How do I teach my baby to soothe himself to sleep?

Everything I read tells me to put my baby down while he's still awake so that he can learn how to soothe himself to sleep. Sounds good, but how do I actually do this?

Expert Answers

Deborah Lin-Dyken, pediatric sleep disorders expert

You can't really teach your baby how to self-soothe, but you can provide him with the opportunity to teach himself. Given the right circumstances and the right stage of development, usually between 3 and 6 months of age, it will happen on its own. It's like learning to crawl: If you always carry your baby, he'll never have a chance to discover crawling, since he'll never be on the floor long enough to figure it out. It's the same thing with self-soothing: If you always nurse or rock your baby to sleep, he'll never have a chance to learn how to soothe himself to sleep.

How can you help your baby do this? First, you need to set the stage, which includes two things: a regular bedtime and a consistent routine. A bedtime that occurs at the same time every night will set your baby's internal clock so that he's naturally sleepy at a predictable time. The bedtime routine should happen in the place you want your baby to sleep and include three or four soothing activities, such as taking a bath, reading a story and having a cuddle, that let him know it's time for "night-night." When the bedtime routine is finished, put your baby to bed drowsy but awake.

Many babies will surprise you and drift off to sleep without much protest. Other babies, especially older ones who may have come to depend on being nursed or rocked to sleep, will need a bit of practice. Remember, self-soothing is just like crawling — it takes time and opportunity. You can teach your baby all at once and wait outside your baby's room, checking on him as frequently or infrequently as you wish. Or you can make it a more gradual process, sitting next to your baby's crib and easing yourself farther away each night — sitting in the middle of the room, sitting in the doorway and so on.

If your baby is used to breast- or bottle-feeding as he goes to sleep in your arms, you'll have to break his need to suck to sleep. You can move your child's feeding to earlier in the bedtime routine or slowly reduce the number of ounces or number of minutes of this feeding. Or when you see your baby starting to drift off during a feeding, promptly end his meal and finish the rest of the bedtime routine before laying him down.

Although some people believe that you should never wake a sleeping baby, keep the big picture in mind. On any particular night, waking your baby after he's drifted off may seem crazy, especially when you're beat and have a million things to do before turning in yourself. But when you remember your long-term goal of helping your baby develop the ability to soothe himself to sleep, both at bedtime and when he naturally wakes up during the night, it's well worth doing.

What happens if you've given your baby plenty of chances to self-soothe and he just can't seem to do it? Take a step back and try to figure out why. Perhaps he's simply too young and doesn't yet have the developmental ability to self-soothe, just as a 3-month-old can spend hours on the living room floor yet still won't be able to crawl. In this case, wait a few days, weeks or even months before trying again.

Or maybe your baby is too tired — and thus too overwrought — to settle down by himself. In this case, try moving his bedtime a bit earlier so he isn't a complete wreck by lights-out. Finally, think about whether you're really giving your baby an opportunity to find ways to soothe himself, or are rushing in to comfort him at his first peep and depriving him of the chance to figure it out on his own.

Most important, keep your goal in mind: Developing the ability to soothe himself to sleep will enable your baby to snooze for longer stretches and put himself back to sleep when he naturally wakes up during the night, allowing him to get the rest he needs to grow and thrive. What's more, self-soothing is an important life skill that will serve your baby well not just at bedtime but also in other situations, such as when he's separated from you at daycare or even when you momentarily walk out of the room, when he gets frustrated trying to master all those other important skills such as — you guessed it — crawling, or when he's just feeling fussy.

Source:

http://www.babycenter.com/404_how-do-i-teach-my-baby-to-soothe-himself-to-sleep_1272921.bc

Bedtime Techniques for Problem Sleepers

If your toddler's finding it hard to fall asleep alone, you need to establish a bedtime routine. Here are a few methods to try out.

Monday, July 12, 2010

The no-cry sleep plan

If your child wakes and cries a lot during the night, try this. It's also known as the 'kiss and retreat' program and was devised by child psychologist Dr Olwen Wilson for babies over six months old. It doesn't involve leaving your child to cry, and should improve her sleep within a week — or even less.

Cheerfully go through your usual goodnight rituals, then kiss your child and promise to come back again in minute for another kiss.

Don't leave the room; back off for just a few seconds, staying within her field of vision, then come back and give her another kiss.

Move a little further away and then go back and give her another kiss, then even further, and return for yet another.

Next, occupy yourself in her room — for example, by tidying up a bit. Go back and give her another kiss.

Then try leaving the room for just a few seconds before returning and giving your child a kiss, and keep going out of the room for a slightly longer period each time, until your child is asleep. You may find you lose count of how many times you do this, but persevere.

If your child cries, go in immediately, settle her, and resume the program.

Things should improve by the third night, but be warned that the fifth night can be very hard. You may feel as though you are back at square one before things settle down again.

The checking routine
This method of getting your child used to sleeping alone can work in as little as a week if you keep to it. It will be tiring, so it's better to choose a particular week to start so you can feel prepared, rather than beginning straightaway.

Tell your child it is time for sleep, that you are going to leave the room, but you won't be far away. Then go. Even a young baby will understand what you mean by your tone and actions.

If she cries, wait five minutes then return. Don't pick her up or take her out of the room. Don't turn on any lights, play with her or reassure her.

Stroke her hand or face until she is calm, then repeat the message and leave the room.

If she still cries, leave it a little longer, say 10 minutes, before returning. Continue the pattern until she falls asleep.

The gradual retreat method
This method works best if you are a mum who usually cuddles your child in bed or stays with her until she falls asleep.

Sit by her cot or bed, holding her hand until she falls asleep. Continue to do this for a week.

For the next week, sit by her cot or bed without holding her hand, until she falls asleep.

The following week, sit at the end of the cot or bed until she falls asleep.

Continue to move away from the cot or bed in small stages, a week at a time, until you reach the door. Sit at the open door for a week. By now she should be able to sleep without you being there in the room.

If you stop
Whatever sleep program you choose, be prepared for it to be quite exhausting. If your baby becomes ill, you may need to stop. If for any reason you do stop the program, don't worry. Start it again when you feel ready, and you'll find it works quicker than before.

Do you have any tips on getting a toddler to sleep?

Source: http://motherandbaby.ninemsn.com.au/lifeandstyle/health/1070226/bedtime-techniques-for-problem-sleepers

Encouraging Good Behaviour: 15 Tips

Found this very useful guide for young parents like me... Try these tips to encourage the behaviour you want in your child. Highly recommended! :-)

1. Children do as you do. Your child watches you to get clues on how to behave in the world. You’re her role model, so use your own behaviour to guide her. What you do is often much more important than what you say. If you want your child to say ‘please’, say it yourself. If you don’t want your child to raise her voice, speak quietly and gently yourself.
2. Show your child how you feel. Tell him honestly how his behaviour affects you. This will help him see his her own feelings in yours, like a mirror. This is called empathy. By the age of three, children can show real empathy. So you might say, ‘I’m getting upset because there is so much noise I can’t talk on the phone’. When you start the sentence with ‘I’, it gives your child the chance to see things from your perspective.
   
3. Catch her being ‘good’. This simply means that when your child is behaving in a way you like, you can give her some positive feedback. For example, ‘Wow, you are playing so nicely. I really like the way you are keeping all the blocks on the table’. This works better than waiting for the blocks to come crashing to the floor before you take notice and bark, ‘Hey, stop that’. This positive feedback is sometimes called ‘descriptive praise’. Try to say six positive comments (praise and encouragement) for every negative comment (criticisms and reprimands). The 6-1 ratio keeps things in balance. Remember that if children have a choice only between no attention or negative attention, they will seek out negative attention.
   
4. Get down to your child’s level. Kneeling or squatting down next to children is a very powerful tool for communicating positively with them. Getting close allows you to tune in to what they might be feeling or thinking. It also helps them focus on what you are saying or asking for. If you are close to your child and have his attention, there is no need to make him look at you.
   
5. ‘I hear you.’ Active listening is another tool for helping young children cope with their emotions. They tend to get frustrated a lot, especially if they can’t express themselves well enough verbally. When you repeat back to them what you think they might be feeling, it helps to relieve some of their tension. It also makes them feel respected and comforted. It can diffuse many potential temper tantrums.
   
6. Keep promises. Stick to agreements. When you follow through on your promises, good or bad, your child learns to trust and respect you. So when you promise to go for a walk after she picks up her toys, make sure you have your walking shoes handy. When you say you will leave the library if she doesn’t stop running around, be prepared to leave straight away. No need to make a fuss about it – the more matter of fact, the better. This helps your child feel more secure, because it creates a consistent and predictable environment.
   
7. Reduce temptation. Your glasses look like so much fun to play with – it’s hard for children to remember not to touch. Reduce the chance for innocent but costly exploration by keeping that stuff out of sight.
   
8. Choose your battles. Before you get involved in anything your child is doing – especially to say ‘no’ or ‘stop’ – ask yourself if it really matters. By keeping instructions, requests and negative feedback to a minimum, you create less opportunity for conflict and bad feelings. Rules are important, but use them only when it’s really important.
   
9. Whining: be strong. Kids don’t want to be annoying. By giving in when they’re whinging for something, we train them to do it more – even if we don’t mean to. ‘No’ means ‘no’, not maybe, so don’t say it unless you mean it. If you say ‘no’ and then give in, children will be whine even more the next time, hoping to get lucky again.
   
10. Keep it simple and positive. If you can give clear instructions in simple terms, your child will know what is expected of him. (‘Please hold my hand when we cross the road.’) Stating things in a positive way gets their heads thinking in the right direction. For example, ‘Please shut the gate’ is better than ‘Don't leave the gate open’.
    
11. Responsibility and consequences. As children get older, you can give them more responsibility for their own behaviour. You can also give them the chance to experience the natural consequences of that behaviour. You don’t have to be the bad guy all the time. For example, if your child forgot to put her lunch box in her bag, she will go hungry at lunch time. It is her hunger and her consequence. It won’t hurt her to go hungry just that one time. Sometimes, with the best intentions, we do so much for our children that we don’t allow them to learn for themselves. At other times you need to provide consequences for unacceptable or dangerous behaviour. For these times, it is best to ensure that you have explained the consequences and that your children have agreed to them in advance.
    
12. Say it once and move on. It is surprising how much your child is listening even though he might not have the social maturity to tell you. Nagging and criticising is boring for you and doesn’t work. Your child will just end up tuning you out and wonder why you get more upset. If you want to give him one last chance to cooperate, remind him of the consequences for not cooperating. Then start counting to three.
    
13. Make your child feel important. Children love it when they can contribute to the family. Start introducing some simple chores or things that she can do to play her own important part in helping the household. This will make her feel important and she’ll take pride in helping out. If you can give your child lots of practice doing a chore, she will get better at it and will keep trying harder. Safe chores help children feel responsible, build their self-esteem and help you out too.
    
14. Prepare for challenging situations. There are times when looking after your child and doing things you need to do will be tricky. If you think about these challenging situations in advance, you can plan around your child’s needs. Give him a five-minute warning before you need him to change activities. Talk to him about why you need his cooperation. Then he is prepared for what you expect.
    
15. Maintain a sense of humour. Another way of diffusing tension and possible conflict is to use humour and fun. You can pretend to become the menacing tickle monster or make animal noises. But humour at your child’s expense won't help. Young children are easily hurt by parental ‘teasing’. Humour that has you both laughing is great.

Source:
http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/encouraging_good_behaviour.html/context/271

Sleep Solutions (?)

You are not alone if you are having difficulty getting your baby to sleep all night. About a quarter of children under five in the UK have sleep problems, particularly refusing to go to bed or waking in the night, and the two often go together (True et al 2002).

If your baby is constantly waking in the night it can disturb your own sleep patterns and you may find it much harder to cope with tasks the next day. Women whose sleep is disturbed because their baby has sleep problems may be prone to depression (Hiscock and Wake 2002, Lam et al 2005, Dennis and Ross 2005. As your child grows, it's important to sort out sleep difficulties, because it can put pressure on relationships between you and your partner, and between you and your child (True et al 2002).

There are different sleep strategies, from crying it out at one end of the spectrum to co-sleeping

at the other. It's up to you to decide which one best suits your family.

Sleep strategies

The following tactics can help your baby to sleep well from as early as six weeks. But remember, whichever approach you take, you must be consistent:

• Make daytime feeds social and lively and night-time feeds quiet. That way you’ll help her set her body clock so she can learn the difference between day and night.



• Give her a chance to fall asleep on her own from about six to eight weeks. Put her down when she's sleepy, but still awake. Some experts advise against rocking or breastfeeding babies to sleep, even at this age, because they may come to depend on it (True et al 2002). It's up to you to decide what's best.



• Set a bedtime routine. Keep it short and simple: bath, nappy and pyjamas, and a story or song. Finish the bedtime ritual in your baby's bedroom. It's important she learns her room is a nice place to be.



• Give her a security object, such as a baby blanket or stuffed animal. A great way to make a blanket or teddy bear a favourite is to keep it near you for a while so it becomes mum-scented. Babies have a strong sense of smell, and when they startle awake, the smell of their mothers will calm them.



• Let her cry it out. This is suitable once your baby is four or five months old. If she's crying after you've put her down, go to her. Pat her gently and tell her everything's fine, but it's time for sleep. Be gentle, but firm. Leave the room. Wait for a set interval, anything from two to five minutes, then check again. Do this repeatedly until she falls asleep, extending the time between each visit.



• Cuddle up. If you plan to have your baby sleeping in your bed, comfort and rock her so she is ready for sleep as part of her bedtime routine. Lie down together and cuddle her, pretending to sleep, firmly letting her know it's bedtime.



• Share the role of comforter with your partner, so both of you can help your baby fall back to sleep. Once your baby is old enough to do without night-time feeding, she can learn to be comforted by your partner. She might stop needing anyone when she learns there's no food coming!



• Tune in to your baby’s needs: During the day, make her feel secure by carrying her in a sling. If she wakes in the night, try to work out why. Is her nappy full, are her night-clothes comfortable, has she got a cold?

If your baby is still waking after you've tucked her in bear in mind that her age will have a lot to do with how well she settles, and you may have to be adaptable according to her stage of development.

Sleep problems by age: newborn to three months

Babies at the start of this age range sleep for short periods and wake often in the night. You'll have to resign yourself to interrupted nights for the first few weeks. But you can start work now on sleep habits that will pay dividends later.

• If she falls asleep while eating or being carried, lay her down in a designated sleeping place, such as a Moses basket, cot or pushchair. If she's awake, encourage that wakefulness, and socialise with her. By distinguishing between asleep and wakeful periods, you'll help her associate sleep with a proper sleeping place.



• For the first two or three weeks, it's possible swaddling your baby might soothe her. For some it's the trigger for sleep, but others don't enjoy it. Don't swaddle her after a she's a month old, because it can restrict her mobility.

Sleep problems by age: three to six months

• If you have moved your baby to a cot, she may be finding it difficult to adjust. Read about ways to make the transition to her cot easier.



• If your baby just won't settle, despite all your efforts, it's fine to give her a dummy to help her nod off. Bear in mind, though, that if she wakes and can't find it, you might be back to where you started.



• Don't be tempted to start your baby on solids before she's ready to help her sleep. It is not recommended that babies are fed solids before they are six months old.



• Make sure your baby is not staying up too late. An over-tired baby can make for a difficult bedtime.

Sleep problems by age: six to nine months

About this age, babies who have never had sleep problems may start waking up at night because of separation anxiety. When she wakes in the night, she misses you and worries you won't return.

Problems may also be linked with your baby reaching milestones in her physical and mental development. About now, she is learning to sit up, roll over, crawl, and even pull herself up to a standing position.

• If she's waking in the night to practise her exciting new skill of sitting up, you'll need to teach her how to lie down again. Then stick to your chosen routine for getting her back to sleep.



• Your baby's sudden burst in development isn't the same as a growth spurt, so feeding her during the night won't help her sleep better. In fact, it may prolong the problem and make it worse. She’ll learn to depend on feeding to fall asleep.



• Your baby's sleep may also be disturbed because she is teething. If she doesn't seem to be in pain, stick to your regular sleep routine. But if her gums are hurting, massage them gently with one finger or give her something cold to chew on, such as a partially frozen flannel. If things get really bad, give her the correct dose of infant paracetamol.



• If your baby is going to bed after 8.30pm and she begins to wake during the night, you may be surprised to find that she's much more likely to sleep through the night if you move her bedtime earlier by a half hour.

Sleep problems by age: nine to 12 months

Your baby is old enough to sleep through the night, but she may be changing her nap habits and may still be suffering from separation anxiety. Be prepared to modify your routine as she grows.

• Try moving her afternoon nap to an earlier time and making it shorter. Stick with your bedtime ritual and to be firm about going to sleep. Let your baby know that when it's bedtime, it's bedtime. If it helps, try setting an alarm clock to go off about five minutes before it's time to go to sleep. That way the mandate is coming from an external source, not you.



• Try leaving the door to your baby's room ajar so she can hear you, and be reassured that you're nearby.

If your baby’s sleep difficulties are disrupting your sleep and you feel you can’t cope, talk to your doctor or health visitor.


Source: http://www.babycentre.co.uk/baby/sleep/sleepallnight/

Typical sleep at this age : 3-6 months

By now your nights of getting up every two or three hours are behind you -- we hope. By 3 or 4 months, most babies are sleeping 15 hours a day, around 10 of those hours at night and the rest divided among three daytime naps (that number will drop to two when your baby is about 6 months old). You may still be getting up once or twice a night for feeds at the beginning of this stage, but by the time your baby is 6 months old, she'll be physically capable of sleeping through the night. Whether she actually will depends on whether she's learning sleep habits and patterns that will encourage this.

How you can establish good sleep habits

At this age, these are some of the best things you can do to help your child settle and sleep at night:

Establish set bedtimes and naptimes -- and stick to them.
When your baby was a newborn, deciding when to put her down for the night was as easy as watching for her signs of sleepiness (eye-rubbing, ear-pulling, and so on). Now that she's a little older, you should establish a specific bedtime, as well as consistent naptimes, to regulate her sleep patterns.

A good baby bedtime is usually between 7 and 8:30 p.m.; any later and she's likely to get overtired and have a hard time falling asleep. Your baby may not seem tired late at night -- on the contrary, she may appear very energetic, almost bouncing off the walls.

But that's often a sign it's past her bedtime. You can set naptimes the same way you set bedtimes -- plan them for a specific time each day -- or go more by feel, putting your baby down when you know she's tired and needs to recharge. As long as she's getting enough sleep, either approach is fine.

Begin to develop a bedtime routine.
If you haven't already done so, now is also a good time to start a bedtime routine. Your routine can include any (or all) of the following: giving your baby a bath, playing a quiet game, getting your child ready for bed, reading a bedtime story or two, singing a lullaby and giving her a kiss goodnight. Whatever routine works for your family is fine, as long as you do it in the same order and at the same time every night. Children thrive on consistency, and this is no exception.

Wake your child in the morning to reset her daily clock.
If your baby tends to sleep more than 10 hours at night, it's okay to wake her up in the morning to help her reset her daily clock. While it may seem like 10 hours at night isn't a problem, your baby needs to follow a regular sleep / wake pattern and recharge with naps during the day. Waking her at the same time every morning will help keep her sleep schedule predictable.

Potential Pitfalls

Night waking and developing sleep associations which depend on your presence -- when your baby learns to depend on something like rocking or breastfeeding to fall asleep -- affect newborns and older babies alike. By 4 months, your child will probably be able to soothe herself, but you may still need to help her develop self-comforting techniques.

Some 3- to 6-month-olds may have a new problem: difficulty falling asleep. In these cases, putting your baby to bed can be daunting for new parents. You never know if she's going to scream her head off or whimper softly just to get the last word in.

If your baby is having a hard time getting to sleep at night, first make sure she's not staying up too late (as we mentioned, an overtired baby can make for a difficult bedtime). If that's not the case, she may have developed one or more problematic sleep associations. If you want her to sleep through the night without calling for you, she needs to learn to fall asleep by herself, not because she's been soothed to sleep by your arms, your breast or a pacifier.

If that's not the case and your baby is still having difficulty falling asleep, there are various strategies you can adopt. Some of these are outlined below. Of course, what will work best for you depends on your personal beliefs and sleep philosophy.

Approaches to sleep problems

What's the best way to respond to your child once you've tucked her in? Experts are quite divided on this issue. All agree, however, that the way to calm or ease your child to sleep changes over time. A newborn needs cuddling, while a toddler needs a consistent routine and a firm goodnight. When it comes to getting your three to six-month-old baby to sleep, look through some of the suggestions below from a variety of experts and choose a strategy which you feel could work for you:

Approach 1
Do a simple checking routine. If your child is crying, go back into her room. Pat her on the back and tell her that everything is okay, but that it is time to go to sleep. Don't pick her up or cuddle her; be gentle but firm. Leave. Wait about five minutes, then check again. Do this repeatedly until she falls asleep, extending the time between each visit.

Approach 2
Take a close look at your bedtime routine. It's important to put your baby down when she's awake so she'll learn to settle herself to sleep, both when you first put her down and if she wakes up during the night. If you're not doing this, consider changing your nighttime routine.

Approach 3
If your baby is crying and you're sure she's fed, dry, and healthy, wait five minutes before going to her. Then reassure her you're there by talking to her -- don't pick her up, turn on the lights, or touch her. When you go in, stay calm and keep it brief. If she keeps crying, wait a little longer each time before you go in, then repeat the above sequence. The key is to be consistent and firm.

Approach 4
Don't put your baby to sleep by rocking her in your arms or letting her suck at the breast or bottle; she'll learn to associate these things with settling to sleep rather than depending on herself. Instead, get her in bed while she's still awake, sit by her, give her a transitional object such as a blanket, pat her, and generally reassure her without words.

Approach 5
Comfort your baby to sleep: rock her, and lie down together until you see that her face is motionless and she's in deep sleep. Establish and stick with a bedtime routine, and try cuddling up, pretending to sleep, and firmly letting your child know it's bedtime.

There is no "right" way to encourage your child to settle and sleep through the night. You need to choose an approach that will work for you and your family.


Source: http://www.babycenter.com.ph/baby/sleep/habitsbyage3to6months/

Sleep Problem

Lately, I've been worried that my dear baby J won't be able to sleep on his own when his weight reached the recommended limits (FYI he has been sleeping in a hammock lately). :( I've have to prepare him early so that he would be able to adapt to the new changes in his sleeping pattern and before it has becomes a habit. Hammock for me is just a short-term solution to his sleeping problem.

I've heard many of my mommy-friends said they didn't have any problem making baby to sleep at night nor in the afternoon. What a surprise..! Bear in mind that many of my friends either has an experienced mother/mil or a babysitter but I don't have either one with me to advise me on the baby matter. >_<'

(I also wonder why in my life those people who are around me seldom give me "sound" advise... all rubbish!!!... but they are good at talking non-sense. If you asked me who do I refer to when I need advise, I couldn't think of a person who are around me who could do that... -_- ) **Sigh**

Baby J is now 6+ months old... soon he will have to be sleeping without the help of hammock. I've tried to make him sleep on his own without the hammock when we were in Singapore, but he only sleep max 30 mins in a nap!?? And, the process of making him to sleep is quite tiring... mostly baby J still needs us around to make him sleep. Not quite sure if this is normal for other kids but I think our baby J is a bit hard to fall asleep on his own unless he is very very very sleep then he will just doze off.

Other time, he will rub his eyes till red and fuss for quite some time... which is very frustrating and I think is not very healthy to cry till you sleep because then when he wakes up, he will either cry or in a shocked condition.

Whereas, when he sleep in hammock, mostly he will wakes up happy and contented. He looks like he has rested and energised.

So, now my main concerns are as below:

1. Will he be able to nap longer (I'm talking about 5 hours of nap time here) when put to sleep on his bed?

2. How to make him soothe himself to sleep whenever he is tired or sleepy? Bear in mind this will be done without the help of pacifier.

3. How long it takes for him to fall asleep?

4. How quickly he will adapt to the new sleeping method?

5. Will he be able to sleep on his own? Need to crack my head on finding the best solutions for both mummy/daddy vs. baby J here!

Any advise?

Sleep Problem

I've heard many of my mother-friends telling me that they did not rock their baby to sleep/nap. Instead they just let them lie in the bed and they will doze off themselves. I found that amazing because I was amazed by how a BABY could learn to soothe themselves to sleep without any help from their parents??? According to them it is possible and the secret is you have to be persistent when you put them down.

Yeah rite, it was easy to say than done... taking into consideration most of these mothers were either (1) have a babysitter or confinement lady who take care of their baby (day time) or (2) their mother or m-i-l or sisters who have been there before. But I have none of the above... :(

Little did I know that they actually gave pacifier/dummy to their baby... >_< No wonder laa... But to me that's not a solution... that's another problem which need to be address on top of this problem if we were to give them the pacifier... ****sigh*** -___-'


Below are some info I gathered from Babycentre:

Part of helping your baby learn good sleep habits is teaching her to fall asleep on her own. But even the best sleepers sometimes need a little extra assistance -- which is where sleep aids come in.

One of the best aids is a bedtime ritual that calms and soothes your baby to the point where she's ready to be put down and fall asleep by herself. Every night, stick to the same bedtime and include the same activities in the same order.

You could include giving a bath, reading a book, singing a lullaby, or cuddling as activities in your routine.

Many babies also rely on a pacifier or a thumb to soothe themselves to sleep. That's fine -- it's unlikely that your child will become overly dependent on these sleep aids or use them long enough to harm her permanent teeth, which come in around age 6. Some experts prefer thumb over pacifier, noting that when a pacifier falls out in the middle of the night, it's harder for your baby to find -- meaning she's more likely to wake you up to retrieve it.

As your baby gets older, she may grow attached to a particular blanket, stuffed toy, or other "lovey" at bedtimes and nap times. In making such items available, though, be aware that soft, fluffy items in a crib -- like blankets and stuffed animals -- aren't advised for babies under 12 months because of the risk of SIDS.

5 Discipline Tricks for Babies

Discipling a child, especially challenging one, can bring out the best and worst in us as parents. It's hard not to get frustrated when your infant keeps throwing his food -- or hitting his brother -- after being asked many times to stop. But it can also make us better parents. That's because discipline begins with trust. The child who trusts his mom or dad to give him food and comfort when he needs it will also trust them when they say, "Don't touch!" And that's also why, for children under age 2, discipline is less about time-outs and punishments than it is about building your child's faith in you. For me, that means responding to his cries, "wearing" him in a sling or carrier, and spending lots of cuddle time together.

Of course, if it were as simple as that, you wouldn't be reading this article. Even the most connected parents and babies have their trying moments. But understanding a behavior from your child's perspective will help you react appropriately to guide her behavior. On one occasion, our then-toddler, Lauren, impulsively grabbed a carton of milk out of the refrigerator, dropped it on the floor and burst into howls. Instead of scolding her or being angry about the mess, my wife, Martha, talked to Lauren calmly and sensitively about what had happened. When I asked her how she managed to handle the situation so calmly, Martha said, "I asked myself, 'If I were Lauren, how would I want my mother to respond?'"

Sometimes, getting out of yourself and into your child saves mental strain. So the next time your tot does something that frazzles your last nerve, remind yourself of my discipline mantra: Get behind the eyes of your baby. When you do that, you'll (almost!) always get it right.

At a loss for how to deal with specific frustrating situations? After eight kids and more than 40 years as a practicing pediatrician, I've learned a few discipline tactics.

Touching or Grabbing Dangerous Stuff

Why they do it? Curious tots are always looking for things to pull, push, grab, drop and throw, whether it's your cell phone or the hot oven door. Exploring the world through touching and mouthing is the way babies learn.

How to react: Instead of the incessant "No, no, no!" (which just plants those words into your baby's budding vocabulary), give a personal "Not for Bobby..." When trying to distract and divert 14-month-old Lauren from danger or mischief, we'd call out, "Lauren!" Hearing her name took her by surprise and caused her to momentarily forget her quest. Once we had her attention, we'd quickly redirect her interest before she got into trouble.

Give your young explorer word associations to help him sort out what he may and may not touch. Say "yes touch" for safe things, "no touch" for dangerous items, and "soft touch," "pet" and "pat" for faces and animals. To tame the impulsive grabber, try encouraging the "one-finger touch." For hot kitchen objects, fireplaces and the like, try "hot touch" or "owie touch." (And of course, keep pots cooking on the back burners and other appliances out of reach.)

It's not only important to show your baby what is off limits, but to show her what is hers at the same time. For example, if you're in the kitchen chopping veggies with your knife and your 20-month-old is so fascinated that she tries to join the fun, say: "Not for Morgan. This is Mommy's knife. Here is Morgan's spoon." This technique is called substitute and redirect, which you probably already do instinctively, offering her a replacement toy when you take away something she can't have. So suppose she grabs a breakable vase. Instead of snapping, "Don't grab!" as you snatch the vase away, which is bound to trigger an angry protest, say, "Not for Erin," as you take the vase from one hand while putting a toy in the other.

Deliberately Spilling Food or Throwing Cups/Utensils From the High Chair

Why they do it Your baby is learning what she can do with her hands, and she's also discovering what a marvelous phenomenon gravity is. Besides, it gets a reaction from all those around the dinner table who might not otherwise be tuned into her.

How to react: Depending on your time and energy, you can simply go with the flow and play the drop-and-pick-up game until either you or your baby gets bored, or you can eventually just leave the dropped food or item on the floor to convey to your baby the game is over. When there is no one to play with, your baby will soon change the game.

It's important to remember that your baby is not rejecting the food that you made or trying to be defiant. She simply wants to play and interact with you. If you don't want to play fetch with the sippy cup, get her out of the high chair and play with real toys. Even a couple minutes of fun will get your child to the point where she is ready to sit and eat. Or leave the sippy cup on the floor where she threw it and say, "Bye-bye, cup." Then, sit facing your baby and eat your own food the way you want her to eat hers. Keep it fun and interactive, and your baby will eventually follow your lead.

Biting and/or Hitting

Why they do it Your baby has not yet developed the words to convey his emotions, so he uses the tools he has: his mouth and hands. He'll use these tools to experiment on familiar (and available) people: his parents, siblings, babysitter or day-care provider. But these early nips and smacks are also often playful communications and not, in psychological jargon, "aggressive tendencies."

How to react: Since your baby's hits are most likely not malicious, but rather misdirected gestures of affection or frustration, avoid the temptation to yell. Play show-and-tell instead. Demonstrate how you "pet" and "be gentle" with your hand. Say, "We kiss your brother," "We pet the doggy," or "We hug our friend." If he's lashing out due to frustration, help him with whatever it was he was trying to do, and verbalize his anger: "When you can't do it, you get mad." He may not understand the words yet, but he'll get your tone and adapt to your good example.

Screaming and Yelling

Why they do it Babies are amazed at the shock-power of their little voices. Imagine a tiny baby getting a room full of adults to stop and stare -- that's power!

How to react: As a survivor of the screech-and-scream stage, my ears are still ringing. We muted our little screamer, Matthew, by making a house rule: "Matthew, only scream on the grass!" When his scream was about to erupt, we would usher him outside, and into the wind his screeches went. If weather and circumstances didn't permit the outdoor vocal release, and Matthew was in a mellow mood, we resorted to: "Give Daddy your nice voice..." Once your loudmouth has the words to express her needs, that "nice voice" you long for will soon appear. If outdoors is not appropriate for your home or season, establish a screaming room. Later on, call it the whining room when your tyke is begging you for "just one more" cookie.

Putting Up a Fight When You Try to Dress Her

Why they do it Diaper changes and dressing time are tailor-made for conflict. Her agenda doesn't match ours. She's too interested in body parts, for example, to want a diaper put on, or quite unhappy with how her tender ears feel when the dreaded neck hole gets caught.

How to react: Turn these activities into a game: Try hide-and-seek, asking, "Where's Lucy's hand?" as you put her arm in a sleeve and then say, "There it is!" when her hand emerges. Or sing the hokey-pokey song: "Put your right foot in... put your left foot in... shake them all about..." She may look forward to getting dressed. If she still fusses, choose clothes you can slip easily onto a moving target -- one size up, perhaps, with minimal buttons and snaps. As she nears age 2, she may want to choose her own clothing, and letting her pick between, say, two shirts, may give her the autonomy she craves.

For more info :

http://www.parenting.com/article/Baby/Behavior/5-Discipline-Tricks-for-Babies

I'm Back!!

Sooooooooooooo sorry for the lack of updates lately... I've been busy for the past few weeks.

First of all, me and my dear family have been to Singapore for a week with all the pre- and post- preparations, packing and readjusting to the new environment and then back to the old environment again (for our baby J), it's kinda tiring but it's fun (if u do it once a while I mean).

Secondly, baby J kinda grumpy lately especially during the night... may be it's because of the readjustment of environment. I stayed up almost all nights until 12 am! 0___0''

Thirdly, my PMS started to come back to haunt me... :( All the pain has disturb my routine and job in taking care of my baby & household chores.

Never thought that I've missed my July entries... -__-'' And now it's already AUGUST!!!!? WOw! Time do flies like tornado. Will try my best to update more entries in my blog from now on provided that my dear baby will sleep on time without any fuss. :-) **Crossing my fingers & praying hard to dear Jesus **