We need all the help we can get!

6 years ago

Most of my work involves meeting families who are struggling to reach the ‘Holy Grail’ – night after night of uninterrupted sleep for everyone. So, I’m sharing with you some of the more peculiar things kids do to fall asleep. Things I’ve seen over the years which should help parents realise that when it comes to sleep, anything […]

7 years ago

For someone who works in the childcare field, people are often surprised that I don’t have my own kids. But I don’t. And I am perfectly happy about it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I have actually ever said that I didn’t want them, it’s just never been on the cards. Or maybe […]

7 years ago

Sleep coach Niamh O’Reilly shares her top tips.

7 years ago

Separation anxiety and sleep regressions. “It should be noted that separation anxiety can happen at any stage in your child’s first few years. Some babies or toddlers barely blink when their parents or carers leave them. It is not that they are more secure little people than others; it’s just that they are independent little […]

7 years ago

Sleep coach Niamh O’Reilly shares her opinion.

8 years ago

For any mum or dad jetting off soon.

8 years ago

For when it’s time for the soother to go.

8 years ago

Don’t expect everyone to be as thrilled as mum and dad are…

9 years ago

These disorders are different from the arousal disorders in that they are almost always limited to the manner in which a child falls asleep. They can happen when little ones experience a lot of difficulty in getting off to sleep in the first place. Although many sleep-onset disorders are harmless, they can be quite disturbing […]

9 years ago

While it’s often the case that tackling a child’s sleep problems can be as simple as making a few changes to daytime routines and bedtime rituals, sleep coaching or training might not be the answer to every sleep problem. It is important to be aware of some other sleep disruptions that are not caused by […]

9 years ago

It’s not big news that the incidence of children presenting with reflux is on the rise. I have yet to establish if it’s due to cases previously going undiagnosed or perhaps even environmental factors but almost one in every three parents I have met in the last number of years have had a diagnosis of […]

9 years ago

You can’t stop the clock change happening – the night of Saturday, March 25 – so let’s be prepared!  Daylight Savings Time changes are enough to put the fear of God in us, but those with poor sleepers really dread the thoughts of what may happen to an already disrupted sleep pattern. On the flip side, if […]

9 years ago

Often I meet parents who feel they are the only people doing crazy things at bedtime (and overnight) to get some sleep – not just for the little ones, but for mums and dads too. Generally, they aren’t unique in their actions. We all do whatever we have to do to get by. Until it […]

9 years ago

“She’s not with me.” *coughs* “Who is that child?” “ What has happened to my sweet little baby?” “I’m so sorry. She’s not usually like this.” Have you found yourself uttering these words? Sounds like you have reached the ‘terrible twos’…. even if your little one hasn’t yet had their second birthday – the phase can start anytime from […]

9 years ago

Nightmares can be disruptive and disturbing for families. The most troublesome and terrifying night-time events however, are the dreaded night terrors. Night terrors are far more distressing to watch than nightmares, particularly for a parent. Unlike nightmares, which are a sleep disturbance, they are seen as a recognised sleep disorder and if they are prolonged, […]

9 years ago

“Remember: this too shall pass”

10 years ago

Regular readers will know by now that I am a fan of routine and daytime structures for little ones and for the most part, the reason I like them is because the right amount of daytime sleep can have a positive impact on how well little ones sleep at night. The opposite is also true […]

10 years ago

This is not the first time I’ve written about where the “best” place for little ones to sleep might be. To be honest, there really is NO best place, as long as little ones are SAFE! That’s your priority when it comes to location – be it cot, their bed or indeed, your bed. For […]

10 years ago

“Their doctor ‘prescribed’ a full-on cry-it-out method. Leaving their daughter cry, potentially for hours…”

10 years ago

As a sleep specialist working with parents of babies and toddlers, I meet new families almost every day. I am rarely surprised by anything anymore, including the different approaches and lengths many tired parents go to, in terms of catching some all important zzzz’s. And while generally, I am invited into peoples’ homes hoping to […]

10 years ago

Everyone has an opinion when it comes to baby sleep (I probably have more than most!), but sometimes it’s hard to see the wood for the trees. Here, I will tackle a few of the myths surrounding baby sleep, in a series of True or False statements. 1. The earlier you start a routine, the better: […]

10 years ago

Ah, Christmas! As holiday time approaches, we’re all looking forward to a break from our normal lives. A time for family and friends, chilling and spending time together. But what if you have a baby in a specific routine, and there are house calls to make and places to travel to – not to mention people visiting you? Christmas can really throw a spanner in the works […]

11 years ago

If having your kids share a room is something you’ve been debating, I’m here to tell you this can be a really good thing. This might surprise you, but I’ve found that siblings are often happy for the company– whatever age – especially around bedtime. They will see it simply as quite normal, even nice. In a way, they […]

11 years ago

Did you promise yourself you would never use a soother and now find that it’s the one thing you can’t live without? Did you vow to only use them for sleep times with your little ones but find you now have one stashed everywhere – in the car, in your room, in their room, in […]

11 years ago

Baby equipment and paraphernalia don’t come cheap. While you might want to shop like a maniac for your new arrival, you will inevitably find that you don’t actually need everything you see. My advice? Wait until you are setting up your baby’s own room before going shopping. Holding off for a while will also give […]

11 years ago

Even though parents want the best for their children, they also want to enjoy them. Little ones go through so many wonderful phases and stages, it’s only natural that mums and dads want them all to be a happy time. Especially as they go by so quickly. That’s why it’s so important that we set […]

11 years ago

By now, you’re probably familiar with me as your Sleep Expert here at HerFamily.ie. But this piece is about me. All me. Let me start off by saying that in general I am a pretty easy going person, but sometimes I am struck by something that really gets me thinking. Like last week, for example, when actress […]

11 years ago

Toddler tantrums are nothing new, but understanding what’s going on with our little ones can help when it comes to managing their meltdowns. I’m not coming at this from a psychological point of view, but I have come across a lot of kids in my line of work, each of whom had their own way of expressing […]

11 years ago

Crying is part and parcel of being a baby, but it can be stressful for parents as you try to decipher the reasons for it. Naturally there are a whole host of reasons why younger babies cry. (I’m really talking here about the littlest ones). They just can’t tell you what the problem is, so […]

11 years ago

If you have read any of my articles here on HerFamily.ie, you will know that I am all about getting little ones to sleep and for them to sleep well. But sometimes, even when you have a handle on a daytime pattern that works for you in terms of naps and non-chaotic bedtimes, your little […]

11 years ago

Some of you mentioned that the ‘dream feed’ was something that worked well for you, certainly until the babies were nicely established on solid food. Others were intrigued; they had heard of it but had never really put it into practice. More often than not, I’ve found it to be really helpful when working with […]

11 years ago

I’m sure most of you are aware that the majority of babies and toddlers are not the world’s greatest sleepers. This can either be the case from the moment they are born, or it can be something that develops over time. Here are a few common questions that parents often have when it comes to […]

11 years ago

It’s no surprise that teething can be the bane of many parents’ lives. The process itself can start as young as three months, which means that by the time a full set appear, little ones could be teething for almost two-and-a-half years. Coughing, sore bum, runny nose, flushed cheeks, dribbling and drooling – there are […]

11 years ago

12 hours? It’s not easy to get that much sleep.

11 years ago

So, what exactly is a sleep coach?

11 years ago

We’ve all heard the old wives tale that says fill up the little bellies at bedtime so that they will get a better sleep. Many of us fall into the trap of thinking that if we stuff the kids full of food at dinnertime, they won’t be hungry overnight. However, I am not sure that I fully […]

11 years ago

I love the warm weather. A chance to remove a few layers and feel the heat on my bones, for as long as it lasts. Our little ones often don’t cope very well in the heat, particularly when they are tired. While we are able to strip off a layer or reposition ourselves overnight, many […]

11 years ago

This is the second in a three-part series of exclusive extracts taken from No Fuss Baby & Toddler Sleep – a brand new book written by our very own Resident Sleep Expert, Niamh O’Reilly. Extract two: Sleep aids and sleep associations “We have now established that the first step towards encouraging better sleep is to introduce […]

11 years ago

Did you have yet another 5am start this morning? Is it becoming the norm in your house? It doesn’t have to be. As you might be aware, early morning awakenings have a lot to do with a child’s normal sleep cycles, but it can also have something to do with what happened the day before, in […]

11 years ago

Welcome to the first in a three-part series of exclusive extracts taken from No Fuss Baby & Toddler Sleep – a brand new book that launches today, and is written by our very own Resident Sleep Expert, Niamh O’Reilly. Extract one: Moving your baby into his or her own room “The best time to start the […]

11 years ago

Parenting your twins (or triplets, even) can mean double the work but it will also mean double the love and the fun, so the pay-off is brilliant. And still, I accept that the prospect of twins and the inevitable sleepless nights with new babies can be daunting for anyone – whether you are first time […]

11 years ago

Royal sibling rivalry? Quite possibly. Top tips on how to deal with ‘Number 1’

11 years ago

“We don’t like to talk about tragedies when it comes to our infants, but we should”

11 years ago

Our Sleep Expert Niamh O’Reilly is all for this sleepy-time method

11 years ago

“… some babies who start off sleeping well during the day, then out of nowhere, this changes”

11 years ago

Our resident Sleep Expert on being prepared if something goes wrong

11 years ago

Nightmares commonly occur in the later part of the night, during active sleep

11 years ago

Take the ‘less stuff, more encouragement’ approach

12 years ago

Bedtime is bedtime: END. OF. STORY.

12 years ago