Sleep for the Baby and the Child

Sleeping is an important part in a baby’s life as sleeping brings about a healthy constitution. The habits of sleeping change gradually over the years as the baby matures into a child. The right amount of sleep that each period requires like the sleep of a new born baby, the first three weeks, the next month or one and a half months, three months, six months, one year and two years and so on must be properly analyzed and the baby must be helped in practicing such amount of sleep.

If the child is awake, do not let him stay longer in bed but try to take him out and encourage him to be active. This makes him feel it easy to arise early from bed through which many serious problems can be averted which parents are not generally aware of. This way, you can nurture the baby overall in its mental, physical and corporeal growth. This is the most conducive practice that brings about the longevity of this habit.

Never arouse the child from sleep suddenly as the brain gets excited with actions of the heart being quickened and when done again and again, would show severe consequences. The transition from the sleeping state to the waking state must be gradual always. Also, let the child now sleep on a mattress. During this age, feather beds are considered injurious to the child as the body sinks in deep into the bed with face completely buried in the feathers.

The excess degree of warmth also weakens the whole system and especially the skin and makes the child grow susceptibility to cold. Instead of making up the bed as soon as the child vacates it, throw the bed cloths behind the chairs and shake the mattress with the window kept open for so many hours. You must keep the apartment fully ventilated. Let the child not sleep with persons who have a history of tryst with diseases.

This is very important indeed and also those who are very old must not sleep with the child. Always, let the baby sleep alone. The changing duration of the baby’s sleep must be strictly adhered to with the mother helping the baby in sleeping the right amount of time. Most of the habits being nurtured depend equally upon the mother as it is upon the baby. The habits of sleeping once cultivated will turn automatic in the baby.