While writing pieces, I am always evaluating Sleep Trainers and themes relevant to this.
If
bedtime is too late, your infant will get so exhausted during the day
that she falls asleep in the car while you’re running errands with her.
At bedtime she’ll be cranky from overfatigue. And she’ll have fitful
sleep, whining and calling out every time her mind bobs into light
sleep. Sleep – it’s what babies do best isn’t it? After all we talk
about “sleeping like a baby” to describe a good night’s sleep. But how
much sleep do babies need? And how can you get them to sleep through the
night? A regular bedtime and regular daily naps around the same time
each day, will certainly help your little one get into good sleep
habits. Combine this with regular mealtimes, playtimes and activities
and you’ll help your little one to understand what happens at different
times of the day. It is a massive misconception that formula-fed babies
sleep better than breast-fed babies. Research shows that babies sleep
the same whatever milk they’re given. Please don’t blame your
breastmilk. A baby needs to fall asleep on their own, in the crib, not
to be rocked to sleep and then transferred to the crib. Give baby some
time to settle down. Don’t rush in, and try not to pick them up. It’s no
surprise that rookie parents flip-flop between feeling like
major-league pros (on good days) and bumbling boobs (on those other
days). And, on top of all this, most parents today have lost the strong
support system that helped their great-grandparents manage: big,
supportive families; close neighbors; and teenage girls down the street
eager to babysit.
In
the early weeks it will be next to impossible to keep your baby awake
while feeding; however, as time goes on, it will be easier and easier to
help them fall asleep in other ways. Feeding-to-sleep can be tricky to
extricate yourself from, so it’s often better to avoid from the start.
Please note, if your child is sleeping anywhere other than an empty
crib, they should be within your direct line of sight at all times.
Studies have shown that falling asleep unassisted at the start of the
night leads to fewer wakings throughout the rest of the night, and, in
my extensive experience, I have found a profound benefit to starting
sleep training at bedtime, more than at any other time of day or night.
For some new parents, one of the toughest challenges is sleep or should I
say, the lack-there of. It is important to recognise that every baby is
different, especially when it comes to how often and how long they
sleep for. Night waking is the biggest sleep complaint of a baby’s first
year. About 25 percent of five-month-olds can’t sleep six hours in a
row. And frequent night wakers end up receiving one and a half hours
less sleep overall! Sleep consultants support hundreds of families every
year, assisting with things such as
4 month sleep regression using gentle, tailored methods.
Sleep When Your Baby Sleeps
If
you want baby to learn to sleep independently though it’s best to move
feed a little earlier so they don’t have that association to sleep which
can mean they will look for it each time they wake. You can’t always be
100% sure of what is causing your child to wake. If it is a sleep
regression, the good news is that it’s usually temporary and your baby
will start to sleep better again soon. The good news is that as babies
get older, they need fewer night feeds and usually sleep for longer
periods. All babies have different sleep patterns and parents and babies
are usually happiest if you follow your baby’s sleep cues to form a
gentle routine rather than imposing a routine on them. Newborns won't
sleep through the night because they need to eat frequently. In fact,
two to four hours at a time is about as long as you can expect your
brand new baby to sleep during those early weeks and months — depending
on whether you're breastfeeding, formula-feeding or both. Babies may be
too short to compete in the Olympics, but they definitely hold the
world’s record for championship sleeping. With an average of sixteen
hours a day (and, rarely, up to twenty!), babies rack up more snoozing
than at any other time in life. A sleep expert will be with you every
step of the way, guiding you on how best to find a solution to your
sleep concerns, whether its
gentle sleep training or one of an untold number of other things.
I
used to believe that there was no such thing as a kid who sleeps too
much. In fact I always wanted to be the parent of one of these kids. But
I’ve come to learn that some kids who sleep more than expected often
have some underlying medical issue that leaves them unusually tired.
Dream feeds are based on the idea of scheduled awakening. This means
waking the baby a little before they would wake themselves, and soothing
them to sleep in the normal way (which might include rocking or
feeding). Over time, this can help the gaps between awakenings to
increase. Both these techniques are used by parents who are
breastfeeding and/or formula feeding. Try not to be too quiet during
daytime sleep. While it is OK to draw the shades and close the door
behind you to create a conducive sleeping environment inside the
nursery, you do not want to create a noiseless environment outside the
nursery. Everyday noise around the house actually is not bad, but good,
during and after training. At around the age of six months you may be at
the beginning of your weaning journey, or well established- but with
this comes a worldwide misconception that your little one will start
sleeping through. In fact, studies show that waking in the night for a
feed is quite normal right up until 18 months. It is more common for
babies to be around a year old before they sleep all through the night.
Your lack of sleep won’t last forever. If you're looking for a
compassionate, effective and evidence-based approach to sleep or just
advice on one thing like
ferber method then a baby sleep specialist will be able to help you.
Baby Sleeping Safety Tips
Sofas
and armchairs are dangerous places to fall asleep with your baby – move
somewhere safer it you might fall asleep. Reason: the risk of SIDS is
50 times higher for babies when they sleep on a sofa or armchair with an
adult. They are also at risk of accidental death as they can easily
slip into a position where they are trapped and can’t breathe. A baby
bedtime routine can help if your newborn baby’s not sleeping. It’s
beneficial because it gives your baby ‘cues’ that sleep-time is coming,
and helps them wind down and relax. Sleeping when a baby sleeps may help
save caregivers from immense exhaustion, particularly with a newborn.
Infants have five times more REM sleep than adults (8 hours versus 1.5).
This gives them enough time to sift through all the day’s chaotic
happenings to figure out which new memories to file away and which ones
to forget. If you are considering co-sleeping, talk to your health
visitor about safety issues. A bedside cot with an open side is a happy
compromise that offers a safe environment while keeping your baby
nearby. Whether its something specific like
sleep training
or really anything baby sleep related, a baby sleep consultant can
guide you to find a sleep solution as individual as your baby is.
Encourage
use of a security object. Once your baby is old enough (by 12 months),
introduce a transitional/love object, such as a stuffed animal, a
blanket, or a t-shirt that was worn by you (tie in a knot). Include it
as part of your bedtime routine and whenever you are cuddling or
comforting your baby. Don’t force your baby to accept the object, and
realize that some babies never develop an attachment to a single item.
Babies will sleep for around 12 to 15 hours in total after their first
birthday. Most 2 year olds will sleep for 11 to 12 hours at night, with 1
or 2 naps in the daytime. Most children aged 3 or 4 will need about 12
hours sleep, but this can range from 8 hours up to 14. Some young
children will still need a nap during the day. Each day is organized
around Nature’s cues—telling us to wake with the sun and fall asleep
after dark. This circadian rhythm is directed by the brain’s release of a
special sleep hormone (melatonin). It is true that having a new baby
will be a bit of a shock to the system. But every baby is different -
some babies are very sleepy when they are born whereas others are not.
Babies who are born a bit early may sleep a bit more than full-term
babies. Be guided by your baby and watch out for signs that they are
tired (crying, rubbing eyes or showing faint dark circles under the
eyes). Use these signs to gauge when to put your baby down for a nap.
Things will get easier once your baby settles into their own routine and
you get used to their rhythms. If you need guidance on
sleep regression then let a sleep consultant support you in unlocking your child's potential, with their gentle, empathetic approach to sleep.
Avoid Stimulation Before Baby Sleep Times
Start
giving you infant’s brain some signals an hour before bedtime - dim
lights, soft white noise, no roughhousing, no TV - that sleepy-time is
coming. Could your baby's broken sleep be caused by a surge in
development? Maybe your baby is chuffed to bits they can crawl, and now
wants to practise – at 3am. How babies sleep depends largely on their
age, but there is still a lot you can do to turn things around and get
some precious sleep again. Changes in your child’s sleep routine are
difficult to predict, and periods of sleep regression can strike at any
age, be it 4 months, 10 months, 12 months old or beyond. Discover more
insights relating to Sleep Trainers at this
NHS link.
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