Settling in arms

Transcript

Narrator: Before attempting any responsive settling technique, it is important you follow SIDS and KIDS guidelines by always placing your baby on their back to sleep.

This video features an approach to settling that is suitable for all babies, but is best for younger babies, or where parents may be experiencing difficulties separating from their baby. As with every responsive settling technique, the first step is to look for your baby's tired cues.

Nurse: Okay, we're just waiting for, um, Fern to show some tired signs. She's been happy on the floor there for, um, about 15 or 20 minutes, so what we're looking for is for her to start to get a, you know, quite jerky in her movements, a little bit grisly, and we're going to take that as, that it's time for her to go to bed.

Oh, thank you Fern. That's helping Mummy recognise when you're getting tired. Is there anything else that you've picked up that you know that's recognising when she's getting tired?

Mum: She often has like little red eyebrows and gets like quite a worried look on her face. Also the droopy eyes and the little yawns.

Let's move forward

Narrator: It is important to create a calm and comfortable sleeping environment and ensure your baby's needs have been met before attempting to settle them.

Nurse: Oh, that's good, Kim. She's settling down nicely. So, let's get her in the sleeping bag before she gets too tired. Get her ready for bed.

Mum: Don't fall, nice. Don't fall, nice. Yes. Oh, dear. Here we go.

Nurse: And we're just going to do settling in arms. When you've got her in the bag, you've got to give her a nice cuddle.

Calm, gentle cuddling. We're just going to keep cuddling her a until she falls asleep. Let the atmosphere be a bit quieter for her and a bit darker.

Let's move forward

Nurse: Looks like she's gone to sleep Kim, so we'll just gently put her into bed.

Mum: Okay, okay.

Nurse: She's nicely asleep, she's settled beautifully for you. So, she's asleep.

Mum: I know, it's wonderful.

Nurse: It's lovely. Um, so, how did you feel about that, Kim? Were you comfortable doing that?

Mum: Yes, I really liked the way it soothed her and she didn't get as upset as she normally would when I tried to put her down and she just felt a little bit more loved and snuggled up before she rested.

Nurse: Yes, and you, as she was calming, you were softening and slowing your, and to make that gentle, very gentle soothing before you, she fell asleep, so it was, I thought it looked very comfortable.

Mum: Yes.

Nurse: It looked like the baby was very comfortable indeed.

Mum: Great. Thanks for your help.

Nurse: So that's, that's a pleasure. Well done. Well done, Kim.

Let's take a step back

Narrator: With the settling in arms method, if your baby wakes up after placing them in their cot, pick them up again and continue to comfort them in your arms until they're asleep.

Mum: Rosemary, I can hear her crying again. What do I do?

Nurse: Joaquin, we're going to go into her and you can pick her up again and cuddle her. Because we're doing settling in arms, it means that we're going to cuddle her and settle her in your arms. So, we won't leave her in the cot if she's awake and crying. We'll just pick her up again as you did before and we'll just settle her until she's asleep in your arms.

Mum: Okay, that sounds great.

Okay. Ahhhh! Yeah! Yeah! Shhhhh!

Narrator: For daytime settling continue settling attempts for up to 30 to 60 minutes. For daytime resettling, if your baby wakes under one hour during the day, reassess and consider resettling them for no longer than 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the age of your baby. If your baby has been in the cot for one to one and a half hours, do not attempt resettling.

For night time settling, if your baby is awake for longer than 30 to 60 minutes overnight, check if their nappy is clean. Consider feeding them or offering a drink of water. Give them a cuddle and start the settling process again. Try to keep the room's light level low and minimize conversation overnight.

At each settling period, consider how you and your baby are coping. If your baby doesn't settle to sleep in your arms, you may need to have a break from trying to get them to sleep. Always ensure your baby is safe.

There are advantages to using the settling in arms method.

• Most babies will generally enjoy being cuddled and cry less.
• Many parents find this method works well for them in the short term.
• It can be used as a transition to more independent settling.
• Parents feel more confident in their ability to settle their baby.

As with every settling method, there are also disadvantages you should be aware of.

• If settling in arms is used routinely, the baby can develop a sleep association and rely on this method to settle to sleep.
• You will generally need to wait until your baby is deeply asleep before placing them in the cot.
• This may not be effective in reducing your baby's crying over the long term due to dependence on you to help them to sleep.
• It can be time consuming, particularly in older babies.
• You may need to resettle the baby in your arms if it wakes prematurely.
• Older babies are often not happy for their parent to sit and cuddle them, and so you may need to stand and rock at the same time.
• This method can be physically difficult, as your baby gets heavier.
• Older babies can become dependent on the same parent to settle them to sleep, and may resist settling with anyone else.

The settling in arms method is suggested as a guide only. Each time you begin to settle your baby, consider how you and your baby are coping.