Sleep routines - babies

A baby's upbringing and culture will determine how important sleep routines are. As you can imagine in Africa amongst the Nomads some of our recommended strategies for sleep may be very inappropriate! Nomad children may fall asleep in many different locations or in their mother's arms or a sling as the mother moves around.

All babies have their own individual sleep times and routine depending upon the child-rearing practices of the family, eg sleeping in a hammock, in mother's arms, carried in a baby sling, pram, indoors/outdoors, etc.

It is important to communicate with the child's family and provide care that closely approximates care at home as this will provide consistency and security for the child.

This is why communication with the child's family is so important. Discuss with the child's parents or family members what the child's individual routine is and how you can follow it to minimise disruption for the child.

Do you have a routine when you are preparing for sleep? Do you relax by taking a bath, having a warm drink or reading?

Sole is 2 months old. His family has just migrated to Australia from Saudi Arabia. He is the fourth child in the family. His mother will be attending TAFE to learn English, but his father speaks fluent English and is working for a large oil company. Sole will be attending day care full-time from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm.

What kind of things do you need to know about Sole's sleeping routines to care for him without disrupting his routine?

Record your thoughts in your notebook.