Life with a newborn Suggestions for dealing with Crying and Sleeping

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1 Life with a newborn Suggestions for dealing with Crying and Sleeping Crying Crying is your baby's only way of communicating. Getting to know your baby takes time. You can learn to interpret their cries by listening carefully, responding sensitively and trying different responses until you both work out what is required. Why might your baby be crying? They might be: hungry tired over-tired/ over-stimulated needing comfort/ cuddles/ to be close to you too hot or too cold needing a burp needing a nappy change suffering discomfort from things like bright sunlight or tight clothing etc suffering from colic (get advice from your midwife, see a cranial osteopath) suffering from reflux (get advice from your midwife, see a cranial osteopath) upset for no discernable reason Many women offer the breast first. Babies' stomachs are very small and breastmilk is easily and quickly digested. Your baby will require frequent feeds in the early days. The sucking and closeness with Mama often settles a baby, if not try something else. Often people think that a baby may be bored but it is much more likely that a baby is over-stimulated and needs a sleep or some quiet. To comfort your baby try: to remain calm a feed feed your baby when your baby is hungry burping your baby changing you baby's nappy

2 helping baby off to sleep: motion: carrying baby in a sling or front pack walking baby on your shoulder a ride in the pushchair or going for a drive rocking in a hammock or rocking-chair using familiar sounds such as: your voice sing, talk softly, mimic their sounds then slow them down etc. playing music you listened to a lot during pregnancy turn on the vacuum cleaner, drier or washing machine playing relaxation music for babies (available at baby shops) try putting your baby in the 'colic hold' (ask your midwife) take your baby into the bath with you - a couple of drops of lavender oil in the water will soothe you both try not to jump from one response to another give each method a reasonable length of time to work before trying another approach see a cranial osteopath talk to a homoeopath about remedies that might suit your baby (and you!)

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4 If you cannot calm your baby and you are feeling stressed out: Try not to transfer your frustration to your partner, the baby or any one else but do talk about it. Take some Rescue Remedy to calm you down enough to respond sensitively to your baby. lt is also a safe and effective treatment for your baby. (Talk to a homoeopath or Simillimum homoeopathic pharmacy) Hand your baby to someone else or place it in a safe place (e.g. bassinet) and take a walk to calm yourself. Accept offers of help and take some time out. Get support phone a friend or Plunketline. If your baby is not soothed or is using an unusual cry, contact your doctor or Plunketline straight away

5 Sleeping Yours: ). sleep when your baby sleeps!.> try breastfeeding lying down on your bed )' choose sleep over guests and try to minimize guests to those who will support you and not exhaust you some people set up a bed in a spare room to take turns having a deep sleep ). respond promptly to your baby's cries at night. This will minimize disruptions and help you all get back to sleep sooner )' don't despair! Every baby will eventually sleep long enough for you to have a good sleep. Your body can cope and the disruptions won't last forever! Your baby's: )" Newborn babies sleep for between 16 and 20 hours a day in lots of small segments. ) Babies need feeding both day and night and stretches between feeds gradually increase as the baby grows. )* Be aware of your baby's sleep signals. Check out the Plunket video to see what these signals look like. They include: jerky movements clenched fists irritability - restlessness yawns looking 'wired' "Sleep begets sleep": newborn babies do not need 'wearing out'. They need to sleep when they are tired and the more they sleep, the more they sleep! )' Try to let your baby know that sleep time is coming by singing a special song, telling them "it is bedtime", or some other soothing signal.

6 » Teach your baby the difference between day and night by keeping noise and lighting to a minimum at night. Avoid stimulating your baby with play or toys at night.»' Babies can sleep anywhere although a bed is more restful than a car seat in café or other noisy environment (unfortunately!)». Bed sharing is great for supporting breastfeeding, ease of getting baby to sleep and not having to get up to check on baby.»' Bed sharing is not O.K. if either parent smokes, drinks, uses drugs, is very obese or is a super-heavy sleeper. The bed should be safe i.e. reasonably firm, not a couch or a water-bed, and baby's head should be well above the covers. Sleep your baby on you (chest, shoulder, sling, front pack) or try a hammock, a Moses basket, rocking your baby to sleep in a pram or walking about outdoors. Whatever sleeping arrangement works best for all is the right one for you. Finally, don't believe well-meaning people who tell you that whatever you use to help your baby to sleep will be necessary to use forever and that you should 'start as you mean to go on'. Once your baby has adjusted to life on the 'outside', and got the hang of night and day, you can make adjustments to your sleep arrangements if necessary. Trust your instincts!