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Will I Ever Sleep Again?
By Michael E. Farrell Copyright 2002
Will I ever sleep again?
If you are a like almost every other new father you are not
alone in this question. It's a fair question to ask especially
after you've
been up trying to soothe your screaming newborn.
I have good news. The screaming and crying will eventually
subside and yes, you will eventually get some well deserved
rest. But, it may be a while. So here are a few tips to help
you make it through those (short) nights.
1. Breastfeeding mothers need help. That's right, don't assume
that because your wife is breastfeeding that you are "off
the hook." If your wife is breastfeeding she will
treasure you for taking the time to get up and bring your baby
to her. It seems insignificant now. But at 3am in the morning
it's a beautiful gesture.
2. Take shifts with your wife. Agree before you go to bed at
night which of you will get up with the baby first. It might
help to simply pick even and odd hours. For example, if the
baby wakes up during the 11pm, 1am, 3am, 5am hours then you
wake up with him or her. If it's during the 12am, 2am, 4am,
6am hours then your wife will will wake up with the baby. The
point is have a plan before you go to sleep at night. This
will eliminate the anger and frustration of the moment when
niether one of you wants to get up.
3. Learn the different ways your baby likes to be held. Some
like to be held chest to chest. Others like to be cradled. And
still others like to be seated facing away from you. Find the
position that your baby feels most comfortable in try soothing
them in that position.
4. Don't be to proud or embarassed to sing softly and even
talk to your baby. The sound of your voice is very reassuring
to your baby and it is part of the bonding process. Your baby
will quickly learn to associate your voice with safety and
security.
5. Gentle bouncing works sometimes. But be careful not to
bounce baby too much or you may upset your baby's tummy.
6. Pacifiers work too. Some babies find comfort in a pacifier.
Others refuse to accept it especially if your wife is
breastfeeding.
7. Rocking, either in a chair or in the bassinet, can also be
helpful
means of helping ease your baby back to sleep.
8. Pacing the floor was very soothing to my daughter. In fact
she
would transition from a "deathly scream" to silence
if I put her
chest to chest with her head on my shoulder and simply started
pacing the room. While pacing the room you'll discover little
nooks and crannies that you had never noticed before.
9. Placing a warm heating pad in your babies cradle before bed
time can ease the transition when laying baby down for the
first time at night. NOTE: The heating pad should never be
left in the cradle when it is occupied.
10. A warm bath in a baby tub can also be a great way to
soothe your baby before bedtime. It's important that you have
a towel to wrap your baby in right away after the bath. This
will eliminate him from getting cold.
These are all useful tools that will help you get your baby
back to
sleep a little quicker--and that's good for you. If you
discover
other ideas write me and let me know what works for you.
Happy Fathering!
==============================
Mike Farrell and his wife Dawn have been
married for 10 years. They have three children: 2 boys and 1
girl: Jonathan (7), Meg (3) and Luke (2). A 1991 graduate from
Boise State University, Mike has a B.A. in English. A native
of Idaho, Mike works as a professional in Information
Technology. But his real passion is with his family. Mike is
the owner, operator and Senior Editor for Fatherville.com
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