Baby’s Sleep and Natural Light

Sometimes it is hard to tell why your baby won't sleep through the night. I could be colic or anything. At any rate that good night's sleep seems so hard for some baby's to come by and that affects your sleep too. Now there is a new theory. It is not colic at all but rather due to a lack of light.

This idea comes from another concept, which is that the reason babies don't sleep through the night is because their internal clock has yet to be established. Other theories are that the lack of sleep might be due to a lack of daylight.
If a lack of daylight is the culprit then the obvious solution is to make sure that your baby is exposed to a few more hours of natural light a day. That means taking the baby out in the prom. This might also help moms sleep through the night as well. The idea is to get both child and mother synchronized on the same schedule.

This lack of daylight theory is not that new of an idea. It is actually based on a study published in 2004 with the European Sleep Research Society which details how 56 babies at ages six, nine and twelve weeks old were studies over a period of six days. During those days monitors tracked the amount of light these babies received and then also their waking, sleeping and crying patterns.
So what did this study reveal? Apparently the babies that would sleep all night were exposed to more light in the early afternoon from say noon until two. This helped to develop the baby's internal clock so it would be triggered to produce melatonin at the right times. The babies who were stimulated with light in the afternoon simply were easier to put down at night. This is because the light stimulated the circadian clock, which is located in the babies' hypothalamus. It predicts sunrise and helps get us ready for the day.

Another key is to make sure that the light you are getting is very bright. If you live in a cloudy place like Vancouver or Seattle you might have to buy a Light Book to shine on your baby during the early hours of the afternoon to stimulate than baby's production melatonin.
It is good for moms to get out during the day as well as that early afternoon exposure to the sun's rays can also help heal post partum depression. Without sunshine our hormones become unbalanced and we end up becoming sleep deprived. This can end up in a reliance on antidepressants and sleeping pills to get through your day and night. This is not the kind of stuff that you want ending up in your breast milk!

New Born Tips For Moms

Are you just welcoming a new little person into the world? Here are some tips to taking great care of this fragile little human at first.

TIP #1 – If your baby is not properly latching on your nipple to suckle then there is no point in wasting any time. Take yourself and the child immediately to a lactation consultant. These are staff members in hospitals who can show you how to get the baby to latch onto your nipple properly. Don't wait for the baby to 'get it' as the baby can become fatigued; lose weight and even face life-threatening conditions if you do not get him or her latched on immediately.

TIP #2 – While nursing most mothers find it most comfortable to put pillows behind the small of her back and behind her shoulders if she is sitting. If she is sitting up in bed it helps to put pillows under your knees and one in your lap (to help bring the baby up to the level of your chest.

TIP #3 – To raise a happy baby consider carrying him with you in a sling and carrying him or her with you wherever you go. Studies have shown that babies who are constantly carried are less fussy

TIP#4 – To keep your baby happy while you are during other things like preparing dinner or cleaning the house put him or her in a swing. Some newer swings even oscillate in a circular motion rather than the traditional back and forth motion. It’s best to borrow a swing or try one out on your baby at the store to avoid investing in something that your baby

TIP #5 – If your baby seems really fussy or anxious then try touching him or her more. Try gently massaging all parts of your infant's body including the toes, fingers, bellies and ears. This can help relax and soothe the child.

TIP #6 – If you are dealing with a really distressed or panicky newborn then try nursing him or her while sitting in the bathtub. Place the baby in direct contact with your naked skin as you lie in a warm bath and nurse him or her. This is sure to calm down even the most hysterical of screaming infants.

TIP #7 – No matter how irritating it is to you recognizing that your baby's crying is an attempt to communicate to you. It is never an attempt to torture you or to be bad. Whatever you do you should never let a baby 'cry it out' as that is psychologically damaging to the child. Never punish a child or treat it harshly for crying.

TIP #8 – This tip is for new Mom's who often feel burnt out. It is very invigorating for both you and the baby to take a walk every now and then to get some air and also relieve feelings of depression or anxiety. Studies have shown that walking briskly every day for a minimum of forty-five minutes can help alleviate the symptoms of post partum depression.