Baby Sleep Beginnings

Just when you thought you put your baby to sleep and started on your tasks for the day, you hear a faint cry.

Oh no, baby's at it again, awake and crying but it’s only been 40 minutes since I laid them down, you say to yourself.

Does this scene sound all too familiar?

Mama, you are not alone. The reason it seems like your baby has an internal alarm clock is because they kind of do.

The 40/45 minute mark signals the end of a 1 sleep cycle for a baby.

At the end of the cycle, things can go either way:

● Your baby may go back to sleep peacefully
● They may wake up for good

There are different reasons for this phenomenon.

And they depend on how you put your baby to sleep.

Did you let them soothe themselves when they were awake or did you use a prop to help them? 🤔

Here are some tips to get rid of the dreaded sleep cycle wake:

● Avoid Sleep Props (Rocking the baby to sleep, bouncing. Swinging & feedings.
● Avoid putting down an exhausted baby
● Put your baby down when they are awake so they can get accustomed to the sensation of soothing themselves to sleep without the aid of a prop once the 40-minute mark is near.

Comment below if your baby never sleeps past the 40-45 minute mark!

Source: Sleep Baby Sleep

The million-dollar question is: to routine or not to routine?

As an adult whether you realize it or not, you’ve established your own bedtime routine.

You brush your teeth, take a bath, change of clothes, and a couple of minutes of a fun activity right before bed.

Your baby should be no exception.

Sleep training serves as a calming period that helps your baby distinguish day from night.

And the answer to the million-dollar question is: TO ROUTINE!

Here are a couple of examples of steps you can take before putting baby to bed:

🧼 A nice gentle lavender body wash bath

🧷 Change diaper and onesie to a fresh one (bonus points if it's fresh out the dryer)

📖 Read an age-appropriate book to them.

What’s your baby’s routine? Comment below

Source: Sleep, Baby, Sleep

What is safe sleep for a newborn?
1. Sleeping on a firm surface
2. Always sleep the baby on their back
3. In an area with no loose blankets, toys, stuffed animals, baby only in the bed.
4. Swaddled tightly with no other blankets in or around the baby.
5. Well ventilated area
6. Room temperature between 68 and 72 degrees.
7. If you do not have a Newborn Care Specialist, the baby should sleep in the parent's room (not in their bed)

Source: Baby Sleep Ventures

✨BABY LED WEANING✨
What is it and Where to start?

Baby led weaning is the process of introducing solid foods, complimentary to breastmilk or formula in the form of self feeding! Instead of starting with mushy purees and spoon feeding, you can put larger pieces of soft foods right on baby's tray for them to grasp and pickup on their own. It’s such a blast to watch and super easy to start! We recommend starting as soon as baby is able to sit up unassisted on the floor and grasp foods to bring to mouth (6 months or older). Here is a list of food options to start with!

From: Maximized Chiropractic

Do you know what to do if baby falls asleep🥱 during ? Place baby on their back and let them continue to sleep! You can try Tummy Time again when baby is awake and well rested.

Remember, The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends baby always sleep on their back. That means spending time on their tummy while awake is crucial for development!

is an essential exercise for baby’s development during the first 6 months of their life. Keep these helpful tips in mind before you start!

Source: Pathways.org

HOW DO YOU GET A BABY TO SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT?

Is your baby crying all the time? Are naps hard and bedtime harder? You may be missing sleepy signs. For the majority of babies their awake time for the first month is approximately 60-75 mins, two times a day. Each baby has a different sleepy sign. Some are clearly noticeable, as indicated in the picture, and some are custom made by your baby. Whatever the sleepy sign, you must learn what it is. When you miss it the baby will become overstimulated, adrenalin will be activated and there will be no settling the baby. Crying could be ongoing for up to twelve hours. Fixing this is so easy. Not fixing it may lead to so called “colic”

Source: Baby Ventures

A person's life, including their perceptions, is predominately formed through their environment. In neurological development, the brain does not become consciously active until six years of age. Until that age, a child's brain will be downloading all the perceptions, activities, and knowledge he receives without the benefit of discrimination. Your child is 'programmed' for his adult years during this phase of development. This 'programming' is the subconscious that will run 95 – 99% of his adult life. Simply stated, the decision you make today are reflections of what you observed before the age of six.

Source: Gentle Ventures

SIBLING INTERACTION

At first, your toddler will be thrilled with the new addition because they are sure the baby is leaving soon. After a couple of weeks, they will realize it is not going to happen. It is at that time that the behavioral issues may begin. Be patient. Find ways to spend quality alone time with the toddler.

Source: Gentle Ventures

How important is a schedule for a newborn? When I am asked that question, my first reply is, "How important is your sanity?"

There are two ways to parent a newborn; one is on the baby's schedule, which generally means everything is done on the baby's timeline, and the other is to create a schedule. Although we agree with demand feeding for the first week or two to establish breastfeeding, we like to put the baby on a three-hour schedule as soon as possible. A 3-hour schedule means we feed every three hours, have an hour to hour and a half awake time and the remaining time, sleep time. Babies love to know what will happen and when. A baby on a schedule is a happy baby.

Source: gentleventures.com