I almost hesitate to post this. The truth is one family’s bad habit might be another’s god send. As someone who doesn’t do sleep deprivation well, I find myself returning to this motto: do whatever allows you the most sleep. But there are a few things that are definite no-no’s and/or will make your life harder down the road.
Bad Habit #1: Putting Baby to Bed with a Bottle
This isn’t my opinion. It’s the opinion of the American Dental Association, as well as the American Association of Pediatrics, as well as the World Health Organization. Why, is this such an issue? Well, because fluids from the bottle pool in the baby’s mouth where the teeth are (or will be) and the fluid of course has sugar. It is the equivalent of giving your baby’s teeth a sugar bath.
I actually asked my pediatrician about this just out of curiosity as this can happen with breastfed babies as well. She pointed out that she also discourages parents from putting baby to bed with a bottle because often times the transition is from formula to milk or juice–which of course has even more sugar. If you MUST put baby to bed with a bottle, fill it with water. Better yet, try a pacifier.
Bad Habit #2: Being Out and About at Bedtime
I have no magical cure for making babies sleep more. I’ve written before that I’ve come to see my own children’s personalities reflected in their sleeping patterns. However, if you want to have a toddler that sleeps better, set a pretty strict routine from birth. Bathe them, sing to them, nurse them and put them down. Setting the tone for bed right from the start kind of conditions babies to go to sleep. Now, doing this doesn’t mean that junior will sleep through the night. But being consistent in a bed time routine means that you are not likely to struggle with your toddler at bedtime later down the road.
Bad Habit #3: Putting Baby to Sleep With a Drive
You’re tired. You’re frustrated and as far as your baby is concerned–you’re doing it all wrong. Then you remember how peacefully and long that your baby slept yesterday on the way to the grocery store. So you reach for the keys, bundle him up–and off you go. You are just minutes away from peaceful, silent bliss.
This is a bad habit to get into. It’s not just that it will cost you hundreds in gas–although that would be a negative for me. It’s that it doesn’t help your baby establish healthy sleep patterns. It’s tempting–but in the long run, it’s not worth it.
Valorie Delp shares recipes and kitchen tips in the food blog, solves breastfeeding problems, shares parenting tips, and current research in the baby blog, and insight, resources and ideas as a regular guest blogger in the homeschooling blog. To read more articles by Valorie Delp, click here.
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