Life for a new parent is very busy and when you have a baby who will not sleep, it can cause immense concern. Naturally you want to protect your child and when they continue to cry and will not sleep day or night, you may find it hard to know what to do next. Some parents particularly those without prior baby experience, often resign themselves to the fact they have a baby who will not sleep no matter what you try.
This is hard to believe for anyone that has a ‘dream baby’, who settles themselves within moments of being put down in a crib or cot. When baby won’t settle the first thing you will find yourself doing is immediately offering another feed, then checking your baby’s nappy and if that’s fine, you will assume it’s wind and continue rocking but if the crying continues, your ideas will soon fade and your exhaustion levels will no doubt cause you mental fatigue or increased anxiety.
Sharing baby care is one way to take the pressure off mum, however if Dad has no joy cuddling baby to sleep, you may be needing some new things to try. Here are some sleep tips for you to follow and before long, you can look forward to a relaxing bedtime with more sleep and time to refresh your body:
1. Sing to your baby and vary the tone of your voice
2. Check there are no draughts in baby’s room or that it’s not too hot either.
3. Offer your baby a dummy or favourite toy and soothe baby until calm.
4. Take your child to a G.P. to check for illness or visit an alternative health specialist such
as a cranial osteopath, baby massage therapist if things continue.
5. If all else fails, contact a Sleep Consultant who will be able to pin point what is causing
your baby to be so wakeful and be able to put your mind at rest.
Once you have done the above, you will soon be able to turn a baby who will not sleep into a calm peaceful sleeping infant. If you have any questions about your newborns’ sleep or feeding patterns please get in touch juliet@sanitynanny.com .