The No-cry Sleep Solution (40 page)

Review and Choose Sleep Solutions

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their parents’ scents. At first, it is best to use this lovey only at sleep times so it becomes one of the sleep-time cues.

You can introduce a lovey at any age. If your baby is young, you can choose something yourself, and gauge baby’s response to the toy. As your baby gets older, she will have a definite say in determining which toy attracts and soothes her; this is evident anytime you see a child wandering around with a well-worn blanket, a hairless teddy bear, or a scrap of Mommy’s old nightie.

When your baby becomes a toddler, you may find that he will expand the usefulness of this lovey by holding onto it whenever he needs a little extra security. So if you have any say in the matter, do direct your child toward something that you’ll enjoy having in the family for years to come.

If baby does indeed get attached to this lovey, be sure to buy at least two to prevent any lost-lovey disasters—or at least choose one that’s easily replaceable or commercially available.

Mother-Speak

“I finally found a lovey that I like for Carrson, and he likes it also.

When we hold it between us when we nurse, he plays with it and talks to it. It’s becoming a ‘friend.’ ”

Pia, mother of eight-month-old Carrson

Make Night Sleeping Different from Daytime Naps

This idea may help everyone.

When your baby wakes up, he doesn’t know if he’s waking from a nap or from nighttime sleep, so you need to differentiate the two for him. You can help your baby stay in a sleepy state all night by keeping nighttime quiet and dark. These are some ways to make night sleeping unique:

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The No-Cry Sleep Solution

• When your baby wakes in the night, do not talk. Say

“shhhh” or “night night,” but refrain from conversation.

• Do not turn on any lights. Even a twenty-five-watt bulb can trigger your baby’s biological clock to signal “wake-up time.”

(Use a low-wattage night-light if you need one.)

• Keep your activity slow and quiet.

• Put your baby in absorbent nighttime diapers with lots of ointment. Change only a soiled or very wet diaper or if baby desires a change. Every diaper change will wake up your baby and reinforce night waking. (Think of it this way: when your baby is sleeping through the night, you won’t be getting up to change your sleeping baby’s diaper, will you?