Special Sleeping Tips for Newborns

The first thing you need to realize about newborns and sleep is that they do not necessarily need sleep! They don't have biorhythms like we do or need eight hours sleep at night. It is very abnormal for a newborn to sleep all night so you might as well see it as a natural process that can't be helped. No matter what you do your baby is going to wake up in the middle of night anywhere from once to several times and demand to be fed, changed or simply patted on the back.

The key to managing a newborn is to relinquish fantasies about being in control of the situation. Sleeping like eating or defecating is not something you can force a little person to do. However you can make your baby more comfortable by teaching the child positive attitudes towards bed. One way is to feed it just before bed so it thinks of the bedroom and crib as positive. This also helps the child get rid of any separation anxiety and associating bedtime with being abandoned.

There is no set rule or guide about how a newborn should be sleeping. Some are more active then others and most kids just don't do what you read in books.

If your current daytime or nighttime routine is not working for you, think about what changes you can make in yourself and your lifestyle that will make it easier for your baby to get to sleep. This is a better approach than trying to change the behavior of a newborn. It may seem like the newborn is suddenly controlling your schedule and sometimes even your entire life but that is the way it is when you have a baby. Accept it. And stay away from books that try to liberate you by telling you to ignore your own biological cues. Your instincts know best how to calm your child and make it feel secure and safe so it will sleep.

If you change your behavior to fit in with your babies you accomplish several important things. First of all you build your baby's trust in you. A baby that understands that you comprehend his or her needs is less likely to scream and cry in the first place. If you opt for traditional baby training methods such as letting the kid scream it out then you might be creating a more neurotic individual. Be careful before you choose a baby training method as many of them teach you to mistrust your own instincts. Don't forget that as the mother of a newborn that you possess natural abilities to understand your newborn and all of his or her needs whether it be for food, comfort or sleep.

Bottom line is that all you can do is go with the flow for a while. Yes you will lose sleep. However sleep deprivation is all part of having kids. Above all don't take it personally. Your kid has no idea what he or she is doing to you.

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Toddlers and Depression

Believe it or not there is a rising epidemic of depression among toddlers in North America. It is depressing in itself to think that they can suffer from it at all but apparently many toddlers can get the blues.

Many studies conducted since the 1990s show that clinical depression is a disease that can attack all ages. Depression and thoughts of suicide can plague a child as young as two years old and torture them the same way they do an adult or teenager. 

An ongoing study being conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health and the Washington School of Medicine is finding that there are more toddlers and preschoolers with depression then we think. Their findings about toddlers and preschoolers with depression were so concerning that it has prompted a major Surgeon General Report to be conducted about the state of children's mental health in the United States. 

According to the National Mental Health Association, a whopping one in three children in the United suffers from depression.  The results of these types of studies are thought to be comparable to what is going on in other countries in the world.

 Unfortunately if your kid is depressed it can be a lot harder to diagnose then it is for an adult as so often it is interpreted as misbehavior stubbornness or even a low intelligence quotient. Like adults, toddlers and preschoolers lose all interest in activities that they used to enjoy when they are depressed. They also become lethargic, withdrawn and irritable. A depressed toddler may also cry a lot, lack enthusiasm be impatient and irritable and always be tired.

The child may also withdraw from favorite family, friends or activities. Toddlers that are depressed may also have trouble sleeping or sleep all day. Many of them suffer form excess weight gain or weight loss. The toddler who is depressed may whine more or need more attention. Frequent complaints of physical problems, such as stomachaches and headaches can also indicate depression. 

Depression in toddlers can also mimic learning disorders, regression, and lack of concentration and memory loss. In severe cases the child may talk morbidly or try to harm oneself or others during play. Trying to harm or a kill a pet is also a symptom.  If you see these symptoms take the kid to a doctor. It does not mean you are a bad parent! However before you rush your child to a doctor keep in mind that kids have ups and downs just like adults. The above symptoms become pathological when they begin to have some duration.

Displaying any of the above symptoms for a day is not the same as displaying them for weeks on end and that is what you mainly have to watch for.  According to a report done by the United States Surgeon General any child that displays depressed symptoms for more than two weeks needs to see a doctor. According to the same report the average duration of depression in a toddler usually lasts from seven to nine months.

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