Category: Sleeping Habits

Sleeping habits, dreams and nightmares.

Categories
Parenting and Childcare Sleeping Habits

Get your Twins on a Similar Sleep Schedule

From bathing and feeding to putting the twins down for sleep and changing diapers round the clock, life with twins can be as strenuous as it is satisfying. Even though the first few weeks are a bit of a twister, you can work towards setting up a flexible sleep schedule for your twins, which will work together with their feeding routine. Experts explain by six weeks your infants’ feeding routine should be calming down and they should begin sleeping for no less than one long stretch at night and waking every three to four hours to feed.

Here are some effectual means to get your twins on a similar sleep schedule:

Make sure that the twins sleep in the initial weeks together

There is no doubt that twins feel comfortable with each other and are calmer when placed next to each other, particularly in the first six weeks after birth. A study reveals that when newborn twins sleep in a single cot, they tend to have the same sleep schedule. This is since they tend to move nearer to one another and contact, hug and hold each other. They also get up at the same time, which makes their life much easier. They also normalize each other’s body temperatures, which assists to keep them quiet and transition into the world after birth.

Feed them at the same time

Waking a sleeping baby to feed in the night may sound like a mad idea, but it is a perfect tactic with twins. In the early days, if one baby is wide awake and it is close to feeding time, feed both! Once your babies grow older, you will find that they are asking for more frequent night feedings and a longer stretch of sleep. Remember that twins grow speedily and are hungry frequently, so when they strike a growth spurt you may need to feed them repeatedly. This is usual and should not last more than a week.

Put down your twins drowsy but awake

It is easy to rock one child to sleep in a bistro or the car, but when it comes to having twins, try to allow them to fall asleep in their cots when it is nap time rather than holding or rocking both of them at once. If anyone of them is bothering at sleep time, lift him/her to pacify and put the infant to cot again when he becomes sleepy. Teaching twins to self-settle is a great lasting tactic.

Make a calming sleep environment

When it comes to assisting your babies to sleep during the day and night, refer to these below-mentioned tips:

  • Stop over-drowsiness by restricting their awake time between sleep to forty-five and sixty minutes during the day
  • Keep them swaddled in a stretchy 100% cotton blanket when it is time to sleep
  • Dim the light in the room by closing the curtains and using block out blinds so there are no bright lights that can over-stimulate them
  • Use white noise, such as the sound of the ocean or a fan, to imitate the sounds of the womb.
  • Keep night feeds silent by remaining in the sleep zone, in a dark room with restricted interaction.

Lastly, give it time. A schedule does not take place in a day; it evolves over weeks and months.

Categories
Sleeping Habits

Why is White Noise Good for Babies

To assist your baby sleep better at night, paediatricians often suggest soothing activities, such as warm baths. When nothing seems to work, parents may turn to alternative measures like white noise. Babies like white noise. They are used to it. Before making an entry into the world, your baby spent his days and nights in the reassuring buzz of human life. The noise of the blood hurrying around your body, your beating heart, and your every breath created a reassuring dissonance somewhat similar to the roar of a vacuum.

When born, your baby all of a sudden found himself in a perplexing world of whispered tones and calculated steps. Even though all these are meant for the baby’s comfort, this makes him feel detached completely. This prevents your baby to sleep.

What is white noise?

White noise refers to sounds that cover other sounds that take place in an environment naturally. If you live in a city, for instance, white noise could help obstruct out noise related to traffic. Particular sounds may be utilized to assist encourage sleep irrespective of ecological noise. Examples include comforting beach sounds.

There are devices particularly designed for use with babies. Some are set with heartbeat noise that is meant to imitate that of the mother or instrumental lullabies.

Reasons as to why white noise is good for babies

Babies might be able to sleep faster with white noise in the backdrop. White noise can suppress household sounds.

White noise may help sleep

The primary advantage of white noise for little ones is the fact that it can assist them to sleep. If you see your baby falling sleepy at noisy times outside of usual nap time, they may respond optimistically to white noise. Your baby may be adapted to being surrounded by noise, so a totally quiet environment could have a conflicting effect when it comes time to sleep.

Sleep aids can camouflage household sounds

Families with kids of varied ages can also advantage from white noise machines. For example, if you have a baby who needs sleep, but another child who no more takes sleep, white noise can assist suppress the noises of siblings to assist your baby sleep better.

Tips to use white noise for baby sleep
  • Play with the sounds a little. Every baby reacts to diverse tones differently. Reduced rhythmic sounds may be better.
  • Turn white noise machines all the way down to the beginning. The plan is to make it work at the minimum volume possible. Most machines can surpass the highest decibel level suggested for hospital nurseries.
  • Music is not white noise so do not play it.
  • Put the white noise machine close to the crib, but not within it. Items in a crib can be very risky for children.
  • It can be enticing to turn white noise on in the hope it will make your baby sleepy but this would not work and will just decrease its efficiency.

Whether your baby is a challenged or an easy sleeper, white noise can help the baby in several ways. The consistent, gentle sound can soothe him to sleep. You can whisper ‘shhh shhh’ to assist pacify your baby, which is a natural sound that imitates a mother’s heartbeat, and it works. As your baby hears this type of sound, he can focus on it, which helps him relax and sleep.

Remember that every baby is special when it comes to sleep needs, so white noise can finish up being a trial and error process. If you plan to try white noise, you should do it cautiously.

Categories
Health Sleeping Habits

Signs, Causes and Treatment for Sleep Deprivation in Toddlers

Sleep deprivation refers to inadequate sleep. As grown-ups, we tend to become sluggish when we are tired. But if your toddler is not getting adequate sleep, she may become more active. So the signs can be challenging to find.

It is important to note that usually, a one-year-old will sleep for about 13 hours and 30 minutes each day, together with a two-hour daytime siesta. By the time she is three, this will be decreased to around 12 hours, which may or may not include a one-hour siesta during the day. If your toddler seems to be sleeping less than she is accustomed to, it may just be that she needs less sleep, now that she is a little older.

But, at times your toddler might not be getting the sleep he needs. If he continues to lose sleep, he may become sleep-deprived.

Signs that indicate your toddler is sleep-deprived
  • Having difficulty getting to sleep. Sleep deprivation may make it difficult to get your toddler to settle at bedtime and at night.
  • Being short-tempered and grumpy during the day. All toddlers have their cranky moments, but if your toddler appears to be in a bad mood all the time, inadequate sleep could be the reason.
  • Sleeping late in the morning. Most toddlers wake comparatively early in the morning, so if your toddler likes staying asleep till late in the morning, he may not be getting adequate sleep.
  • Overactive behaviour. Inadequate sleep can make it harder for your kid to focus, and he may become unfocused easily. This might make him appear over-thrilled and more fidgety than typical.
  • Falling asleep outside of his normal nap and sleep times regularly. After a routine has been set, toddlers typically like to stick to it. Thus, if he is falling asleep in weird places at random times, he might need a bit more shut-eye.
Causes of sleep deprivation in toddler

Changes to the routine or surroundings of the toddler may at times affect his sleep patterns. The arrival of a new sibling, going on a family holiday, moving house, or moving to a big bed can affect his capability to settle himself to sleep. He might need time to settle into his new routine or get accustomed to any changes in his world.

Teething or illness can also disrupt your toddler’s sleep owing to pain or discomfort. Cough, a stifling nose, or a molar coming out, may make it difficult to settle back to sleep if he wakes up or drift off at bedtime.



Few paediatricians believe that sleep disruption can be a sign of a growth spurt or a suggestion that your toddler is learning a new skill. If this is the case, you will possibly find that he settles back to his usual routine in a few days.

Occasionally, difficulty sleeping can be a symptom of something else. Sleep apnea is a condition where the airways in the throat become either completely or partly blocked during sleep and interrupt breathing. Even though it sounds upsetting, sleep apnea is a common and treatable condition. Your paediatricians will be able to verify a diagnosis and suggest the best treatment for your kid.

Tips for Improving Your Child’s Sleep

  • Set up a regular time for bed every night and do not differ from it. In the same manner, the waking time must not differ from weekend to weekday by more than 1 to 1 and a half hours.
  • Make a soothing bedtime routine, such as reading a story or offering your child a warm bath.
  • Do not offer any drinks with caffeine at least six hours earlier than bedtime.
  • Avoid offering big meals to children around bedtime.
  • Ensure that the bedroom temperature is comfortable and dark.
  • Ensure the noise level in the house is low.
  • Make playtime after-dinner a soothing time, as too much activity near bedtime can keep children wide awake.
  • There should be no radio, television, mobile phone, computer, or music playing while the child is going to sleep. Video games and TV should be switched off at least one hour before bedtime.
  • Infants and children should be put to bed when they look tired but are still awake.

Consult with the healthcare provider of the child if these tips do not help or if you need added guidance.

Categories
Health Parenting and Childcare Sleeping Habits

Soothing Activities to Help Your Baby Sleep

Some babies sleep much more whilst a few sleep pretty less. For instance, a few sleep through the night and some do not, for a long time. Your little one will have their pattern of sleeping and waking, and it is not likely to be similar to other kids you know. It is not going to fit in with your necessity for sleep. Try to sleep when your baby sleeps. If you are breastfeeding, in the initial weeks your little one is likely to sleep off for short periods during a feed. Continue feeding until you think your baby has completed or until they are completely asleep. This is a perfect opportunity to get a bit of rest yourself.

Soothing activities to help your baby sleep.

Teach your infant that night-time is different from daytime. During the day, play games, open curtains and do not worry too much about daily noises when they sleep.

At night, look out for tired signs and put your baby to bed as soon as they have been fed. You might also find it useful to not talk much and keep your voice low. Keep the dim lights on and do not play with your baby

Babies will show signs when they are getting tired such as frowning, yawning, grimacing, sucking, grizzling, staring, jerky movements, snuggling in, becoming overactive, rubbing eyes, clenching fists, crying or fussiness. Replying early to these tired signs stops your baby from becoming distressed and makes it easier for them to sleep.

Set-up schedule with a newborn

Newborn babies will sleep on and off all through the day and night. It could be useful to have a pattern, but you can always alter the routine to suit your requirements. For instance, you can try feeding your baby just before you go to sleep so that he/she can get sleep for longer hours.

Know how to settle your babies

In the initial six months, you can hold your newborn in your arms till they fall asleep. Utilize mild rocking, rhythmic patting, talking, stroking, or singing softly before placing your baby into the cot. These reiterations signal recreation and sleep.

You can also try placing the baby in the cot awake but drowsy and calm and gently stroke or pat them till they fall asleep, comforting them with mild sounds. If your baby becomes distressed, lift them for a cuddle until quiet or asleep before putting your baby back in the cot. Stay with them till they doze off.

Preparing a bedtime schedule

You might be prepared to start a bedtime schedule when your baby is approximately three months age. Getting them into a soothing, simple bedtime schedule can be useful for everyone and can assist to stop sleeping problems afterwards. Here are some things to try.

  • Changing into nightclothes and a fresh nappy
  • Reading a bedtime story
  • A warm bath before bedtime
  • Putting them to bed
  • Singing a lullaby or having a wind-up musical mobile that you can turn on when you have put your baby to bed
  • Dimming the lights in the room to create a tranquil atmosphere
  • Giving them a cuddle and goodnight kiss

As your child grows older, it can be useful to keep to a similar bedtime habit. Excessive stimulation and excitement just before bedtime can awaken your baby up again. Use some time relaxing and doing some quieter things, such as reading.