You get home from the hospital and finally get to let your baby see what his home will be like for the next decade or so. You look forward to the days to come, and then nighttime comes. You then realize that putting your baby to sleep is actually such a challenge. You end up awake half the night trying to calm them down and feeding them when they get hungry. Sometimes they wake up agitated and covered in vomit. You then do your best to lull them back to sleep. Some children fall asleep within minutes while others need peace and quiet.
Every child is unique in their disposition. Some children also throw up often when they cry. You can actually tone down the noise with the use a white-noise machine, a fan, or a humidifier. As they get older, you’ll see that they’ll vomit less and less. In the meantime, try to relax. Calmly clean them up and put them right back to bed.
For some babies, however, the problem can be when they wake up. They can be such early risers that adults have a difficult time adjusting their body clock as well. Sleeping patterns will vary from child to child. They also expect to be fed the moment they wake up. Try to change the situation by delaying their morning milk for as long as you can. You could keep them in their room and try making them drink water first. Usually, this trick helps a lot. If your efforts remain futile however, try to keep them awake longer at night by playing with them.
While their sleeping patterns have been well established, some also refuse to sleep in their cribs. They opt to fall asleep elsewhere while you wait until they’re deep into their slumber before you bring them to their room. While this may work, they sometimes wake up in between. This means that you child is having some issues with separation. They look for your face and your voice. If they don’t get to interact with anyone else other than you, don’t be surprised that they will need you more often. They will refuse to be left alone and could easily sense when you are not within their sight.
You can try to put toys that they like in their crib. These toys should be something they are attached to as well. A couple of times a day, play with them and do this until they finally realize that this is actually a nice place to be in. If you do this consistently, they may even look forward to the times spent in their crib because they now see it as an area of fun and play. They may still look for you at times, but you have to set up a trusting environment.
Assure them somehow and soon they will know that you will be a constant part in their life. As much as possible, you need to try and involve your partner all throughout. Having some form of help just assures you that things don’t have to be difficult.
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