Opinion A different nightlife

If the baby is held and calmed during the day,he or she will sleep better at night.

New DelhiOctober 7, 2011 12:49 PM IST First published on: Oct 7, 2011 at 12:49 PM IST

It was a hectic day. Several of our relatives had come to attend our babys naming ceremony and I had spent the day entertaining them. With all the attention he received,the little one too seemed tired as he slept through the day. Having woken up early in the morning,I badly needed sleep and hoped to get it at night. But that was not to be.

My son got up around 11.30 and cried till 5.30 am,when he slept,tired. This could have been due to colic pain or some other discomfort,but I decided it was time to instill some kind of sleep discipline in my month-old son,who had made my nights more hectic than before when this sub-editor worked till 1.30 am and went to bed only at 4 am.

My son likes to sleep after his bath and hence my doctor had advised me to bathe him at night. But with winter approaching,I decided against inculcating a habit of late bath. A good friend then advised me to open all windows in the morning and let the sunlight come in,and start drawing curtains in the evening. This will give the child a sense of day and night. I followed the advice and it helped to some extent. It seems a well-lit area helps encourage shorter naps during the day,which helps my baby sleep better at night.

Sleep is vital for babies and they need regular naps throughout the day to get adequate sleep.

As a newborn,a baby sleeps for hours at a stretch. When my three-day-old son would not get up even after seven hours sleep,I was worried because he had not been fed all along. But his doctor said babies,unless premature,should be fed only on demand. When I asked if he would sleep like this every day,I was told it was too early to expect any sort of napping pattern,and that I should just let him sleep as much as he wants to.

My son is one and a half month old now and he sleeps less these days. It is only when he turns six months that he is likely to follow a set pattern of sleep. Developing a nap schedule will be easier then,though it is seen that every baby has his own unique sleep habits.

As of now,waking up at night continues in my case,though things are better than before. My son used to get up late in the morning to make up for his late nights,but I have started waking him up latest by 9 am and give him an oil massage and bath by 10 am. After a feed,he goes back to sleep,giving me some time for my breakfast and other chores. This routine helps encourage him to get the required sleep at night.

According to experts,a peaceful day leads to a restful night for the baby. If the baby is held and calmed during the day,he or she will sleep better at night. I have seen my son sleep better at night if I carry him in the evening hours. This seems to help keep the baby relaxed,leading to a good sleep.

It is better not to switch on any bright light if the baby wakes up hungry at night. I ensure that my son gets the message that he has to go back to sleep after the feed because night is for sleeping. Changing diaper also disrupts sleep. I try and change his diaper only when he is awake. Irritating sleepwear,too,causes discomfort. Only 100 per cent cotton clothing is advised for babies.

When all my measures fail to put my son to sleep,I hand him over to my husband. Lying down on his chest,the little one drifts off to sleep. It is believed that the vibration of the deep male voice lulls baby to sleep.

I have realised babies cant be forced to sleep. But leaving them alone to cry and then fall asleep on their own is not advised either. My doctor has warned me against letting my baby sleep alone in his cot. Creating a secure environment for him is very important. My son sleeps best snuggled next to me. This way,I am told,babies learn a healthy sleep attitude that lasts a lifetime.