Page 149 - (DK) Home Doctor: Providing practical advice on home treatments

COMMON CONDITIONS: PROBLEMS IN BABIES 147

What you can do yourself continued…
PRACTICAL TIPS
● You may want to have your baby in bed with you
in the early months, especially if you breast-feed, Controlled crying You can use this
but be aware of the following precautions. You technique to teach an older baby (who no longer
need a wide, firm bed and must lay the baby on the needs to be fed during the night) to fall asleep by his
mattress (not on a pillow) with only a light blanket or herself at bedtime and to settle again if he or she
as a cover. Don’t sleep with your baby if you or your wakes during the night. You may find the process
partner are smokers, have been drinking alcohol, tough for the first few nights, but try to see it through.
or have taken sleeping pills or other drugs. ● When your baby cries don’t rush in; wait for
● Try to establish good sleep associations early on 5 minutes, then enter the room and say "good night"
or "back to sleep now" (choose your own phrase).
(see PRACTICAL TIPS, opposite page). Carrying and
Then leave, even if your baby is still crying.
rocking, or a ride in the carriage or car, will help
● Wait for 10 minutes before you return to your baby
settle a young baby between feedings during the
and repeat the phrase again in a calm, cheerful tone.
day, but don’t use these methods continually or
Repeat the sequence again after a 15-minute interval,
your baby may not be able to sleep without them. then again after a maximum interval of 20 minutes.
● Encourage longer sleeps at night by establishing ● Now restart the procedure entering the room at
the difference between day and night. Keep the 5-, 10-, 15-, and 20-minute intervals. Don’t give up
curtains open during daytime naps, and play and if your baby continues to cry. Parents need to support
each other through this process since most babies
talk to your baby while you feed and change him or protest vigorously at first.
her. Keep the room dark at night and all stimulation
● Use the same technique consistently each night;
to a minimum during and after a feeding. it should begin to have an effect within 3–6 days.
Babies over 4 months
Gradual withdrawal If you find
● Try to establish regular daytime naps because
controlled crying too difficult, try a separation
learning to settle and sleep in the day can improve
technique called "gradual withdrawal."
your baby’s sleep at night. All babies under a year
need two naps of an hour or more each day. Make ● Place your awake baby in the crib, using your settling
sure the last nap is early in the afternoon so that it routine (see PRACTICAL TIPS, opposite page), and sit on a
chair near the crib until your baby falls asleep.
does not interfere with sleep at night.
● Every 2–3 days, move the chair a little farther from
● If your baby is over 4 months and gaining the crib until you are sitting by the door.
weight and feeding well, you can teach him or ● Once you have reached this stage, try settling your
her to sleep better at night. A period of night- baby and leaving him or her to fall asleep alone.
time training using controlled crying or gradual
withdrawal (see PRACTICAL TIPS, right) will stop
your baby’s sleep problems becoming entrenched.
Accept that if you have always comforted your
baby promptly when he or she wakes, you are
sure to feel anxious about this process at first.
● If your baby over 6 months has partial
awakenings in which he or she cries briefly and
thrashes around in the crib, check that your baby is
well and resettle him or her. Keep a regular routine Learning to fall asleep
and prevent overtiredness to avoid the problem. Your baby may cry vigorously at being left for the
first few nights, but if you maintain a consistent
approach, he or she will learn to fall asleep alone
and to resettle if he or she wakes during the night.
Seek further medical advice

Arrange to see your doctor if:
● Sleep problems are persisting or any
unexplained symptoms develop