleep. Some babies can be put down while drowsy yet still awake and drift others need parental help by being rocked or nursed to sleep.

 

The reason is that while adults can usually go directly into the state of deep sleep, infants in the early months enter sleep through an initial period of light sleep. After twenty minutes or more they gradually enter deep sleep, from which they are not so easily aroused. As you probably know from experience, if you try to rush your baby to bed while she is still in the initial light sleep period, she will usually awaken. Many parents tell me: "My baby has to be fully asleep before I can put her down." In later months, some babies can enter deep sleep more quickly, bypassing the lengthy light sleep stage. Learn to recognize your baby's sleep stages. Wait until your baby is in a deep sleep stage before transitioning her from one sleeping place to another, such as from your bed to a crib or from carseat to bed or crib.

 

3. Babies have shorter sleep cycles than you do.

Stand adoringly next to your sleeping baby and watch him sleep. About an hour after he goes to sleep, he begins to squirm, he tosses a bit, his eyelids flutter, his face muscles grimace, he breathes irregularly, and his muscles tighten. He is reentering the phase of light sleep. The time of moving from deep to light sleep is a vulnerable period during which many babies will awaken if any upsetting or uncomfortable stimulus, such as hunger, occurs. If the baby does not awaken, he will drift through this light sleep period over the next ten minutes, and descend back into deep sleep. Adult sleep cycles (going from light to deep sleep, and then back to light sleep) lasts an average of 90 minutes. Infants' sleep cycles are shorter, lasting 50 to 60 minutes, so they experience a vulnerable period for nightwaking around every hour or even less. As your baby enters this light sleep, if you lay a comforting hand on your baby's back, sing a soothing lullaby, or just be there next to baby if he is in your bed; you can help him get through this light sleep period without waking.

Some babies need help getting back to sleep.

Some "resettlers" or "self-soothers" can go through this vulnerable period without completely awakening, and if they do wake up, they can ease themselves back into a deep sleep. Other babies need a helping hand, voice, or breast to resettle back into deep sleep. From these unique differences in sleep cycle design, we learn that one of the goals of nighttime parenting is to create a sleeping environment that helps baby go through this vulnerable period of nightwaking and reenter deep sleep without waking up.

 

4. Babies don't sleep as deeply as you do.

 Not only do babies take longer to go to sleep and have more frequent vulnerable periods for nightwaking; they have twice as much active, or lighter, sleep as adults. At first glance, this hardly seems fair to parents tired from daylong baby care. Yet, if you consider the developmental principle that babies sleep the way they do -- or don't -- for a vital reason, it may be easier for you to understand your baby's nighttime needs and develop a nighttime parenting style that helps rather than harms your baby's natural sleep rhythms. Here's where I'm at odds with modern sleep trainers who advise a variety of gadgets and techniques designed to help baby sleep more deeply through the night -- for a price, and perhaps at a risk.

 

5. Nightwaking has survival benefits.

In the first few months, babies' needs are the highest, but their ability to communicate their needs is the lowest. Suppose a baby slept deeply most of the night. Some basic needs would go unfulfilled. Tiny babies have tiny tummies, and mother's milk is digested very rapidly. If a baby's stimulus for hunger could not easily arouse her, this would not be good for baby's survival. If baby's nose was stuffed and she could not breathe, or was cold and needed warmth, and her sleep state was so deep that she could not communicate her needs, her survival would be jeopardized.

 

One thing we have learned during our years in pediatrics is that babies do what they do because they're designed that way. In the case of infant sleep, research suggests that active sleep protects babies. Suppose your baby sleeps like an adult, meaning predominantly deep sleep. Sounds wonderful! For you, perhaps, but not for baby. Suppose baby had a need for warmth, food, or even unobstructed air, but because he was sleeping so deeply he couldn't arouse to recognize and act on these needs. Baby's well being could be threatened. It appears that babies come wired with sleep patterns that enable them to awaken in response to circumstances that threaten their well being. We believe, and research supports, that frequent stages of active (REM) sleep serve the best physiologic interest of babies during the early months, when their well being is most threatened.

Encouraging a baby to sleep too deeply, too soon, may not be in the best survival or developmental interest of the baby. This is why new parents, vulnerable to sleep trainers' claims of getting their baby to sleep through the night, should not feel pressured to get their baby to sleep too long, too deeply, too soon.

6. Nightwaking has developmental benefits.

 Sleep researchers believe that babies sleep "smarter" than adults do. They theorize that light sleep helps the brain develop because the brain doesn't rest during REM sleep. In fact, blood flow to the brain nearly doubles during REM sleep. (This increased blood flow is particularly evident in the area of the brain that automatically controls breathing.) During REM sleep the body increases its manufacture of certain nerve proteins, the building blocks of the brain. Learning is also thought to occur during the active stage of sleep. The brain may use this time to process information acquired while awake, storing what is beneficial to the individual and discarding what is not. Some sleep researchers believe that REM sleeps acts to auto-stimulate the developing brain, providing beneficial imagery that promotes mental development. During the light sleep stage, the higher centers of the brain keep operating, yet during deep sleep these higher brain centers shut off and the baby functions on her lower brain centers. It is possible that during this stage of rapid brain growth (babies' brains grow to nearly seventy percent of adult volume during the first two years) the brain needs to continue functioning during sleep in order to develop. It is interesting to note that premature babies spend even more of their sleep time (approximately 90 percent) in REM sleep, perhaps to accelerate their brain growth. As you can see, the period of life when humans sleep the most and the brain is developing the most rapidly is also the time when they have the most active sleep. One day as I was explaining the theory that light sleep helps babies' brains develop, a tired mother of a wakeful infant chuckled and said, "If that's true, my baby's going to be very smart."

 

7. As they grow, babies achieve sleep maturity.

 "Okay," you say, "I understand this developmental design, but when will my baby sleep through the night?" The age at which babies settle – meaning they go to sleep easily and stay asleep varies widely among babies. Some babies go to sleep easily, but don't stay asleep. Others go to sleep with difficulty but will stay asleep. Other exhausting babies neither want to go to sleep nor stay asleep.

 

In the first three months, tiny babies seldom sleep for more than four-hour stretches without needing a feeding. Tiny babies have tiny tummies. Yet, they usually sleep a total of 14-18 hours a day. From three to six months, most babies begin to settle. They are awake for longer stretches during the day and some may sleep five-hour stretches at night. Between three to six months, expect one or two nightwakings. You will also see the period of deep sleep lengthen. The vulnerable periods for nightwaking decrease and babies are able to enter deep sleep more quickly. This is called sleep maturity.

An important fact for you to remember is that your baby's sleep habits are more a reflection of your baby's temperament rather than your style of nighttime parenting. And keep in mind that other parents usually exaggerate how long their baby sleeps, as if this were a badge of good parenting, which it isn't. It's not your fault baby wakes up.

8. Babies still wake up.

When babies mature into these adult-like sleep patterns varies among babies. Yet, even though babies achieve this sleep maturity some time during the last half of the first year, many still wake up. The reason? Painful stimuli, such as colds and teething pain, become more frequent. Major developmental milestones, such as sitting, crawling, and walking, drive babies to "practice" their new developmental skills in their sleep. Then between one and two years of age, when baby begins to sleep through the above-mentioned wake-up stimuli, other causes of nightwaking occur, such as separation anxiety and nightmares.

 

Even though you understand why babies are prone to nightwaking, you realize it's still important for parents and babies to get a restful night's sleep, otherwise, baby, the parents, and their relationship won't thrive.

 

Baby sleep training method: Cry it out

People often think this method of sleep training involves leaving babies alone to cry for as long as it takes before they fall asleep. But "cry it out" (CIO) simply refers to any sleep training approach – and there are many – that says it's okay to let a baby cry for a specified period of time (often a very short period of time) before offering comfort.

In his 1985 book Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems (revised and expanded in 2006), pediatrician Richard Ferber presented one method of getting children to sleep that has become virtually synonymous with CIO – so much so that you'll hear parents refer to any CIO method as "Ferberizing."

Ferber himself never uses the term "cry it out." And he's only one of a number of sleep experts who say that crying – while not the goal – is for some children an unavoidable part of sleep training.

What's the theory behind CIO?
The "cry it out" approach assumes that falling asleep on your own is a skill like any other and that your baby can master this skill if you give him the opportunity.
The idea is that if your child gets used to having you rock him to sleep, or he always falls asleep while nursing, he won't learn to fall asleep on his own. When he wakes up during the night – as all children and adults do as part of the natural sleep cycle – he'll become alarmed and cry for you instead of being able to go back to sleep.

By contrast, if your baby learns to soothe himself to sleep at bedtime, he can use the same skill when he wakes up at night or during a nap.

Crying isn't the goal of this sleep training method, but advocates say it's often an inevitable side effect as your baby adjusts to sleeping on his own. They say the short-term pain of a few tears is far outweighed by the long-term advantages: a child who goes to sleep easily and happily on his own, and parents who can count on a good night's rest.

Ferber is perhaps the most well known expert who advocates a CIO-style sleep training method, but he's not alone.

Pediatrician Marc Weissbluth, author of the popular book Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, doesn't endorse CIO per se, but says that crying may be a necessary part of helping some children develop healthy sleep habits.

Sleep expert Jodi Mindell, author of Sleeping Through the Night: How Infants, Toddlers, and Their Parents Can Get a Good Night's Sleep, is often called a kinder, gentler Ferber. Her "basic bedtime method" is a variation on Ferber's classic progressive-waiting technique.

What's Normal about infant sleep

Adults need six to eight hours of continuous rest each night. Babies, on the other hand, have more erratic patterns of sleeping. They usually need between 16 and 18 hours per 24-hour period. Of course, that amount of sleep is not continuous (though most parents would prefer it that way). Typically, those hours are pretty evenly spread over half a dozen naps throughout the day and night. Most newborn babies wake every two to three hours around the clock for a feeding, followed by an hour or two of wakefulness.
 
"Every baby is different." Are you tired of hearing that yet? Well, it's true! You probably know someone whose baby slept through the night at just six weeks old. But in truth, the majority of babies need at least two feedings per night up until they are about six months old. Some newborns are colicky and can cry for hours without discernable reason. This usually peaks at around six weeks and slowly subsides from there. Others always tend to be on the low end of the spectrum of sleep needs.
 
Your baby won't even begin to develop a circadian rhythm until she's about six to nine weeks old, and that rhythm doesn't mature until she's at least six months old. Babies will wake up and sleep often because they are made to do so. It is only our perceptions that lead us to believe that these patterns are problematic. Despite the blur of sleep deprivation that all new parents experience, try to persevere by knowing that the chaos usually settles down after baby settles into a more normal pattern when she's several weeks old. Beyond that, it's common for infants to awaken at least once per night until they reach 12 months of age.
 
Because so much of your newborn's life is spent feeding, it isn't uncommon to see her mimicking a sucking motion in her sleep. She might also twitch, snore, flutter her eyes, show a startle response at times, or make tiny, squeaky noises as she dreams--all of which are normal.
 
How to Create a Sleep Routine

 

Children of all ages thrive on consistent routine. It is a good idea to create a nighttime sleep ritual, and possibly an abbreviated version of it for naptime. After a few weeks, your baby will catch on that a certain order of bathing, massage, changing into pajamas, reading a book, and feeding always ends in sleep time. Create your own routine that includes singing songs, rocking, using a pacifier, going for a walk, or something else pleasant and soothing.
 
During the day, encourage your newborn to distinguish between the light of day and the dark of night by exposing her to sunlight and fresh air. When she naps, don't try to make it too dark or be overly quiet. She will learn to prefer the dark and quiet times for sleeping. Conversely, keep the lights very dim at night to enhance restfulness, and try playing some white noise (like a fan or humidifier) to help lull your baby to sleep. Some babies enjoy drifting off to sleep while listening to soft music or CDs that mimic the sounds they heard while in the womb.
 
Learn to read your baby's cues and respond (start your sleep routine) at his first signs of tiredness, which may include rubbing his eyes, yawning, looking "glazed", generally slowing down in activity, or becoming disinterested in whatever he was doing. A baby will sleep longer if she falls asleep when she isn't overly tired, which is the opposite of what many parents think. If you miss the early signs, your baby will become overly tired and experience difficulty calming down and falling asleep.
 
In The Happiest Baby on the Block, author Harvey Karp recommends "The S's" to help your baby sleep better and longer--swaddling, shushing sounds, swinging, sucking, and more. Almost all babies love to be wrapped tightly in a swaddling blanket, and most parents find it very effective. The womb is a noisy place, so babies love loud, white noises. Try getting close to your baby's ear and making a loud "shh" noise, and note his response. (Most babies love this!)

Sleep and your newborn baby

Inside the womb, your baby encountered too little light to distinguish night from day. And throughout gestation, your rhythmic movements and sounds also helped lull your little one to sleep. The womb was a warm, safe place for your child. There were no temperature changes, discomforts, loud noises, or sensations that weren't to her liking. Because of these comforts and the changes your baby encounters after birth, infants can't possibly have wake-sleep routines comparable to most adults.
 
Thrust into a world she isn't familiar with, it can be a complicated task to figure out how to coax her into resting peacefully with a routine that works with your own. Your baby has never been separated from you before, so you can't expect her to adjust quickly to a new set of routines and sleeping rules. As most new parents discover, it usually takes a team effort to lull a baby to sleep--especially as a newborn. But how do you know if your baby's sleeping habits are normal, and what can you do to help your baby get the right amount of sleep that she needs to be healthy?

 What Isn't Normal?

• Sleeping Too Little

If your newborn sleeps less than the expectations, watch her closely--she may be overtired. Signs of exhaustion might include excessive crying or whining, being very clingy, or being very hyper.
 
Most infants, when going through a growth spurt (usually around the ages of 7-10 days, 2-3 weeks, 4-6 weeks, 3 months, and 4 months), will nurse or want a bottle more often, and may even sleep less throughout the day. But most babies will sleep noticeably more (overall) during these growth periods because of the intense need to conserve energy.
 
If your baby isn't sleeping enough, you'll want to rule out other factors that may be preventing her from drifting off to sleep. Here are some things to try: White noise. Newborns are used to noise that they could hear in the womb. A house that is too quiet can actually cause stress for some babies. "White noise" from a hair dryer, vacuum cleaner or static on a radio can actually provide womb-like sounds that can help her relax and fall to sleep.

 Swaddling. Before birth, your baby was accustomed to very tight surroundings, which is why swaddling is recommended. If you are not swaddling your little one for sleeping times, or she is not swaddled tightly enough, she could be experiencing stress that prevents her from sleeping.
 Warmth. Your baby is used to living in a 98-degree environment, and is not yet efficient at regulating her own body temperature. Ensure that baby is warm, snug, and cozy enough to sleep. Swaddles will help maintain her body temperature, but in colder weather, make sure she is dressed appropriately to stay warm. Pay particular attention to her feet.

• Sleeping Too Much

 If your child is getting dramatically more sleep than you feel she should, speak to your pediatrician to see if there is an underlying cause. It is not uncommon for some newborns to sleep a great deal in the initial weeks. But this can become problematic if your baby is sleeping so much that she's not eating enough. If you have a "sleepy baby," you'll have to wake her every few hours for a feeding. Try:

Changing her diaper before a feeding
Removing all her clothes (except diaper) so she's not so warm and cozy
Wiping baby with a cool, wet washcloth
Rubbing an ice cube on the soles of her feet

If none of these tricks keep your baby awake long enough to consistently take full feedings, contact your health care provider to discuss possible causes of sleepiness. When older babies sleep more, it isn't as much of a concern as long as they are eating well at feeding times.
 

 

HOW TO CURE NEWBORN HICCUPS

Hiccups in newborn babies are fairly common. In fact, they often begin before the baby is even born, and pregnant women can sometimes feel these fetal hiccups. After birth, babies who frequently hiccupped in utero often hiccup outside the womb as well. Although hiccups generally don't bother the baby, new parents are often concerned about newborn hiccups and want to find ways to help their infant.

Step 1
Burp the baby. Sometimes pressure in a newborn's tiny tummy can cause or worsen a bout of hiccups. Burping the baby might ease the pressure and let your baby get over his hiccups. Hold him upright on your shoulder and pat his back gently, or by sit him on your knee and lean him forward as you pat his back.

Step 2
Feed the baby. Whether breastfeeding or formula feeding, the sucking action of feeding can stimulate the diaphragm to relax and return to normal, stopping your baby's hiccups. Even if this remedy doesn't work, feeding will help distract a hiccupping baby, giving her something else to think about.

Step 3
Have the pediatrician check for reflux. In some babies, extremely frequent bouts of hiccups signal a medical problem. If your baby is hiccupping more than once or twice a day or for long periods at a time, he might have reflux, a condition in which the contents of the esophagus come back up into his throat and mouth. Babies with reflux usually have other signs, including breathing problems or demonstrating pain when feeding. Reflux is treatable, so don't hesitate to talk to your child's pediatrician if his hiccups seem excessive.

Step 4
Relax and wait it out. Hiccups don't really hurt the baby, so sometimes waiting it out is the best remedy. Newborn hiccups don't typically last longer than about 30 minutes and usually stop in a far shorter time. They also will decrease in frequency as the baby gets older. By the time the baby is a year old, her hiccups should be a rare occurrence.

How to Get Rid of Hiccups in a Newborn

Newborns tend to get hiccups, especially at some point during a feeding, according to the Children, Youth and Women's Health Services of South Australia. Although anyone can get hiccups, they're more common in babies and children. If your newborn gets hiccups during or after eating, rest assured--along with spitting up and soiled diapers, a hiccuping baby is perfectly normal.

The tiny "hic!" your newborn makes is caused by a contraction of the diaphragm, a muscle separating the chest and abdomen, states MayoClinic.Com. Each contraction causes your baby's vocal cords to close abruptly, accounting for the "hiccup" noise. The number of hiccups that take place each minute can vary widely--anywhere between four and 60.

Causes in Newborns
According to the Children, Youth and Women's Health Services, most causes of hiccups start when you do two things concurrently, such as eating and drinking. Babies can start to hiccup at some point during a feeding, but they don't necessarily have a cause or trigger. One hypothesis is that hiccups are more likely to start when your newborn feels stressed.

Feeding Strategies
If your newborn starts hiccuping while you're still feeding him, the American Academy of Pedatrics suggests changing his positioning or burping him. After the hiccups stop, then resume the feeding. When hiccups persist after five to 10 minutes, try to feed your baby a little more. The AAP states that this is usually the best fix for hiccups.

Other Information
If your newborn gets frequent hiccups, the AAP feeding her before she becomes voraciously hungry, while she's still calm. Additionally, it's okay to feed your newborn while she still has the hiccups, says the Children, Youth and Women's Health Services. The contraction that causes the hiccup causes your baby's epiglottis to cover the entryway to her lungs, acting as a safety measure to prevent liquid from getting into her lungs.

Should You Be Concerned?
Newborn hiccups are usually more troublesome for parents than they are for a baby, says the AAP. Your baby isn't bothered by the hiccups. Hiccups resolve on their own, so there's no need to try and stop them unless you absolutely want to, says the Children, Youth and Women's Health Services.

 

How to deal with Jaundice

Jaundice in a baby or infant jaundice is quite common among new born. In fact one in every 5 babies is diagnosed with jaundice at the time of birth or a few weeks after it. Infant jaundice has typical symptoms of a yellowish skin, yellow tinge in the eyes and difficulty in feeding.

The weight of the infant also drops at this time. Generally jaundice goes on its own without harming the baby, but for the new parents its heart breaking to see the baby suffer from jaundice.

 

There are no certain causes of infant jaundice. Many times it occurs because of blood group dissimilarities between the newborn and the mother. Jaundice means risen levels of bilirubin in the blood. This can be dealt in a number of ways. Here are a few great tips to deal with infant jaundice effectively.

 

1.       Firstly the jaundice needs to be diagnosed timely. Keep an eye on the baby's skin color. A tinge of yellow in skin and eye indicates jaundice. Further, blood tests may reveal the bilirubin level and would confirm the severity of jaundice.

 

2.       Once the jaundice is confirmed, the baby needs to be well fed as increased bilirubin levels often dehydrate the infants. To increase the feeds of a breast fed baby, it is recommended to express the milk and offer ina cup, spoon or a bottle, since jaundice are unable to such much at breast.

 

3.       If the type of jaundice is breast-milk jaundice, then the doctors might advice you to stop breastfeeding totally and supplement the baby with a formula bottle or a cup. Normally, by increasing the quantity and frequency of feeds, the infant jaundice can be controlled.

 

4.       Sunlight is important for the babies who develop jaundice in the first week of their lives. The ultraviolet rays of the sun help cure the condition and bring down the serum bilirubin levels in the body of the infant. The correct way to expose a baby to indirect sunlight is to remove all the clothing and place the baby near a glass window that reflects sunlight. Sunlight exposure should be given early morning or before the sunset for a brief period of time to avoid dehydration.

 

5.       If the sunlight is not available or if it is not effective in treating jaundice or the levels are too high and threatening then the baby is kept in a phototherapy unit. This is a small glass chamber with UV lights. The baby is made to lie down in the unit with protective eye covers. The phototherapy treatment is quite effective in treating this condition and in a day or two brings down the severity of jaundice.

 

6.       Another great and advanced therapy option is biliblanket that works on the same phenomena as phototherapy unit. It is a specialized blanket that uses the fiber optics and sunlight energy for treatment. This can be used at home and there is no need to admit the baby in the hospital for photo therapy.

 

7.       After going through two days of treatment the tests are repeated again to check he bilirubin levels. If the levels have come down considerably then the baby may be sent home and continue with normal feeds. If the levels are still on the higher side, further hospitalization and treatment is necessary.

 

Physiologic Jaundice of newborn

Physiologic jaundice is a fairly normal newborn occurrence. You will usually see this between days two and five of your new baby's life. Typically it presents as a yellowish tinge to your baby's skin and eyes. Some babies may also be very sleepy and/or have feeding difficulties.

Jaundice is caused by the inability of the baby's immature liver to break down red blood cells, leading to an increase in the levels of bilirubin in the baby's blood. This is fairly normal occurrence. To help speed up the process, you should be sure that your baby is taking in plenty of fluids, preferably breast milk. Breast milk is a laxitive, helping to move the meconium from your baby's bowels. This can help lessen the incidence of jaundice or decrease the amount of time that you deal with jaundice.

Your baby may have blood draws taken to measure a substance called bilirubin. The build up of bilirubin is what causes the yellowish tinge to your baby's skin. If the bilirubin levels, often call bili, go above a certain level your pediatrician may ask that you use a type of phototherapy called bili lights.

Bili lights can come in a blanket form. This is used to wrap your baby up in the bili light blanket to expose their skin to light which helps break down the bilirubin. They also have older models that are more like lighted suit cases. You may also expose your baby to indirect sun light to help speed up the process of the break down of bilirubin.

Breask Milk Jaundice

Breast milk jaundice is caused by a non-harmful substance in the breast milk of some women. While the jaundice caused by this form of jaundice can last longer, it does not tend to have high fluctuations in the levels of bilirubin found in your baby. Dr. Jack Newman, pediatrician and breastfeeding specialist, recommends that breastfeeding not be stopped in order to diagnose this form of jaundice. He stresses that breast milk is not harmful to these babies and in fact is still the best bet for the baby nutrition wise.

If You Think Your Baby Has Jaundice

Physiologic jaundice may not show up until your baby is up to five days old. This means that you are probably not still at the hospital or birth center. If you see a yellowish tinge to your baby's skin, your baby seems lethargic or very sleepy or refuses to eat, call your pediatrician immediately. A quick blood test can usually confirm that your baby has jaundice and treatment can begin. If your baby has low levels of bilirubin treatment is usually just expectant management, or watching your baby. Ensure that your baby is nursing well and consider exposure to indirect sunlight. This can usually be placing baby in a diaper near a window for brief periods of time. You may also be asked to have the blood work repeated to check that the bilirubin levels are going down.

Problems associated with high bilirubin are very rare. However, they are potentially very serious. Be sure to report any jaundice to your pediatrician for care.

 

What Should You Do for your baby?

As soon as you hold your baby after birth, you'll begin to communicate with each other by exchanging your first glances, sounds, and touches. Babies quickly learn about the world through their senses.

As the days after birth pass, your newborn will become accustomed to seeing you and will begin to focus on your face. The senses of touch and hearing are especially important, though.

Your baby will be curious about noises, but none more so than the spoken voice. Talk to your baby whenever you have the chance. Even though your baby doesn't understand what you're saying, your calm, reassuring voice conveys safety. With almost every touch your newborn is learning about life, so provide lots of tender kisses, and your little one will find the world a soothing place.

Communicating with newborns is a matter of meeting their needs. Always respond to your newborn's cries — babies cannot be spoiled with too much attention. Indeed, prompt responses to babies' cries lets them know that they're important and worthy of attention.

There will probably be times when you have met all needs, yet your infant continues to cry. Don't despair — your baby may be overstimulated, have too much energy, or just need a good cry for no apparent reason.

It's common for babies to have a fussy period about the same time every day, generally between early evening and midnight. Though all newborns cry and show some fussiness, when an infant who is otherwise healthy cries for more than 3 hours per day, more than 3 days per week for at least 3 weeks, it is a condition known as colic. This can be upsetting, but the good news is that it's short-lived — most babies outgrow it at around 3 months of age.

You can try to soothe your baby. Some are comforted by motion, such as rocking or being walked back and forth across the room, while others respond to sounds, like soft music or the hum of a vacuum cleaner. It may take some time to find out what best comforts your baby during these stressful periods.

Should I Be Concerned?
Talk to your doctor if your baby seems to cry for an unusual length of time, if the cries sound odd to you, or if the crying is associated with decreased activity, poor feeding, or unusual breathing or movements. Your doctor will be able to reassure you or look for a medical reason for your baby's distress. Chances are there is nothing wrong, and knowing this can help you relax and stay calm when your baby is upset.

Here are some other reasons for prolonged crying:

• The baby is ill. A baby who cries more when being held or rocked may be sick. Call your doctor, especially if the baby has a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or more.
• The baby has an eye irritation. A scratched cornea or "foreign body" in a baby's eye can cause redness and tearing. Call your doctor.
• The baby is in pain. An open diaper pin or other object could be hurting the baby's skin. Take a close look everywhere, even each finger and toe (sometimes hair can get wrapped around a baby's tiny digits and cause pain).
• If you have any questions about your newborn's ability to see or hear, you should bring them to your doctor's attention immediately. Even newborns can be tested using sophisticated equipment, if necessary. The sooner a potential problem is caught, the better it can be treated.

 

How Babies Communicate

Babies are born with the ability to cry, which is how they communicate for a while. Your baby's cries generally tell you that something is wrong: an empty belly, a wet bottom, cold feet, being tired, or a need to be held and cuddled, etc.

 

Soon you'll be able to recognize which need your baby is expressing and respond accordingly. In fact, sometimes what a baby needs can be identified by the type of cry — for example, the "I'm hungry" cry may be short and low-pitched, while "I'm upset" may sound choppy.

 

Your baby may also cry when overwhelmed by all of the sights and sounds of the world, or for no apparent reason at all. Don't be too upset when your baby cries and you aren't able to console him or her immediately: crying is one way babies shut out stimuli when they're overloaded.

 

Crying is a baby's main method of communication, but they're also capable of other, more subtle forms. Learning to recognize them is rewarding and can strengthen your bond with your baby.

 

A newborn can differentiate between the sound of a human voice and other sounds. Try to pay attention to how your little one responds to your voice, which he or she already associates with care: food, warmth, touch.

 

If your baby is crying in the bassinet, see how quickly your approaching voice quiets him or her. See how closely your baby listens when you talk in loving tones. Your baby may not yet coordinate looking and listening, but even when staring into the distance, he or she will be paying close attention to your voice as you speak. Your baby may subtly adjust body position or facial expression, or even move the arms and legs in time with your speech.

 

Sometime during your newborn's first month, you may get a glimpse of a first smile — a welcome addition to your baby's communication skills!

What you need to know about Bottle-feeding

Bottle-feeding became popular with the belief that it was cleaner, somehow better than breast milk. It was also considered advantageous for the woman on the go—she didn't have to be with baby all the time in order for him to be fed. Someone else could give him the bottle as well as she. It allowed her to go to work.

However, as far as I can see, there are no advantages to bottle-feeding. Even if a woman has to work there are ways to breast-feed her baby. She can hand express her milk before work in the morning or the night before and freeze it. It will be there for the caretaker to put out at room temperature ahead of lime and be ready for baby when baby is hungry.

There are many, many disadvantages to bottle-feeding though. One is it can lead to obesity. The artificial carbohydrates in formula milks are habit forming and increase consumption of artificial sweets later in life. Artificial formulas contain much salt which can lead to dehydration in infants and toxicity. There are high levels of lead in formula milk that has been stored in tin cans.

Bottle-feeding is a very unnatural approach to handling an infant's nutritional needs. It comes complete with schedules, bottles (which can easily become contaminated), complicated preparation, a waste of precious energy, a waste of time, etc. A mother has to be concerned with which formula to use, how to prepare it, how much to use, how often to feed, whether or not to hold the baby, etc. And at best, all the manufacturers can claim is that their formula is "most like mother's milk."

Bottle-fed babies are more likely to develop disease. So-called "allergic" reactions to the milk such as eczema are common. Many nutritional ailments are caused by bottle milks as mother's milk cannot be duplicated. No one even knows all the components of breast milk, and, therefore, formula milks are likely to be deficient in one or more necessary element. One formula milk was found deficient in vitamin B-6 after it was discovered that this vitamin is contained in breast milk.

Bottle milks are difficult for baby to digest. Therefore, much energy is spent in breaking these down to a usable form and less energy is directed toward baby's growth and development.

Bottle-fed babies who are fed cow's milk often have intestinal and gastric disturbances. This is because cow's milk is not suitable for the baby's digestive system. Cow's milk contains more fat, more calcium and much less tryptophan (an amino acid) and lecithin than mother's milk. Tryptophan and lecithin are used in building brains and nerves. Calcium is employed in building bones. This is why cow's milk has the components it has—a cow's bone structure grows rapidly, and its brains and nervous system are not highly or delicately organized. On the other hand, a baby is relatively small of bone and have a large, highly-organized brain with a perfection of senses and bodily control. Babies fed on cow's milk primarily have softer brains and are less likely to be as intelligent as breast-led babies. The excess of fat and cream in cow's milk also produces digestive disturbances in baby.

Cow's milk contributes to hardening of the arteries and high blood pressure later in life. It also can cause low-blood calcium in the newborn, an overload in the infant's kidneys from having to expel the excess proteins, diarrhea, respiratory infections, etc. Tonsillar and adenoid troubles are also common with babies fed cow's milk.

However, under certain, abnormal conditions, it becomes necessary for a mother to include cow's or other animals' milk in the diet of her baby. These will be included later.

Another problem with bottle milk is that it does not change with the hormonal and nutritional needs of the growing baby. The makers of baby formulas cannot duplicate the changes in composition or volume that takes place continuously in mother's milk as her baby grows.

Yes, mother's milk cannot be imitated in the laboratory. Nature had it perfect to begin with, and there is no perfect or near perfect substitute.