During the first four weeks of your baby's life you need to get to know each other. This is a great time to learn to read your baby’s tired signs and hungry signs:
Newborn Hungry Signs
Starting to feel hungry
Signs may include:
Moving around
Mouth opens and closes
Turning head or Rooting
I am really hungry
Signs may include:
Stretching
More movement
Hand in mouth
Too late - calm me first
If your baby displays the following sighs it may be better to first calm your baby before attempting to feed:
Crying
Upset
Turning head
Newborn Tired Signs
I am sleepy
Quieting Down
Losing interest + looking away
Eyes stare blankly
Eyes and eyebrows appear red
I need to nap
Yawning
Rubbing eyes
Starting to fuss
Pulling ears
I am overtired
Irritable
Arches back
Crying hysterical
Difficult to calm
What can you do to ensure your baby sleeps safely?
Safe sleep is the such an important aspect in your baby's first months, and something you should ensure as much as possible. Each year, more than a thousand babies die suddenly and unexpectedly. Some of these deaths are due to unknown causes – SIDS – and other causes are sleep related. The highest risk is at one to four months of age
Here are a few recommendations that are set by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Experts recommend skin-to-skin care for all moms and newborns for at least an hour after birth once the mom is stable, awake, and able to respond to her baby.
Always place baby on his/her back to sleep for naps and at night.
Share your room with baby. Keep baby in your room close to your bed, but on a separate surface designed for infants. The duration of this is ideally for baby’s first year, but at least for the first six months.
Do not put soft objects, toys, crib bumpers, or loose bedding under, over, or anywhere in your baby’s sleep area.
Do not let your baby become too hot or too cold during sleep. We recommend an ergoPouch cocoon swaddle and check the tog relation, too.
Use a firm and flat sleep surface, such as a mattress in a safety-approved crib, covered by a fitted sheet with no other bedding or soft items in the sleep area.
Do not smoke during pregnancy, and do not smoke or allow smoking around your baby or in your baby’s environment.
During the first four months, it is important to keep your expectations reasonable. Work on your attachment with your baby, and just take in all the smells and all the cuddles you want.
It is completely normal for babies between the age of 0 and 4 months still wake up at night. Their tummies are too small to hold a big enough feed to take them through the night! Night waking’s are also a survival mechanism for you to check on them and make sure they are okay during the night.
You need to start with baby steps (pardon the pun!) to practice the skills on setting good sleep habits for the months to come.
If you get to a point where you realise it’s just not working out, relax, take a step back and try again the next day.
In the end we’d like you to feel empowered and confident when it comes to your baby’s sleep goals. Our babies reflect how we are feeling, so try to calm yourself down too.
This article was written by Brave Little Baby
For more information and help with your baby's sleep, visit https://bravelittlebaby.com/
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