The list of things for a newborn that are worth purchasing before the birth may be quite small - but after the birth of the child, you will definitely need a place where the newborn will sleep, and after a short time - a stroller for walks and a baby lounger for the baby to wake up not in the mother's arms . How to properly equip a sleeping place for a newborn and why is it better to buy a baby stroller after the birth of the child?
Baby carriage
Yes, this is one of the first things that close relatives and friends give for the birth of a baby or are bought by young parents themselves. But I am convinced: until your baby is born, you will not be able to understand what exactly a stroller for a newborn should be. This is one of the most expensive items in a child’s “dowry,” so it’s better not to rush and see what your life will be like in your new quality, and only then invest money in this purchase.
If you are determined to stock up on a stroller even before giving birth, study the issue thoroughly. Read reviews on the Internet and think about your lifestyle - what features inherent in certain strollers seem especially important to you? Ask your friends who already have children what they like or don’t like about their strollers. If you see your dream stroller on the street, don’t be shy and contact the parents who are carrying their child in it and ask if it is as good as it seems.
What should a newborn baby wear while sleeping?
There is no exact answer to the question of exactly how a newborn baby should be dressed while sleeping.
This is influenced by many factors:
- region of residence;
- season;
- weather outside;
- what is the temperature in the room where the crib is located;
- individual characteristics of the baby’s body.
Only relatives know their child best, so they have a great responsibility in choosing clothes for the baby.
For summer
The most optimal options for baby sleepwear:
- There is no need to dress your newborn too warmly. In most cases, he is already wearing a thick diaper, which serves as a layer of clothing. In this case, you should be extremely careful, because a diaper can both protect from the cold and create trouble.
- In the worst case scenario, this can lead to SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).
- Please note that in summer and very hot times, an installed fan . However, please note that under no circumstances should the room be overcooled or the fan directed directly at the child. It is better to direct it upward, and the flows of cool air will quickly dispel the chill throughout the room.
- Regardless of age and season, you should dress your child in multi-layered clothing. This will help if you need to remove or replace several layers of clothing.
- If the child is of such an age that he still needs to use a diaper, it is better to put him in a bodysuit. On top there is a children's sleepsuit with sleeves and socks.
- In summer, it is recommended to put your child to bed without socks and choose slips with short sleeves.
For winter
Baby lounger and other places to hang out
Of course, babies love to be held, but from time to time you will need to put your baby somewhere - if only to go to the toilet or take a shower. You need to come up with a place where the awake child could be next to you and where you would not have to hold him in your arms. A wicker basket with handles, a baby lounger, jumpers or even a car seat are suitable for this. If your budget or space is limited, choose something portable so you can move it from one room to another.
What should you dress a baby who sleeps without a diaper?
- What should you dress a baby who sleeps without a diaper? If the newborn has already grown up and does not need a diaper, the best option is to gradually stop using it. It is necessary to dress the child in the same way as if he were wearing a diaper, but instead put on a baby's sleeping bag.
- A sleeping bag is a good idea to replace the classic blanket. As a rule, the parents of the baby are very tired during the day and may not notice if their child accidentally opens up or covers his head in his sleep.
- In the summer, you do not need to cover it with a blanket or put it in a sleeping bag.
- The average temperature in the room should be no more than 22°C. A cool room promotes sounder and better quality sleep. Also, you don’t need to bathe your baby often during this period so that he doesn’t catch a cold.
Bassinet or crib for a newborn
Perhaps your relatives will give you a basket or cradle, or maybe you want to buy a crib for your baby yourself. If you prefer the idea of a crib, choose one that eventually transforms into a bed for an older child - it will last longer. You can also borrow a crib from friends, or you can buy a used one.
Why does a child open up in his sleep and how to choose a sleeping bag?
Children have the most intense metabolism compared to adults. Therefore, the child can be comfortable even when it is cool outside. For babies, the optimal room temperature is 18-22 degrees. To keep your baby from opening up, you can choose sheets and blankets that are large enough for him, as well as blanket clips. If the blanket slips, the baby should not immediately freeze, because pajamas, a sleeping bag or overalls will protect him.
Increasingly, when choosing what to sleep in for a child under one year old, parents give preference to sleeping bags. Their peculiarity is that the baby’s arms remain open, and the legs remain inside a warm bag that fastens on the shoulders. True, it’s not very convenient to put babies into such a device. Therefore, initially it is better to choose a product that can be completely unfastened.
Some manufacturers offer sleeping bags with sleeves or lining - in such a product the baby will definitely not freeze even in winter.
A sleeping bag or pajamas are designed to provide a comfortable and safe sleep for your baby. But for sleeping outdoors, depending on the time of year and weather conditions, you should choose clothes and a blanket. After all, it is important not only that the child does not freeze, but also simply not to overwrap him. Otherwise, he may start to sweat a lot, which is also undesirable.
How does a child sleep
Baby's sleep duration
The duration and nature of an infant's sleep directly depend on age. A newborn (up to 1 month) sleeps most of the day, waking up only at the time of feeding. Due to physiological characteristics, a newborn’s sleep can be very sound: he is not disturbed by various sounds and even tactile sensations (shifting, turning over, etc.). However, already at the age of about 1 month, the baby becomes more sensitive to external stimuli. Periods of wakefulness become longer and longer. By 3 months, the baby spends up to an hour and a half in an active state between feedings, and the total duration of his sleep is 18-20 hours a day. At 6 months, the baby sleeps for 16-18 hours. In this case, a long period of night sleep (up to 5-6 hours) and two or three periods of daytime sleep during the day are clearly distinguished. A nine-month-old baby needs 14-16 hours to sleep; most children at this age take two naps a day. By the age of 1 year, the total duration of sleep is 14-15 hours; during the day, the baby can sleep both once and twice.
The child confused day and night
The physiological rhythm of a newborn's sleep is not much different from the rhythm of a fetus' sleep. Accordingly, a newborn does not have a “sense of night” as we understand it. Only some babies have a period of continuous night sleep of 5-6 hours and is established from the first weeks of life, while most newborns wake up every 2-3 hours at night, which is the norm for them. Already by 2 months, the baby begins to distinguish daytime activity from nighttime: he has a period of wakefulness that is clearly associated with daytime. This becomes possible due to the gradual maturation of brain structures that respond to light levels and are responsible for the formation of circadian rhythms. night sleep for a child finally completed only by 2-3 years. Nevertheless, adults are able to help the baby quickly establish the correct circadian sleep rhythm using various techniques. First of all, it is necessary to distinguish between daytime and nighttime activity levels. So, the daytime hours should be quite rich in a variety of activities, including massage, gymnastics, walks, communication and games. The level of illumination in the nursery during the daytime should be higher; louder adult speech, music, etc. are acceptable. Toward evening, the atmosphere surrounding the child should become increasingly calm, and at night complete silence and darkness are preferable.
When to put your baby to bed
The timing of going to bed at night is individual and depends both on the characteristics of the child, who sets his own routine, and on the lifestyle of the whole family. Physiologically, in most newborns, the period of night sleep begins after midnight, gradually shifting to 21-22 hours by 4-6 months. Thus, the best time for an infant to go to sleep can be considered the period between 20 and 24 hours.
Sleep disturbance
As already said, up to 2-3 months, when the child’s circadian rhythms are still just forming, periodic disruptions in sleep and wakefulness are quite acceptable if their causes lie in the physiological characteristics of the child’s body. It’s another matter when the regime is violated due to the actions of parents. For example, adults are nocturnal and it is more convenient for them for the child to stay awake at night and wake up as late as possible in the morning. Another option is that parents cannot or do not want to organize all the necessary activities to care for the baby with a clear attachment to a certain time, as a result of which the baby is not able to quickly develop his own routine. Parents of infants should remember that for normal harmonious development, the child’s body requires a decrease in activity and prolonged sleep during the dark (night) time of the day, since at this time the production of special hormones necessary for the growth and development of all body systems occurs.
Children's room: temperature and humidity
Disputes often arise between adults regarding the optimal temperature Moreover, parents, as a rule, believe that the baby will freeze, while overheating is much more dangerous for him, which is explained by the still immature heat regulation system. The damage from high temperatures is aggravated by dry air, which is typical for houses with central heating and is aggravated when using electric heating devices. Dry air, like a sponge, absorbs moisture from the surface of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, disrupting the free flow of mucus and removing irritants, allergens, dust and germs from the body. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain optimal temperature and humidity, and to control these parameters, it is advisable to place a thermometer and hygrometer near the baby’s crib.
During sleep, it is advisable to reduce the room temperature by 1-2 degrees. To do this, the room needs to be ventilated. room temperature A special temperature regime is maintained in the room of a child born prematurely or with low birth weight. In this case, the temperature should be 24-25°C until the baby gains body weight, which is an individual norm for him. A baby should not sleep with the air conditioner running, as it cools the air unevenly, promoting air movement and drafts, which can lead to colds. The recommended humidity in the sleeping area is 50-70?%. To create the required level of humidity, you can use humidifiers, or you can hang wet towels the old fashioned way.
Bassinet or crib
Since during the period of intrauterine development the baby was located in rather cramped conditions, many believe that it is easier for him to calm down and fall asleep in a cozy, warm nest - a cradle . However, all children are individual, and if some prefer a cradle, others sleep just as well in a crib. Thus, the choice of place to sleep remains with adults. You just need to take into account that using the cradle is possible only in the first few months of life. In the future, the danger of falling out of the “nest” increases as the baby becomes more and more active.
By the way, a baby stroller should only be used for sleeping while walking. Sleeping in a stroller if it is indoors is not recommended due to its poor ventilation. In this case, such negative consequences as overheating and insufficient oxygen supply to the baby’s body are possible, since he breathes “waste” air.
Where to put the crib
Ideally, a crib or cradle should be installed:
in conditions of sufficient illumination during the daytime. In this case, direct sunlight should be avoided, which can interfere with the baby's daytime sleep and contribute to overheating. For these purposes, you can use various screens, blinds, etc.; away from heating elements (central heating radiators, radiators, etc.), since near them there is increased dryness of the air and a higher temperature; away from places where mold forms (as a rule, these are dark and damp areas of the apartment), since inhalation of fungal spores can lead to the development of respiratory diseases and allergic reactions; away from electrical appliances (TV, computer, fan, iron, etc.). Firstly, for safety reasons (the baby can pull the cord or knock over the device), and secondly, to eliminate the negative effects of electromagnetic radiation; It is desirable that access to the crib be as free as possible. Excess furniture, large toys, etc. can be a significant hindrance. For convenience, the crib can be moved close to the parents’ “sleeping place.”
The decoration of the crib depends on the tastes of the parents. However, it should be noted that the use of a canopy and bumper may interfere with the observation of the child, impair air ventilation and contribute to the accumulation of dust, which the child ends up breathing. Over time, when the baby learns to actively roll over, and then sit down and stand up, the bumper will come in handy to protect the baby from impacts on the hard parts of the crib. You should remember the need to wash the bumper regularly, especially if the child has a predisposition to allergies. This should be done at least once a week.
Baby pillow
For an infant, sleeping on a flat, dense surface is optimal, which promotes the correct positioning of the vertebrae along the spinal column, free breathing and normal blood supply. To achieve this effect, you need to use a fairly dense and even mattress, but you do not need a pillow.
Blanket or envelope
A blanket or envelope can be used when the room temperature is below 18-20°C. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the baby does not wrap his head in a blanket, as a result of which he may suffocate. To prevent accidents, you can use a special envelope or mesh blanket. At temperatures above 20°C, it is permissible to simply cover the baby with a diaper or light blanket.
What to put your baby to bed in
It is preferable to use clothes made of soft, air- and moisture-permeable natural fabrics, without rough seams, elastic bands and large hard parts (buttons, appliqués, etc.). It is advisable that sleepwear provides the ability to quickly change a diaper without waking the baby. In this regard, it is convenient to use slips or sliders with unfastening buttons along the crotch seam. When the air temperature is above 20°C, there is no need to dress the baby much warmer during sleep than during wakefulness, or put a cap on him, since children who constantly experience overheating are more susceptible to colds.
On the back, on the side, on the stomach
A feature of infants is a tendency to regurgitate, which is explained by the weakness of the orbicularis muscle, which “locks” the stomach. Therefore, before the age of 1 year, it is not recommended to put children to sleep on their backs to prevent the possibility of food getting into the respiratory tract. In any case, when lying on the back, you must ensure that the baby’s head is turned to one side. Sleeping on the side provides greater safety for the baby in cases of regurgitation . Currently, special clamps are produced that hold the baby in the desired position and eliminate the possibility of rolling over onto the back or tummy. In this case, it is advisable to periodically turn the baby onto the other side to avoid deterioration of local blood circulation, especially if the baby sleeps in diapers. The advisability of sleeping a baby on the stomach has long been a subject of debate.
On the one hand, it is known that this position improves the baby’s well-being with intestinal colic, and also stimulates the development of the muscles of the back and neck. On the other hand, it has been suggested that sleeping on the stomach increases the risk of developing sudden death syndrome. In this case, an aggravating factor is sleeping on a pillow or a soft, uneven mattress, when the child’s nasal passages may be closed to fresh air. If your baby likes to sleep on his stomach, you need to make sure that his bed is level and flat. It is not recommended to sleep in this position for children with signs of impaired nasal breathing (nasal congestion), for example, with a cold or viral infection.
Together with parents
It is preferable to put the baby in his own crib, since this allows adults to fully rest, eliminates the risk of crushing the baby, and better meets hygiene requirements. However, often for various reasons (the baby is sick and often wakes up at night, he is teething, etc.) parents put the child with them. In this case, to ensure the safety of the baby, it is necessary to control that he does not sleep on a pillow or bury his nose in it, is not covered with a blanket or pressed against one of the parents. The child is not swaddled so that he can move his arms. The baby should lie on its own sheet under its own diaper, blanket or blanket, or be in a special envelope. A reasonable solution is also to position the crib with the side removed close to the adult bed, which ensures the safety of the child and the convenience of the parents.
In order for the baby to quickly fall asleep without outside help, it is necessary from birth to form in him the correct sleep associations associated with certain environmental conditions under which the child feels comfortable, calms down and falls asleep. This is facilitated by compliance with the established bedtime ritual, for example: light massage, bathing, feeding, laying in the crib. It is important that the ritual is pleasant for the child, convenient for adults, and repeated every day at the same time. Falling asleep associations can also be developed with the help of a so-called object mediator. In this capacity there is a certain thing that is in the crib and serves as a kind of sedative. For a baby, it could be a mother’s scarf, which always retains a subtle “native” smell; for older children, it could be a toy. A good option would be to put your baby to bed with some calm music - a lullaby. However, it is worth considering that if the “assistant” is lost, broken, or replaced, difficulties may arise in falling asleep.
Motion sickness of a child
A child falling asleep while being rocked, in the arms of an adult, while fingering his hair, or with a bottle in his mouth are among the incorrect associations of falling asleep. If such associations are already entrenched in the psyche, with each awakening, which happens several times a night in infants, the baby will scream and demand the creation of the same conditions under which he was taught to fall asleep.
If the baby has established incorrect associations of falling asleep, parents will need a certain amount of restraint and consistency in order to replace the existing stereotypes with more acceptable ones. It is necessary to think over and begin a new ritual of falling asleep. At the same time, the calmness and confidence of parents will contribute to the child’s faster adaptation to the new rules. It is necessary to teach him to distinguish night time from day time, to do this, minimizing communication with the baby in the dark, creating conditions of peace and quiet.
Night light for a child
It is not recommended to teach your baby to fall asleep with light on, since for normal rest and brain function the body needs a period of night sleep in complete darkness.
Is it possible to watch TV or listen to music in the room where the baby sleeps?
In this case, the doctors’ recommendations are clear: for proper rest and normal development of the nervous system, the baby’s sleep should take place in conditions of relative silence. Although a newborn may not outwardly react to sounds, the background noise does not allow the brain to consistently go through all the necessary phases of sleep, and therefore to develop normally. An acceptable option for adults is to use headphones.
The child starts in his sleep
It has been established that shuddering when falling asleep , as well as when changing phases of sleep, is a natural process. With age, as the nervous system matures and inhibitory mechanisms of nervous regulation form, shudders become less and less frequent and, in the end, may disappear completely.
The child snores
In newborns, snoring is often caused by the structure of the nasal cavity, when, due to the narrowness and tortuosity of the nasal passages and poor development of the nasal turbinates, air turbulence is created during breathing, causing the appearance of characteristic sounds. Another reason may be mucus accumulated in the nasal cavity. In this case, after toileting the nose, snoring stops.
Handles up
Why do babies often sleep with their arms up? This is due to the phenomenon of the so-called physiological hypertonicity of the muscles of newborns, which determines this position of the arms. During the first year of life, muscle tone gradually decreases and the child begins to hold his hands more relaxed while sleeping.
You may be interested in the articles “Baby Hygiene: Regular Procedures” and “Everything for Baby Hygiene” on the website 9months.ru
