What is heat stroke?

Heat stroke is a life-threatening condition that occurs when a person becomes extremely overheated. Basically, the body’s temperature rises while its ability to cool off shuts down.

Babies and young children are especially vulnerable to heat stroke. Your baby might get heat stroke if he is outside too long in very hot weather, for example, especially if he becomes dehydrated or if he’s dressed too warmly.

Riding in a hot car — or leaving him in a parked car, which you should never do — would put him at risk, too. Heat stroke can occur within minutes in a car, where the temperature quickly climbs much higher than the outside temperature.

How will I know if my baby has heat stroke?

Your baby may first show signs of heat exhaustion, which is milder. You may notice that he’s unusually thirsty or tired, or that his skin is cool and moist. If he’s old enough, he may complain of leg or stomach cramps.

If your baby’s heat exhaustion progresses to heat stroke, he may have any of the following symptoms:

• A temperature of 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.4 degrees Celsius) or higher — but no sweating
• Hot, red, dry skin
• Rapid pulse
• Restlessness
• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Headache (which may make him irritable)
• Vomiting
• Rapid, shallow breathing
• Lethargy (Your baby might not respond as strongly as usual when you call his name or tickle his skin, for example.)
• Unconsciousness

You’ll also want to watch for signs of dehydration.

What should I do if I suspect my baby has heat stroke?

You’ll need to bring your baby’s internal temperature down as quickly as possible. Time is of the essence — a child suffering from severe heat stroke can easily slip into unconsciousness.

First, call 911. Then undress your baby completely and lay him down in a cool area. If you’re outside in the sun, find some shade, but if at all possible, move him into a cool room.

While you’re waiting for the ambulance, sponge down your baby’s body with a washcloth or rag dipped in cool water, and fan him. You can use an electric fan or simply fan him with something in your hand, like a magazine.

Talk to your baby reassuringly to keep him calm. Don’t give him anything to drink. And though you may be tempted to give your baby acetaminophen, it won’t lower a temperature caused by heat stroke.

If your baby is showing signs of heat exhaustion but it hasn’t progressed to heat stroke, bring him indoors — to an air conditioned room, if possible. Give him plenty of breast milk or formula and, if he’s 4 months or older, a little water.

You might also give him a cool bath and keep him indoors for the rest of the day. If he doesn’t seem to be improving quickly, take him to the doctor or emergency room.

How can I prevent my baby from getting heat stroke?

It doesn’t take much to bring on overheating, especially if your baby’s not used to the hot weather (in the beginning of summer, for example).

Dress your baby in lightweight, loose-fitting clothing. Try to keep him in the shade when you take him outside, and check to make sure that he’s staying cool during car rides. Give him more fluids than usual on hot days, and when the temperature is really severe, keep your baby indoors if you can.

If your home is very hot and you don’t have air conditioning, seek comfort at a public library, the mall, or a community shelter provided especially for relief from the heat.

Diary of a Night Nanny

The story so far:  Millie is three years old and has struggled with disrupted sleep for several months, usually meaning she ends up in her parents’ bed.  Her mum, Joanna, and I had tackled Monday night together when Millie had been gently returned to her bed 32 times in 50 minutes before finally staying in her own bed for the rest of the night (see previous entries of my Diary on our website).  Now, we need to make sure we can reinforce the lessons of last night.

Tuesday night:  During one of our many conversations, Joanna had asked why Millie suddenly developed such bad sleep habits.  “She used to be a really good sleeper as a baby; I remember being amazed when we lived in our first tiny flat and we could hear every noise the neighbours made, that she wasn’t disturbed by them.  And then we found ourselves with such an appalling sleeper, and I can’t pinpoint exactly when it all went wrong.”  We discuss the changes in Millie’s life and the development from a baby to a toddler.  The progressive maturity of a baby’s brain is something which fascinates me; I love noting the changes from the baby who is aware of nothing more than her own immediate needs to the older baby who notices that the world doesn’t revolve around her.  The point at which a baby realises that when a toy drops off the table, it hasn’t actually vanished altogether and forever, it is just out of sight; when she gets older and realises that when Mummy leaves the room she hasn’t gone completely, she will actually return; the lovely story of the little girl who moved house around the time of her third birthday and was being taught her new address and her new age – when she was asked her name, answered uncertainly, “Well, it used to be Katie…” All these are milestones in a child’s awareness of the world and her place in it, and if some event happens which the child can’t make sense of, this can often manifest itself in the beginning of broken sleep.  A new baby or a house move are the most common upsets, and can often happen at around the same time since a second or third baby means the current home is not big enough for the growing family.  Parents will correctly put the behaviour down to the recent upheaval and therefore indulge it, since it isn’t the child’s fault.  However, habits tend to become enforced very quickly so it is better to nip bad ones in the bud.  Nevertheless, good habits can also be quickly taught and entrenched by parents and professionals, particularly since the brain, our third partner, will recognise the benefits of good sleep habits and grab onto them.

Joanna agrees with all of this, and adds: “When we moved, just before baby Jack was born, Simon got a promotion which means he is travelling a lot, so when Millie began coming into my bed there was room for her, and I was so tired trying to sort out the new house, deal with the new baby, meet people and make friends, find out about things we could do together, I just let her stay.  I suppose part of me felt this could count as “quality time” – now I can see much more clearly, but then it was through a fog of exhaustion.”

I explain to Joanna that she should always tell Millie what is happening.  Millie may not have the words to articulate her worries, but she will understand what Joanna is saying, with the added benefit of expanding her vocabulary at the same time.  If she is told in the morning that Daddy is going to be away tonight, it won’t come as a surprise to her.  Millie must also have been confused as to when she was allowed in Mummy’s bed and when she wasn’t, so that will have added to her sleep disruption.  “Now, though,” Joanna says firmly, “the answer is simple – she’s never allowed in!”

Finally I head upstairs to my familiar bedroom beside Millie’s.  Tonight I am expecting great things of her and I am not disappointed.  She wakes up three times in total; the first time around 1am, which means she has completed several sleep cycles before the disruption kicks in.  I have heard her on the baby monitor several times and she has settled herself without my intervention, but this time she calls out, groggily: “Mummy?” so I go into her room.  She has her legs over the side of the bed and is automatically getting out without really being conscious of what she is doing.  I come to her side and repeat the mantra she is so familiar with: “Night, night, sleep tight.”  No conversation, no explanation.  She looks at me sleepily and allows me to tuck her back into bed without demur.

The next waking happens at 4am; I listen to the snuffles on the baby monitor turning into grizzles and wonder if she will self-settle again.  It seems not; after a couple of minutes the grizzles begin to rise in intensity and I leap to my feet before she wakes herself up too much.  I go into her room.  Millie’s eyes are wide open, her body is tense and her breathing faster than normal, so she is very awake, but she hasn’t got out of bed.  I stroke her hair off her forehead several times to soothe her, and after three minutes she is calm again.  I say “Night, night, sleep tight,” and leave the room before she has fallen properly back to sleep, so she knows what has happened.

The final waking happens only an hour later at 5.15 am, and this can often be the tricky one.  Children have had nearly their full quota of sleep so they don’t feel tired; in the summer, early morning light coming through the window wakens them; and parents can begin to feel that their children are simply “early risers”.  The trick is to ignore the time on the clock and imagine that it is still 3am, so you expect the child to return to sleep.  They don’t know what the time is and will take their clues from you, and they still have two sleep cycles left to run.  The lack of these final few hours of sleep will build up and have the same consequences as waking in the middle of the night.

So Millie gets the same treatment as she has had before; the same soothing techniques, the same mantra, the same departure from her room just before she falls back to sleep.  And at 7am she wakes normally after her full night’s sleep, bright, bubbly and smiling – just like her mother.  I will be back tonight, however, as we need to make sure this behaviour is forever, not just a flash in the pan.

For more information on anything mentioned in this article contact Georgie Bateman at Night Nannies on 01794 301762 or georgie@nightnannies.com.  The website is www.nightnannies.com. Other useful organisations are FSID (www.fsid.org.uk), the Department of Health (www.dh.gov.uk) and UNICEF (www.babyfriendlyorg.uk).

The story so far:  I spent last week teaching Jack, aged 10 months, to sleep through the night.  Mille is three years old and also struggles with disrupted sleep, ending up in her parents’ bed more often than not.  This week it is her turn.

Monday night (continued):  Joanna and I have done a lot of talking this evening.  To my mind this is the groundwork required to make sure Joanna understands what we are about to do and why it is so important for Millie – and the rest of the family.  The next few hours will mark a change in Joanna and Millie’s relationship: it is a change for the better, but it may not seem like it at the time and as we won’t have a chance to talk too much, we need to ensure we understand each other before we start.

At about 10pm we go to bed; I do not expect to spend much time in my room tonight, however.  Once the noise of water running through pipes has quietened and the house is still, I lie on my bed reading, with an eye and an ear on the monitor beside me.  Very shortly I hear stirring from Millie’s room.  I am on my feet in a flash and intercept her just as she is coming out of her room and Joanna is coming out of hers – she, too, has heard Millie.  Millie looks at me sleepily and says: “I want to sleep in Mummy’s bed.”  Joanna looks at me for reassurance and then says “No sweetie, you’re going back to your own bed.”  As we have discussed, Joanna takes Millie gently by the shoulders and returns her to her bed.  She tucks her up, pulls the duvet firmly round her shoulders and says “Sleep tight, see you in the morning” – the mantra we have devised which will become the signal for both Jack and Millie that this is the last time they will see their parents before the following morning.  Meanwhile I write the time on my notepad and beside it I make a mark, a single vertical line.  Hardly have I done this than I hear Millie getting out of bed again.  At a nod from me Joanna goes into her room, returns her to bed, tucks her firmly in, repeats the mantra and leaves the room.  I make another vertical mark on my pad.  The third time Millie gets out of bed and appears at the door, looking rather confused and a little hurt.  Joanna is brilliant and once again returns her to bed.  The reality of the situation is beginning to dawn on Millie and she isn’t sure she likes it.  The fourth time she is crying – she doesn’t understand why her Mummy won’t let her do what she is used to doing.  She doesn’t get out of bed, but calls for her mother.  “I’m thirsty, I need a drink.”  Joanna glances at me with a worried look in her eye.  I know she wants to respond to Millie’s needs, it is a maternal instinct that mothers understandably find hard to deny.  But I shake my head and smile at her.  She smiles back, remembering the conversation we had downstairs.  Joanna had told me that Millie often needed a drink or a wee when she woke up.  We had discussed Millie’s diet and the fact that she should be drinking sufficient during the day not to need a drink after her supper, and that if she hadn’t had a drink since supper she shouldn’t need to wee in the middle of the night.  Of course, sometimes this reasoning isn’t true, but Joanna understood that she needed to recognise the difference between a real need and an excuse for not going back to sleep.  After a few moments we hear Millie getting out of bed and Joanna is on her feet again, returning her quietly to her bed.  Millie is crying, “I really, really need a drink.”  So Joanna responds in as few words as possible.  “No you don’t, darling, go to bed, sleep tight, see you in the morning.”  She remembers just to make a statement which closes down the possibility of dialogue, not to open up a conversation by asking Millie any questions.  She returns Millie to bed and tucks her in firmly again.  Over the next half an hour Millie gets out of bed 19 times in total, using a variety of excuses including feeling too hot, too cold, too dark, dropping her muslin (without which she cannot sleep), feeling scared of funny shapes outside her curtain, not feeling tired, hearing odd noises and many others – if this wasn’t so hard for Joanna already, I would comment on the variety and imaginativeness of Millie’s excuses, but I can see that Joanna is struggling and sometimes she won’t meet my eye when she comes out of Millie’s bedroom.

On my notepad now there is a growing number of vertical lines, every fifth one diagonally crossing out the preceding four, like a prisoner counting off the days of his incarceration.  The first half hour has passed and I have started making marks beside the second half hour mark.  Joanna looks over my shoulder and manages a little smile.  “That’s how I feel,” she whispers.  “Imprisoned – I’m not getting out of here until the job is done, am I?”  I smile back reassuringly.  “It will be worth it for both of you,” I say.  Another 20 minutes pass and Millie gets out of bed a further 13 times.  Joanna is weary and it shows in her body language, but she is gamely persevering because we both know this has to be done for everyone’s sake.  The difference between us is that I know it will work and Joanna isn’t at all sure.

Eventually there is a breakthrough.  Millie is put back to bed, Joanna says, “Sleep tight, see you in the morning,” for the 32^nd time in less than an hour, returns to her seat on the landing and … nothing.  Millie stays in her bed, Joanna and I hold our breath and after five minutes I whisper “Go and check on her.”  Joanna peeps round Millie’s bedroom door and looks back at me with a radiant face.  “She’s fast asleep!”

Joanna gives me a big hug and I send her off to bed.  She looks absolutely exhausted, but pleased with herself, as she has every right to be.  Millie has learned a really important lesson tonight, and Joanna has too.

Next time:  Millie’s sleep training continues.

Diary of a Night Nanny

The story so far:  I spent last week teaching Jack, aged 10 months, to sleep through the night.  Mille is three years old and also struggles with disrupted sleep, ending up in her parents’ bed more often than not.  This week it is her turn.

Monday night (continued): Millie woke 32 times in 50 minutes between 10pm and 11pm before she fell asleep.  Joanna was exhausted and emotionally wrung out, but really pleased that it had finally worked.  However, Millie is likely to wake again during the night and we must reinforce the lesson she has begun to learn.  I always explain to mothers that babies and toddlers who wake more frequently will have more opportunities to learn the lesson than those who only wake once, consequently achieving success more quickly.

Millie stays asleep for just over three hours before waking again.  She cries out in her sleep and I leap to her bedroom door just in case she gets up.  “Mummy!” she calls out sleepily, so I go in to soothe her.  Her eyes flicker anxiously as she registers who I am.  She is sitting up in bed, looking as if she is about to get out, but I pre-empt her by putting my hands on her shoulders and gently easing her back down her bed so she doesn’t have any option except to lie down again.  I straighten her duvet, put my hand on her forehead and repeat the mantra she has heard so many times already tonight, “Sleep tight, see you in the morning.”  She looks a little uncertain and whimpers quietly before her eyes close and she falls back to sleep.  She obviously remembers the lesson she learnt earlier in the night.  I wait outside her bedroom door for a few minutes until I am certain she is dropping from REM sleep to non-REM sleep, then I return to my room.  Joanna hasn’t woken, nor does she need to.

There are three of us in this training process: me, Joanna, and Millie’s brain.  Millie’s brain has got into the habit of feeling that Millie cannot go to sleep without her mother’s intervention so whenever Millie completes a sleep cycle and comes to near-wakefulness, she needs Joanna to help her, and now that Millie is old enough, she will go straight to Joanna’s bed to find this intervention.  However, Millie’s brain also knows that Millie needs twelve hours’ uninterrupted sleep in order to function properly; if she doesn’t get it she will begin to lack concentration skills which will impact on her learning ability; she will become anti-social as she won’t have the patience to develop friendships, particularly with her peers at school who will not be as forgiving as her parents or teachers; and her brain needs to have its cycles of continuous REM and non-REM sleep in order to process the information Millie is taking on board every day of her life.  So Millie’s brain is also doing its part in this sleep training process and supporting the new behaviour that Joanna and I are teaching Millie.  This is why Millie falls asleep so easily in the middle of the night having had such a struggle to get to sleep earlier in the night.

There are only a couple of further disruptions during the course of the night, and each time I don’t need to do anything more than place a reassuring hand on Millie’s body through the duvet, before she falls back to sleep.  It is as if each time she completes a sleep cycle, moving from her deep non-REM sleep up through layers of consciousness to her lighter, REM sleep, she is less conscious each time, allowing her brain to draw her easily back down to deep sleep for the next sleep cycle.  Millie wakes up naturally at 7am the following morning.  I hear her moving around in her bed and put my head around the door with a big smile on my face.  “Look at you, you stayed in your own bed all night long.  You clever, clever girl!” I exclaim heartily.  Millie giggles.  She seems to have forgotten all about the previous night’s battle of wills and asks if she can go and see her Mummy.  We open Joanna’s door quietly but Joanna hears us and opens her eyes slowly.  As her eyes focus, I can see her remembering the effort of last night and then, quickly following on from that thought, the realisation that it is morning and Millie isn’t in her bed.  She sits up and opens her arms to Millie, who throws herself across the room into them.  “I slept in my bed, you slept in your bed and Jack slept in his bed all night long!” she announces to her delighted mother.

I go downstairs to make us both a cup of coffee and Joanna, Millie and Jack come to join me.  While the children are having breakfast, Joanna and I discuss the previous night’s events.  “I can’t believe it,” says Joanna.  “I got to the stage last night where I felt it was never going to end.”  She looks at me shamefacedly, “At one point, I hated you for making me go through this, and I hated myself for booking you – isn’t that dreadful?”  I laugh and remind her of the conversations we’d had before we started.  I had told her that it might be a long haul, but I had also explained that it wouldn’t traumatise Millie and would ultimately be for her benefit.  “Oh, yes,” agrees Joanna, “it’s just I was so tired, I felt like a zombie.  And yet, shortly after that, Millie fell asleep and pretty much stayed asleep for the rest of the night.  I was so close to giving up, and yet she was so close to getting it right – it would have been such a shame.”  I tell Joanna that it is quite likely Millie will try to get into her bed again tonight, since new habits take up to five nights to become permanent, but that it won’t be anything like as hard as last night.  Joanna smiles over her cup of coffee.  “I feel better than I have in ages – I can’t remember the last time that I had more than a few hours’ sleep in one stretch.”  I leave her with the Sleep Diary on the kitchen table, and ask her to note any changes in Millie’s behaviour.  The Sleep Diary has been a really useful resource during both Jack and Millie’s training and charts the development for the whole family to see.  On the previous page Millie has drawn a picture of herself sleeping beside her mother.  “Can you draw a picture for me today?”  I ask her.  “What shall I draw?” she replies.  “Draw me a picture of where you are all going to sleep tonight.”  I suggest.  Millie and I grin at each other conspiratorially and I leave the family in peace.

This is byVicki Scott, midwife. Owner of New Baby Company-courses, classes and consultations for pregnancy, birth and beyond. www.newbabycompany.com

On average your newborn may feed every 2-4 hours, ‘little & often’; as your baby grows/ she should need to feed less frequently and can take more milk each feed time.”

“If breasts are hard and painful when your milk comes in, try popping a green cabbage leaf from the fridge in your bra after feeds.   Warmth and massage before feeds will help soften the breasts and encourage milk flow.”

“Encourage baby to have a wide open mouth for latching-on by starting off in the nose-to-nipple position.  When she opens her mouth wide, bring her quickly to the breast aiming the nipple to the roof of your baby’s mouth.”

“Once your milk has come in, encourage your baby to feed fully from the first breast at each feed.  This way, he will get the thirst quenching foremilk and the richer hindmilk each time.”

“Most babies need to be winded during and after feeds.  Hold your baby in an upright position on your knee or over your shoulder – giving her gentle pats until she burps!”

“Your baby is likely to be getting enough milk if he settles well after feeds, wakes to feed regularly, has runny stools, lots of wet nappies and gains weights steadily.”

“When offering a bottle, encourage your baby to open his mouth wide by touching the teat of the bottle to his lower lip.  As he opens his mouth, gently introduce the teat making sure your baby’s tongue is down.”

“Breastfeeding works on supply and demand – offering your baby regular breastfeeds when she’s hungry ensures your milk supply will grow to match your baby’s needs.  The more your baby feeds, the more milk you will make for her.”

“Make time for your baby’s bottle – get comfortable and spend some close time with your baby during and after the feed.”

After your baby is born, you enter a whole new world which completely centres around the new arrival-at first anyway! The first few weeks are a special time when you get to know one another and adapt to your new life as a family.

What’s important in the early weeks is that your baby learns to feed well, settle & sleep well , be kept warm & dry and feels secure and loved. As new parents this involves a lot of new responsibilities and babies don’t come with instructions! Your maternal (and paternal) instincts will kick in more than you will expect, but it’s great to have some guidance through those early weeks and months, and something to help you keep a track of your babies milestones and progress.

In the early days and weeks it can be handy to jot down your baby’s feeds, wet and dirty nappies and sleeps. This provides your midwife or Health Visitor with information she can use to help advise you.

A little later, keeping a detailed record of your baby’s day can help you see patterns emerging in terms of feeds and naptimes which can be helpful when you are trying to plan activities and get out & about more with your baby.

Those early days can be quite hectic at times, and often unpredictable, that’s the nature of babies! Looking back on the ‘story’ of your baby’s first few months certainly shows you how far you’ve come as your baby gets older-and second time parents often tell me they were fascinated to look back on their first baby’s diary when number 2 arrives!

Your baby’s feeding routine

I’m often asked what a baby’s routine should be, or why a baby needs one. Use the word ‘routine’ and ‘baby’ in the same sentence and the assumption is often made that the routine is a negative thing, working against the baby’s natural cycles and needs, and that the routine is more for the parents than the baby. In my mind this couldn’t be further from the truth-a routine to me is a way to get a baby organised into a regular cycle of feeding and sleeping which works with his natural cycles, respecting his need for regular feeds and sleeps. It should never involve making a hungry baby wait for his feed or leaving him to cry when very young.

Babies vary in how long they take to feed, and how far the gaps are between feeds. As a mum, you’ll soon get to know your baby’s ways and preferences and your feeding relationship and routine will develop. A baby’s digestive system works better and becomes more settled if he is encouraged to take full feeds rather than snacks-resulting in less wind and colic. His system has a chance to digest one meal before starting another.

At the very least, a routine is whatever works for you and your baby that you are happy with and that makes you feel confident in your new role.

Once you have made the decision to hire a Maternity Nurse/ Night Nanny then it is important that you choose the right person for your family. The safest and best way to do this is to use a reputable agency.

The agency will have already carried out an initial interview, asking many in depth childcare questions, and they will have followed up lots of references. However, you should always follow up some references yourself since mothers are more likely to tell you things they are not prepared to write in a reference or even disclose to an agency. Qualifications will have been checked too, including an Enhanced CRB Disclosure and First Aid Certificate. They will also be able to advise you on employing a Maternity Nurse whose particular skills and personality will suit your family, making the whole process much smoother and avoiding you interviewing people who just don’t suit your needs.

A good Maternity Nurse/ Night Nanny may have a childcare qualification and will definitely have lots of experience working with babies. Naturally you would also expect the Maternity Nurse/ Night Nanny to have a genuine interest in children and their development. Qualifications and experience are very important, but it is also paramount that you go with your gut instinct, if something isn’t quite right then most likely the relationship wont work, so keep on looking until you find the perfect Maternity Nurse/ Night Nanny for you, as they will be with you at a very special and emotional time of your life.  To see some of our nannies click here

Have a list of questions ready. Ask about her views on routines, her breast/ bottle-feeding experience and about previous jobs. Tell her if you have any worries or concerns to see whether her opinions match with yours. If you are getting along well then talk about how you see her fitting in with your family, about food that she likes/ dislikes and how rest periods will work. You should also decide on a day off that suits you both. Make sure you give her time to ask any questions that she may have too. Feel free to write down notes as you talk to her, especially if you are interviewing a couple of ladies.

If you have other children and they are home then introduce them, although she will not be caring for them she will be interacting with them whilst in your home, and you will get a feel of how she is with children!

Remember again when making your decision to go with your instinct and the person that you clicked with!

There are so many baby related items on the market now days that it can often be very overwhelming for expectant parents to know what and what not to buy. Our Maternity Nurses and Night Nannies tell us that baby’s nurseries (and the rest of the house!) can be over overloaded with items and equipment that just aren’t necessary, so Night Nannies have written a small guide to help you.

Clothes

Our advice is don’t buy too many! Often you will receive clothes as gifts, so buy the basics yourself; 10 baby grows, 10 vests, a couple of hats and cardigans should do. Don’t go crazy on lots of pretty day clothes as you may find your baby has grown out of them before they’ve even worn them! Also consider what season your baby is being born, as if summer then they wont need a padded all in one.

Nappies/ Changing Area

Disposables or washables, or a mix of both? That really is your first decision! Look for companies that can deliver nappies to your door and also those that will launder your washable nappies. It is useful to have a changing mat for both upstairs and downstairs and small towels (terry toweling nappies are great) for covering them to keep small bottoms warm! Using cotton wool instead of wipes in the first few weeks is soft for babies bottoms, and we suggest getting the larger pads rather than the small balls as much easier for wiping mess and a little Tupperware pot will be sufficient for the warm water to dampen the cotton wool. Keep a small bottle of hand steiliser gel near by; just helps keep those germs to a minimum.

Nursery

Decide on whether you are getting a standard cot or one that will eventually convert into a bed, consider the size of your nursery and what suits your needs. A change table can be useful but a mat on the floor is also sufficient and ensures no rolling accidents. Buy a firm mattress that meets British Safety Standards (look for the kite mark), and one with a waterproof cover is useful. Fitted sheets are preferable and a couple of cellular blankets that are big enough to tuck in tightly, along with four swaddling wraps should be sufficient. The ready made ones (NO Velcro!) really are quite good! Buy an auto fade nightlight for those nighttime wakes and a CD player for calming bedtime lullabies.

Bath Time

Baby baths are great but very heavy when full of water, so get one with a plug in the bottom to empty out easily. You may prefer to just use your bath and buy a bath support. If you choose to go for a plastic one then a muslin cloth will soften the hardness. Go for a natural organic baby wash and massage oil with a light scent such as apricot.

Pushchairs

This is tough as everyone has a different opinion! You need to consider what you are using your pushchair for, e.g. mainly town or country. This will determine whether you need a three-wheeler or a simple pushchair. You may want a travel system that includes a car seat, avoiding waking your baby as you swap from car to pushchair? And is it important for you that your baby faces you from birth? Have you considered whether the pushchair fit through your front door or even in your car boot!? We suggest going to a large department store to try them all out and don’t forget to order extras e.g. cosy toes, sunshades and rain covers.

Feeding

You can never have enough muslins! Also plenty of bibs! Ensure you have a supportive nursing bra and breast pads too. If you are planning to express then consider hiring a pump. Even if breast-feeding it is useful to have a few bottles and all the bits to go with them. This is so expressed milk can be used for top-ups if needed. It just covers all possibilities.

Extras

Doing things like fitting the bedroom with a dimmer switch and getting a black out blind are useful. Consider getting a rucksack as your change bag so you can have your hands free at all times! A bouncy chair is useful, especially the ones with the rigid frames that can be used from newborn.

Keep everything wrapped until you need it as you may find that you don’t, and of course keep all receipts too!

Night Nannies owner, Anastasia Baker was on The Baby Channel talking about how she set up the business.  She explains the duties of a Night Nanny, click here for more.  Many of the Night Nannies are ex maternity nurses or nurses.  If you want to know more about them click here.  This was recorded in 2006 so the fees have changed.  For fees click here.  Since the recording Government guidelines have changed about when to put a baby on solids from 4 months to 6 months.

1. Always try to put your baby down awake so he will recognise where he is if he wakes up in the middle of the night and not fret.

2. As your baby gets older (from about six weeks) and is beginning to stretch the time between feeds, ensure that the last feed of the day is a really filling one. Often your baby will be too tired to make the effort to feed properly, but persevere as this will enable you both to sleep for longer.

3. Don’t worry if your baby grizzles when you put him down to sleep. Babies often create their own wall of “white sound” in order to cut out other noises that are preventing them from going to sleep. If your baby’s crying increases or continues for more than 10 minutes you should, of course, go to him and establish what is wrong.

4. Use a dummy to settle your baby at the beginning of his sleep, whether a nap or an overnight sleep; however, do not let him become dummy-dependent by using it throughout the night – once it has fallen out, leave it. This way, he will not become used to having it returned to him and will learn to sleep without it. (However, if breastfeeding, wait until your baby is one month old to ensure breastfeeding is well-established).

5. Once your baby is weaned (from 6 months), he is able to start sleeping through the night as he will be getting sufficient nutrition during the day. If he is still waking, don’t just leave him to cry. Instead, take a deep breath and a lot of patience, and kneel by his cot stroking his tummy in a clockwise direction with one hand and stroking his feet from toe to heel with the other (hold his feet together as if you were about to change his nappy). This will give him as much reassurance as if you were cuddling him and will eventually allow his desire for sleep to overcome his desire for a feed. And/or you can give him a bottle of cooled boiled water. Within 5 consecutive nights your baby should be sleeping through.

6. Maximise the differences between daytime naps and overnight sleep (nursery and kitchen, dimmed light and bright daylight, calm one-on-one time and busy family chatter).

7. Help your baby to develop his internal bodyclock (or Circadian cycle) by keeping his feed times and nap times consistent during the day – it will help with his overnight sleep.

8. Put in place a regular evening routine so your baby picks up on sleep associations (for example, a bath, a massage, storytime with older siblings, feed and bed). Try to make this a transferable routine, so that it can remain the same when you go on holiday or to granny’s for the night.

9. Ensure your baby’s bedroom is a peaceful place, somewhere he can sleep well. Try to keep toys downstairs, have soft lighting and subtle colours. A black-out blind can be particularly useful to keep out early summer sunlight.

10. Make sure your baby’s room isn’t too hot (or, less likely, too cold). An ideal temperature is around 18°C.

Remember: if you are breastfeeding, you will not be able to begin guiding your baby into a good sleep routine until this has been well-established for your baby, ie: between 4-6 weeks.