Some babies seem to need motion …

Dear Moms and Dads,

I was just on the phone with a friend. I called her to see how she and her new baby were doing. She informed me that everything went well with nursing, but she and her husband are totally exhausted because the baby did not want to be put down and sleep by himself.  That made me think about how babies like motion. Some babies seem to need motion in order to relax enough for sleep.  Here are some tips: • Use a sling or baby carrier and walk with your baby around the house until your baby’s really deep in sleep, or until his or her hands go limb. Then lie down with your baby in it, and then ease it off.  The sling becomes your baby blanket! • A birth ball is great for babies because they require constant motion during naps- You can get an inexpensive stand for the ball. Wear a sling and let you baby sleep in it as you sit on the ball and gently bounce while eating lunch or having a conversation on the phone with your friend. • Strollers are also great- I flashed back to myself about 11 years ago when my daughter wouldn’t nap until I walked her around the block in a stroller.  When we got back to our apartment, I continued to push her back and forth over the bump of the door way because she loved the gentle bumpy motion. When the weather was not so great, we couldn’t take a walk so I had to rock her to sleep either in a rocking chair or on a birth ball. It sounds crazy, but it worked with my kids and I hope it will work with yours! You all know that every baby is different, so you should not compare your baby to your friend’s baby.  If you think about it, it’s the same for adults. For instance, my husband can fall asleep anywhere, however, I have a harder time falling and stating asleep. If your baby loves motion, you just have to do what works. And remember, this is only temporary. Your baby will grow and change every day. Enjoy and relish this special time with your child!

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