The Natural Parent-Growin' UP Green

Part 3- of setting routines in the book- "The Natural Parent". Content page-The Natural Parent Handbook

You can tell when a child is ready to lay on its own by their specific movements. This is a great time to also pay attention to these movements, and the signs the baby will give you, showing the readiness to be put down for sleep. Signs like the wiggle, the grunts and the very obvious movements depicting irritation and the need to be released.

Do you know how you feel when you are so tired no chair, couch or arms of a loved one makes you comfortable and all you want to do is lay on your bed or any bed for that matter? A child feels the same way.

When you shift their positions in your arms or on your lap and they wiggle like crazy and can’t seem to get comfortable, it is past time to put the child in the bed. It is best to take heed to the infants wants and enforce this reaction. The sooner you begin learning the signs and practicing the routines the sooner the habit of going to sleep in the bed, on their own, will be ingrained. How happy your child will be when you or the caregiver (if your child is placed in the care of another while you work) can read his signals for need for sleep. And the best thing is, you won’t have to call Nanny 911 or Super Nanny to tame your sleep deprived 2, 3, 4, or 5 year old youngster.

The major mistake a parent makes during bedtime is the playing in the middle of the night with the infant. When the baby wakes in the night it is best not to use it as an opportunity to play. Sure, I know you worked pass bath and bed routine and miss your little darling, but play needs to wait until the sun is high in the sky.

Limit your interaction to changing, feeding, and returning the infant back to the crib with the minimal of conversation and the softest light or you will have the baby believing he should wake and play in the night.  Not cute when the child becomes older, refuses to go back to sleep and you are tired and have to get to work in the morning.