An Art of Parenting

Posts Tagged ‘sleep’

While pregnant, always try to keep yourself engaged in some little work or the other, or else there are greater chances for you to think too much of the forth coming baby. Take adequate amount of sleep, and if you feel that you do not get sleep, go for reading healthy books like psychological books or simple stories.

Even if you do not have the habit of reading, at least go for jokes book so that when you have a hearty laugh your kid would surely come out to be a humorous and smiling person! Very true! A little amount of exercise everyday would take you in the path of healthy pregnancy. So, simply do not confine yourself to your chair or bed, instead do a little of exercise to have a healthy baby!

The practice of wrapping up the child was brought to us by the British. In the womb, the child remains in a curled up position and the pressure of the uterus is constantly exerted on the baby’s body. This pressure disappears once the child emerges from the womb. The new-found freedom allows the child to move its limbs about unobstructed. The post-natal environment is radically different from that in the womb.

The warm, comforting, pressure of the uterus is no longer there and the mild may not sleep peacefully. The idea behind wrapping the child up tightly is to make it feel snug and secure and induce it to sleep long. This practice prevails in hospitals and big cities. It is easier to carry a wrapped up baby. The mother to o need not fumble and flounder confusedly during breast feeding, for the bundled baby is easier to handle.

In some families, particularly those living in small towns or villages, the child is not tied up but is kept in a cradle and covered with a light quilt or sheet. After 1 ½ – 2 months the growing child breaks loose of its restrictions. The hands and legs fidget enough to free themselves of the constraining cloth whether it is tied or merely used as a cover.

Pregnant women will be restless and have sleep problems so how can they overcome it? Here are some practical tips to get rid of such problems.

Exercise: A woman’s mental and physical health should be in good condition, so she should sleep well and make sure that her body will have the tendency to unwind even after doing exercise. In fact, studies have proved that doing exercise before going to bed may also affect the deep sleep. It will be fine is exercise is done before four hours from sleeping time.

Eat Healthy: Constipation, vomiting and heartburn will affect the health of the pregnant women. Maintaining a nutritious diet is the most possible way to avoid such problems. Heavy meals should be avoided for dinner because it will result in indigestion. Before sleeping, you can drink warm milk because it will increase deep sleep. It has been believed that amino acid I-Tryptophan raises brain’s chemical level which is known as serotonin. In order to have a peaceful and deep sleep, pregnant women can avoid consuming tea and coffee which contains caffeinated substances.

Take Naps: Symptoms of fatigue can be avoided by means of nap and it can also sharpen their memory. Try your level best to sleep in the morning as it may affect your night sleep.

Left Side Sleep: Pregnant women should sleep by turning towards their left side as it is the correct position which can improves blood to flow to the foetus and kidneys. Hence, all the waste can be eliminated because of this position and they can sleep peacefully.

 A baby’s only way to let you know that he wants or needs something done for him is by crying. He may be hungry, cold or too warm; he may be wet or just plain bored. You will soon learn to recognize the cry of hunger from other kinds of cries. His napkin may need changing, a pin may be poking him or the clothes may be uncomfortable and tight. If he has been fed a little while ago, he may need burping. An air bubble may be bothering him. Many babies fuss and whimper when they are tired and go off to sleep when held in the lap or put in the cot.

If the weather is hot, he might be thirsty and will quieten down if you give him some water, but if nothing seems to soothe him, give him a feed. He may just be hungry, even though he may have had a feed a short while ago. A hungry baby will suck vigorously from breast or bottle and go off to sleep, or start playing after the feed. If he cries incessantly and nothing seems to soothe him, he may be having pain in his stomach or ear and you should consult your doctor.

Don’t be afraid of spoiling your baby: Some mothers let the baby go on crying and do not pick him up for fear that he may get spoilt. All babies need attention and need to be comforted when they are uncomfortable. They stop crying when picked up or talked to. This is not spooling but just giving the baby the attention he needs.