Parenting Baby to Sleep

“We just don’t know the course of colic” is often the answer by medical professionals and the like, which is NOT what parents want to hear when they have a screaming unsettled child on their hands. Most of the time with a screaming unsettled child we have the combination of unsettled and very tired parents.

So here are some tips and other web sites which might be of help

 

1.       Babywearing (at least 2 weeks to see any difference) the best hold would be to use a wrap and put the baby on your front. These instructions are from Ella Roo.

      There is a theory that children with colic are very gassy and need to get burps out so if we hold them in a way that will help with this we should get some relief. How long do you carry the baby for? Well maybe the question is how much do you want your child to settle without the use of any medical treatments? Many Mothers will carry their children all day while doing chores and racing round after older children in the family.

 

2.       Diet change. This is a hard one for many Mothers and there will often be a LOT of frustration as there are a LOT of different suggestions. Remember that everyone is different and different things will affect different people.

If you’re a breastfeeding Mother you will need to stick to your elimination diet for at least 2 weeks to notice any change….and it may not just be one thing which is setting your child off. You may also find that you might start to feel better within yourself once you have changed your diet too.

o    Ask Dr Sears site has Colic-causing foods in Breastfeeding page with a list of foods

o    Baby Matters book and web site  has a good list of foods to think about also a large amount of research into the affects of Cows Milk.

Some foods to try taking out of your diet to start with are

Cheese – Corn -  Cow’s Milk – Egg – Peanut – Shellfish – Soy – Strawberry – Tomato – Wheat

 

3.       Sleep time…sigh

So after your baby has been sleeping in its wrap all snug and close to Mum/Mom it’s time for Mum/Mom to have some sleep too.

o    A bed that is moving like a hammock is often a good idea (The Amby Baby site has a good one which lasts until your child is 18kg).

o    Try co-sleeping with your baby (see Dr J Mckenna from The University of Notre Dame Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Lab on how to do this safely) as well as Dr Sears

You may find that because of the diet change and the babywearing and the sleeping within arms reach that your baby will start to settle into a better nighttime pattern.

o    Read up on what is realistic for your child’s age and how long they are able to sleep. Realise that infants are not supposed to sleep through the night and they will need comfort from their parents….many times. Learn about a baby’s sleep cycle and understand that it is normal and healthy for them to wake.

 

4.       Dealing with the crying.

This is very hard for many people as often we have leftover issues from our own childhood of being shushed or told to harden up or its not so bad.

o    A  good article on dealing with crying is written by Dr. Aletha Solter “…Although it is stressful for babies to cry alone, there is no evidence that crying in a parent’s arms is harmful, once all immediate needs are met. On the contrary, crying in arms can be beneficial for babies who have an accumulation of stress….” while this to start with might be hard, but once you become more confident and know that you have done everything from change a nappy, to feed, to check to make sure there are no “hurts” then to loving comfort words, patting and rocking we can let our baby “tell us all about it”. One of the keys is to learn how to relax (hard yes while someone you love is crying).

o    Coping with Colic the Ask Dr Sears

o    Try using a Swiss ball/Yoga ball while baby is snuggled into your shoulder in the upright position very gently bounce.

 

o    PLEASE NOTE that if crying is prolonged to seek help.

These are all just ideas that you might like to try these ideas have helped many others but may not be right for you…keep looking and if you find more information which you think should be here please leave a comment.

 

5.       Get help

It is hard dealing with a crying child. It is tiring and trying. Ask a family member to give you a few days break, church members, friends, neighbors

If you feel that you are in danger of hurting your child or about to snap….PLEASE call for help!

You yourself might just need to sit down and cry as well.

 

 

Some other Web sites and Blogs with other links and suggestions

Crying over spilt milk

Safe Baby

 

Remember that this is your child that is crying but it is not your fault, babies do need their parents love and support of kind words and gentle arms.

This is not a time to “just put them down and let them get over it” and keep in mind…that this too shall pass (often within 3-6 months).