Giving Children Security Blankets Encourages Good Sleep Habits

As a new mother, I knew in my heart how very lucky I was. My first born was not only a healthy, happy baby boy, but he turned out to be an "easy" baby, too. He had a calm, cheerful little disposition. He rarely cried. Oh sure, I'd like to believe it was all my doing; that Matthew was so very content due to my Exceptional Mothering Skills.

As a pediatric nurse who sometimes "floated" over to the nursery of our local hospital, I knew I was knowledgeable about babies and children. But being a first time mother is a whole other ball game! I was fraught with the same worries & fears that any new mother might have, in spite of my training with children. Added to the anxiety of being at home with a new baby, those early sleep deprived weeks could make any new mom feel as though she's functioning in a fog. It's too bad that those precious first weeks with a newborn can't be enjoyed and appreciated more fully, more wakefully!

So, when Baby finally sleeps through the night and Mom can get six to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep, it's a welcome relief; a cause for celebration! That is, if she still wasn't so darn tired! I do have a tip to share with all the other new mothers out there, something that I unconsciously encouraged. It's an easy concept I learned a long time ago, in Psych 101. But, to have seen it in action was still quite an education.

New babies need to feel secure to develop good sleeping habits. I won't even go into what we should already know; the need for a full tummy, to be kept warm, clean, dry & comfortable. But what really kept my new baby so very content, was the feeling of security that he got from his "mommy's helper," or my replacement, if you will; however temporary it may have been needed.