Better Living

Bedtime Do's and Don'ts For a Colicky Baby

Sleep is the most important thing to think about when you have a colicky baby. This can also be the most difficult thing to accomplish, and the whole family suffers f the baby n the house won’t sleep.

Babes are often reluctant to separate from Mom and Dad at the end of the day, and if the colic is due to ear infections, or reflux problems it can be even harder. At night babies are often riled up, and they want to continue the fun that they were having during the day. They may also have some fears about being alone in the dark or away from loved ones.

Of course, because of this, sleep-deprived parents may be longing for a chance for some real sleep themselves, or even just some time with each other that is baby free. Bedtime is hard for parents also so it is important to follow a few do’s and don’ts regarding your baby and sleeping at night.
 
Here's what you can do to develop bedtime rituals that actually allow your baby and you to sleep:

DO: Consider following a schedule.
Not every bedtime routine will work forever, but once something becomes established in your child's mind, she'll come to expect it. It is for this reason that you should really think before you add one. Do you really want to sing the soundtrack to “Aladdin” every night for the next 3 years? This is why you have to think first as you may regret them.

Here are a couple rituals that parents can live with too:

·    A warm bath, then cuddling with the baby in clean and warm pj’s
 
·    Reading a book or listening to soothing music.

·    Sing a song.
 
·    Being tucked in with something special like a stuffed animal, or blanket.

·    A gentle back rub.

DO: Be consistent With Everything.
This is when the routine has to be the same every day so that your baby’s own time clock will have the chance to kick in and help you out. Babies need to have a schedule that will allow them to know what is coming up next. Springing bedtime on them suddenly will only make them more reluctant to actually sleep, but will upset a colicky baby even more. Make sure the ritual takes place in the baby’s room or sleeping areas. Sleeping with your colicky baby will make it harder for him to make a lone sleeping transition later.
 
DO: Keep activities relaxing.
Don't over stimulate your baby right before bed. For a baby, clear out the mounds of toys from the crib and offer her just one favorite thing to settle down with. Removing toys every night at bedtime will help the baby to realize it’s time for sleep.
 


DON'T: Don’t go Ritual Crazy.
With a small baby, the needs are small at bedtime in that you need only spend a few minutes soothing baby to sleep time. More than 30 minutes is almost always too long.
 
DON'T: Leave the lights on.
It's important for a baby to learn the difference of day from night — and that nighttime is for sleeping. This way if she does wake up and it's dark in the room, she'll know that it's not time to get up yet. Leaving a bright light on is confusing for the baby and could result in a flip flop for baby’s hours.
 
DON'T: Put your baby to bed with a bottle.
First, it's true that sucking helps soothe a baby to sleep, but swallowing milk or juice at nighttime will cause tooth decay and gum problems. Second, drinking while lying down can lead to fluid buildup in the ears which as we know will make the colic worse. Lastly, if your child is used to falling asleep with a bottle in her mouth, she'll have trouble settling down when she wakes up during the night and doesn’t have one available. Use a pacifier instead.

DO: Be flexible.
If your child is sick or going through a stressful time like colic, it's perfectly okay to bend the bedtime rules a little bit to ease the baby. That doesn’t mean that you should go nuts in changing the routine entirely. For instance, you might want to read one extra story.
 
DON'T: Rush solid foods to help your baby sleep.
Some parents are convinced that babies wake up so often because they're hungry again. But breast milk or formula is the best food for a baby's first six months. Solids don't really help your baby to sleep at night, so don't introduce them before your baby is six months old unless your pediatrician tells you to.
 
DO: Give bedtime too much attention.
Bedtime should be a special time for you and your baby, but not the major time. Don't ignore it all together either you need a balance. Focus on her alone as you, bathe, or read to her each night, and you'll both be the happier for it.

DON'T: Take away a bedtime.
Keep your bedtime routine no matter how frustrated or annoyed with your colicky baby.
 

The Settle Down Time

All of us, from newborns to adults, move between light sleep and deep sleep during the night. Anyone who claims that her child sleeps straight through really means that when the child comes up into light sleep, he can go back to sleep on his own without crying or calling for a parent. Here are some tips to soothe your night time sleeper baby, but I’ve also added some extra tips for older children as well. Hey, most kids have older siblings, so why not add the tips?

0 to 3 months
A newborn's habits aren't fully established yet, so it is during these first weeks it's fine to let her doze off while you're nursing or rocking her. However, I must point out that by 8 to 10 weeks, she can begin learning to fall asleep on her own. Letting the baby fall asleep while feeding her can help to create a link between the two, making her more likely to cry for more when she wakes up later, this will not help.

If she starts to look sleepy during a feeding, you should try to ease her into her crib. You will want to stay nearby as she nods off, but don't hold her or rock her to sleep as she may become dependant on you too much. Babies this age need to feed all the time, so don't expect a completely undisturbed night.

When your baby wakes up at night, it's your job to teach her that it's not playtime but feeding time. Don't turn on the lights or play with the baby during this time. Just feed her, change her if she's wet, and set her back in her bed. If you choose not to indulge her in play and stimulation, she'll catch on quicker and lull herself back to sleep.

4 to 6 months
By 4 months, a baby can sleep six to 12 hours without waking up. Don't rush to pick her up as soon as she groans or whimpers because she will lull herself to sleep. If she does wake up and wants a feeding, stall a bit to be sure she really needs it. If she's been fed and changed and is still crying, you can go in and let her know you're there, but do not pick her up. Pat her and speak softly. Let her find out how to lull herself to sleep at this age.


7 to 12 months
Even if your baby made it through the night before, she'll likely start making a fuss at night again now that she is old enough to think for herself a bit more: She can now really miss you when she doesn't see you. Just offer her a bit of reassurance when she awakens and this will help her through this stage.

Babies' sleep patterns are often disrupted when they are learning a new skill. For example, if your baby is learning to pull herself up to a standing position, expect her to practice this in her crib at night, too. Actually it’s really cute. I used to catch my daughter doing it all of the time.

If you've gone back to work and find that your breast milk supply is getting lower, a nighttime feeding can help you maintain a good amount. It's easiest to keep your baby in your room if this is the case, but make sure your mate can follow this change.
 


1 year to 18 months
If your child is still waking up during the night at this age, this strategy may help: Wake her up before she wakes you. Before you go to bed, wake her up to comfort or feed her. Tell her to help herself when she wakes up. Comfort her, but don't take her out of her crib.

You may find that she doesn't wake up later on. For some reason, rousing a child first seems to stop the cycle of waking up in the middle of the night. Be aware that if you've had your child sleeping with you till now, it will be a lot harder to coax her back into her own bed. Babies this age are starting to have opinions of their own, as well as a bigger need to express it.
 
2 years
This is the age when many children move from a crib to a bed, if they haven't already moved. Toddlers normally go through periods of fear and may come to their parents' bedroom. You might put a mattress or sleeping bag near your bed and tell your child that she's welcome to come in and use her special bed, but tell her not to wake you up when she does.