SOYOUWANNA BABY-SIT AN INFANT?

5. PUT THE BABY TO SLEEP

We're not talking about the way that you put a dog to sleep, sicko. We're talking about sleepy-time (get used to the baby talk). It seems that if a baby is tired, she should just go to sleep, right? Unfortunately, the opposite prevails as being more common: tired babies will often fuss.

Here are some helpful options:

• Got a rocking chair? Use it! The rocking motion helps to lull fussy babies to sleep and gives you a chance to get off your feet. Some other soporific tricks include rocking the baby in your arms, rocking on a big swinging chair, going on car rides, or walking around the block with the baby in your arms or in a baby carriage. Long story short: gentle rhythmic motion is good.
  
  
• Droning or methodic background noise can put anybody to sleep, including your baby. So turn on a fan, the dishwasher, or the repetitive tinkling music of a crib mobile. If all else fails, take the baby to a lecture at your local university.
  
  
• If it's a nice day, push the baby's crib near a window or take her to the park in her carriage. Fresh air often seems to do the trick.
  
  
• If all else fails, lie down with the baby and pat her arm or leg methodically until one of you passes out from sheer exhaustion.
  
  
• The position in which a baby should sleep has been thoroughly debated over the years. Nowadays, doctors and scientists who have studied the cause of a very scary occurrence called Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)-when infants die in their sleep for no apparent reason -- recommend that babies be placed on their sides or backs, NOT their stomachs, when they sleep. Studies show that this is the safer position. To learn more about SIDS, visit the SIDS Alliance website.

So you are now primed to handle even the ittiest and bittiest of babies. If you need additional on-line support check out eHow, which will answer any baby-related questions that you have. You might also want to consider taking a look at the website for the American Academy of Pediatrics, which publishes guides and handbooks on childcare. If all else fails, rent Look Who's Talking.