Making Sense of Your Baby's Sleep-Part 1

There is nothing more exhausting about motherhood (the early years) than first having a baby who will not sleep and secondly, spending those half-conscious waking moments trying to find a sane solution to the sleeplessness.
Let’s forget the books, the Googling, other Mothers declarations (or maybe your mother’s two cents worth-yikes!) for now. Instead let’s put focus on the here and now- on what is right in front of you.
Sometimes all you need is a fresh perspective- attune yourself more closely to your baby’s experiences to turn on that “night light”. Here’s my mommy brief on baby’s 11 senses. No not 5. That’s right 11!
Smell: Incredibly heightened in the early months! Have you ever been awoken by the smell of coffee, maybe bacon? Keep your baby’s room as free as possible of chemical scents found in detergents (on their sheets, clothes), bath soap etc.
Hearing: white noise all the way mamas! Invest in a white noise machine or turn on a fan. Babies have many more frequent wakings through the night than we do, so any sort of noise may intrigue them to wake and see what it is.
Sight: remove the mobile& toys! It’s too stimulating. Bed is boring, so boring in fact there is nothing else to do but sleep!
Intuition: This is your baby’s superior sense. If you are frustrated with your baby’s sleep situation-they’re feelin’ it too! Find peace in the moments you spend with your child before bed. Always!
Sense of time: Babies circadian rhythms are dictated by the sun. Develop a 24 hour routine and once baby’s on one, they know what time it is!
What I find particularly coincidental and intriguing is babies will hone their senses between 4 to7 months of age. That is where 98% of the babies I work with fall into. Interesting!!!

“Smell” what I’m cooking?

Making Sense of Your Baby's Sleep-Part 2

Here are the remaining 7 senses and how they affect your baby's sleep.

Touch: What is your baby touching at the moment they fall asleep? More than likely another human being who is warm and loving and comfortable.
Taste: Probably breastmilk or formula. Between ages 4-7 months this shouldn’t be a signal for sleep. Separate feeding and sleeping by a few minutes anyway. Toddlers-avoid the sugar and especially anything artificial. The latter has been directly linked to night terrors and nightmares
Sense of pain: If your baby is crying always make sure there is no physical reason. Please don’t just let your baby cry without checking on them!
Sense of balance: Babies have a sense of falling if put into bed on the wrong angle. Ever see their eyes pop wide open, their arms fly to the sides. Place them in their bed on more of a vertical pitch.
Sense of joint motion: Babies love to continue practicing their milestones through the night. Assess if this is a milestone time affecting their sleep
Sense of temperature: Too hot? Too cold? Aim between 17-20 no higher no lower
Sense of magnetic field: with babies honed senses I wouldn’t put this one past them! If your baby is sleeping north to south try moving the bed so they are sleeping east to west. The magnetic poles and electromagnetic charges have been shown to affect sleep patterns.

Time Magazine Article

Wow! America must be filled with plenty of sleepless babies for Time to write an article!

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1904288,00.html?loomia_si=t0:a16:g2:r2:c0.201483:b18557168&xid=Loomia

How Many Bad Habits Do You Have?????

Check out the article on the 7 bad habits parents of sleepless babies have. Are you going to confess to having a few yourself? Better to change now than later! You have been forewarned by a Mom who has been there, done it and fixed it!

http://www.scribd.com/doc/20328936/The-7-Bad-Habits-of-Sleep-Deprived-Parents

Happy Eco Birthday

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I love this! Just love this concept so much!

http://www.echoage.com/

Some Very Great Links to Sanity

Hey KW, Guelph and Cambridge moms and dads,

If your family isn't getting along quite as well as this family in the picture, you may need to leave the house and reclaim some sanity and peace. Check these out...

http://www.kwkids.com/
http://www.mommyagogo.ca/ http://www.gomominc.com/

or

www.put me on a plane i am out of here.com (link not accessible yet!)

What can you do to help a new Mom? Check it out. There are some great ideas here:
http://www.canadianliving.com/family/babies/20_ways_to_help_a_new_mom.php