Babies pick up on your moods very easily. If you’re stressed and filled with dread when bedtime approaches, baby will pick up on that.
Stressed parent = stressed baby. As September is Self-Care Awareness Month, we want to talk about the importance of looking after yourself. One of the best ways to do this is to make sure everyone gets enough sleep!
Tips for Baby's Sleep
Make the nighttime routine peaceful and serene. Try to stay calm and relaxed when you hold or interact with your baby. Keep your voice low and evenly-modulated. Start winding down an hour or so before bedtime. This gives baby time to calm down.
Avoid over-stimulating activities in the evening. Instead, try playing soft music or reading to baby. Confine vigorous activity to the morning or afternoon. While baby needs to be stimulated and exposed to new things, don’t plan these things close to bedtime. A warm bath is also a great way to help baby relax and prepare for sleep.
Some babies like to be in the crib for a while before sleep. Try putting baby in the crib and staying in the room with him. You can read or play music while he winds down and prepares for sleep. Give baby time to relax and he’s likely to go to sleep without any drama.
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Prioritize everyone's sleep
Lack of sleep has been linked to depression, anxiety, obesity, diabetes among other things. For a parent raising a child, getting enough sleep is crucial not only for their own health but also the health of their child. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 10 hours per night for children up to age 13 years old and 8 hours per night for adolescents 14-18 years old. If getting enough shut eye is a consistent issue for you and your family, try Sleep Now. We use this melatonin spray because it's non-addictive, and provides calming relief fast so you and your loved ones can get a restful night's sleep and wake up refreshed - with no morning grogginess!
Find your tribe
Finding people who understand what you're going through can be difficult when you have a baby but it's very important. There are many communities online that can connect you with parents who will understand what it's like. Sometimes all you need is a little support from one person to make it through the day. In addition, parents these days are finding solace in online communities where they post supportive messages and photos of their child to help other who might be struggling.
Supplement with magnesium
Magnesium has been known to improve physical and mental health among other things, magnesium is also believed to be able to help ease or even prevent symptoms of autism in children by relaxing/calming the nervous system. Magnesium is known as the 'anti-stress' mineral, and also one of the body’s premiere biochemical enzyme catalysts. It is essential for glutathione synthesis, energy production, cell replication and integrity, detoxification, muscular/neurological function, and maintaining body pH balance. It can be used by parents and children to calm the nervous system and restore the body's natural balance for more harmonious days and night - something we could all benefit from! The Liqui-Mag formula is an ultra-colloidal suspension for optimal absorption and cellular uptake. Essentially predigested, less breakdown by the digestive tract is required, facilitating superior absorption in the presence of gastrointestinal issues that limit the breakdown and absorption of tablets, capsules and powdered supplements.
Create a calming environment
One of the most common challenges faced by those who care for individuals on the spectrum or with ADHD, is maintaining an organized home environment. A calm home provides increased focus on school or work tasks as well as improved moods. To help create a calm environment at home for you could start with these ideas:
- Create a designated "quiet zone" with things like books and board games for those times when your child needs to take a break from the noise in their head.
- Find a place to store your child’s toys. This can be the bedroom, an office, or even a box under the bed.
- Clear some space on your kitchen countertops by investing in one of those drawer organizers, which will help make it easy for your child to independently do things like making cereal or sandwiches without having to ask for every step of the process.
- If your child's room doesn't have enough natural light, try adding a lamp that has an adjustable dimmer. Having this sort of control over the light gives them a better opportunity to regulate their mood.
By taking care of yourself as a parent, and making your home environment more organized, you'll have more energy to take care of your child. There are many other ways that parents can take care of themselves but these are some of the most important. Keep in mind that magnesium will not cure autism but it can help lessen some symptoms and magnesium deficiency is a common problem with autistic children so magnesium supplements are very helpful for this reason as well.
About Ziggy baby
To learn more about Ziggy baby, visit https://www.ziggybaby.com and explore our website. We’re one of the top suppliers of baby gear in the United States, and love putting smiles on the faces of parents and babies nationwide!
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