When parents face difficulties with infant and child sleep issues, they can often feel helpless and alone. Although it seems like everyone has advice to give, it seems like nobody offers a definitive plan as to how to get your child to sleep through the night

The topic of infant sleep is foremost in every new parent's mind, and the information available on the subject is highly varied. Some books recommend getting up with your baby a dozen times a night, while others suggest letting them cry until they throw up! With contradictory advice like this, its no wonder parents are confused.

Although most parents can appreciate that their infant needs to sleep in order to grow and develop, many are unaware of the important sleep associations children acquire along the way. If a child is not given the opportunity to develop strategies to fall and stay asleep on their own, they may become dependent on outside stimuli to assist them. Consider these tips below for helping your child get the sleep they need...

1. The single most important skill you can teach children is how to fall asleep on their own without any external help. It is a life skill that is just as important as learning healthy eating habits or the benefits of daily exercise.

2. Consistency is the key. Whatever your method, you need to stick to it. Bedtime and naptime have to be non-negotiable. Sleep is just as important to a child's health as a nutritious meal.

3. A predictable bedtime routine is an important cue to let the child's body know that bedtime is near and its time to relax and prepare for nighttime sleep.

4. A short naptime routine will help in creating a relaxing environment that will prepare a child's mind and body toward the idea of naptime and ease the transition.

5. An early bedtime is the key to avoiding overtiredness and hyperactivity in the evening. Any time between 6 and 8 pm is ideal for most infants and toddlers to be heading for bed.

6. Think of sleep as a continuous 24-hour cycle. Whatever happens at each stage of the day has a direct impact on what happens for the next 24 hours. Think twice about skipping naps and allowing late night bedtimes. It will affect what happens at the next stage of the 24-hour cycle.

7. Infants who are allowed to fall asleep while breastfeeding or bottle-feeding often require this routine when they wake during the night. If possible, avoid letting your child fall asleep while feeding.

Those sleepless nights aren't good for you or your baby - and a gentle, effective sleep strategy is a lot easier than you're probably thinking. In fact, most babies will learn to soothe themselves into a deep and peaceful sleep within just a few nights!

Dana Obleman (http://www.sleepsense.net) is a professional infant sleep consultant and is the author of "The Sleep Sense Program: Proven Strategies For Teaching Your Child To Sleep Through The Night." She has helped hundreds of families develop a gentle, step-by-step sleep program for their children, and is able to guarantee the success of her methods.

¶ 27/03/08 10:22 AM //

Babee Tenda, Baby Shower for Mom and the Ladies

Baby Shower for Moms who just wanna have fun! This type of baby shower is not the only type of shower given today. Traditionally, baby showers have been thrown for mommy-to-be and the guest list was strictly women.

These days, many families choose to have different types of showers, including back-yard barbecues to include the men. These are a nice idea since they remember that Daddy is a part of the new baby's life, too.

But there is something to be said for a Sunday afternoon gathering of women to ooh and aah over Mommy's belly without disparaging looks from the men. One reason to plan a baby shower for mom only.

When you have only women at the shower, you have the opportunity to really "girl it up", so to speak, at your baby shower for Mom. You can do really girlie things and not have to worry about the men being bored or embarrassed.

Here are a few suggestions for making a shower extra-girlish: Have Tea and Cake. Find a few really pretty tea sets and order little delectables like petit fours, tea cakes or maybe bring a cookie basket. Drink your tea like ladies, with pinky finger sticking up!

See if you can find pretty lace doilies for napkins. Pick up some baby shower party favors to go along with your ladies only party. You might even want to fake a British accent, dahling!

At your baby shower for mom and the ladies only, let them all be pregnant. Maybe purchase some baby shower decorations to match the pregnant theme. The guys definitely wouldn't go for this!

Ask each guest to come with a pillow or other make shift stuffing to pretend that she is pregnant, too. Give a prize to the most authentic pregnant lady (excluding the guest of honor, of course) at your baby shower for Mom. You can pick up the prizes at any local party favor store or online party favor supply site.

Have everyone tell a story from their childbirth experience, or, if they have never had any children, let them rehash the stories their mothers told them ("I was in labor for 72 hours with you..."). Be sure there is a mixture of funny, touching, and gruesome stories to round it out.

Decorate with extra-large maternity bras and undies (or get them in mom-to-be's size so she can actually keep them after the party).

Play baby shower games for your baby shower for mom. There is no way you would get away with this at a couples shower! But at a baby shower for mom and the ladies, you can play Guess the mom-to-be's weight (go easy on her - guess low).

Paint her belly, do crafts like paint matching tees and onesies for Mom and baby, or play a game like baby bottle bowling. Ask guests to come up with other baby shower party ideas or baby shower party themes

Don't Husband Bash. But you can tell funny or touching stories about other new Dads or dads-to-be. You don't want to scare the mom-to-be. But she should be aware that some Dads will try to stop for coffee on the way to the hospital. Even though Mom's contractions are 3 minutes apart.

Drink Girlie Drinks at the baby shower for Mom. Well, except for the mom-to-be. She can have non-alcoholic versions of girlie drinks, though. Try Strawberry Daiquiris, Cosmopolitans and other fruity drinks.

© Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.

¶ 04/03/08 2:49 PM //