Pampers are currently running a ‘Golden Sleep’ campaign to highlight the importance of sleep and the detrimental effect that lack of sleep can have on a family. So here are my thoughts on the matter….
Here are the guidelines which sleep expert Professor Gregory Stores encourages:
1. Establish a consistent 24 hour routine for your baby. A bedtime routine is particularly important.
2. Some babies benefit from being given a ‘top-up feed’ at the same time late in the evening to prevent them from waking up hungry in the middle of the night.
3. Night time feeds should not be continued longer than is necessary,
4. Help your baby fall asleep alone. You can do this by putting your baby into his cot when awake or drowsy, kissing him goodnight and then leave him to go to sleep alone. If he cries, wait a few minutes rather than responding immediately because some babies cry as they are falling asleep.
5. It helps your baby to go to sleep if the circumstances he falls asleep in are the same as he experiences when he wakes at night.
6. Co-sleeping is not advisable because it interferes with him becoming self soothing and risks his breathing becoming obstructed when he is asleep.
7. Establish a clear difference between day and night to help your baby’s body clock to develop.
8. Your baby’s sleeping environment should be overall conducive to sleep. It should be the right temperature, quiet and dark.
9. It is important for your baby to be comfortable during the night, so make sure they have a clean nappy to go to bed.
10. Be sure that your baby is able to breath properly when asleep. Safeguards include placing your baby on his back, using a good quality, firm mattress which will not compress or mould his face. Co-sleeping dangers are increased of either parent is on medication or taken alcohol or other substances.
11. If you have taken notice of these tips but your baby is still sleeping badly then medical causes should be considered.
12. You can teach your baby to sleep well from an early age.
Professor Stores, sleep expert on the Pampers Village Parenting Panel says “Sleep is vital to a baby’s development, but it is also essential for the parents too, as insufficient sleep, especially over a prolonged period, can affect their relationship with their baby and each other, as well as other aspects of life including performance at work, general well-being and overall quality of life.”
Sleep is worth its weight in gold – my positive experience with Pampers.
I think Pampers are doing a fantastic job of raising awareness of how detrimental lack of sleep can be to parents. I come at this campaign from a slightly different angle as I am a breastfeeding, co-sleeping mother. The first few weeks breastfeeding were a real hardship and the best strategy I found to achieve my goal of successfully nursing my baby was to co-sleep.
However, I feel it is important to emphasise the fact that we are a non-smoking household. Other important factors are never to go to bed after drinking alcohol or on strong medication.
It was tough persevering with the breastfeeding as I had just spent four nights in a torture camp (I mean hospital), with preeclampsia on a labour ward with women screaming loudly in the throes of labour whilst I awaited my torture (I mean birth). So it was such a relief that my baby always seemed much more comfortable and slept more soundly when wearing Pampers as opposed to other nappies where he seemed irritable because his skin would flare up on his bottom. Because of the fact that he was happier it gave me more determination to carry on with the breastfeeding. Nine months later and we’re still going strong with the breastfeeding…..
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