Many parents want to teach their child a foreign language.  It has been said for years that young children soak up language like a sponge.  Children’s TV programs such as Dora the Explorer and Sesame Street already teach basic Spanish words to preschoolers!  So this would seem the perfect time.  But is it?  And if you want to go ahead, how is the best way to do it?

Why do you want your child to be bilingual?

There has been a huge surge in requests for children to begin learning a second language in preschool.  This may seem extreme but research has shown that bilinguals tend to be more creative than people who only speak one language.  One study suggests that if you have a second language, your brain function may stay sharper as you get older.  Our world is getting smaller and global communication is commonplace.  Many parents want to maximize their child’s chances of success by equipping them with the tools to deal with this situation.

Acquiring a second language

According to researchers, the difference between learning a first language (the person’s native tongue) and a second language is the age when that language was learned.  In those who make an effort to learn a second language after puberty, most never achieve the same fluency or level of understanding in that acquired language as they do with their native language.  This is in line with something called the ‘Critical Period Hypothesis’.

What is the Critical Period Hypothesis?

This hypothesis or theory is hotly debated among linguists and language acquisition experts.  Followers of this theory believe that there is an ideal period of time to learn a language as long as the learner is in a ‘linguistically rich’ environment – i.e. one where there is constant opportunity to hear and practice the language.  This hypothesis claims that if the window of opportunity is missed, then language will not be acquired.  However, the ‘window’ is to achieve the best results, rather than being the only time that this can happen.  The time period varies according to researchers but it is generally agreed that up until the age of six to eight is the best time.

When we apply this hypothesis to the learning of a second language, there is some evidence to support it but only insofar that it is recognized that learners who are past puberty rarely achieve an accent that is as good as a ‘native’ speaker.  After the age of eight, a very high standard could be achieved but with enough errors to set the speaker aside from a native one.

Immediate problems

Experts say that the only way that a child can become fluent in a second language and have a faultless accent is to be immersed in that language on a day to day basis  If you already speak a second language, that shouldn’t be too much of a problem.  If you don’t, you need to think long and hard about how much time and effort you are realistically willing to put in on your child’s behalf.  If you back out at this stage, there’s no shame in it!  Why not concentrate your efforts on helping them to speak, read and understand their first language as well as possible.  Don’t underestimate the dividends of that.  Levels of literacy and grammar are falling rapidly and a good grasp of both will put your child way ahead of much of the competition!  If you still want the second language option, read on…

It helps if Mom and Dad are bilingual

If one or both of the parents are bilingual, then you have the perfect teaching arena.  The rest of this article will be helpful for you but here are some tips that are specific to bilingual households.

• A Professor of Speech and Language Pathology has said that it’s a good idea to try to have only one of the parents speaking the second language to the child.  This consistency helps with differentiating between the two languages.  The Professor goes on to say that young children can learn at a very fast rate and if they’re learning one word for something, they can just as easily learn two.
• Expect some confusion!  You may hear your child mixing up the word order of a sentence.  Another common error is to use words from both languages in the same sentence.  But don’t worry – this is a completely normal part of the learning process and one which the child will quickly learn to rectify.
• It’s a common misconception that if a young child is learning two languages at the same time, it can delay their speech development.  Happily, that’s not the case.  Your child may go through a periods where they use less ‘first language’ words than ‘second language’ ones and vice versa.  However, in total, your child will probably know more words than their friends at school!

What to do if you’re not bilingual

Start as soon as possible

Believe it or not, the ability to hear different pronunciations is at it’s height before the age of three.  That isn’t so surprising when you consider that it’s the age when children are acquiring their first language.  Kids of this age are actively adding to their vocabularies and starting to recognize speech patterns.  You can help by listening to music in a second language, watching a TV show in that language (or one that teaches it) or just learning a few words each week.

Find your child someone to practice with

There is no substitute for hearing a language spoken by a native speaker.  Find a local playgroup that has bilingual children.  Hire a bilingual babysitter – that way, you get a night out and your child gets to hear the language as it should be spoken and also a chance to practice speaking it – both of which are invaluable.  If you’re really, really keen, find a class in your area and enroll yourself and your child.

One Word at a Time

When you’re teaching your child a new word for something, teach them two – one in each language.  To be able to do this successfully and to keep a steady rate of learning, you would need to know the word in the second language, so this is more applicable to bilingual parents.  Unless you are prepared to do a lot of homework!

Don’t Expect Miracles

Keep your expectations reasonable and ‘do-able’.  Don’t put unnecessary pressure on your child as that could be counter productive and at worst, distressing.  Always praise advancement but if your child turns out not to be a natural linguist, don’t be too disappointed.  Try and keep the outlook that ‘anything is a bonus’ and above all, have fun with it!

Learning resources

Here are a few to get you started.  Each link will take you to the Amazon.com page of numerous Audio CD’s, DVD’s, books and computer software for teaching your child a second language.

If you would like to teach your child English, look here.

For Spanish, look here.

For French, look here.

For Italian, look here.

For Greek, look here.

For Chinese, look here.

For Japanese, look here.

Good luck!

Did you know that your new born baby’s brain will double its’ weight during the first year?  That’s a phenomenal rate of growth!  It’s due to the brain cells multiplying with extreme speed.  It’s also due to the growth of ‘connectors’.  These are links between cells and are built by stimulation.  Your baby needs stimuli to develop but how can you help with this?  Here’s a guide to what your baby is able to do, week by week and how you can enhance that growing and learning stage with age-appropriate simple, fun activities.

For ease of reading, we will refer to your baby as ‘he’ throughout the article.

Newborn

What your baby can do

From the day of birth, your baby can hear and is alert.  By day three, he can respond when you speak to him – not always in ways that you can recognize, but he is responding all the same.  By the end of month one, you will be able to see that response.  He will move his eyes or head to locate where your voice is coming from.  You may even see his mouth twitching when he is spoken to.

What you can do to help

Your baby can see for about twelve inches in distance, so quietly and gently, move in close.  This is why some babies startle easily when someone or something suddenly looms into their ‘foot’.  Have your face, hands or brightly colored toys well within his range of vision to stimulate his sight.  Stimulate his hearing by talking and singing or playing music.

Four Weeks Old

What your baby can do

Your baby will now have made the connection between your mouth moving and sounds coming out.  He will also understand that this is an interactive process i.e. conversation!  You will see this in how he opens and closes his mouth when you speak to him.  He will also have learned to recognize tones of voice.  This is demonstrated by him becoming calmer and quieter when you use a soothing voice and distressed if anyone speaks loudly or with anger.

What you can do to help

Laugh a lot to make him feel secure and happy.  Sing-song rhymes or lullabies are wonderful now.  You can now be more physical too – rocking, swaying and dancing.  Just make sure his head is well supported.

Six Weeks Old

What your baby can do

This is a milestone time as it is around now that many babies begin to smile!  He may even try to make little noises in his throat when your talk to him.  He’s trying to talk back!

What you can do to help

At this age, babies are fascinated by faces so use yours as much as possible.  Funny noises and funny faces are a great game.  Watch your baby as you do this so that he can see your face clearly.  Now, you can start moving your face and his toys in and out of his vision and watch his interest spark.  It’s a good time to start talking to him at both sides of his face so that he can begin to recognize your voice coming from another direction.

Eight Weeks Old (2 months)

What your baby can do

Your baby will be smiling more and more.  He will also show a much more active interest in objects, staring at them intently.  He will also look at the direction where sounds are coming from.

What you can do to help

Help your baby’s growing interest by propping him up on a safe and comfortable pile of cushions so that he can see around the room and not just what is above.  Continue to offer him brightly colored soft toys.

Twelve Weeks Old (3 months)

What your baby can do

Your baby will now be reacting by smiling, squealing or moving his head and body to follow sounds and voices.  It is around this time that he starts to become aware of his own body and may look at his hands and move them by choice.

What you can do to help

Help your baby to relate to his own body with games like tickling his feet, gently bending his knees or arms, or holding his hands.  He will now be holding objects so toys with varying weights, textures and sounds will help build further associations and promote learning.

Sixteen Weeks Old (4 months)

What your baby can do

Your baby is now becoming increasingly curios about what is around him.  He can now recognize his favorite toy and understands routines like changing or feeding.  He may well be laughing too!

What you can do to help

Feed that curiosity by continuing to prop him on cushions and giving him a good variety of toys to play with.  Concentrate on sizes, shapes, textures, colors, different sounds and weights.

Twenty Weeks Old (5 months)

What your baby can do

Your baby will really begin to have fun now – understanding the concept of enjoyment.  He will be turning his head towards noises to see where they come from.  He may move his arms or legs to get your attention.

What you can do to help

Make bath time fun and include lots of laughter.  When your baby works to get your attention, respond to him to cement to concept of inter-reaction.  He will also be reassured that you are there when he needs or wants you.  It’s a good time to introduce people that he hasn’t met before.  Start using his name as much as possible.

Twenty Eight Weeks Old (7 months)

What your baby can do

Now, your baby can recognize his own name.  He will reach out his arms to ask to be picked up.  He may start to try and feed himself and start showing food preferences…and dislikes!  He may also show some emotions such as fear.

What you can do to help

Now that he can copy simple actions and can recognize and expect repetition, try simple games like rolling a ball to him and getting him to push it back.  Giving and taking games are good because they teach him how to make things happen.  He will also enjoy seeing his face in a mirror, so have fun with that too.

Thirty Six Weeks Old (9 months)

What your baby can do

He will now be able to understand the meanings of simple words.  He may move towards objects that he wants – that are out of his reach.  Luckily, he now understands the meaning of ‘No’!  He will be able to recognize familiar rhymes and songs and will expect to perform the simple movements that go with them.

What you can do to help

Now’s the time for endless songs and games.  Put things just out of his reach and encourage him to ask for them.  Talk to him all the time, explaining what you are doing step by step, as you go along.  He will also love noisy toys now.  These don’t need to be expensive.  A wooden spoon and a saucepan are great as long as you make sure it is a big one that he can’t get stuck on his head…and as long as you can stand the noise!

Forty Four Weeks Old (11 months)

What your baby can do

Although his concentration is still short, he may be able to say one word and understand what it means, so be prepared to hear it over and over again!  He may point to things in a book and may understand simple concepts such as in and out.

What you can do to help

Help to increase his concentration with very simple, short stories especially if they can involve him clapping or doing actions.

One year old (12 months)

What your baby can do

Your baby will be very interactive by now.  He will have favorite stories or songs.  He can understand simple questions and may shake his head and understand that he means no.  He will love to repeat actions that make your laugh and will be showing more different emotions.

What you can do to help

Make actions for your baby to copy and praise him when he does so.  Encourage him to show affection to others and to his toys, with kisses and hugs.  Continue to describe everything that you do with him as this will help to build his vocabulary and his association of words with actions.  Speak the name of objects that you hold and the parts of his body as you touch them.

This is such a magical time!  Babies grow so very fast and when you think how far they develop in a year – physically, emotionally and mentally – it is quite breathtaking.  Spending valuable time with your baby is so rewarding as you actually get to see the results!  Have fun!

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Although breast feeding and bottle feeding can feel exhausting at times, at least there’s no choice involved – it’s milk, or milk!  At some point, your baby will be ready for food that isn’t purely liquid.  But how do you know when and what to feed them?

How do I know if my baby’s ready for solids?

This is entirely dictated by your baby’s development.  Your baby needs to have reached a certain stage of development to be physically able to cope with the swallowing process needed for more solid nutrition.  Don’t forget that it’s a gradual process.  From four to six months of age, your baby will be able to move thicker mixtures from the front of the mouth to the back, so that food may be swallowed safely without choking.  Here’s a checklist to see if your baby is ready to take the next step to more solid foods:

• My baby is between 4 and 6 months old
• My baby holds his / her head steadily in an upright position
• My baby is able to sit (with support)
• My baby is showing interest in what I eat

When you can answer yes to all of these questions, it’s safe to begin offering ‘solids’.  If you’re not sure, or not happy about making the decision on your own, simply continue feeding liquids and get your medical provider to check out your baby and give you the go-ahead.

What now?

Don’t stop giving your baby breast milk or formula.  Keep those going as normal but begin to offer the following, on a baby spoon:

Baby cereal: Mix 1 teaspoon (5ml) of baby cereal (such as rice cereal or a single grain type, fortified with iron) with 4 or 5 teaspoons (20 – 25 ml) of expressed breast milk or formula.

At this stage, the cereal will only just thicken the liquid.  Don’t be tempted to give it to your baby in a bottle and don’t thicken it more.  This is very early days and you’re trying to get your baby used to two things:

1.  Swallowing something other than a liquid.

2.  Taking nutrition from a spoon rather than drinking it from a bottle.

Once you are sure that your baby is confidently managing this, you can gradually mix it with a little less liquid.  You can now start ringing the changes with oatmeal (single grain) or barley cereal.  Some babies guzzle their food straight away but others need a fair bit of persuasion, persistence and coaxing.  Don’t be discouraged if your baby falls into the second category.  It’s very common and you just need to persevere.  However, if your baby really isn’t interested and becomes distressed, it could be that the time just isn’t right yet.  Wait a week and then try again.

Pureed goodness

Once you baby is completely happy with cereal, it’s time to move up a step to pureed meats, vegetables and fruit.  When you first start, only offer one type at a time, so that if your baby has a reaction to that food, you’ll know what is causing it.  Reactions could vary from diarrhea, a rash or even vomiting.

Finger Foods

This is where the fun really begins!  From the age of 8 to 10 months, most babies can manage carefully selected finger foods.  Offer small portions, cut to a size that the baby can hold and squash into their own mouth!  Have a good supply of bibs ready!  Try soft fruits and pasta that has been well cooked beyond the ‘al dente’ stage.  You could also offer a small amount of pureed mashed potato in a bowl instead of on a spoon.  The same goes for pureed carrot.  Just remember to only offer one sort of food for a week and then if that is well tolerated, you can add in another type.  This way of feeding should continue up until your baby’s first birthday.  By then, you should be able to puree up a portion of whatever the rest of the family is eating – but stay clear of chili and curry for obvious reasons!  Continue to offer your baby breast milk or formula with each meal and in between.

Allergies

It used to be thought that offering babies eggs, fish or peanut butter would ‘encourage’ allergies.  Research shows that there is no evidence that avoiding these foods will help to prevent an allergy.  However, if you or any close relatives suffer from food allergies, it’s wise to pay extra attention to your baby’s reaction (if any) to them.  Stick to the ‘one food at a time’ rule and you’ll know what (if anything) is causing an issue.  Check with your Doctor if you or any close relatives have severe food allergies.

Is juice OK?

Yes but only in tiny amounts.  It’s not as essential as some people think.  You baby will be able to tolerate juice from around 9 months old.  However, juice isn’t as valuable to your baby as the fruit itself.  The fruit contains the same nutrients as the juice but also has added fiber.  If you really want to give juice, don’t offer more than 4 ounces (118 ml) each day and give it to your baby in a feeder cup.  The issues with juice are that too much may cause diarrhea and nappy rash.  It may also fill your baby up so that there is no room left for the solid foods, which contain more nutritional value.  Don’t ever give your baby a cup of juice last thing at night as the sugars and acids in it can promote tooth decay.

No no’s

Before your baby reaches the age of one, cow’s milk, citrus juices and fruits and honey are best avoided for the following reasons:

Cow’s milk: This isn’t a good source iron and can lead to your baby developing an iron deficiency.

Citrus juices and fruit: These are quite acidic and can give your baby a nasty diaper rash.

Honey: Surprisingly, honey may contain spores that may cause botulism, which would be very serious in babies.

Potential choking hazards

The following are best avoided:

• Anything slippery i.e. whole grapes, or hot dogs or pieces of them.
• Dry or hard foods like popcorn, nuts or hard candy
• Tough or sticky foods, i.e. large pieces of meat or peanut butter
• Foods that may stick together to form a large mass i.e. raisins

Handy hints for happy feeding

• Your baby will make a mess.  Place an oil cloth on the floor under the high chair to catch the fallout.  Grab your camera and capture some very happy memories.  Then clean up!

• As you’re feeding your baby with a spoon, give him / her a spoon to hold.  This will encourage dexterity.  Once you baby is used to holding it, guide the spoon into the food and into his / her mouth.

• At mealtimes, offer your baby some breast milk or formula in a feeder cup.  It will help with weaning from a bottle and encourage the full-time use of a cup.

• When a baby only eats a few teaspoons at a time, it can be tempting to feed it straight from the jar.  If you do this, saliva and bacteria on the spoon is re-introduced back into the container and can spoil what’s left inside.  Place small amounts into a small dish.

• Avoid battles – if your baby really doesn’t want to eat something, don’t push it.  But do be prepared to offer the same food over and over again.  This is necessary to prevent your baby from becoming a fussy eater and to ensure they get the required variety in their diet.

• Recognize when your baby has had enough.  He / she may lean backwards, turn away, push the spoon away or just refuse to open up!  Don’t force it.  As long as your baby is gaining weight in line with his / her age, then you’re safe.

Above all, relax and enjoy it.  Babies know when you’re stressed and match that with their own behavior.  The sticky hands and gooey face won’t last forever so make the most of it!

This battle has raged for years and will no doubt continue to do so.  The American Pregnancy Association recommends breastfeeding if at all possible.  For Moms who find it easy to breast feed, there is no question that ‘breast is best’.  But it’s a pity that those who have difficulties or who choose not to breast feed are often criticized and made to feel somehow lacking as a Mom.  Breast feeding and bottle feeding both have their advantages and disadvantages.  Let’s start with breast feeding.

Breast milk is perfect for your growing baby

The American Academy of Pediatrics says that breast milk is the perfect food for your baby’s first six months.  It naturally contains the right proportions of protein, fats, carbohydrates, and minerals.  It also contains most of the vitamins that your baby needs, although it is a little lacking in vitamins A, C, and D.

It is fascinating that breast milk changes to suit the requirements of the baby.  During the first few days after birth, the milk is colostrum.  Colostrum is a high-protein, low fat liquid that is a little thicker than regular breast milk.  This changes over the next 14 days as the colostrum is replaced by a more liquid milk, which contains more fat and cholesterol.  Although this sounds ‘bad’ to us, babies grow so fast that they need these to enable their brain, nerve tissues and cell membranes to develop and grow properly.  Commercial formula is getting much better at replicating the composition of breast milk, but as yet, it doesn’t adapt in the early days to meet your baby’s needs.

Breast milk protects your baby

Breast milk contains your own antibodies that can kill the bacteria and other germs that could make your baby ill.  For the same reason, it is also thought to heighten your baby’s resistance to allergens.  As yet, formula doesn’t offer either of these.

Breast feeding helps you to recover and get your figure back!

During pregnancy, your body stores fat to help with producing milk.  Breast feeding helps to burn off that fat and it also triggers a hormone which helps to shrink your uterus back to its’ normal size more quickly.  You need to be relaxed to breast feed and the enforced rest helps you to recover from the pregnancy, birth and exhaustion of night feeds.

Breast feeding helps with bonding

Breast feeding is an intimate act that brings Mom and baby very close together.  The physical sensation of feeding your child from your own body is a wonderful one.  However, there is no reason why bottle feeding your baby can’t be a loving, fulfilling and intimate time too.

Breast milk is always available

As long as your milk is still coming through, food is always available for your baby.  You won’t ever go to the cupboard and find you’ve run out.  On a practical level, it saves you the hassle and expense of preparing and sterilizing bottles and the milk is already at the perfect temperature.  And there’s no chance of forgetting to take a feed with you when you take your baby out!

The advantages of bottle feeding your baby

Both parents can take a turn at feeding

Babies who are breast fed can, of course, also be bottle fed with expressed milk.  However, the balance is generally in favor of Mom doing the bulk of feeds the natural way.  This can make your partner feel excluded and may even damage their bonding with the baby.  With bottle feeding, the job can be completely divided between you.  This also gives Mom a chance to catch up on some much-needed sleep or just take a break.

It allows Mom other freedoms too…

Eating and drinking

Ladies who breast feed need to be mindful of what their intake contains.  It’s advisable for them to take in extra calories to cope with the extra demand.  If you’re trying to regain your pre-baby body, that can be a little frustrating.

If you bottle feed, you can indulge in a few glasses of wine without worrying that it might impact on your baby.

Contraception

Many people believe that breast feeding prevents conception.  This is untrue.  It certainly does suppress the hormones that cause you to ovulate but it is not 100% reliable.  The contraceptive pill is reliable but it interferes with the hormones that allow milk production.  So, if you want to go back onto the pill after the birth, you’ll need to bottle feed.

If you’re on medications…

…these will be passed on to your baby through your breast milk.  This applies to prescription medication, nicotine from cigarettes, alcohol and illegal drugs.  If you want to breast feed you’ll need to drop these or in the case of prescription meds, check with your pediatrician.  If you can’t stop the others, it’s best to bottle feed.

Resuming your sex life

For many new Moms, this isn’t high on the agenda immediately after giving birth but as the weeks go by and exhaustion lessens, it becomes a higher priority.  Some fathers find it confusing when their partner is breast feeding.  On the one hand, they love it for all the right reasons – but it can interfere with their view of their partner as a sexual being.  Some women feel the same way.  From a physical point of view, the hormones that promote lactation can cause your vagina to become dry, requiring the use of lubricants.  However, studies have shown that mothers who breast feed return to a regular sex life sooner than bottle feeders.  As with all of the pros and cons, it really is personal choice.

I have to go back to work!

If you have to go back to work less than eight weeks after your baby is born, it’s probably best to bottle feed right from the beginning.  It is of course possible to combine breast and bottle, using expressed breast milk, but very small babies take a while to get used to the difference between nursing and feeding from a bottle and if you’re working, extra time to accommodate this will be short.  Some companies do provide lactation rooms and it’s totally acceptable to breast feed in public- if you feel a little shy, just use a discreetly placed baby blanket as a shield.  If your workplace has a crèche and allows ‘feeding breaks’ then of course you can breast feed.  The reality is that most working Moms choose to bottle feed.

Some medical conditions prevent breast feeding

Around 5% of new Moms don’t produce any (or not enough) milk to breast feed.  If you fall into this group, then bottle feeding is the only option.

Some illnesses, such as heart disease, kidney problems and varying forms of anemia, make breast feeding detrimental to the Mother’s health, although some Moms still do breastfeed.  Ask your Doctor for advice before the birth so that you are prepared either way.

If you have an infectious illness such as AIDS, hepatitis or tuberculosis, you will have to bottle feed because these diseases can be passed to your baby through your milk.

Personal choice

Whatever you decide to do, remember that it is your personal choice.  It’s your body, your baby, your relationships, your life and it’s up to you how to play it.  Once you have made your decision, don’t feel that you have to be apologetic for it.  Both breast feeding Moms and bottle feeders will undoubtedly come in for some criticism from friends, family, members of the medical profession and even people you meet in the street.  When it comes to feeding your baby, it can feel like everyone except you knows best – which is plainly nonsense.  Make the choice that will minimize your anxiety and maximize your relationship with your baby.  And enjoy it – babies grow up so very fast!

All Mums with tiny new babies know that it is an exhausting time.  New babies need feeding every three to four hours, day or night.  There’s no getting around it.  But what happens when the night feeds start to tail off and your baby won’t settle down for the night.  This is a very common problem which can make you want to weep…especially if you’re desperate for sleep yourself! Here’s some help before you go nuts!

1.  Routine Does Help

Years ago, when Mum was at home all day and Dad came home at six o’clock, it was relatively easy to have a routine.  Now, families have more activities especially if there are other children in the family who need driving to after school activities.  Mealtimes are much more flexible and Dad may come home later and wish to spend time with the new offspring.  With all this going on, it’s hard to keep your baby to the same night time ritual.  However, if you really want your baby to settle easily, it’s very important that you organize a routine.

A small baby’s brain develops by making patterns of association.  Capitalize on that by helping your baby to associate familiar events with impending sleep.  If you do have a large family and evening is a busy time, be realistic and flexible about what time you start your baby’s night time ritual.  It doesn’t matter if it’s later than you would like.  This can be compensated for by putting your baby down for a late afternoon nap.  You need a quiet ‘window’ of time.

Next, we’ll check out where your baby sleeps.  It’s no good preparing your baby for a good sleep if the room or sleeping area isn’t right.  It will undo all your hard work…

2.  Is your baby’s room comfortable?

Babies have very tiny nasal passages and sinuses which can easily become irritated, giving rise to congestion in their breathing passages which can prevent them from dropping off to sleep.  The most common examples of irritants are smoke from cigarettes, baby talcum powder, fumes from hair spray, perfume or deodorant, dust from the bedding, blankets and even their lovely new soft toys.  Try to keep all of these as minimal (or non existent) as possible, especially if your baby wakes up with a snuffly nose.

3.  Temperature gauge

To help induce sleep, make sure that your freshly bathed and warm baby goes onto warm sheets.  If the weather is cold, use flannel ones.  If they’re cotton, warm a towel on a radiator and lay it onto the sheets for a few moments before putting the baby to bed.  Don’t leave the warm towel there and never put a hot water bottle anywhere near a baby as that will be too hot.

A constant room temperature of around 70 degrees F is ideal.  The level of humidity in the room is also important.  Dry air may give your baby a stuffy nose that prevents easy sleep, so aim for a relative humidity of around 50%.  You can buy vaporizers that puff out a warm mist and this is especially helpful during the winter months if you have central heating.  The vaporizer also makes a low humming noise which babies seem to find soothing.  Be careful to avoid the humidity going too high as this can increase the likelihood of molds which can trigger allergies.

4.  Quiet or sounds?

Although many mothers worry about noise waking a baby or preventing sleep, the reality is that most babies are able to block out noise.  It’s true that some do startle easily and if your baby does, it’s worth using a little oil or spray on the joints or springs of a squeaky cot.  Once your baby is down for the night, turn the phone ringer down or off and keep the TV quiet.

Babies like ‘white noise’, such as the sound of air conditioning, running water, a clock ticking or a fan whirring.  You could try leaving a CD player next to the crib, with a soundtrack of waves or even quiet lullabies playing.

5.  Light or dark?

When you put your baby down for daytime naps, choose an area that is well-lit or leave the curtains open in the nursery.  Your baby will still sleep but it may encourage the naps to be shorter or the sleep to be lighter.  Both of these will help to promote a deeper, longer sleep at night.

For night time, fit a dimmer switch to the nursery light so that you can peep in on your baby without snapping on a bright light.  Make sure that the drapes don’t let a lot of light in and this will help to encourage sleep on light summer nights and early summer mornings.

If your baby wakes during the night for a feed or for any other reason, keep the light as dim as possible.  The message is that night time is for sleeping.

Now that the room is ready, we’ll take a look at how to prepare your baby for sleeping at night.  It doesn’t just start at bedtime!

6.   Does hunger prevent your baby from sleeping or staying asleep?

Babies have tiny stomachs.  Look at your baby’s fist.  That’s the size of its tummy!  That’s why babies are designed to take small amounts, often.  If you breastfeed, it’s worth letting your baby completely finish the first breast that you offer, rather than swapping over halfway through.  This enables your bay to get the ‘hindmilk’ which is richer and therefore more filling.  It may help to add a little more time between night feeds.  If your baby is still having night feeds, attempt a full feed at the first waking.  This is especially important if you are breastfeeding as it helps to prevent the baby developing the frustrating and exhausting habit of drinking tiny amounts all through the night.

If your baby is more than six months old, you could try giving them a couple tablespoons of baby cereal a short while (around half an hour) before bedtime.  This small amount could mean the difference between sleeping contentedly and waking up hungry.  Don’t do this just before you put your baby to bed as it could encourage regurgitation.

Make sure that your baby is getting feeds at least every three hours during the day.  This has two effects.  It brings the daytime feeds closer together so that night time is for sleeping.  It also means that you can be sure your baby’s nutritional needs have been met, so that the night time feed isn’t so vital.

7.  Make sure your baby is comfortable

You’ve bathed and fed the baby and put on a fresh diaper – so why doesn’t the fussing stop?  It could be possible that your baby is beginning to teethe.  Teething pain can start as early as three months, even if there is no sign at all of any teeth coming through yet.  If the sheet underneath the baby’s head is wet, or there is a slight reddening of the cheeks or chin, this could indicate excessive drooling which is the first sign that teething pain is the culprit.  Later on, the more obvious signs are swollen, red gums, a slight fever and often, nappy rash.

If you suspect that this might be an issue for your baby, buy some teething gel and rub it in just before bedtime.  It won’t harm your baby and it may help to promote sleep.

8.  How does your baby sleep?

Most tiny babies like to sleep swaddled securely in a cotton blanket as it makes them feel safe.  Dressing them in loose clothes during the day will help them to make that association that ‘loose’ is daytime and ‘tighter and secure’ is night time – and sleep!

As they get older, babies start to prefer sleeping with looser coverings which allow them to move about more.  Has your baby reached this stage?  Try loosening the bedding to see if it helps.

Many mothers try everything to get their babies to sleep; only to discover through trial and error that 100% cotton sleepwear does the trick.  Babies have incredibly sensitive skin and although synthetic clothing is tolerated during the day, at night it’s a different story.  It’s worth a try!

9.  Relax…

The time leading up to bedtime should be as calm and relaxed as possible.  This even applies to bathing your baby.  It makes some babies dopey, warm and ready for sleep.  However, it energizes and stimulates others.  If your baby reacts in this way, just settle for a ‘top and tail’ and diaper change at night – and a morning bath.

Rocking your baby gently can be helpful which is why it is the archetypal image of a Mother in the nursery.  However, make sure that you do rock your baby in the nursery.  The nearer you are to the crib, the easier it will be to place your baby into it once sleep comes.  Enhance your chances of success by closing the nursery door and dimming the light right down.  If you’re dead on your feet by this time of night, consider investing in a rocking chair.  You need to be relaxed too or your baby will pick up on it and remain fretful.

Many parents find that rocking isn’t enough and resort to driving their baby around in the car until sleep comes.  One common problem with this is that the baby wakes up as soon as you try to put him to bed.  There is a way around this.  Lift the entire car seat, containing the baby, out of the car and place the seat either in the crib or in your bedroom.  When your baby wakes for the first night feed, you can then make the transfer to the crib.

10.  What about ‘sleep trainers’?

Technology now offers many ways of helping your baby go to sleep.  These include cribs that vibrate to mimic that all-successful car journey and even teddy bears that ‘breathe’ – which is frankly rather eerie.  If you’re desperate, these methods may seem tempting but there is a basic problem with them.  If your baby gets used to sleeping in a vibrating crib, what happens when it’s time for them to go into a toddler bed…  And what happens if the ‘breathing’ teddy bear gets lost or broken…  We’ll let you make up your own mind on those scenarios!

It’s not working!

If you’ve tried all of the suggestions and your baby still won’t settle or still wakes up, there may be a medical problem that needs addressing.  The most common medical cause is gastro esophageal reflux, called GER for short.  This is heartburn for babies and is caused by a weakness in a circular muscle around the base of the esophagus, where it goes into the stomach.  This weakness allows irritating acids to come back up from the stomach into the baby’s esophagus, which can be very uncomfortable.  The symptoms of GER are being fussy at night, regular spitting up, colicky pain, wheezing with no apparent reason and throaty gurgling noises after feeds.

Another possible medical cause is an allergy to formula or dairy.  This can come from formula that is milk-based or if Mom is breastfeeding and eating a lot of dairy.  Symptoms of a milk allergy are a bloated tummy, diarrhea and a red rash around the anus.

If you suspect either of these, take your baby to see a Doctor as they are both easy to treat.

And look after yourself too…

If you’re low on sleep, make a point of sleeping when your baby does.  If you’re both exhausted, it can get on top of you and if you’re irritable, your baby will be too.

One last tip – take your baby out for a daily walk in the fresh air.  This is not only a great stress reliever; it can also help your baby to sleep better.  Good luck!