The importance of sleep
Like food or water, sleep is necessary for your wellbeing. It is essential for aperson’s physical and mental health. This is true for newborns and other babies.Your baby needs plenty of sleep as sleep deprivation can make your baby cranky.Some of the reasons why sleep is important for your baby are:- It promotes brain development.
- It promotes the physical growth of your baby.
- It helps in storing energy needed for growth.
- t is needed to develop the limbic system, which is the brain’s center for emotionallearning about new experiences.
- It decreases stress and agitation.
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Understanding your baby’s sleep
Although the sleeping pattern of each baby varies, all babies require agreat amount of sleep. Up to 3 months, your baby may sleep as much as 16 h or more,often in stretches of 3 or 4 h at a time. After 3 months your baby may sleep moreduring the night than in the daytime. By 1 year, your baby may sleep 12–14 h altogetherand daytime naps will gradually become less frequent. She may remain awake for longerstretches at a time during the day. As your baby grows, the periods of sleep decrease.
Like adults, babies go through different phases of sleep—drowsiness, rapid eye movement(REM) sleep or dream sleep, light sleep, deep sleep and very deep sleep. In dream sleep or REM sleep, you can see your baby’s eye darting back and forth. They may also coo and make other noises, which is perfectly normal and does not signify any problem. It is believed that babies dream more than adults, which is vital for their growth and development.
| | Encouraging your baby to sleep
In the first fewmonths, you may have to get up every few hours to tend to the baby.However almost all the babies are able to sleep through the night by thetime they are 6 months old. Here are a few simple tips to help yourbaby sleep through the night:
| - Establish a bedtime ritual. Try to adjust your baby’s body clock towards sleepingat night. Follow a bedtime routine like massage, singing, rocking, reading, etc.So your baby will associate these activities with sleep and will help teach herto go to sleep easily at night.
- When you are feeding your baby duringnight, resist the temptation to play or talk with her so that she understands thatnighttime is for sleeping.
- Engage your baby by talking, playing and singing during daytime. It can help promotebetter sleep at night.
- If your baby is fussy, try to rock, cuddle and sing as she is settling down. Youcan also speak to your baby calmly and Stroke her back.
- Sleeping babies often make noises. Sometimes fussing or crying in sleep may be asign of settling down. Unless you feel that your baby is hungry or uncomfortable,wait for a few minutes to see what happens.
- Try to gain a better understanding of your baby’s sleep pattern. If you feel thatyour baby’s sleep behavior is robbing you of your own sleep, make a practice tosleep when your baby does. Respect your baby’s preferences.
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Sleep and breastfeeding
Since breastmilk is easier to digest than formula milk, breastfed babies wake upmore often during the night as they tend to get hungry more quickly. Feeding yourbaby to sleep is a wonderful experience but chances are that your baby may associateit as a part of bedtime routine.
Try to change the routine by breastfeeding your baby early to ensure that your baby is not dependent on it to fall sleep. Moreover this will help your baby to fall asleep on her own.
|  | | Pros and cons of cosleeping
The term cosleeping refers to the sharing of a sleep surface by an infant and a parent. In many cultures, infants sleep with their mother. Sleeping close to your baby provides physical protection against cold and makes nighttime breast feeding more convenient. You will be able to quickly respond if she starts crying in the night. It may help your baby to get more nighttime sleep and may cry significantly less. If you are separated from your baby during the day, cosleeping can give you some extra time to spend with your baby.
|  | Though cosleeping is common in most parts of the world, some studiessuggested that it may put your baby at risk of sudden infant deathsyndrome (SIDS). Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden,unexplained death of an infant who is younger than 1 year old. Parentsunder the influence of alcohol and drugs might not be aware of thebaby’s presence and might roll on top or against the baby whilesleeping.Once your baby forms the habit of sleeping next to you, it maybe difficult to break or she may have trouble sleeping in your absence.
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Creating a safe sleep environment for your baby- Use a firm or flat mattress toavoid suffocation.
- Avoid waterbeds, couches, sofas, pillows, soft materials, orloose bedding.
- Avoid string or ties on your baby’s nightclothes.
- Always putyour baby on her back to reduce risk of SIDS.
- Do not overdress your baby.
- Donot drink or smoke when you sleep with your baby.
- Do not allow siblings in thebed with the baby.
- Ensure that baby’s head is uncovered to allow ventilation.
- Never leave your baby alone in an adult bed.
- Never put your baby down to sleepon a pillow.
- Ensure that there are no spaces between the mattress and headboard,walls and other surfaces which may entrap your baby.
- When your baby learns tosit, lower the mattress level in the crib to avoid falling or climbing out.
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