One of the necessities of parenthood is to find ways to get your baby to go to sleep. A baby that has been awake too long is often a restless baby-and one that might keep you up as well. If you are a new parent at your wit's end about how to get your child off to dreamland, here are some tips to help you get through those wakeful nights:

It is critically important that your newborn does not get too much sleep during the daytime. Otherwise, he or she might have real trouble getting to sleep at night.

Keep the Room Dark

Make sure that the room that your child is trying to get to sleep in is sufficiently dark. Otherwise, it might be difficult for your baby to relax.

Consider Nursing Your Baby to Sleep

This is a tried-and-true way to help your child drift off. A full tummy does wonders...

Sing a Lullaby

The traditional bedtime lullaby may be just what your baby needs to get to sleep. The soothing sound of your voice is often just what baby needs.

Place a Teddy Bear Inside the Baby Crib

With a companion by his or her side, your baby might be more likely to get some shut-eye.

From the moment our little one rides in a car for the first time we feel good that we have them securely strapped into their car seats. We know to face our newborns towards the rear of the car, in the back seat, and away from airbags. We drive along confidently that our baby is safely restrained incase of an accident.

Many parents do have their children strapped into their car seats properly. Their children are as safe as they can be while riding in a vehicle. However, these parents are not in the majority. A research note, published by the NHTSA in March 2005, suggests that almost three quarters of all children are improperly restrained in their safety seats, most unbeknownst to their parents. This is a disturbing statistic, but one easily overcome with awareness. Many child restraint seat errors are easy to correct when the time is taken to double and triple check the instillation of our children’s car seats.