Newborn News and Parenting tips by SwaddleKeeper Baby Sleep System

Helping your baby sleep during the night is a process that may take several weeks or months. It is important that your baby is eating frequently to gain weight and provide calories for brain growth.

- Feeding your baby more often during the day will allow him to meet his nutritional needs so that if he skips one night feeding that will be ok. The more your baby weighs will determine how long in between feedings. Your baby is getting enough to eat if your baby is peeing and pooping 8-10 times in a day, gaining weight and sleeping for 2-3 hours in between feedings. Check with your doctor if you are concerned about your baby.

- Feed your baby in a quiet, darkened room if your baby is easily distracted during the day.

- If breastfeeding, consider allowing your baby to finish the first breast offered. This will provide him or her with more of your rich hindmilk, which may also help to space out his nighttime feeds. This high fat milk can be compared to eating dessert. Especially important for baby's brain growth and development.

- Carry your baby -- with the aid of a sling or other baby carrier. This will help to keep your baby relaxed, especially during the early evening hours, encouraging an easy transition to sleep. Laying your baby down awake will create a habit of falling asleep by themselves. Always make sure your baby is in a safe sleeping area and check her frequently while she is in the sling.

- Keep the evening calm to avoid over stimulation. If a bath is relaxing for your little one, you can bathe him before bed. If it's too stimulating, bathe him at another time.

- Feed your baby in a darkened room at night if he or she wakes up hungry. Let him know that night is for sleeping.

AND DON'T FORGET TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!

Rest while your baby rests. This is especially important the first two weeks after birth.

Take a walk. Sunshine and fresh air are good for both of you. Eat healthy foods. This will help with recovering from birth, producing breastmilk and giving you more energy to take care of yourself.

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A near-term infant is born 3 to 6 weeks early. Babies born more than three weeks early are considered preterm. These babies need closer observation and support from parents, family, nursing staff, lactation specialist and your doctor.

Some Challenges for a preterm baby: -Difficulty keeping warm -lower blood sugars -tires easily -feeding difficulties -poor weight gain -higher risk for jaundice.

Your health care professional will support your family and provide information on how to overcome these challenges.

SwaddleKeepers now come in a "preemie" size fitting newborns 4-9 pounds or "micro-preemie" fitting newborns 1-4 pounds. Our regular size SwaddleKeeper fits newborns 5-22 pounds.

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Just a quick note to say how thankful I am to all the parents and families that have used the SwaddleKeeper and continue to tell their friends about it!

I just arrived home after working night shift Labor and Delivery which I was able to share a beautiful birth this morning. During her labor while I was busy preparing for the delivery and encouraging the mom who was working hard in active labor to rest in between contractions, the dad said, "Hey, aren't you the SwaddleKeeper Lady?  We love giving the SwaddleKeeper as a gift and now we get to use one on our baby girl!  Thank you so much!"

All the notes, pictures and testimonials I get from families around the world remind me why I keep my business going. My thanks again to all of you--Kim

ps. keep sending me pictures of your babies in SwaddleKeepers!

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The Baby Blues:
Emotions run cold or hot, up or down, calm and crazy the first few weeks after you have had a baby. These emotions are stronger then usual due to lack of sleep, stress, visitors, healing from birth, taking care of your baby, pain after a cesarean or stitches or breastfeeding and many other situations.  You are normal to feel these emotions, but talk to your partner and family about what you are feeling.  Sleep will help the most, but eating well and allowing others take care of household and baby tasks make a huge difference.

Usually the blues appear suddenly on the third or 4th day after birth. 50-75% of new mothers experience this feeling of letdown after the emotionally charged experience of birth. Symptoms may include crying, impatience, irritability, restlessness, and anxiety.

Postpartum Depression:
Although 1 in 10 new mothers experience various degrees of postpartum depression, it still remains unknown how severe or when it may occur, even up to a year after birth.  
symptoms may include: nervousness, anxiety, panic, sluggishness, fatigue, exhaustion, sadness, depression, hopelessness, change in appetite and sleep, poor concentrations, confusion, memory loss, overconcern for the baby, uncontrollable crying, irritability, lack of interest in the baby, guilt, inadequacy, worthlessness, fear of harming the baby and/or yourself, exaggerated highs and/ or lows, lack of interest in sex.
You may have good days & bad days & you are not “going crazy”. Treatment varies, but all are temporary & treatable with support & skilled professional help.  CALL your midwife or doctor if you are concerned about yourself or your partner.

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In the first few months of your baby's life, sucking is likely to be the most frequently used self-calming mechanism. It is not much different then tapping our toes or doodling. Giving your baby a pacifier is the most common way to provide a tool to calm your baby. Unfortunately a pacifier relies on you to put it into your baby's mouth. One belief on teaching your baby ways to "self calm" is to allow or encourage your baby to suck on her hand, thumb or finger. You may have heard stories of friends who had horrible crying spells when the pacifier was lost or the 'wrong' pacifier was the only thing available for the baby to suck. Sucking releases natural calming endorphins in the body. The suck reflex is very important in the nutritional survival of your baby as well. Therefore we know your baby has been sucking long before she was born. It is very natural for them to have been sucking on their tongue, hand, wrist or one of the fingers while they were inside your womb. Now that she is born if your baby likes to suck on her hand or your would like to teach her to be able to self calm without searching for the pacifier, then swaddling her with her hand near her face will allow sucking. At first she may look like she is going to scratch an eye or do other damage, but eventually she will learn hand mouth coordination. By keep her fingernails trimmed, she will be less likely to scratch her face. The Swaddle Keeper closes over the chest, not near the baby's neck or face so swaddling with the arm up is very easy to accomplish.

More tips and tricks in the Newborn Care Video included in the SwaddleKeeper Sleep in a Box, baby sleep system.

Sleep Well, Kim Stolte RN
ps. pardon the use of 'she' throughout my writings... as a mother of 3 boys, I can't help but call all babies girls until proven otherwise.

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To help make breastfeeding your baby a relaxed wonderful experience that it is supposed to be, I suggest setting up for success by making a "breastfeeding island".

Once you sit down to feed your baby, you should have everything you will need for the next hour+ within reach. An easy way to do this is make up a easy to carry basket that has supplies that you can use while sitting down. The obvious is diaper and wipes, burp cloth, and other baby stuff.... But more importantly is the items YOU will need to hang out and relax while your baby feeds. Items such as: phone, paper, pen, tissue, thank you notes to write, snacks, water, ear plugs, relaxation mask, blanket and pillow.

The more comfortable you are just "sitting" there, the longer you will feed your baby. I know for me, it was hard not to watch the clock, but if I had things close at hand I was more apt to hang out and provide my baby with the glorious nutrition and time that he required and thrived on!

Dozing off while breastfeeding is a great way to nap but please make sure your baby is safe. Have your baby well supported with a breastfeeding pillow and other firm pillows so that she/he won't slide down into cracks if your arm relaxes when asleep. More information on the video that included in the SwaddleKeeper Sleep in a Box baby sleep system www.SwaddleKeeper.com

congratulations on your baby, Kim Stolte founder of the SwaddleKeeper company and mother of 3, nurse to many.....

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A father of a 2 month old baby said to me that he and his wife just recently starting using their SwaddleKeeper Baby Sleep System for the first time.  He said his wife was skeptical about using the blanket, but now that their baby was older and stronger, she started waking herself because she had outgrown the standard swaddle-wrap.

Aaaahhh, finally a full nights sleep.  Baby's needs change as they grow, so don't give up on products that may not have worked great the first time or during a certain age.  They may end up liking the product or needing the product as the story above illustrates.

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Your due date is quickly approaching and so are the grand-parents-to-be.  Every family has different relationships with their parents, but either way, here are a couple of tips that may work for you....

Try not to be hostess.  Your job is to rest and be waited on.  This is not your usual role when visitors arrive, but it is very important.  You will soon find that your family and friends want to help!  This is a great time to delegate tasks and get some cooking and baking done to freeze for future meals.  Even larger projects like gardening and garage organization can be a great help to you and a good distraction for visitors.

After the baby is born:  Set aside your room as off limits to family.  Consider having family stay at a hotel, rent a house, or stay at a friends.  Even if it is for only part of the visit.  This will give you all a much needed break.

Visiting hours:  keep time to yourself, partner and baby while balancing well-wishers.

"Mom and Baby Sleeping" sign.  A sign on the front door and at least the bedroom door will allow you to get the sleep you need to care for yourself and your baby.

If your family wants to be at your birth and your not so sure, make it clear that labor and delivery is not an observation sport.  They need to be helpful and knowledgeable about what to expect during labor and delivery.  They should take a childbirth education class and read all the same or similar books that you are reading to prepare.

Reserve your right to change your mind, even at the last minute or during  stages of birth.   Saying no or standing up for what you feel is right will be a helpful tool as a new parent.

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SwaddleKeeper Baby Sleep System is proud to announce that we won the 2010 Moms Best Award!

The Mom's Best Award provides moms with an objective way of determining the "best" products available today on the market for prenatal, infant, toddler, children, tweens, teens, and for moms and dads, and grandparents. This is not a pay to play awards program. Products meeting a certain criteria established by MBA are evaluated by real moms and childcare experts are recognized and earn the distinguished Mom's Best Award or Moms Best Literary Gold Award.

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Teaching good sleep patterns will have a positive affect on life long sleep.  I received an email from a friend today.  Her baby at 16.5 pounds is sound asleep in a SwaddleKeeper.  She wrote, "A sleeping baby is a happy baby.  When I swaddle her, she knows it is time for bed."  Hearing this today reminded me of many nights teaching my boys how to settle and fall asleep on their own.  Through trial and error we learned that the ritual and environment play a significant role in our success.

Here are some tips that should help.  Have a specific question?  Please email me.

Sleep Tips for Newborns1-3 months

• Observe baby's sleep patterns and identify signs of sleepiness.
• Put baby in the crib when drowsy, not asleep.
• Place baby to sleep on his/her back with face and head clear of blankets and other soft items.
• Encourage nighttime sleep.

Sleep Tips for Infants 3-6

• Develop regular daytime and bedtime schedules.
• Create a consistent and enjoyable bedtime routine.
• Establish a regular “sleep friendly” environment.
• Encourage baby to fall asleep independently and to become a “self-soother.”

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 Most parents will tell you that their baby cries.  What parents may not share or may not realize is that some babies cry above the average of 3 hours a day.  Moms, Dads, Grandparents and siblings need to know that there are resources to help with the above average crier.  The most important things to remember is to call a friend, take turns with the baby to avoid extreme frustration and call your doctor to confirm that your baby isn't sick.

As I teach parents how to care for their newborn in the hospital the focus is often on basic care like changing diapers, feeding, dressing, burping and calming.  We cover infant crying and coping techniques, but like most things it sounds easier then actually doing it.  The more a parent knows about normal crying patterns in the newborn the more the parent will know it is not their fault and that they are not alone.  Please read more:

Here is an excerpt from The Period of Purple crying website:

New parents have wonderful and not so wonderful experiences with their new infants, but crying has got to be one of the most challenging. There are a couple of basic reasons why this is so. First, new parents want and expect a wonderful, mostly smiling, responsive baby. But when the baby cries for five hours, the crying is unsoothable, and nothing the parents do seems to help, the disappointment can be profound. Second, many parents do not know that there is a very typical and completely normal set of features of crying that all infants do in the first weeks and months of life. These are the features that are described as the Period of PURPLE Crying®

For more information, videos and stories:  www.PurpleCrying.info

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I am fortunate to work as a nurse teaching parents how to care for their newborns from childbirth class to labor and delivery and the postpartum newborn period.  I love watching parents eyes light up at the sight of their baby at birth.  The initial "baby buzz" of the first days after birth can fade quickly after the first 24-36 hours of decreased sleep.  Taking naps when the baby naps and taking turns caring for the baby will help you through those first weeks of being home with your newborn.

Newborn babies don't know the difference between day and night yet and they need food every few hours since their tiny stomachs don't hold enough milk to keep them satisfied for very long, no matter what time of day or night it is.

Newborns may sleep as much as 16 hours a day, mostly 3-4 hours at a time.  This sounds like enough time for you to get some sleep, but their are so many little tasks that interrupt these hours that parents get short amounts of sleep too. 

To encourage night sleep try and keep lights dim and playing and talking to a minimum.  If you just feed, change diapers and then quiet her back to sleep during the night, then she will learn that night is for sleeping.  During the day you can encourage more frequent feedings and more wake times and play times.  Eventually she will transition from not knowing the difference between day and night to sleeping longer at night and being awake during the day.

Babies need to eat every 2-3 hours around the clock.  You know if your baby is getting enough to eat if she is gaining weight,  pooping and peeing 8-10 times a day and sleeping 2-3 hours in between feedings.

You many want to talk to your doctor, nurse or a lactation specialist if you have questions about your newborn.  If she seems overly irritable or difficult to rouse from sleep or uninterested in feeding efforts, speak to the doctor immediately for reassurance or further medical guidance.

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One size fits all!  Your newborn won't outgrow this swaddler- from 5-22 pounds this is the one and only SwaddleKeeper you will need.

Head Support!  The unique, natural cotton padding gently supports the newborns neck and head making handling the newborn easier, especially for siblings, grandparents and learning how to breastfeed.

Open foot design.  Feet stays covered gently with a receiving blanket, but not restrained for proper hip and leg development, easy diapers checks and kicking, stretching and growing.

Made in the USA.  Free shipping.

The SwaddleKeeper's design and FREE DVD content are based on my years of working with newborns and parents as an RN. The DVD's step-by-step instructions are easy to understand and are jam-packed with advice and time-tested facts on newborn sleep, swaddling, and parenting tips. This is all you will need to help your newborn sleep longer and calm a fussy baby or a baby with colic.

We're Committed to the Environment:  As we designed the SwaddleKeeper infant blanket sleeper, deciding on the packaging and overseeing the manufacturing has made us constantly aware of the impact on the environment. All of the fabric scraps are donated to other companies. Our packaging is in reusable plastic bags or packaged using a tied ribbon for store owners.

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