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When sleeping like a baby is just a dream
From Dr. Sanjay Gupta
(CNN) -- Every parent knows -- and dreads -- the sound of a baby wailing, especially in the middle of the night. Andy and Melanie Berlin of Annapolis, Maryland, knew the sound better than most. Their 10-month-old son Benjamin would wake every hour throughout the night. "I was completely exhausted," Melanie Berlin says, "and it was very hard to care for him. I was getting two or three hours of sleep a night." Sleepless nights are the norm for new parents, up to a point. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, babies need about six months to develop mature sleeping habits; until that time many babies sleep only one or two hours at a time. At 10 months, however, Benjamin should have been sleeping about 11 hours a night, the average according to the National Sleep Foundation. For help, the Berlins turned to clinical social worker and infant sleep counselor Kim West, who calls herself "The Sleep Lady." West is coordinator of the Behavioral Sleep Program at Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.
"I work with parents to come up with a flexible routine and learn how to read the child's sleepy cues so that we can get them to bed at the right time," she says, "and then allow a gentle approach where the parent is present and can be supportive and nurturing to help them finally learn to put themselves to sleep." She suggested the Berlins sit with their son when he cried at night, but not pick him up. "The first night he cried for two-and-a-half hours, and I just sat in the chair and pretended I was asleep," Melanie Berlin says. "And then the second night it was maybe an hour, and then the third night it went down to maybe 30 minutes, and then after that he didn't really wake up." West says babies sleep best when they get adequate naps during the day and have a good bedtime routine at night. "A good bedtime routine for, let's say, a 2-year-old, would be about 20 minutes long," West says. "They would have perhaps a bath, and brush their teeth and change into their pajamas and read one or two books, and then perhaps some kisses or prayers or a gentle, loving routine. And then put him to bed with further assurances, and then the parent leaves the room." Creating soothing surroundings are also important. West recommends playing soft music and giving babies a night light and stuffed animals for company. However, experts warn that stuffed animals in the crib can be dangerous to babies under a year old, and even for older children if they have small parts that can come loose and pose a choking hazard. West and many other experts also suggest putting a baby to sleep while he's drowsy but still awake, so he doesn't become dependent on falling asleep in his parent's arms. Before beginning any consultation, however, West urges parents to check with their pediatrician to rule out medical problems that may be hampering the baby's sleep, such as sleep apnea or other illness.
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