Newborns don't know night from day, so you will have to help them learn the difference.
During the day...
- Keep the curtains open and the lights on when he's awake.
- Get outside when the weather is nice - research has shown that exposure to sunlight during the day helps babies sleep better at night (this won't be hard since we live in a city with 321 sunny days each year!)
- Feed him every 3 hours - even if you have to wake him up.
During the night...
- Pull down the shades, dim the lights.
- Switch to quiet activities, like massage, quiet reading or singing.
- Keep nighttime feedings brief and boring.
I feel so lucky knowing Lauren will be here to help me get Carson on the right track with his sleep!
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Lauren is a certified sleep coach and DONA trained postpartum doula. Her passion for helping tired parents began when her own newborn daughter's constant crying and terrible sleep habits finally got the best of her. Visit her blog and Facebook page for more information.
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