Free The No Cry Nap Solution by Elizabeth Pantley

Lara
    mocks have a slight angle, raising the head of the bed, and can be
    rocked either by the baby’s movement or with your gentle nudge.
    Hammocks are especially soothing for a baby with refl ux, colic, or
    extreme fussiness. They can be wonderful for a baby who resists
    back sleeping and helpful for preemies or babies with special needs.
    There are a variety of styles available, so shop around.
    A potential drawback to this idea is that your baby may get
    used to sleeping in his nest and resist future attempts to have him
    sleep in his bed, but you’ll have many months of nice, long naps
    before you’ll have to address this possible issue. Once your baby
    has passed the newborn stage, you can begin to intersperse these
    “nest” naps with sleeping on a fl at crib surface to help make the
    transition.
    Give Your Baby Opportunities to
    Fall Asleep Unaided
    Newborns are incredibly soft and sweet. It’s easy to keep such a
    precious package in your arms or in a sling, even after they have
    fallen asleep. The hitch here is that your baby will easily become
    accustomed to being held as she falls asleep. She’ll soon be unable
    Nap Tips for Newborns 55
    to fall asleep on her own. She’ll cry to protest the minute you
    place her in bed, as if to say, “Why am I here? Pick me up please
    so that I can sleep!”
    You can avoid creating this almost inevitable scenario by plac-
    ing your baby in her crib, cradle, hammock, or cradle-swing when
    she is comfortable and drowsy but not entirely asleep. It’s perfectly
    fi ne to pat or rub her leg, head, or tummy as she drifts off. Just
    gradually make your touch slower and softer until your hand is
    lying still on her. Then slowly remove your touch.
    There is no risk in sometimes holding your sleeping baby. I would
    never advise you to miss out on this unique and beautiful experi-
    ence. But balance this with plenty of times when you put your
    baby in his bed when he is drowsy and relaxed but not asleep.
    Mother-Speak
    “I think one of the most helpful ideas was to put him down
    when he was tired but awake—he surprised me by allowing
    it so often!”
    —Judith, mother of three-month-old Harry
    Be Thoughtful About Creating Patterns
    While newborn babies don’t have “habits,” they don’t stay new-
    borns for long. Before you know it, your newborn becomes a baby
    who is accustomed to a specifi c routine. Babies get used to a cer-
    tain pattern that becomes a very strong sleep cue, and then they
    are reluctant to accept change.
    For example, if you rock your baby in the rocking chair before
    every nap, then that is the pattern that your baby comes to expect
    before naps. It becomes a very comfortable—and very strong—sleep
    cue. So, be thoughtful as you set up your baby’s naptime routines.

    56 Newborn Babies
    Be Aware of Your Baby’s “Suck-to-Sleep”
    Association
    If you are breastfeeding your newborn, it’s likely that she’ll easily
    fall asleep during nursing, since over 80 percent of newborn nurs-
    lings do fall asleep breastfeeding. It’s nearly impossible to prevent
    your baby from becoming drowsy as she nurses—it’s a biological
    benefi t of breastfeeding. However, there is something you can do
    to prevent creating a fi rmly ingrained habit of sucking to sleep
    that is very hard to change.
    Here’s the golden ticket: At least half the time, remove your baby
    from your breast when she is done feeding but before she begins
    the pacifi ying sucking that is nonnutritive but sleep- inducing.
    Before your baby is completely asleep, remove her from the breast
    and transfer her to bed to fi nish falling asleep there. You will likely
    need to pat, jiggle, or shush her to help her fall asleep, but having
    Johari, four months old
    Nap Tips for Newborns 57
    her do this without the nipple in her mouth will show her that she
    can, indeed, fall asleep without this. The value of this idea is most
    clear among breastfeeding mothers who must nurse their toddlers
    fully