On Becoming Baby Wise: Giving Your Infant the Gift of Nighttime Sleep

(Nora) #1

of days. After a few weeks gradually reintroduce individual items back
into your meal plans and watch for a reaction.



  1. Parents should take care not to smoke around their baby. Better yet,
    they should not smoke at all!

  2. It may help to give the baby a pacifier, especially after a feeding.
    Pacifiers bring comfort and help babies relax. Some research suggests
    that SIDS rates among infants who use a pacifier is significantly lower.

  3. Colicky babies need to be burped frequently. Infants fed with a bottle
    tend to swallow more air, resulting in discomfort. You might consider
    using a different bottle or nipple design to help reduce the amount of air
    your baby swallows during a feeding. Bottles that are curved, vented, or
    have a collapsible bag inside are other options. After a feed lay the baby
    across your knees, with his tummy down, and gently massage his back.
    The pressure of your knees against his abdomen may help relieve his
    pain.

  4. Many moms find swaddling a colicky baby with a blanket helpful, as it
    provides a sense of comfort and security. This can be done during
    feedings and for naps.

  5. Keep in mind that most babies, especially those with colic, possess a
    low threshold for rapid movements, such as the flickering of a television
    screen. A baby’s developing neurological system has difficulty
    processing such rapid light and sound changes and such stimulation may
    further heighten an already stressful situation. Think about offering
    feedings in a less stimulating environment.

  6. At the other end of the spectrum are those babies who are comforted by
    steady sound, commonly called white noise, or rhythmic motion or both.
    Some parents carefully prop their infants in a baby swing and place them
    near the continuous noise or vibrations from a household appliance, such

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