Settling Techniques (From 6 months - 12 months)

A consistent routine is important to help your baby recognise and establish good sleep patterns.

When you start to observe your baby's 'tired signs', it is time to prepare your baby for bed e.g:
* check their nappy
* put your baby in the cot - on their back - with their feet and bedding at the bottom of the cot.
In order to help your baby to fall asleep by him/herself, you may find it useful to understand normal sleep cycles and be able to identify their 'tired signs'.

Tired signs may includes :
* Grimacing
* Yawning
* Grizzling
* Rigid limbs
* Frowning
* Crying
* Sucking
* Clenches fists
* Squirming
* Staring
* Minimal movements of activity
* Jerky movements or becoming more active

A normal sleep cycle is approximately 40-60 minutes and then most babies will stir and re-settle themselves. However, some babies develop sleep associations and may have difficulty re-establishing sleep unless the same conditions for re-settling are met. For example, if your baby needs the breast, bottle, dummy, to be patted or cuddled or they have a complicated ritual to assist them to sleep, you may notice after one sleep cycle that your baby wakes and cries until the same conditions that they associate with falling asleep and re-established.

it can be difficult for babies to learn to sleep by themselves and various settling techniques may help the transition form wake to sleep. When assisting your baby develop a sleep pattern it is better to use levels of distress/cry as your guide to the need to comfort your child than adhering to a time schedule.

Self Settling Options
Give your baby an opportunity to settle. Try to leave baby, depending on their cry, for a short time. If distressed soothe to a calm state before leaving your baby.

Leave the room giving your baby an opportunity to self-settle

REMEMBER your baby is now older and you may need to leave him for longer periods as he learns to self-settle only if not distressed. Consistency in technique now becomes important.

If your baby does not calm with frequent reassurances - get baby up and continue your daily routine until the next sleep period and repeat your settling technique.

FOR ALL BABIES
If you wish to safely maintain physical closeness with your child while they are asleep put their cot in your room.

If your baby continues to remain unsettled - consider other management techniques. For example: offer a "top up" breastfeed with 30 minutes of completing the feed. Other ideas include " cuddling, rhythmical movement; walk or rocking; baby massage; deep relaxation bathing; play some music; a dummy; or offer cooled boiled water. Choose whichever technique suits you and your baby best.

With consistency these routines may take up to two to four weeks to show progress. Times given are a guide only.

For safety ensure cot sides are completely raised whenever a baby is left unattended in the cot.

Safety Information
(adapted from the "Kids & SIDS. Three ways to reduce the risk' pamphlet)
The risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is increased if babies sleep on their tummies. The best position for babies to sleep in is on their backs.
* Put your baby on their back to sleep
* Make sure your baby's head remains uncovered during sleep
* Tuck in your baby's bedclothes securely
* Make up the bassinette/cot so that the baby's feet are positioned at the foot of the bed
* Quilts, doonas, duvets, pillows, soft toys and cot bumpers in the cot are not recommended
* Use a firm, clean well-fitting mattress
* Do not put your baby on watter bed or bean bag
* Avoid smoking near your baby
* Bed sharing is unsafe as your baby may slip under the bedding or into a pillow, become trapped between the bed and a parent or the wall, they may fall out of bed, become too hot from too much bedding or they may be rolled on by a sleeping parent. And of course, don't bed share if you have been drinking alcohol or are affected by other drugs.

Source : Tresillian NSW