Tizzie Hall: Getting Your Baby To Sleep Better

How do I tell if my baby is too hot or cold? As most babies have cold hands and feet because of their immature circulation, check by feeling the back of your baby’s neck or her tummy under her clothes. Use thin layers of clothes so you can adjust baby’s temperature easily. As a rough guide, babies need one more layer of clothes than you do.

When can I take my new baby out of the house? Well, unless you had a homebirth, she’s probably already made the journey home from the hospital so she’s had her first taste of the outdoors. Its fine to take your new baby for a short walk or over to a friend’s house. Just make sure you dress her appropriately, putting her in one more layer than you need yourself to feel comfortable.

Should I use blankets as well as putting my baby in a sleeping bag? I have always thought of a sleeping bag as an extra layer of clothes which keeps your baby warm and delays a baby rolling to their tummy and kicking their blankets off. So a sleeping bag should be used with cotton or bamboo blankets and the amount of blankets should be adjusted depending on where you live and how warm and humid the nursery is.

Should you watch what you eat while breastfeeding?
There are so many ‘old wives’ tales’ out there about what you can and can’t eat or drink while breastfeeding, and I must say I have never found any truth in them. I believe you can pretty much eat what you like while breastfeeding unless your family or your partner’s family have a history of an allergic reaction to a particular food, such as peanuts. If there is, avoid that food. And it’s best to avoid alcohol altogether while pregnant and breastfeeding.

Can I breastfeed and take medication? There are very few medicines that can’t be taken safely while breastfeeding, however always ask your health professional about any medication, including herbal supplements and medications bought over the counter. Never take the combined pill while breastfeeding as this will cause your breastmilk to dry up. If you decide to take the mini pill, keep a close eye on your baby’s feeds as sometimes it changes the taste of your milk, which could cause your baby to drink less and less until your milk is gone.

How long can I use one bottle of formula for? From when you put a bottle of formula in your baby’s mouth, you can use it for one hour. If after one hour your baby has not finished what is in the bottle, throw it out and get a fresh bottle. Untouched formula can only be reheated once.

How will I know if my baby has brought up all her wind? The truth is, you won’t know. Every baby is slightly different in the amount of winding required, so it is really just a case of trial and error. If your baby is showing signs of an unsettled period in the evening or possetting a lot, try more winding. If your baby is happy but you feel like you are spending all day winding, try winding her a bit less. If it makes no difference to how content she is then try even less winding. It’s all about getting to know your baby.

Is it really all right to let my baby cry? I do not think it is all right to let a baby cry an emotional cry, however I believe you may let a baby protest (the broken cry you hear when a baby is trying to go to sleep). If you responded every time your baby protested, he would soon learn to protest whenever he wanted your attention. In fact, you would cause him to protest more. It’s not fair on a baby to be taught that someone will respond to every protest because, as your baby grows up, other people won’t like this behaviour.

When I settle my baby and he is asleep on his side is it safe to leave him on his side. If I try and roll him back to his back he wakes up? No it is not safe to leave your baby on his side as he may roll onto his tummy and be at risk of SIDS. If you find moving him back to his back wakes him then try rubbing or patting his tummy until he is asleep so you don’t have to move him once he is asleep.

Why do you introduce baby rice cereal first? Baby rice cereal is very bland, so mixing it with the milk your baby is used to will make the transition to solid food easier. I always suggest introducing some puréed apple or pear next to avoid your baby getting constipated.

I have been advised to cut my ten-month-old’s milk feeds down to three but on your nine– to twelve-month routine there are still four milk feeds – is this okay? What looks like four scheduled milk feeds in this routine is actually three, because you will give two full feeds and two half feeds. At nine months, I find babies still need milk and cutting the feeds to three may mean your baby doesn’t get enough. Spread over four feeds, with two ‘half’ ones, the recommended daily intake is reached.

I am expecting twins and am confused about feeding them. Will giving both formula and breastmilk harm them? It is perfectly safe to give your babies both breastmilk and formula – you do not mix the two in the same bottle but you can give both at one feed. Breastmilk is the best food for your babies but a mixture is better than no breastmilk at all and the more breastmilk you can give your babies, the cheaper the cost of having two will be!
 
My nine-month-old baby has been following your routines perfectly since birth, but for the past two weeks he is waking at 5.30 am every morning. I have been putting him back to bed at 8.30 am instead of 9 am to get through it, but what do you think is causing the early waking? I am not sure what would have caused the first 5.30 am waking but I do know you have been reinforcing it by putting him to bed at 8.30 am. For some reason I am yet to discover, babies of this age count all the sleep they get before 9.30 am as part of the twelve hours they should be getting at night. So I recommend you keep your baby up until 9.30 am before putting him back to bed for his morning sleep.
 
People have suggested giving our six-month-old baby something to help him sleep on a fourteen-hour flight. What do you think? I do not advise medicating a baby to help them sleep on a long flight, and you will find your baby will sleep a lot on the flight anyway due to the air conditions in the cabin. It could be very dangerous if your baby had a reaction to what you gave him and you were so far away from medical help.

What if my baby’s temperature is below 36.5°C? If your baby’s temperature is below normal but he is acting normal then your thermometer is most likely not accurate. Try taking your own temperature. If your baby is cold to touch or floppy, get medical help immediately.

What do we do now that our baby has started to roll over onto her tummy? Most SIDS cases occur when babies are under six months of age and generally babies who are placed on their back to sleep cannot roll onto their tummies until about five or six months of age, when most of the risk has passed. Try not to let your baby sleep on her tummy before six months of age. You could put your baby in a safe infant sleeping bag as these delay babies rolling over.
Older babies who can turn over and move around the cot should be put on their backs to sleep and allowed to find their own sleeping position. The risk of SIDS in babies over six months is extremely low.
Remember to reduce the risk in other ways: make sure that baby is on a firm, well-fitting mattress and don’t tuck the bed covers in firmly if baby is on her tummy. Make sure her face and head remain uncovered during sleep and keep baby smoke-free. Make sure she has supervised tummy time when awake to strengthen her upper body muscles.

About The Author
Tizzie Hall is an international childcare expert and author, who has sold nearly one million copies of her celebrated book series, Save Our Sleep.

Her different sleep routines for breast and bottle-fed babies and advice on weaning and common health concerns have helped thousands of restless babies sleep peacefully through the night – every night.

Tizzie’s tried and tested sleep solutions are based on 18 years devoted to the intricate lives of young children.

The Baby Whisperer believes it’s every child’s right to receive comfort, a parent’s right to demonstrate love, and everyone’s right to a full nights sleep.

To find out more details on Tizzie’s visit impending visit, and to reserve your seat to the biggest baby show to hit Singapore, please see: www.saveoursleep.asia