Baby Keeping You Up? Tips For A Peaceful Nights Sleep

newborn baby crying Having a newborn baby is a beautiful blessing, but it can also be very hard work. Having to get up every two hours to feed your baby can be very draining, especially for parents who have to get up early for work in the morning. Although it is natural for newborns to wake up several times during the night, there are many great ways to get your newborn to sleep through the night only a few weeks after birth.

The first thing to consider is how long you actually consider sleeping through the night. Although an adult would like to have eight or more straight hours of sleep, this is very uncommon in children under a year of age. Aim to have your newborn sleep for about six hours during the night, since they still need to eat even during nighttime and early morning hours.

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Caring for Your Baby's Teeth

Caring for your baby’s teeth is important, even though she will ultimately loose them all anyway. The baby teeth act as spacers for the grown teeth. They also help babies eat a variety of food textures and help speech develop properly as baby grows. Preventing painful tooth decay is another good reason to clean baby’s teeth every day.

You don’t have to wait for the first tooth to sprout to begin good oral hygiene. You don’t need a toothbrush and toothpaste just yet. A soft washcloth or gauze is all you need to get started on the road to healthy dental habits. Dampen the washcloth with a bit of lukewarm water and gently wipe the gums, both upper and lower. The best time to do this is after a meal.

Are Baby Classes Necessary?

Taking babies as young as four months old to a class is becoming an increasingly popular trend. Classes that were once intended for crawlers and walkers are now being offered for even younger babies. There are a variety of classes offered for babies and parents. You may be wondering what is available and if the classes are worth the time and money needed to attend. Here are some of the classes typically offered for babies and toddlers.

Yoga for Babies

This is one of the newest trends in classes for babies. Yoga has grown in popularity among pregnant and new mothers in recent years. Now studios in major cities and even some smaller cities are offering yoga classes for mother and baby. Proponents of these classes say that yoga has benefits for babies, including relieving gas and constipation. In addition, taking classes throughout childhood can lead to healthy fitness habits and increase the chance that they will continue to practice as adults.

Benefits of Messy Play

young toddler finger painting by Patricia Hughes

For adults, messy play can be a lot of work and feel stressful. However, there are many benefits to messy play. Early childhood education experts say that play is the work of the child. This is true for all kids, but especially for babies and toddlers. Don’t be afraid of the mess. Roll up your sleeves and enjoy some messy play time with your little one.

Messy play stimulates the senses. The tactile experience gained during messy play helps little ones experience a variety of textures. During messy play, babies and toddlers are developing eye hand coordination and fine motor skills. What looks like a mess on the surface is truly a learning experience for your child.

Fun and Messy Activities

A sand and water table is a great messy activity. In warm weather, this activity is perfect outside. When the weather is chilly, kids can still enjoy water play indoors. A small water table can be put on top of towels and filled with a small amount of water. The table can be filled with just water for younger infants and toddlers, if you are concerned about sand in the eyes.

Learning to Pick up Objects

Babies are born with the grasping reflex. From birth, your baby can grasp an object, usually your finger. You will need to put your finger against the palm of the baby’s hand to get her to grasp at it. As your baby grows, she will develop the coordination to actually pick up things and hold them.

For the first two months of life, the grasping reflex is not a voluntary action. The baby will only grasp objects that are placed on the palm of his hand. At about two months old, the baby will discover his hands. He will begin opening and closing his fist and watching his hands as they move. At this age, he may begin to grab objects, such as his clothing or a blanket. This is not a voluntary movement either. The baby will grab objects that brush his hands.

Milestones 24 to 36 Months from Toddler to Preschooler

little girl learning to somersault The milestones that your child meets in the first year or two of life are more obvious than the changes in the toddler and preschool years. This doesn’t mean that the changes aren’t happening nor does it mean that these changes are any less exciting than ones that happened earlier in life. Watching your baby grow into a child is an amazing experience. Seeing the changes that your child goes through and the speed that your child is going through these changes is equally as amazing. While some people tend to call these the terrible-twos there are so many other things going on in your child’s life to focus on. This is the time your child matures from a toddler to a preschooler.