You’ll discover over time that I am not one for sleep gimmicks and gadgets for little ones. I am a ‘less stuff, more encouragement’ kind of girl. Subtle messages rather than all singing, all dancing mobile phones/hairdryers/iPhones are the way forward.
Here are a few handy tips for each stage of the process, from newborn to toddler:
For your newborn
Routine
Forget about it for a while. When a new ‘bundle of love’ arrives, many people feel pressure to have a routine from day one. I don’t believe this extra pressure is helpful and can sometimes make life even more stressful. Indulge yourselves for a few weeks – let the baby just ‘be’, before starting on their own learning curve. Get to know each other.
Swaddling
Swaddling is a great way to help your newborn relive the comfort and security of having been inside you for so long. It reduces the startle reflex, which can often prevent them from staying asleep for longer periods of time. Some people swaddle for up to 12 weeks. There are no big rules in terms of swaddling, although I would recommend a breathable and slightly stretchy fabric. A relatively tight upper body swaddle, but looser around the hips and legs is ideal. Their hips need to be able to move freely as there has been some research which highlighted a link between a ‘too tight swaddle’ and hip issues as babies develop (hip dyslplasia).
Babies 6-12 months
Sleep bags
Once you have finished swaddling, using baby sleeping bags can give your little one a good strong sleep association, which helps them to think ‘Oh. I’m expected to go to sleep now.’ Quite often the zipping up of the sleep bag can be their cue for sleep time. Use them at night and also for naps. In terms of warmth, it’ll reduce the need for extra blankets, which may rise up or get lost overnight.
Bedtime routine
I wrote about this last week (read it here). From around 16 – 20 weeks your baby might begin to develop a slight behavioural element to their sleep patterns. Maybe they expect mum to put them down to sleep so when Dad tries, all hell breaks loose (or vice versa). Perhaps your baby falls asleep on the bottle/breast at naps and bedtime – it may follow that when they rouse later they will expect or need it to fall asleep again. Try and put your little one down to bed awake, or at least awake enough to know where they are.
Toddlers
Soothers
Soothers are often the biggest culprit when toddlers are not sleeping well at night. They lose them – you run in to retrieve it in the hope they don’t wake fully. They catch a glimpse of you and the fun begins. You’re on all fours scrambling in the dark for rogue soothers and your little one thinks it’s play-time. It’s all just a big game and toddlers love a game (no matter what time of the day or night). The Sleepytot Bear can cut down on these ‘lost’ soothers. It also means soothers are in one place if they’re being thrown at you from the cot/bed.
Consistency
We all learn a new skill through repetition and this is why consistency is key when teaching your baby or toddler to sleep independently. Mixed messages make things unclear as they don’t know what to expect each time they wake (particularly at night). Pick a technique and stick to it. Give it some time (at least five nights) to really settle in. Don’t panic after a night or two and change your method as this will just be confusing for your little one.
Niamh O’Reilly is a sleep coach. She’s also a baby and childcare guru, a ‘parent nanny’ and the answer to many a weary parent’s woes. When it comes to baby and child issues, Niamh is your woman. Always on hand to offer a no-nonsense solution, in an approachable way. A regular in the Irish media, (most recently as TV3’s Late Lunch Show’s ‘parent nanny’) over the next while at HerFamily.ie, Niamh will share some of her experiences, helping you attain that ‘holy grail’ – nights of uninterrupted sleep for all of the family.
