My Sleeping Child

Sleep is one of the most important part of a baby’s life. It is not only rest time for that little growing body, but it also plays a major part to accommodate growth and overall development of your child. Your baby should have a safe and comfortable place to sleep where he can rest undisturbed. There are many ways to help baby get comfy and doze off to sleep – You may rock him gently, sing to him, cuddle him and so on. There are also a few good items you can have at hand to ensure that baby has the best quality sleep and you, some peace of mind.

Baby crib/cot

If you’re not co-sleeping with your baby, he will need a safe place to snooze away by himself. A good crib or cot that adheres to all safety standards is a must, be it in your baby’s nursery or in your bedroom. Ensure that your baby’s crib is not situated right under or too close to the air-conditioning unit or fan. Also, avoid placing the crib beside a window where there might be too much sunlight. You will also need: Crib mattress, mattress sheets and waterproof mattress protector.

Soothing crib accessories

There are many available which are designed to soothe a baby to dreamland. They may be in the form of lullabies or white noises from lightly moving mobiles, etc.

Night light

Not all babies take to total darkness, especially as they grow older. A night light will provide just the right illumination to assure that your baby does not wake up to a totally dark room.

Sleepwear

Babies need to be as comfy as possible if they were to have a good night’s sleep. Ensure that the sleepwear of your choice fits baby well and is not too tight. Baby’s sleepwear should keep baby warm enough and yet not leave him feeling sweaty or hot. Baby sleep bags are a good investment for they function like blankets that cannot be kicked off.

Pacifiers

These ingenious invention has been the lifesaver for countless new parents when nothing else seem to calm their agitated baby, including one who wakes up in the middle of the night, bawling out for no apparent reason when it’s not feeding time yet. Choose one which is dentist approved so that it does not hamper baby’s teeth development.

Baby monitors

Yet another winning invention, a baby monitor transmits sound, and sometimes video images, from one room to another, allowing you to keep tabs on your little one from any part of the house. The device has two parts – a transmitter and a receiver . They have been proven indispensable, especially for parents with infants who sleep in a room apart from theirs and wake up at night for feeding, changing, or comforting. Basically, with a baby monitor, you can be occupied in another part of your home and hear and/or see when your child wakes up and is looking for you.

Restful sleep is important

Sleep is especially important for children as it directly impacts mental and physical development. This is why children seem to spend more time asleep than awake during their childhood. On the whole, a child will spend 40 percent of his or her childhood asleep.