Parenting Blog

Every new parent can expect to lose a lot of sleep caring for an infant. Though you want to cater to your baby’s every need, sometimes nightly walks around the living room will tire out your infant as much as you. A newborn needs around sixteen hours of sleep every day; by six months, he’ll be sleeping around thirteen hours. If you notice that your child is fussy, clinging to you, or inattentive during playtime, he may not be getting the sleep he needs, and that nighttime walk might be making it all the more difficult for him to fall asleep.

Every baby is unique and has special needs when it comes to sleeping, and many times parents find that following their instincts is more effective than going by advice from a book. If you spend hours each night walking your baby through the house or rocking her back to sleep, you may be surprised to discover that she is able to calm down in minutes when left to her own devices. It’s important to consider your baby’s personality when you are working to discover the best way to get her to sleep. Sometimes a baby will become so distressed during the night that parents find it a better option to rock them to sleep. In fact, some babies get so worked up that it’s not advisable to let them cry out, but others are actually losing more sleep when their parents go in to calm them. Many parents are afraid to let their babies cry out, and every parent understands how heart-wrenching it is to listen to your baby cry. Others may try to compensate for a lack of attention in their own childhoods by attending to their babies every time they wake. But there are many exhausted moms and dads who, after countless nights without sleep, discovered that their babies do just fine on their own.

If your baby is laid-back and easygoing during the day, chances are he will be able to calm himself down when he awakens at night; more high-strung, active babies might need some comfort from a parent. Every parenting book gives slightly different advice, and the fact is that none of these books was written especially for your family. You should consider your baby’s personality, his activity level during the day, and the amount of sleep you are able to get with your current schedule as you work to discover the method that works best for you.