Children and sleep disturbances.

Children's sleep is slowly becoming a more recognised issue both in the media and in the field of research. Channel 4 (UK television) recently presented a programme where two different Sleep specialists "competed" to see whose methods were more successful. The families who took part had different sleep issues and both had difficulties in being consistent. This is often the case. When you have a big sleep deficit it is very difficult to manage situations, to make clear decisions, and to follow through.

Both families did experience resolution of their sleep disturbances and now the children are reported to be sleeping well. The parents will have their own sleep deficit to address and gradually they too will experience the full benefits of an improved sleep.

There are as many ways to address the various sleep disturbances of childhood, as there are families who need this help. The real expertise is in choosing the most appropriate intervention for a particular family and their child. Then the majority of the work, which the parents have to do, is about being consistent. When a plan works, it works because the parents have accepted the method and have been consistent in following it. How quickly resolution occurs is entirely down to the appropriate method and the parents ability to be consistent.

Children learn by demonstration and frequent repetition. The boundaries have to be set and maintained. This helps the child to become secure in understanding what is expected of them, and to settle to a desired pattern of behaviour. Our children want to please us. When we have a sleep deficit, and when we fail to be consistent, they become confused and this leads to insecurity.

In the interests of the programme, making interesting television, there was more emphasis on the competition between the two experts than on the resolution of the sleep issues. There is no reason why, in this day and age, any parent should have to struggle to get their child or children to settle well at bed time and sleep through the night. There are services out there to help.

Children with special needs have particular issues, but, even with the complications of their specific requirements, they can be taught to sleep and to sleep properly. The main difference is that children who have other health issues are likely to require a more prolonged programme.

If you would like help to resolve your child, or children's sleep issues,
Contact Dream-Angus. A fifteen minute telephone conversation is free.

Sleep and the newborn baby.

Most newborn babies will sleep 16-20 hours out of 24. They wake when hungry or uncomfortable and are fairly easy to soothe once the reason for crying has been established. For the first few weeks it would appear that there is no routine. Baby can demand a feed at intervals of bewteen 2-4 hours. Some times this interval varies throughout the day. During growth spurts more feeds are required. In these early weeks it is not possible to alter baby's sleep wake cycle and there should be no need to. A baby will wake and sleep as the infant's body requires.

Recognising when an infant is tired takes time. Some babies will rub their faces on the person holding them, yawning, closing their eyes and sometimes even stretching before a nap. In the early stages the infant lacks the co-ordination to pull at an ear or rub tired eyes. An upset baby can be soothed by low frequency noise. A washing maching, vacum cleaner, a radio not quite tuned in to the station, music which before was heard through the thick abdominal wall, now played softly may halp.

If you are holding an upset baby try patting slowly at slightly less than heart rate, about 60 pats a minute, this reflects a resting heartbeat and is reminiscent of the rhythm heard in utero.
Soothing a baby to sleep requires a general slowing down of everything. Voice interaction should be quiet and of a low pitch. Put your infant down in the crib before they are completely asleep will help them to accept that going to sleep does not require any adult intervention. This will prevent problems later.

Once the child is about 3-4 months a more definate pattern starts to emerge.

For help, advice and support with your child's sleep
Contact Dream-Angus.com

Fussy babies

In the first few months of life babies have erratic sleep patterns. They learn through experience that they should be more active in daytime and sleep longer through the night. Babies have to sort through the incredible amount of stimulation that they are exposed to on a daily basis. They go from the quiet dim light of mothers womb into a world of noise, light and changing textures and levels of motion. This can be quite hard to sort through and some become overstimulated making it difficult for them to settle and resulting in prolonged crying and difficulty settling.
Fussy babies are often fussy because they have not had sufficient sleep and are overwhelmed by the experiences of the day. Prolonged sleep disturbance only exacerbates these problems. This is why naps are important. A babies nap is the first opportunity for them to learn to self settle. While night sleep is important for both mother and baby daytime naps are little top ups which help baby come to terms with all the stimulation of the environment.
As they grow and age the naps become fewer and night sleep increases but, if your child is "fussy" do not remove the opportunity for naps and think that by doing so you will gain a better night sleep. Naps are just as important to a growing child.

Sleep and the newborn baby

Newborn babies often seem to turn night into day. Many new mums struggle to cope with their own sleep deficit while settling baby and coming to terms with the changes this new life brings.

Babies born at term (when they were due/not premature) should sleep for 16 to 20 hours a day. Premature babies may sleep more. The sleep periods usually last 3 to 4 hours and waking is most commonly due to hunger. Breast fed babies may sleep for shorter periods because breast milk, which is definitely the best, is more easily digested. Wake times are usually short, 1-2 hours wakefulness. When fed and changed baby should settle to sleep within 10-15 minutes.


Mum's sleep
If at all possible mum's should aim to catch up on their own sleep while baby sleeps.

Teaching baby to sleep.
It is helpful if parents learn to recognise when baby is displaying sleepy signals and, while baby is awake but drowsy, put the baby down to sleep so that baby learns early on to self sooth.

It is unlikely that a routine can be firmly established before 12 weeks of age. Babies have no memories and insufficient experience of life to know that when they cry, someone will come and feed/change them. This requires learning which is accomplished when, over a period of time, the baby's experience shows that mum comes when baby cries and that his/her needs are met when they are signaled.

Visit www.Dream-Angus.com for further advice and support options