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Are bedtime battles getting you
down? More often than not struggling with your baby’s sleep pattern is much
more about you and not your baby. Babies look to you to gage your reaction
to every situation. If you approach bedtime with confidence your baby will
sense this and follow your lead. When establishing your bedtime routine set
yourself up for success – babying baby, changing baby, feeding baby, and
dressing baby appropriately for the season should reassure you that all of
her physical needs are met so when it’s time to hit the hay she is ready to
go but are you?
Every mother at night gets a
tingle of distress when baby begins to cry from the crib. If you know her
physical needs are met try your hardest to separate your emotions from your
actions. In doing this you will be confident that if she wakes up crying a
half hour after she falls asleep you’ll know that it’s not because she is
starving, in a drenched diaper or sweaty from three layers of clothing on a
hot summers night.
Give her that few minutes that
she may need to fall back asleep on her own. What seems like hours may only
be minutes before baby lulls herself back to dreamland. Creating a soothing
sleep environment for your baby will also help her associate her crib with
sleep time. Setting your thermostat at 68 degrees, keeping her room free
from clutter and visual distractions and having minimal lighting will create
a calm and peaceful environment for her to dream away in.
Would you really want to wake up
in the middle of the night to a glaring mirror above your face twirling
around? What seems like a little distraction can term waking for just a
blinking of an eye for what seems like an eternity. Have confidence that
you know your baby best and can decipher her cry. Every mommy can tell the
tears of terror from the whimpers of wanting mommy. Remember that you can
help set your child’s sleep clock by establishing good bedtime routines.
Self soothing is a great life lesson – don’t be afraid to let your baby
learn it.
I’m Michelle LaRowe, author of
Nanny to the Rescue, for Baby Talk Radio. Be sure to visit my website
at
http://www.michellelarowe.com for your parenting tip of the day.
