Does Johnson & Johnson's Bedtime Products Really Work?

Hi L.!

Newborn Babies need to feel REALLY secure at all times :o) Remember, your son was just all snuggly and nice & warm in your belly......now it's all bright, cold, and not as secure since he's been born. It's up to you, Mommy, to keep him snuggly and secure as if he was in your womb :o) That's the feeling he's looking for.

Are you wrapping him tight in a receiving blanket? Doing this will make your son feel more secure. They actually make something for infants to sleep in now, but I just used receiving blankets :o)

This is also why your son wants to be held alot. He needs to feel secure again. This is all part of the bonding process for mommy and baby :o) Just go with it and love that little boy :o)

I don't think you need to worry about using any products right now, your son is still very young.

Just focus on nothing else but making your newborn son feel safe and secure in his mommy's arms :o)

Congratulations, L.!

:o) N.

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I've heard so many icky things about J&J products (and others) some even contain formaldehyde! http://www.ewg.org/files/14-dioxane.pdf

Personally I use Burts Bees products, I find they are more affordable than some of the other natural products.

Also, I think your baby is still just very young to be sleeping through the night, it's one of those things that will eventually work out, but it's smart to start good sleeping habits and routines early!

One more thing. . .have you tried swaddling? We used the Happiest Baby on the Block techniques and it worked like a miracle!!

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I second the California Baby products! They are wonderful! Made from mostly organic/natural ingredients, and they smell great, too! They have similar formulas to Johnson's (lavender, calming) You can buy them at Whole Foods, and I think Target carries some, too.

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I agree with most of the other mom's here... we have an almost 2 year old, and he's always gone down/slept pretty well. We've used the Bedtime Bath since he was little (when very little, just in a bowl next to him while we bathed him so he could smell it, now actually in his bath) and later added a lavender scented lotion for his bedtime massage. Though I do think it's more the routine of it all that cues him for bedtime, the scent is just a nice bonus. His routine is dinner, read some books, bath, quick massage, jammies, bed. Even when he was just a couple months old, we'd still lie down and read to him, and if he wasn't getting bathed daily yet, would still wet his little head so he had the same routine each night. Used to be a nurse/bottle in there before bed, but he's outgrown that.
Good luck!

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Hi
I can't swear that it works. But I use these products.
I give my daughter her bath at night (she is 15mo) and spread the lotion all over, and she does relax and go to sleep. Peroidically we still fight the sleep, but for the most part, it seems to relax her and it smells very nice.
Good Luck!!
Kimberlie

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I don't know about it helping the baby sleep, because my 5 month old still isn't sleeping through the night, but it smells great and I love it. I would definetly recommend it.

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I used it because I liked the smell and the idea, but I also think that it is about routine more than any particular product. I am not using these products so much any more as they seemed to dry his skin, but I am using others with lavender (because I like it and find it relaxing). I think it is a learned association for babies: particular scent and routine with going to bed.

Your little one might be over tired by the time you're putting him down - can you try bedtime a bit earlier and see if that makes a difference? 9 weeks was about the time we started the whole bath/bed routine, but it did take a while for him to learn to settle to sleep by himself. Apparently it takes about 20 mins for them to get into deep sleep, if you're holding him.

E.

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I used to use this on my LO who is now 20 months old. I don't think it really helped put her to sleep but it does seem to calm her a little bit. Now I use an Organic Lavender wash for the two of us. It seems to work well. I think more than anything we just like the smell.

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babies are going on instinct when they wake up after being placed on their backs. this is why they sleep better on their tummies. have you tried a position with baby on his side? we talked about this a LOT at my last mommy group meeting.

good luck!!

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i actually bought this for myself since I'm having problems sleeping while I'm pregnant. I think the routine of the bath/shower really helps to make me tired. The baby wash has a nice soothing scent and is relaxing. I'm actually finding now that if I don't shower I have a hard time falling asleep. I imagine that establishing a nightly routine will help kids sleep, even if you don't use the body wash.
** PS- my S-I-L had the same problem with her son and her Dr reccommended she read Healthy Sleep Habits, Healthy Child. She in turn, reccommended it to me for future reference. She said it saved her life and sanity**

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I think in general, a bath before bedtime calms babies down. I used the J&J bedtime products for my two girls moreso because I liked the scents, but I personally don't think the product itself helped calmed them.

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??? My son's doctor at Sutter said no soaps or lotions for the first six months (due to the perfumes and dyes in them).

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I've been using J&J Bedtime and I think it does help a little. I started using it at 4 months and I noticed that she would wake up at least once at night. At 12 months she started sleep thourgh the night. You might want to give it a try and see if it works for you.

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i honestly don't think they work...i bought it for my first daughter thinking that since it was a huge name brand and "oh my gosh its gonna help her go to sleep! wow!" no..it didnt and ive been buying store brand shampoo and body soap ever since and they work just as good! the one thing i do buy name brand that actually works better than store brand is desitin!! what helped both my daughters fall asleep at that age was swaddling them pretty snug..hope it helps!

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I don't know about alll those other Mommies, but with my son they did have a calming affect. And also when he had a cold the J&J Eukalytus (my spelling blows, sorry) did wonders for helping him breath and relaxing him.

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Has worked for us. We use the Lavender shampoo and the lotion, but not the body wash/soap. Also smells good...

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Johnson & Johnson products are full of chemicals and fragrance and other potential irritants, plus they are tested on animals. It is a brilliant marketing scheme though. I am a single mom too and the first few months were really hard because at that age babies sleep best in your arms which can be really exhausting. But it will be over soon. I wore my baby in the ergo carrier a lot and pretty much went to bed with her and stayed close but eventually they mature enough to allow for some distance. Hang in there it just gets better and better!

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I would advise steering clear of the Johnson Bedtime products - especially on a baby as young as yours. The J&J stuff is full of perfumes, dyes and other chemicals (read the ingredients!)...Kiehls and Burt's Bees make wonderful bathtime washes and they're very gentle on your little one's skin.

We had a very similar situation when our baby was that age. Have you read Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Baby? I loved these methods -- I hated letting my baby cry & refused t do it. When my son was that young, he really preferred sleeping on his stomach -- which I know is a no-no. During the day I let him sleep on his stomach (when i was right there with him)...and at night I'd wedge him on his side or let him sleep on my chest. Bottom line is he was only happy on his tummy...good news - he is 9 months old and now sleeps from 7pm - 7am!! Relief will come soon!

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L.,

It is the aromatherapy that it offers. Lavender primarily is calming to babies as well as adults.

M.

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alot of comercial products may contain toxic ingredients, pls check labels and warnings.Also pls be aware of cheap essential oils, they are not regulated and are perfume grade (which contains many inferior ingredients) the skin absorbs everything that goes on it and in it, so purity is of extreme importance to our babies health, and of course our too!!! I hope this helps..I work in the natural wellness industry.. I use only thereapeutic grade essential oils and blends designed for specific uses, they are NON TOXIC and organic and quite reasonable, If you are interested in the info please call me at ###-###-#### or email at ____@____.com.K. :)}

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I do not believe that they work- those type of products are full of chemicals that are BAD for babies and the environment They use lavender which as a scent is calming so you can always use real lavender essential oil in a bowl of boil water and fill the bathroom with it while you give your baby a bath- this may help calm him- your baby is still so little it may take some time to teach him good sleeping habits- try rocking him for 20 minutes then lay him down, try singing or rubbing his back- it takes some time but it will get better

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I also used the bedtime bath at an early age (2 months) and it worked great. My daughter slept through the night at around 2 months. Not sure if it was related to the bedtime bath or she was just a good sleeper.

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I would only use organic products and your baby is so young you're not supposed to introduce lavender yet and I think those products have lavender. When your baby is older you can add your own lavender essential oils to his bath. Your baby is so young and thinks he is part of you. My baby wouldn't let me set him down either. Try getting a sling from New Native Carriers or Maya Wrap or Over The Shoulder Baby Holder and wear your baby to sleep. You can still get things done and he won't be separated from you. I let my baby sleep on me on my nursing pillow too. You should be napping when he naps anyway at this age. Get some zzz's yourself :-)
Congratulations
D.

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Didn't work for me. Actually when my kids were little giving them baths before Warm bedtime made them HYPER like when a dog gets a bath and goes running wild after! I know wierd warm bahts are supossed to be calming, but not for my babies!!! When I put my kids down I would put on soft lullaby music and it was really calming for them they would cry a bit but after a while coo and the finally fall asleep, if I turned off the music too soon, they would wake right up! Good Luck!

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I am a first time mother of an 11 week old son and I had this problem too. Luckily for me he loves the water. Every night I give him a bath at 8pm and we use the Aveeno baby calming lavendar and vanilla. Then I lotion him up with the same product. I feed him after his in his pajamas and then usually he is out by 9pm. Last night he slept until 4:30am. What has worked for me is keeping the same routine every night. Hope this helps and good luck.

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First off Congrats on being a new mommy and props to being a single mom. It takes alot to do what you are doing. Keep up the great work. I absolutley swear by the Bed time bath. I have 3 kids, and I have used it on them since they were about 2 weeks old, old enough to start doing the water baths. I didnt use much at first when they were itty bitty. It never failed that if my kids were fussy and fighting their sleep I would make up a bath for them and put them in there and bath them with the bed time bath and they would almost instantly fall asleep after words. They still do to this day. My oldest is almost 5 1/2 and he still takes baths in the bedtime bath. I also use the bed time lotion after their baths, they loved being massaged down so to say. I always told them okay it's time for a baby massage. I think the massaging would help relax them too.

If it were me, I would say GO FOR IT and try it. See what happens.

Good Luck and enjoy your little on!!!

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i used for my daughter doesn't work for her

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I too, use the j&j products, but the whole "bedtime routine" in my opinion, is the key. Im a mama of 5 and each baby had their own way. Have you tried having "playtime" for a good 15-20 minutes before bathtime? Good Luck!

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From what other mothers have told me, they work for some kids and not for others. Some kids are more sensitive to aromas and find them relaxing, others are not.

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Hi L.,

My little granddaughter had problems sleeping when she was very young also. I invested in a Nikken magnetic pad for her crib and she would go right to sleep.

There is going to be a Children's wellness Expo held in Sunnyvale on Aug 2 if you are interested in learning more on how to keep your children healthy in an unhealthy world.

There are 13 different doctors coming from around the country to put this event on.

If this is something that interest you let me know and I will send you the information and put you on the guest list.

Wish you well.

N. Marie
____@____.com

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HI L.,

I have the philosophy that if it something like that "really" worked it would cost more than a few dollars.
I just put my 7 m.o. down for his morning "continuation" nap (the first for the day), and he fought it good. Before you try the "Babywise" method do some good research on the internet, I was shocked and felt better about not doing that technique.
As for feeling like it is time consuming putting him down, I know exactly how you feel! My first few months of being a new mommy I felt like I was supposed to be efficient and everything took so long. Especially nursing and putting to sleep. But I since have slowed down a bit and realized that some things just take time. Once I relaxed, he relaxed.
So what if that load of laundry doesn't get done, the dishes can wait...he will only be 10 weeks once. And someday he will be so busy he won't want to snuggle. Be patient with yourself too, it is hard to get into the grove of the baby's clock...it will happen.
Congratulations on your boy!
PS: I spent many a times picking him back up, and after a little while I figured him out...you will too!

1 mom found this helpful

I don't recommend any products really. Your baby is only 2 months old. This is fairly normal for an infant to want to be held while sleeping. Both my kids were the same way. It will just take time. Keep trying and be patient. Both mine were eventually able to fall asleep on their own by about 3-4 months. My older one liked to be swaddled and the younger one took a pacifier which helped. But I also had to do a lot of bouncing and holding, you'll get through it, keep up the good work. But I don't think any product is going to help.

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I tried the body wash & the lotion in this product line. I don't think it was the smell of the lavender so much as the massage when I rubbed in the lotion that relaxed my boys. Now, I know babies really don't need a bath & lotion every day/night ( I bathed every 2-3 days) but I think on bath nights it help put my boys in sleepy mode. Your little guy's 'clock' is still used to being in the nice warm womb so he's trying to figure out the difference between day & night. I have always put both our boys to bed w/soft music playing so maybe try that. Just something to think about over the next year....I rocked our 1st son to sleep for naps & bedtime til he was 18 months old. I thought it was the only way he'd fall off to sleep but turns out I was wrong, all his crying & struggling wasn't fighting the nap it was cuz he just wanted to be in bed. Once I stoppped all of that, I'd put him in his crib, turn on his music & he'd drift off to sleep. Your baby isn't at this stage yet so just keep doing what you're doing & pretty soon he'll get his clock straightened out. Hope this helps & good luck!

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Dear L.,
I have never tried the Bedtime line of products, but I do know that a nice warm bath before bedtime, in and of itself, can be very relaxing. (As long as your baby likes baths. Or showers. He's still pretty little).
I rocked both of my children. And if they woke up when I layed them down, I didn't pick them right back up. I patted them, massaged them gently, sang or hummed to them. Just having your touch and your voice can sometimes help them to drift back off to sleep. I would just make something up to sing off the top of my head but in a very low, and calming melody while rubbing gentle circles up and down their backs or rubbing their heads or legs or feet. If your baby has a tummy ache or something that may not always work, but I have found that whispering or speaking quietly will settle them because they can't hear you if they are screaming.
I know your baby is a bit young for this trick, but keep it in mind. Celestial Seasons has a wonderful thing called "Sleepy Time Tea". It's decaf and I think basically just a chamomile blend.
My son just turned 13 and STILL is convinced that the tea makes him go to sleep.
Many, many a night we had a little "Sleepy Time" before bed, even when he was still drinking from a sippy. I let it cool down, watered it down, and put ice in it when he was teething or got a scraped knee, was grouchy or it was too hot weather-wise to give him warm tea. The kid was konked out within 10 minutes. It has never failed.
Check it out. It's the cutest box. I used to let him hold it and we would talk about all the things we saw in the picture. Little bears with their jammies and night caps on sitting by the fire...something to that affect. I don't happen to have a box right now, the tea bags are in a canister.
He THINKS there is something in it that makes you sleep. The day will come soon enough when he figures out it's just tea. But, we have never gone without having it in our house since he was little. LITTLE.
Congratulations on your baby! He's so new. You will get his sleeping patterns figured out.
Best of wishes!

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Firstly, if you are considering Babywise, check this first: http://www.ezzo.info/

I think if you want to try the concept of aromatherapy (which is what the J&J products are copying), you can try the real thing for less $$. I made a lavender linen spray for my son's bedding with lavender essential oil - just a few drops in a small spray bottle then fill the rest of the way with alcohol (I like to use vodka, it doesn't have the fumes that rubbing alcohol does). Shake well before spraying and use it on towels and bedding before bathtime; by the time you are ready to use them, they are dry and lightly fragrant with the relaxing lavender scent.

You might also try a lavender massage before bedtime - mix a few drops of lavender oil with two ounces of extra virgin olive oil in a small cosmetic bottle and use several drops of that in your hands for a wonderfully scented & moisturizing massage oil.

I switched away from most commercial baby products after I learned that the skin is the largest organ of the body and it absorbs much of what you put on it... if you still like the lavender scent idea but want to buy baby stuff for a rexaxing nighttime routine, Weleda has wonderful baby products that contain simple nontoxic ingredients.

Ok now that I have said all that, lol, it's really common for a two month old to want to be held while sleeping. If you have a ring sling or pouch sling, this is when they prove their worth! During the day you can let your baby nap in the sling and still have your hands free. The movement as you go about your day is very good for their development too. Or you can put baby in the sling, walk about til they are asleep and then sneak them down into bed. Wearing your baby has lots of benefits like this! Have you been to www.thebabywearer.com yet? It's a great place to discover new kinds of carriers, ways to use them, and there's a For Sale forum where you can get a used carrier for much less than a new one if you find a type you want to try.

Whew! sorry so long! :)

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L.
I have two sons (one 17, one 8). I started playing a cassette tape (lullaby music, or our favorite, the Lion King sound track, or Lion King Broadway show shound track) for my 17 year old when he was very small each night when he went to bed. A ritual occurred and he listed to a tape every night when he went to bed until he was 11 or 12 years old. The ritual/routine that we went through each night, created a routine. I made sure that the routine ended with him feeling content and "okay" with going to bed.
When my baby was born, I did the same routine from day 1. My little one had issues with sleeping through the night until around 18 months. But I just kept up the routine of the tape and our little rituals about going to bed. He is 8 and still turns on his cassette tape (it's CD's now!!) every night. I don't have the "not wanting to go to bed issues" or "tantrum/crying" issues that several of my friends have indurred with their children.
It worked for me. Just thought I'd share!!

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They don't work for MY baby girl. She is now 7 months old, and i've tried the bedtime bath stuff off and on for months, and it never seems to make a difference, but every baby is different. You can try it, who knows, maybe it will work.
Also, have you tried lying down with him to put him to sleep? Some babies enjoy that type of comfort and being close, as does my daughter.

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I know that the first 3 months are the hardest and Bedtime products aren't going to put your baby to sleep but I'm sure they help relax him. Just make sure once he hits 4 months you sleep train him - I didn't and I'm now trying to train my daughter at 2 1/2 years old and it's pretty rough. She'll sleep through the night but the hard part is getting her to fall asleep - it's hard listening to them cry but it isn't hurting them to let them cry - so just hang in there.

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I use the bedtime products from Johnson & Johnson and my daughter falls right off to sleep. BUT...I also have a routine that I do with her every night. I think that contributes more to her going to sleep than the products do. Every night, around 9pm, I either give her a bath or a sponge bath and then I give her a baby massage with the lotion while I sing her a lullaby. The lights are low, no TV is on and my whole focus is on her. After her massage, she gets diapered and pajama'd and then it's feeding time. We've been doing that for at least the past 3 months. She's 5 months old now. She knows what to expect and she looks forward to our bedtime routine.

I think you could use any baby-safe lotion and get the same results as long as you are consistent in your routine. They say lavender is calming and there is lavender in the J&J product. But I would really focus on my bedtime routine instead of the product. Expect it to take 2-3 weeks for your baby to get used to your routine and start responding positively.

Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

From my experience with my now one-year-old, it really depends on if a bath relaxes or excites and energizes your baby. This changed for my little one depending on her age--it was traumatic in the beginning when she had sponge baths but then she was more relaxed once we began using the baby tub. I used the J&J Bedtime products for a while, but once she started to want to play in the bath, we had to move her bathtime to an hour before bedtime to give her plenty of calm time. Personally, I liked the scent of the lavender but I don't believe my baby was calmed by it. What seemed to calm her was simply having a bedtime routine--bath, smile in the mirror, lotion, PJs, cuddle and play with quiet toys and books, bottle in mommy's or daddy's arms, and a quick "night-night."

I really hope you find what works for you and your baby--being a pretty new mom myself I know I don't often know what to do! I do remember that the times I tried to hurriedly 'get the baby to sleep' only backfired. But when I enjoyed giving her a nightly routine she seemed more content and willing to sleep. I am not very good at routines (I'm trying out a 4-hour schedule right now in place of demand-feeding and ever-changing nap schedules), but I have read and heard that babies thrive on routines because they can trust what will happen. If you would like to learn about implementing a feeding and sleeping routine for your little one, the book "On Becoming Babywise" by Ezzo and Bucknam is a good one.

I wish you and your baby the best!

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I tried them and I didn't really see a difference. I had (and contiue to have) the same sleep issues with my daughter. I think by the third try she would stay asleep. By the time she was around 8 months I had to let her cry it out otherwise non of us was getting any sleep. My grandmother (who owned a healthfood store) gave me a suppliment called "calms" that is supposed to help the babies calm down. But with all the stories I've heard I'm just convinced we have a group of little spirits who are just too dang active and can't stand the idea of missing anything!

Good luck and it does get better :).

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I have never had luck with those night time products. They have lavender in them, which is supposed to help relax the baby. I think the bottle says don't use on babies under 3-moths.The Aveno does. IN general a bath gets my little one fired up, so we bath in the morning.

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I have this product for my daughter and use other body washes as well. I never noticed if it calms her down. I think he just might be a tough sleeper. Do you have a night routine established? I give my daughter a bath only at night and swaddle her immediately. I usually make sure she has eaten and do the bath within the 15 minutes of eating because she gets tired after that> I watch her cues (yawning). When I am ready to put her down for the night I make sure either my husband or myself go down with her so she knows we are there. She sleeps longer when we are around and since I get up early with her, I don't mind going down early.

You may need to play with the bath time and see if it stimulates him or relaxes him. You may not know until after a few baths. If he gets sleepy after he eats, you may have a very short window to bathe him or you do it before he eats. I think he might be overstimulated, or he could be a bit needy and not like to be by himself in his crib (my 9 week old daughter is the same way). She will sleep if I put her down now, but wake up after 20-30 minutes. If I go in the room with her and sleep next to her, she is fine and will stay for 3-4 hours and I never rock her to sleep.

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I never tried those products so I can't say; but as a single mom with a young baby who also had a hard time getting to sleep, I know this can be very frustrating, especially if/when you're working during the day. But your baby is too young for "sleep training" as some might recommend. I found the 'Happiest Baby on the Block' dvd to be very helpful when my baby was that age. Baths were too stimulating, but swaddling and gentle bounces or pats, plus being next to Mom's heartbeat and smells, really helped soothe him to sleep. Also, putting him to sleep in the Amby hammock was great--wished I'd had one of those as soon as he was born! I was able to bounce him gently to sleep, and if he woke again like yours does, a few gentle bounces and/or swinging would put him out again. You might also try putting something you were just wearing next to him--their sense of smell is very acute and it comforts them to smell Mom. That sometimes worked like magic for us. Don't worry, it will get better really soon!

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Ha ha! That's why those Johnsons are so darn rich.

The thing that helped me get a sleep-fighter down was to turn down the lights, give him a bath, and then nurse him. I also found that he would fall asleep much better if he was wearing just a diaper - no pajamas unless it was really cold. (But he was a fatty at two months old.)

Another thing that has helped us is using a baby sling. When he was just too fussy for words, I'd carry him close to me in the baby sling and he'd almost always calm down. I used a Moby Wrap but there are other slings out there.

Hi L.,

Unfortunately they aren't going to put your baby to sleep. Advice from me, and I know this is difficult, is to put your baby down without rocking him to sleep and let him work it out. He will learn to fall asleep on his own and will be a happier kid in the long run.

Best Wishes,
E.

Most of the commercial stuff has a lot of nasty elements as fillers; be ware of all the names you can not pronounce!
I agree with Nicole; babies need to be wrapped in blankets in order to keep their arms still, just like our grandmas did, it works great (unfortunatelly I did not consider this wise advice from my mom and my daughter had terrible time with sleeping time -her arms movements always used to wake her up.
Essential oils are very good (the pure, therapeutic ones) diluted in almond oil, such as lavender, chamomille, etc
I was just wondering: did your son receive the hepatitis B at birht? this horrible vaccine is what deprived my baby boy from sleeping (for more than 3 yrs), and made him extremelly agitated and sick.
good luck

I believe it's the "aromatherapy" aspect of it. Just like eucalyptus products are supposed to reduce stress. Sure, it's nice in the shower but are you really less stressed?
I do think a nice bath before bed helps these little ones.

However, we had a baby that really fought his sleep and we all suffered from his colic. We had to find a way to get him to sleep instead of screaming all night long. For us as new parents, what a terrible feeling!

If you need help getting a sleeping schedule down, a book called Baby Wise helped us immensely. The younger to start, the better. Our son was sleeping from 7 pm to 6 am at 7 weeks old. I missed the evening with him after work, but his sleep habits were amazing until now - he's 4... Nightmares and bad guys are our new hurdle.

It's possible you can borrow this book from the library and check it out. A good consistent schedule will help him much more than Johnson and Johnson "night time" products.

Good Luck with your new little one!
T.