A newborn infant spends about 23 hours sleeping. As the baby grows, it spends more and more time awake. At one year of age, a child may require naps during the day, besides 10-12 hours of sleep at night. By two years of age, the child may require only one nap in the afternoon.
There is a great variation among children; some may need more sleep and some less. No rule should be forced on all children It is necessary to judge when child is sleepy, when he or she has had enough, and when he pr she does not wish to sleep. If one child is awake, when all others are sleeping, he or she be given some quite activity or a toy to play with close supervision.
Sleep and Wakefulness
Sleep is a precious commodity both for the baby and for the mother. Both quantity and quality of sleep are important. Sleep affects every aspects of our lives, and understanding what happens when sleep is the first step in helping the baby develop healthy sleeping habits that will benefit the whole family.
Bathing the Baby
Before the baby’s bath:
- Close the window before the baby’s bath on cold or chilly weather
- In the absence of a bathing table or bed a clean mat spread on a clean floor would serve the purpose.
- Collect all the needed materials. Put the basin half full with lukewarm water in front of you with soap, face towel, and cotton balls placed on your right. Likewise, arrange the baby’s clothes, diaper, baby powder, and the other things you will need after bathing on your left. The following list is a reminder of the things you will need when bathing the baby.
- Bathing table or mat
- Big basin
- Soap
- Face Towel
- Bath Towel or substitute
- Lukewarm water
- Cotton Balls
- Clean Clothing
- Diaper
- Baby powder
Infant Massage
Gentle Touch given to babies sibifies love and affection. Babies will be calmed and comforted by the soothing strokes of your hand, which relief anxiety and convey the massage of security.
To begin a massage, choose a quite, choose a quite, comfortable warm spot and rub oil on your hands so they will glide smoothly touching the baby baby’s skin. Then try the following routine:
Face
Because they naturally do so much sucking, infants can carry a lot of tension around the mouth jaw. Make small circles on and around the jawbone with your fingertips to help relieve some of that discomfort. The baby’s mouth may drop open in response.
Arms
Grasp the baby’s arm with both hands, one above the other. Twist hands back and forth in opposite directions and squeeze as you work them toward the wrist. (this should be done with the arm straight; if the baby is not ready to uncurl its arms yet, do not force them.)
Back
Place baby on its stomach and turn its head to the side. Put your left hand on its bottom, and with your left hand on its bottom, and with your right hand make a sweeping motion down from the top of its back to meet your left hand. Repeat so that you cover the entire back.
Legs and Feet
Wrap on hand around baby’s thigh and the other around its ankle. Gently squeeze as you slide the thigh hand up to the ankle. Move the ankle hand down to the thigh, and repeat. With your thumb, push on the bottom of the baby’s foot following an invinsible line from the heel to the toe.
Stomach and Chest
Using you fingertips, walk across the baby’s tummy from left to right. This technique is one of several that help ease gas; you even fell the bubbles releasing under your fingers.
To massage the baby’s chest, place your hands at the center. In a heart shaped motion, move each hand out to the side of baby’s chest, down the rib cage, and then back to the starting position.
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