A good night's sleep is important not only for adults but for babies too. New mums know that it is quite a task to get their newborn or infant to sleep through the night. But it's not the little one's fault either. During the initial months of life, babies aren't able to differentiate night from day. The onus is always on the parents to establish a healthy sleep cycle early in life. Effath Yasmin, director of Nourish & Nurture Lactation Care & Parenting Education and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, shares tips on how you should put your baby to bed. She recommends placing your sleeping baby on your breasts. A baby carrier can provide you with the much-needed support. It keeps your baby close to you and makes him feel warm and snugly. A baby under one year of age needs warmth. It pacifies your baby as she can hear the mother's heartbeat, a sound that she has been familiar with right from her days in the womb. Also, it can help reduce colicky symptoms because the baby is upright. To mimic the feeling of the womb, it also helps if you swaddle your baby. Wrap him up in a blanket or a warm swaddle cloth to help your baby sleep. But don't tie up too tightly. Remember despite your good attempts, babies below six months of age might wake up every two to three hours to quench their thirst and hunger, demanding a feed. Offer your baby the bottle or breastfeed her, keeping the lights still dim so that she goes back to sleep soon. Keep your home calm and silent throughout the night. Soothe your baby by patting, cuddling and giving her warmth. These may be the
reasons your baby cries. Video & image source: TheHealthSite/YouTube
