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 a daytime routine to give structure to your baby’s day and ensure your little one is getting sufficient naps at the right times during the day, as well as creating a separation between times for sleeping and times for feeding. The next step you can take is to consider the difference between sleep aids and sleep associations. Quite often, just knowing the difference between sleep aids and sleep associations will set you on a path of encouraging good sleep habits with your baby.
Sleep aids
The term ‘sleep aid’ describes all of those objects or props you use to get your baby to go to sleep. In general they are physical or tangible things. These can be products like musical mobiles, lights on the ceiling, and special teddies with vibrations or white noise. The term also includes the physical things a child might need to fall asleep, including being rocked or walked around, having a bottle/breastfeed before nodding off, enjoying motion in the car or buggy, or, in some cases, pulling at mum’s hair to fall asleep! This latter ploy may be soothing for baby, but pretty painful for mum!
Sleep associations
Sleep associations are those things that help your baby to think, ‘Oh! I am expected to go to sleep now!’ They are usually subtle, and can be as simple as the last words you say to them, for example ‘Goodnight sweetheart, I love you’, or the ‘special kisses’ and other night-time rituals for your baby or toddler. Young babies and children of all ages learn by repetition, so consistency at bedtime will be the key ingredient in your recipe for forming good patterns of sleep behaviour. Adults, children and babies will wake at intervals, every night. This is completely normal. The aim of the ‘good sleep habits game’ is to teach your baby or older child to settle back to sleep while needing very little or no assistance from you! I prefer to rely more on sleep associations than sleep aids to encourage good sleep habits, particularly once your baby hits the six-month mark and you may be considering a little sleep training. Allowing your wakeful and restless baby to be in control of sleep habits is really no use to anyone. Your baby won’t have the required hours of sleep per night – eleven to twelve hours – for healthy development. Just as importantly, you won’t get enough sleep to rest and recharge your batteries, and this can have negative consequences for your wellbeing and relationships within your family.”
No Fuss Baby & Toddler Sleep by Niamh O’Reilly is published by Mercier Press and is available to buy now from all good book stores or online from Amazon.com.
