Posts by Sophie Acott
Co-sleeping not working? Here’s how to make the transition gently and respectfully
Co-sleeping can be a beautiful, nurturing, and rewarding experience for both parents and children of all ages. It can make overnight feedings easier, nights warmer, memories fonder, and attachment stronger. However, it can also cause major disruption in the family unit, compromising quality and quantity of sleep for everyone. I wholeheartedly support co-sleeping, provided that it is safe and mutually beneficial.…
Read MoreNight weaning: when and how?
Many professionals claim that a baby is physiologically “ready” to sleep through the night without feeds from six months of age. Professionally, I find that this largely depends on the child; their current health, weight, developmental stage, whether they are breast or formula-fed, if they were born premature, if solids have been well-established and if…
Read MoreNutrition and sleep
If a child is not receiving adequate nutrition during the day, then it is common to experience catnapping, resistance at sleep times, frequent night waking and persistent crying due to an unfulfilled primary need (hunger). Frequent water intake and snacks throughout the day can also help to prevent behavioural difficulties in toddlers (due to low blood…
Read MoreWhat separates the ‘good’ sleepers from the ‘bad’?
In my opinion, there is no such thing as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ sleepers. We don’t have to teach our babies how to sleep any more than we need to teach them how to pee. Sleep is a biological necessity. So whilst all children can sleep, what differs is; how they fall sleep, how long they sleep for,…
Read MoreTransitioning out of the swaddle
Swaddling is a fantastic way to respect your baby’s need for a fourth trimester in the first three months of life. Wrapping your baby securely keeps them warm and feeling safe, and effectively works at switching on their ‘calming reflex’. Not only this, but it helps them to sleep sounder and for longer as it prevents them from…
Read MoreDevelopmental milestones by age
Every time I mention developmental milestones to weary, sleep deprived parents, I see them cringe; usually, because these ‘milestones’ generally equate to irritability, sleep regression, and heightened clinginess (aka a parental nightmare). But these times are also an essential period of great growth, development, maturity, and learning cool new skill sets which form the foundations for all physical capabilities,…
Read MoreWhy won’t my toddler sleep?
There can be many reasons why sleep time may be a challenge for you and your toddler. From my experience, here’s the top 10 reasons why: 1) Overtired: Catnaps (or no naps at all), late bed times, early rising, being awake for too long, and overstimulation can all lead to your toddler becoming overtired. When our toddlers become overtired,…
Read MoreWhy won’t my baby sleep?
There are many reasons why sleep time may be a challenge for you and your baby. Here’s the top 10 reasons why your baby won’t sleep: 1) Too cold – Remember that inside your womb it is a nice and balmy 37 degrees celsius, and that our babies can’t regulate their own body temperature until they…
Read More10 tips for getting more sleep during pregnancy
Whether it is our body’s clever way of preparing us for the sleepless nights when baby arrives, or just some cruel universal prank… here’s some tips to help you get some more zzzz’s during pregnancy 1) Wind down: Try to incorporate at least 30-60 min of wind down time before bed to prepare your body (and…
Read MoreTop 10 best buys for baby
There are many things you need and want for a newborn, and just as many you don’t. From my experience; and working with many other families, here is my top 10: 1) A good stroller: I always recommend making your purchase with the main use for your stroller in mind – e.g. are you only going…
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