A new baby will sleep a lot, but not for long periods. The littlest infant needs to sleep and eat at their own discretion. Funny huh! Babies having discretion of their OWN. As much as possible you should respond quickly to their need to eat and sleep on demand. I guess I don't have to tell you to keep the sleeping infant close at hand. the pattern will go awake, eat, and poop/ Unless ill this is the cycle a new baby will concentrate on. You are to develop consistency. Make a chart if you have to so that you can remember.



Encourage the baby to sleep alone, but always remain nearby. The newborn baby will sleep better if swaddled in a baby blanket or held close to a parent's body. The warmth and feeling of being held is familiar and comforting to the baby. You will find your baby sleeps easier in one of these situations. DIFFERENT PAra THAN PARA 2

Don't stress if your new baby will not sleep alone. He or she may be resistant at first. Keep focussed on the prize which is a long term sleeping pattern. A schedule doesn't come easily for an infant. Try wrapping the baby in a receiving blanket and place the newborn on his or her side, never on their tummy. Do this several times a day. Increase the schedule gradually as the baby gets used to sleeping alone and at scheduled times.

At dusk darken the bedroom where the baby sleeps and discourage stimulation other than quiet time. Keep the household quiet and somber. At nightfall take care of the needs of the baby; sleep, eat, and poop. Then, of course, lay the baby down again. Resist with the baby. This will only disrupt the cycle you are trying to imprint. This tip will encourage your newborn to sleep at night and be awake during the daytime.

You might have the baby stay in his or her bassinet in your room. Easy access during nursing is helpful and creates a bond that dad can get in on. Mother, dad and baby will all sleep better at first. Be careful about bed clothes. Pillows and blankets can smother a baby or you can roll on top of him or her and not even know it.

When the newborn is 3 months old it is about the right time to start putting him or her in their OWN room in their OWN bed. As stressed earlier it is very important for your baby to learn to sleep alone and in his own room. I know a lady whose girls (2) are elementary school age and she still has them sleeping with her and her husband. You may need to give the infant a little extra comfort; signing, patting on the back and, as a last resort picking up. Give the comfort necessary but then return the child to his or her bed shortly afterwards.

After a while you will notice, almost as if by accident, that your baby sleeps and baby naps at regular intervals effortlessly. Your household has returned to "normal" and everyone is getting a good nights sleep too. Watch for my article on the next hurdle - getting baby to sleep through the night.