The way babies are put to bed has an effect on sudden infant death syndrome or what's commonly known as crib death. The number of babies dying has halved due to better awareness about this.

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Stop smoking and never let anyone smoke in the same room as your baby. Don't let any one smoke in your home at all. *

Always lay your baby on her back to sleep so that her breathing is unimpeded and she can lose heat from her front, face and head. *

Don't let your baby get too hot, since she isn't very efficient at controlling her temperature. If the air temperature feels hot to you, it's very hot for her. *

Don't increase the amount of bedding when your baby is ill. *

Never over wrap your baby. Cover her with a cotton sheet and cellular blankets according to the room temperature. *

Lay your baby in the feet to foot position at the end of the crib so that she can't wriggle down under the blankets and get too hot.

Wakeful Babies

Most babies develop a routine of sleeping for perhaps two hours in the morning and again in the afternoon, but there are always exceptions. While wakeful babies can be trying, they reward you in the end because they're usually very bright and affectionate, so don't be down hearted. Your baby is wakeful because she loves you and craves your friendship, she doesn't mean to starve you of sleep, she just wants to learn and be sociable. Every minute spent awake with you, she'll be forging new links with the world and developing many skills. Think about this, too when she's awake during the day, if she isn't tired, why should she sleep. From her point of view, it's much better for her to stay with you, so don't be surprised if she cries when you leave her. What You Can Try

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Keep her temperature even touch her skin to check that she isn't too cold or hot, add or remove blankets if necessary. Check the room temperature a temperature of about 65°F (18°C) is comfortable. *

Change her diaper if it's wet or soiled and soothe the diaper area with a mild diaper cream (zinc oxide), if necessary. *

Use a rocking cradle or push her rhythmically in her carriage. *

Play her a tape of the human heartbeat, the sound she heard in the womb. *

Play her music you listened to during pregnancy, or an old fashioned music box with a simple repetitive melody can be really effective. *

Play her a tape of you and your partner quietly talking. *

Put the crib on alternate sides of the bed each night so that you can take turns seeing to her. Talk to her and rock her, you don't need to pick her up. *

If she's obviously reluctant to sleep get her up and put her in her baby chair where she can see you. *

Hang a mobile over her crib so she has something interesting to watch when she wakes up. A mobile that plays music is ideal. *

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