The No-cry Sleep Solution (61 page)

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Mother-Speak

“I’ve noticed with my babies that the first few days after they learn to do something new, like crawling or pulling up to standing, they sleep restlessly. When they wake up in the middle of the night, they immediately want to do their new ‘trick.’

If I weren’t so tired, it would be funny to see Thomas or Rebecca go straight from sleeping into crawling or standing!

After a while, they seem to get used to their new abilities, and then they sleep better.”

Alice, mother of six-month-old twins Rebecca and Thomas cut off. This is a growth spurt, and your baby is doing some serious growing—day and night.

The key to handling these types of night wakings is to help your baby lie back down and get resettled with a minimum amount of time and fuss involved. Often using your key words and gentle patting or rubbing will help, because often your baby won’t even be fully awake.

Mother-Speak

“It never occurred to me that Kyra’s new skills could be making her restless at night. Every morning for the past two weeks I’ve found her standing up in her crib in the wee hours. Now that you mention this, I realized that she has been pulling herself up to stand on anything she can during the day for the same two weeks!”

Leesa, mother of nine-month-old Kyra

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General Illness and Discomfort: Colds, Sniffles, Fever,
and Immunizations

Just like an adult, a baby who does not feel well will not sleep well.

However, unlike an adult, he doesn’t know why he feels bad, nor does he know how to help himself feel better. When your baby isn’t feeling well, do what you can to make him comfortable. Back off a bit on your sleep plan for a few days.

Here are some suggestions that might help your baby feel better:

•
Let your baby rest.
Put off running errands, having visitors, or doing anything else that disrupts your baby’s quiet recovery time. This also helps
you
stay calm and peaceful so that you can help your baby to recover.

•
Give lots of fluids.
No matter what the illness, your baby will feel better if he is well hydrated. If you are breastfeeding, nurse frequently. If your baby drinks from a cup or bottle, provide lots of breast milk, formula, juice, and water. For older babies, add popsicles, soup, and ice chips.

•
Pamper and cuddle.
You may have to put everything else on hold for a few days. The more you try to accomplish when your baby is sick, the fussier she will be.

•
Clear your baby’s nose so that he can breathe easily.
Do this by using saline nasal spray mist (ask your pharmacist for a recommendation) followed by suction with a nasal

aspirator made especially for babies.

•
Keep the air moist.
During sleep times, use a humidifier or vaporizer with clean distilled water.

•
Encourage as much sleep as possible.
Do those things that work best to help your baby nap and sleep well.

•
Talk to a doctor anytime your baby is sick.
Someone at your pediatrician’s office or your local hospital is always available to give you advice on how to treat your baby’s illness.

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Gas and Colic

All babies have gas, but some babies struggle more with releasing it from their systems. Your baby may swallow air when feeding or crying, which can result in an uncomfortably full feeling, gas, or even stomach pains.

You may have heard the term colic applied to any baby who cries a lot. Not all crying babies have colic, however—but all colicky babies cry. Though researchers are still unsure of its exact cause, most believe that colic is related to the immaturity of a baby’s digestive system. Some also think that a baby’s immature nervous system and inability to handle the constant sensory stimulation that surrounds her might cause a breakdown by the end of the day. Whatever the reason, it’s among the most exasperating conditions new parents face. Symptoms include:

• A regular period of inconsolable crying, typically late in the day

• Crying bouts that last one to three hours or more

• Age range of three weeks to four months old

• Baby is healthy and happy at all other times of the day
It’s Not Your Fault

Because colic occurs when a baby is so young, new parents often feel that they are doing something wrong to create the situation.

Their vulnerability and lack of experience puts them in the position of questioning their own ability to care for their baby. Because you are a parent who doesn’t believe in letting a baby cry to sleep, I know that hearing your baby cry with colic is especially painful for you, as it was for me when colic struck our home.

Although I’ve handled all of my babies similarly, only one of my four had colic. It was a dreadful experience, but I learned a lot about myself and my baby through the process. Please allow my personal experience with colic, as well as my research and discus-

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sions with other parents, to put your mind at ease.
It’s not your
fault
. Any baby can have colic. The only good thing about colic is that, by the time your baby is three to four months old, it will magically disappear and become just a blip in your memory.

Help with Colic

There is no simple, effective treatment for colic. By using their experience, parents and professionals are able to offer suggestions that may help your baby though this time period. Experiment with everything on this list until you find the interventions that help your baby best. Keep in mind that there is no magical cure, and nothing you do will completely eliminate colic until your baby’s system is matured and able to settle on its own. Until then, do what you can to help calm your baby and yourself.

• If breastfeeding, feed on demand as often as your baby needs to stay calm.

• If breastfeeding, avoid eating foods that may cause gas in your baby, such as dairy, caffeine, cabbage, broccoli, and other gassy vegetables.

• If bottle-feeding, offer frequent smaller meals; experiment with different formulas.

• If bottle-feeding, try different types of bottles and nipples that prevent air from entering your baby as he drinks.

• Hold your baby in a more upright position for feeding and directly afterward.

• Offer meals in a quiet setting.

• If Baby likes a pacifier, offer her one.

• Burp Baby more often.

• Invest in a baby sling or carrier, and use it during colicky periods.

• Bring your stroller in the house and use it to walk baby around.

• Give Baby a warm bath.

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• Place a warm towel or wrap a warm water bottle and place it on Baby’s tummy (taking caution that the temperature is warm but not hot).

• Hold Baby in a curled position, with legs curled up toward belly.

• Massage Baby’s tummy.

• Swaddle the baby in a warm blanket and walk her in the stroller.

• Lay Baby tummy down across your lap and massage or pat her back.

• Hold Baby in a rocking chair, or put him in a swing.