Singing a lullaby is a wonderful way to bond for you and your baby and makes for very special memories. It will also, hopefully, create a calm atmosphere ( no Iron Maiden please!!) for your little one to settle down to sleep.
We've found the lyrics to a couple of time-tested lullabies for you to try.....no excuses for la, la,  laaing !!!!!

Hush Little Baby

Hush, little baby, don't say a word.
Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird
And if that mockingbird won't sing,
Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring
And if that diamond ring turns brass,
Papa's gonna buy you a looking glass
And if that looking glass gets broke,
Papa's gonna buy you a billy goat
And if that billy goat won't pull,
Papa's gonna buy you a cart and bull
And if that cart and bull turn over,
Papa's gonna buy you a dog named Rover
And if that dog named Rover won't bark
Papa's gonna buy you a horse and cart
And if that horse and cart fall down,
You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town.


Rock-a-Bye Baby

Rock-a-bye baby, in the treetop
When the wind blows, the cradle will rock
When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall
And down will come baby, cradle and all

However... if your singing is anything like mine (all who know me will vouch for this), here are a couple of links to lullabies performed by slightly better singers. They may not work for the baby but you'll be 'zzz.z..z...z....z....z......z........' in no time!! 

 

Baby Sleep 1

Oh how I wish sleep was as easy to come by.Maybe these tips will offer a few ideas  !!!

How much sleep is normal?

Most babies still wake to feed every two to three hours (sometimes stretching it to four hours at night if you have an exceptionally considerate baby) for the first six to eight weeks - give or take. And then it will most likely be another few months before your baby is sleeping through the night. We know it sounds impossible to get through this when you're in week one, but before you know it you'll be looking back at this fuzzy, sleep deprived time and hardly remember it. (Probably because you've been half asleep this whole time.)
There's not much parents have to do to encourage or schedule their baby's sleep patterns during the first week. As you've probably noticed, they'll sleep anywhere, anytime - whether it's in the middle of a feeding or just as the family comes over to visit.
Your baby will sleep a whopping 14 to 18 hours a day right now, which seems as though you'd have plenty of time to sleep yourself, right? However, their irregular short naps (one or two hours at a time) doesn't leave nearly enough time to feel rejuvenated. It's assumed that babies need these short naps in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep to aid in their development.

Baby's sleep signals

Pay close attention to your baby's sleep signals. Some parents confuse a baby's overtired behavior as nighttime colic because they don't realise that their baby has been giving them sleepy signals for hours. As they get older, the days of them passing out whenever and wherever they feel may be behind you. Now it's up to you to notice the cues (eye rubs, pulling at the ears, red eyes, etc.) and put your baby to bed. Most young babies aren't able to be awake for more than two consecutive hours. Eventually you and your baby will get into a sleep schedule, but this is the trial-and-error period where you need to follow your baby's lead. The more overtired a baby becomes, the less he or she will sleep.

Healthy sleep habits

Although your baby is starting to develop a schedule, starting a regimented sleep training routine isn't necessary, just yet. However, if you'd like to start developing healthy sleep habits then you can try letting your baby self-soothe to sleep by putting him or her down while they're still awake. Some experts believe that rocking or nursing babies to sleep, even at this young age, is fostering their dependency on sleep aids. (Others believe that newborns should be nurtured and comforted no matter what, and if rocking them to sleep helps then so be it. Follow whichever philosophy instinctively feels right.)
It's never too late to start a bedtime routine, such as: shower, baby massage, story, feeding, bed. Dim the lights and play soothing music to further instill the concept of bedtime.

When baby falls asleep when feeding

If your baby passes out as soon as the suckling starts, you might want to wake him - especially if you're trying to boost your milk supply. First try simply unswaddling your baby. If that doesn't work, strip your baby down to his nappy (if it's not too cold), which should awaken baby from a light slumber.
If breastfeeding, you could try holding baby upright for a few seconds and then switch nursing positions. Try gently burping him. Rub your nipple or the bottle's nipple on baby's lips, or gently stroke the outside corner of the mouth to stimulate sucking.
When you feed your baby make sure the lights aren't too bright (where your baby would want to shield his eyes) or too dark. Don't let your baby go three hours without breastfeeding or four hours without drinking formula at this stage.
Put your baby to sleep on his back to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

I visited friends yesterday who had their first baby 2 days ago.  Baby Dexter is absolutely the cutest baby ever!!!... and I am feeling very, very broody!! However, beneath the smiles, excitement  and adoring gazes of mum and dad, their tiredness was already starting to show. It made me think back to those early days with my own brood and I decided this next chain of musings would deal with baby sleep starting from those earliest of days.

 

Gabby and Joe Congratulations!!!! ....this is for you .....

 

 

Newborn baby sleep

With a newborn baby, sleep is a luxury that was once taken for granted. Just to have four or five hours of uninterrupted rest probably sounds as close to bliss as you can imagine, yet it seems as though that will never happen - ever again. One of the biggest and most stressed about developments throughout baby's first year is how your baby is sleeping. You'll hear a parent brag that little James was sleeping through the night at two weeks (cue the eye rolls) or scare you by exaggerating that they haven't slept in three years. Every baby is different, and will continue to be so, but there are some general sleep habits you should know regarding your baby.

How much sleep is normal?

Most babies still wake to feed every two to three hours (sometimes stretching it to four hours at night if you have an exceptionally considerate baby) for the first six to eight weeks - give or take. And then it will most likely be another few months before your baby is sleeping through the night. We know it sounds impossible to get through this when you're in week one, but before you know it you'll be looking back at this hazy, sleep deprived time and hardly remember it. (Probably because you've been half asleep this whole time.)
There's not much parents have to do to encourage or schedule their baby's sleep patterns during the first week. As you've probably noticed, they'll sleep anywhere, anytime - whether it's in the middle of a feeding or just as the family comes over to visit.
Your baby will sleep a whopping 14 to 18 hours a day right now, which seems as though you'd have plenty of time to sleep yourself, right? However, their irregular short naps (one or two hours at a time) doesn't leave nearly enough time to feel rejuvenated. It's assumed that babies need these short naps in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep to aid in their development.