Build A Baby Cradle

Build A Baby Cradle

In the baby cradle

Safe Sleeping-baby Care

The way babies are put to bed has an effect on sudden infant death syndrome or what's commonly known as crib death. The number of babies dying has halved due to better awareness about this.

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Stop smoking and never let anyone smoke in the same room as your baby. Don't let any one smoke in your home at all.

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Always lay your baby on her back to sleep so that her breathing is unimpeded and she can lose heat from her front, face and head.

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Don't let your baby get too hot, since she isn't very efficient at controlling her temperature. If the air temperature feels hot to you, it's very hot for her.

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Don't increase the amount of bedding when your baby is ill.

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Never over wrap your baby. Cover her with a cotton sheet and cellular blankets according to the room temperature.

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Lay your baby in the feet to foot position at the end of the crib so that she can't wriggle down under the blankets and get too hot.

Wakeful Babies

Most babies develop a routine of sleeping for perhaps two hours in the morning and again in the afternoon, but there are always exceptions. While wakeful babies can be trying, they reward you in the end because they're usually very bright and affectionate, so don't be down hearted. Your baby is wakeful because she loves you and craves your friendship, she doesn't mean to starve you of sleep, she just wants to learn and be sociable. Every minute spent awake with you, she'll be forging new links with the world and developing many skills. Think about this, too when she's awake during the day, if she isn't tired, why should she sleep. From her point of view, it's much better for her to stay with you, so don't be surprised if she cries when you leave her.

What You Can Try

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Keep her temperature even touch her skin to check that she isn't too cold or hot, add or remove blankets if necessary. Check the room temperature a temperature of about 65°F (18°C) is comfortable.

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Change her diaper if it's wet or soiled and soothe the diaper area with a mild diaper cream (zinc oxide), if necessary.

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Use a Rocking Cradle or push her rhythmically in her carriage.

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Play her a tape of the human heartbeat, the sound she heard in the womb.

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Play her music you listened to during pregnancy, or an old fashioned music box with a simple repetitive melody can be really effective.

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Play her a tape of you and your partner quietly talking.

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Put the crib on alternate sides of the bed each night so that you can take turns seeing to her. Talk to her and rock her, you don't need to pick her up.

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If she's obviously reluctant to sleep get her up and put her in her baby chair where she can see you.

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Hang a mobile over her crib so she has something interesting to watch when she wakes up. A mobile that plays music is ideal.

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Fix a baby gym, with different noises and textures, across her crib or attach it to the bars so she can reach for it when she's bored.

Blankets And Bedding

Use enough bedding to keep her comfortably warm. When your baby is under 12 months, don't give her a pillow, and don't use quilts, comforters, or baby nests because they also prevent loss of heat.

Sleep And Your Older Baby

As your baby grows, her sleep pattern will gradually change, she'll begin to stay awake and alert for longer periods during the day, even after feedings. When she's being stimulated with play and talk from you, she'll start needing longer periods of sleep to recharge her energy levels. The trick is to persuade her that these longer sleep periods should be at night, to align with your own.

Establishing A Bed Time Routine

Your baby may well get upset at bed time she could be anxious about being separated from you or she may simply want to continue playing, so establishing a bed time routine is essential to build her confidence and to help her learn that there is a time when play time has to stop. Set up your own routine at a time to suit all of you for example, if you're working, you may want it to be a little later-but try not to vary the routine, whatever time you do it. A suggested routine might be as follows:

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Give her the final meal of the day preferably not her main meal.

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Give her a bath with out too much romping, and change her in to her night clothes.

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Spend quiet time in your baby's room, sing gentle songs, or read a story (depending on her age and stage of development).

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Give her the last breast feeding (unless your baby still wakes at night).

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Lay her in her crib, with any security object she has become attached to, turn the dimmer switch down low, then sit quietly with her for a minute or two.

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Day Time Naps For Your Older Baby

As babies grow older, they sleep less and less, but up to 12 months your baby may still nap in the day time. Up to the age of three, many toddlers still rest during the day:

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To help your baby relax and doze off, put her in her favorite place, which may not be her room. Make sure she has any special comforter or security object with her. Play calming music, let her have toys and books, and keep her with in earshot so she can hear you moving around. If she calls out to you, it's probably only for reassurance, so calmly call back.

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If she doesn't want to sleep, that's okay; just make it a quiet time when she can sit in her crib and play. But never let her cry for longer than a few minutes with out going to her. If she's unhappy, that defeats the purpose of the nap.

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If your baby falls asleep in the car, or her carriage, never wake her suddenly. Like you, she'll need time to adjust. Never leave her asleep alone in the car or in her carriage outside a store.

About the Author

Author is a professional writer on various topics like avoiding pregnancy and pregnancy help. He is also proficient in writing about medicinal herbs. I hope you like the articles.

How to Treat Cradle Cap

Infantile seborrheic dermatitis or cradle cap is a common ailment affecting many babies to some degree. Seborrhea is a condition where the sebaceous glands produced too much oil. One theory put forward as to the cause of cradle cap is that the some hormones from the mother may remain in the newborn baby and that given time the cradle cap will disappear.

Cradle cap appears as a flaky dandruff that can build up into a thick crust on the scalp. Mild cases will not cause the baby any distress, it does not itch and is non-contagious, so parents need not worry.However severe cases may itch and feel sore. It can spread to other parts of the body, for example, around the neck, on the face, in the arm pits and genital areas. It is unsightly and there is a risk of a secondary infection, so it is wise to treat it in its early stages rather than allow a thick crust to form.

Early cradle cap can be treated by daily shampooing. Many parents think that shampoos may worsen the condition, but gentle brushing with a soft brush to loosen the flakes followed by shampooing to remove them is often all that is needed.

If cradle cap is a problem with an older child, an anti-dandruff shampoo and conditioner will often remove it. Sadly some children who suffer with cradle cap later develop atropic dermatitis or eczema. If this happens a physician should be consulted, eczema is a very itchy, uncomfortable condition made worse by scratching. Seborrheic dermatitis may also occur during the teenage years when hormone changes are taking place and re-occur again during adulthood, particularly when the patient is under stress.

If the cradle cap is particularly unsightly and shampooing does not remove it, there are a number of creams on the market that may help. A herbal remedy such as Clearskin-E Cream from Native Remedies is designed to treat eczema as well as cradle cap and is a save choice to use with babies.

While cradle cap is a very common ailment it should not be allowed to worsen, any condition affecting a young baby needs to be dealt with. If the condition does not respond to daily shampooing or an over the counter medication, you should seek help from your doctor. Severe cradle cap may be treated by a prescription shampoo or lotion. These may contain selenium, ketoconazole or corticosteroids.

This article is for information only and the author accepts no liability for any action taken. All health issues should be discussed with a physician.

About the Author

Margaret Tye runs the From Tots 2 Teens - Cradle Cap website.