52 Sleep Secrets For Babies

52
SLEEP SECRETS FOR BABIES

FOREWORD By Dr. Lisa Thebner
At a newborn’s first doctor’s visit, parents are filled with joy, wonderment, pride, and of course, trepidation about caring for their little bay. Among the may issues facing the new parents are questions about feeding, diapering, bathing, and soothing techniques. A major question on most parents’ minds is when and how their baby isgoing to sleep. As a pediatrician, I spend a significant amount of time talking about sleep with my families. Such things as how much their baby should be sleeping, how to get their baby to go to sleep, and how to break bad sleeping habits are most common themes. I first heard about the Sleep Lady from a family in my practice. Worn out from sleepless nights and preferring to avoid the “cry it out”approach to sleep training, these parents had actively sought out and found another method of coaxing their little one into naps during the day and sleeping well at night. Their alternative technique was one developed by Kim West, the Sleep Lady, who helped them turn their baby into a wellrested, easy-to-put-down baby. In regard to sleep training, their lives, as well as my own practice, have notbeen the same since. “She gave us our lives back!” and “She changed our lives!” are direct quotes from ecstatic (and well-rested) parents who have worked with Kim.

I started talking early on with families about the importance of sleep. Proper sleep is crucial for an overall healthy child –not to mention healthy parents! Our first conversation often happens during a prenatal visit. Like manyproblems in medicine, prevention can be an important key to success. I stress the importance of valuing sleep and developing a routine that prepares the parents for what they may expect as their baby grows. I recommend certain books, including Good Night, Sleep Tight, by Kim West. I’ve seen countless families who have benefited from the principles outlines in this book. Now you and your baby will,too. You are in your way to a sleep-filled night and a happier day!

INTRODUCTION
“I had no idea that sleep could be so elusive!” “I thought my baby would just magically sleep through the night.” “If I’d known how important was to teach my kids to sleep, I would have done things differently.” I’m Kim West, also known as the Sleep Lady, and I’ve written 52 Sleep Secrets for Babies for the many,many new parents who find themselves thinking exactly these things and more, when it comes to their children and sleep. After all, sleep is everything –that is, when you’re not getting enough it sure feels like that! Call me biased, but I find that if a baby and parents are sleeping well everyone is a lot happier! A well-rested baby is usually an easier, less cranky baby. A well-rested mom or dadis an easier, less cranky parent –able to keep frustration and irritation at bay and be more loving and joyful. I’m the mother of two girls, and have been a family therapist for fifteen years. Through my personal life and work, I have been blessed with hands-on experience with all kinds of parenting and sleep issues, and from those experiences I’ve distilled many secrets to help make the first fewyears of parenting a bit easier. Neither of my daughters was an “angel baby” who drifted off each night into a peaceful slumber. Still, I had the oldest, Carleigh,

sleeping through the night (by that I mean for eight-hour stretches) at eight weeks. Gretchen, my youngest, was sleeping through the night by ten weeks –even though she posed some special challenges: she was fussy and had reflux.And yes, I breast-fed both of them. I started helping friends teach their babies and toddlers to sleep, and then helped friends of friends. Word spread, and soon I had a growing number of sleepy parents with sleepless babies knocking on my door. My private practice began to focus more and more on such families. As a result, my Sleep Lady approach is founded on my general beliefs as a family...