| There are many important factors to consider when | | | | time as possible so they do not go to bed a little |
| trying to ensure your baby gets a good night sleep. | | | | excited and hyperactive. |
| While one method alone will not work for everyone if | | | | The Second Step: |
| you do persevere then it is just a matter of finding | | | | After all that energy being used I find this is a good |
| one that suits you and your baby. | | | | time to give them a bath. Babies normally love the |
| In the first few months of a babies life they will not | | | | bath time experience nearly as much as the mother. |
| be able to tell the difference between night and day. | | | | This is a good mother -baby bonding session in it's |
| This causes them to sleep more hours in daytime | | | | own right. By now the baby should be feeling clean |
| than at night. The daytime sleep is made up of many | | | | and refreshed. |
| naps throughout the day. As the baby gets older | | | | The Third Step: |
| they will gradually erase one of the naps and this will | | | | Before I dress the baby for bed I like to give a 10-15 |
| continue as they get older. A young child will never | | | | minutes massage. This is the ultimate relaxing |
| be able to see one full morning and afternoon | | | | moment for the baby as you give them a gentle rub |
| without napping some of the time though the naps | | | | down on the front and back. Baby massage has |
| get less frequent. | | | | many benefits and aids baby development. After the |
| From a very early age you need to set out a baby | | | | massage has been finished I powder the baby a little |
| sleep schedule and to stick with it even though | | | | then get them into their sleeping clothes. By no the |
| sometimes you may find this difficult. The idea is to | | | | baby should be continuing the winding down toward |
| instill in the babies mind that now is the time for bed | | | | sleep. |
| because certain things are happening. This set routine | | | | The Forth Step. |
| will not only assist you with organizing your time but | | | | I always give a feed before bedtime. After all the |
| it will also be appreciated by the baby. | | | | energies of the past few hours I think you will find |
| Every mum has their own type of schedule that | | | | that they are ready to fill tuck into something warm |
| involves many different things and some of them | | | | and nourishing. Babies are not unlike adults in many |
| maybe similar to the ones that have worked for me | | | | ways. I don't know about you buy if I have eaten |
| even though they may be done in a different order. I | | | | too much I just ant to relax and often fall asleep. |
| used to call mine the five step method and I will go | | | | Babies do the exact same. After a good feed and |
| through each step so you can see why I do it and | | | | still feeling the benefits of the last hour of pre-sleep |
| how effective it can be. You can integrate any of | | | | ritual they should be ready to get into slumber. |
| these methods into your schedule if you wanted to | | | | The Fifth Step: |
| quite easily. | | | | If you have done the first four steps correctly the |
| As the baby gets older you can still provide these | | | | last should be a breeze. You may not need to get |
| same five examples though they will be done at | | | | into singing, humming, swaying or gyrating mode for |
| different times as the baby develops. | | | | this as all your past work is hopefully now going to |
| The first Step: | | | | pay dividends and the baby drops off to sleep of |
| I set aside a specific time of the day for afternoon | | | | their own accord. |
| playtime. This will get the mind of the baby working | | | | Mission done I pour myself a glass of wine and flop |
| along with their body. It can be playing with small | | | | down on the sofa and recap on another eventful day |
| soft toys or just simple, games of peek-a-boo and | | | | for mother and child. What will tomorrow bring? Who |
| other family favorites. The idea is to get the activity | | | | knows. |
| out of the way now and as far away as the sleep | | | | |