Rock-a-Bye Baby Read Online Free PDF Page A

surely lull him to sleep
.
    â€¢ Recount your busy day
    â€¢ Tell your baby how special he is
    â€¢ Talk about the weather
    â€¢ Share the latest gossip
    â€¢ Discuss current events
    â€¢ Complain about gas prices
    â€¢ Mention some child-rearing techniques you might try
    â€¢ Open up about your hopes and dreams for your child—and yourself!
    â€¢ Fantasize about the perfect vacation
    â€¢ Analyze your relatives
    â€¢ Brainstorm plans for house renovations
    â€¢ Giggle about your partner’s quirks
    â€¢ Discuss politics, religion, and sex—things you can’t discuss with other people
Change the Clock
    In the beginning, I thought my baby would sleep better if I kept him awake a little longer when he showed signs of sleep. But when I realized that my baby was really overtired at that point, I put him down half an hour earlier than his regular schedule. Solved the problem immediately!
—Natalie L
.

Bed Bounce
    I learned this from my nanny. She placed both hands on the crib mattress, on either side of my baby, and gently bounced the bed until he fell asleep.
—Bonnie J
.

Sling Baby
    I put my baby in a sling and went on with my daily routines. She loved the rhythm and movement, the warmth of my body, and the sense of security of being close to me.
—Ashley M
.

Attitude Adjustment
    Focus on the positive. Appreciate how much your baby
is
sleeping, instead of how little. Think about how much she’s changing and growing and developing, and be confident that she will sleep longer over time. In the meantime, if your baby is awake a lot and you need catch-up sleep, hire a babysitter to watch him while you take a nap.
—Susan G
.

Don’t Force It
    Sometimes your baby just isn’t sleepy. This often seems to happen when she’s learning new skills. After you’ve given it a try, give up, do some kind of activity, and then try again. Instead of becoming frustrated and upset and forcing her to nap or sleep, stop.
—Elizabeth M
.

Car Seat Security
    My son needed motion to fall asleep, so we would drive him around in his car seat. When he dozed off, we just unsnapped the seat from the base, brought it in into the house, and let him sleep in it. I think the harness gave him the same feeling of security that swaddling does for young infants.
—Staci M
.

Repeat Rituals
    I had a ritual that when I put my baby down, I would repeat in a sing-song voice exactly the same thing each time. Mine went like this: “Bedtime, Bradley. Here’s your dee-dee (his blanket). Here’s your Elmo (his lovey). Kiss-kiss, night-night. Love you, Bradley.” After a few nights, it seemed to work like a hypnotic suggestion.
—Sue W
.

Counting Sheep
    My son Cole has this sheep toy that plays soothing sounds, like waves. I read a book, then turn on the sheep and a turtle that lights stars on the ceiling. That seems to quiet him down.
—Amy S
. ( NOTE :
There are several baby accessories that help get baby to sleep. See “Resources,” page 138, for recommendations
.)

Music for Babies
    I have this CD of soothing music for babies that I play consistently. I put him up on my shoulder, dim the lights, and rock him. He knows it’s his “sleepy music.”
—Sally P
. ( NOTE :
See “Resources,” page 138, for suggestions
.)

Formula Food
    My grandmother told me to bathe my babies in warm water, then give them their last bottles with a little bit of baby cereal in them. I had to make the holes a little larger so they could suck, but it made them feel full and content. And they slept through the night.
—Rachel M
.

Clean and Carry
    When I brought my baby home from the hospital and couldn’t get him to sleep, my mom suggested that I vacuum with one arm and hold the baby with the other. The motion and the sound of the vacuum were soothing.
—Candi W
.

Laundry Load
    The only way I could get my extremely colicky baby to sleep was while