Baby sleep: accompanying and understanding him
That's it, the divine child has arrived! After these nine months of waiting, your dream of holding him in your arms, to see his little head of love and to feel his little neck is coming true. You lovingly prepared her room and picked the KUMI crib for her first few months. Yes but that's it. Behind this new happiness lies the fatigue of sleepless nights and a host of questions. Is my baby getting enough sleep, when will he sleep? These questions are legitimate, each parent asks them. Relax, Charlie Crane is coming to the rescue to answer them! Accompanied by Audrey Ndjave, nurse and founder of the Perinatal Center, we explain everything about baby sleep.
Ideally, where should you put baby to sleep?
Audrey Ndjave: Ideally, the first weeks, we share our room with the baby. This prevents sudden infant death because parents, especially the mother, are more alert and reactive. Sleeping with your baby strengthens parenting skills and shortens night-time awakenings by a few minutes. In addition, baby hears his close parents and it is reassuring for him.
Which bed should you choose for the first few months?
Charlie Crane: For the first few months, it is recommended to have a cocoon bed. A small size that will accompany you everywhere in your home, from your parents' bedroom to the living room for naps. Cribs with bars are not always recommended, especially because children are at risk of getting their legs or an arm stuck. That's why we came up with our KUMI cradle. This baby bed accompanies them during the first months of life. We designed it without bars but with a soft lace, covered with a pretty veil for optimal safety and openness to the outside world. For naps in the first few months, the LEVO deckchair is perfect. And after 6 months, we move on to the KIMI evolutionary bed which will accompany the child until he is 5 years old. Again, no bars but a lace to be personalized.
What is the average sleep rhythm for a baby under 6 months old?
Audrey Ndjave: The rhythm depends on everyone's biological clock, but as a general rule a baby under 6 months old can nap 3 or 4 times a day with a longer sleeping period at night. To identify your baby's rhythm, you keep a sleep journal and observe your baby's ability to wake up. This is the first phase of the coaching program that I created.
How to properly support baby's sleep during the day and at night?
Audrey Ndjave: To properly support your baby's sleep, it is important to know him well! It is also important to have realistic expectations based on the age of your baby and what he is able to do and what he is not able to do. In addition, do not hesitate to call in professionals if you have the impression that something is stopping baby's sleep.
Charlie Crane Rocking is a trick as old as the world. This movement reminds the baby of when he was in his mom's womb. The KUMI cradle has a soft lateral balance to recreate this comforting movement.
My baby does not nap or is napping very short, what should I do?
Audrey Ndjave: The causes of short naps are multiple. It is possible that baby is not in favorable conditions for sleep: cycle not respected, too much stimulation, discomfort, unfamiliar baby rhythm.
When will my baby sleep?
Audrey Ndjave: Baby already sleeps at night with a different sleep structure. The human sleep cycle is made up of an alternation of more or less profound wakefulness cycles. Thus, there are at least 5 times when you go back to the state of wakefulness during one night. In a baby, the exit from this light awakening is explained by his emotional, neurological, emotional immaturity...
What to do when you have a baby who sleeps very little and you are exhausted?
Audrey Ndjave: The first thing to do is to understand what is going on. How old is my baby, what is the period he is going through? How long has the difficulty I have been experiencing have been going on? Paramedical health professionals can help through comprehensive care.
How can parents catch up on sleep?
Audrey Ndjave: It is very important not to overlook the lack of sleep of parents and mom! Lack of sleep is a factor in postpartum depression. It leads to a dissociation from reality and accentuates the postpartum state, which is already a major upheaval. You need to find help around you, have your own circle of family caregivers, and call on a trained health professional who can take care of the family. That's what we offer at the center!
Are babies given bad habits?
Audrey Ndjave: Sleep is a fundamental need. It cannot be said that meeting a basic need is a bad habit! It is a virtuous circle around three elements: the signal, the ritual and the reward. The repetition and regular sequence of gestures and actions lead to a reward: a state of well-being that ultimately allows the establishment of a habit in baby. The signal is a behavior that the adult will interpret and therefore to which he will respond by a ritual that will then meet a need: that of sleeping for example. What could be described as bad habits would be a ritual that is not adapted to the baby's signal, for example letting your baby cry voluntarily is a bad habit!
TO REMEMBER:
- Ideally the first weeks, we sleep with the baby.
- Keeping a notebook makes it possible to identify the baby's sleep cycles and to better support him.
- In fact... babies are already sleeping through the night, we just don't have the same rhythm.
- No, you won't give your baby bad habits, you're just meeting his needs.
- Seek help from family and health professionals.
- Don't forget yourself!
- The KUMI is an ideal cradle for baby's first months, it secures it, lulls it... and it's a beautiful object.
A big thank you to Audrey Ndjave for her answers and join us on Instagram to discuss your parenting issues.
