Changing sleep patterns
Confessions of a Sleep Consultant: The Jett Diaries; Six Months
Ok…. So I know I said I was moving Jett into his own room. Well I did. What I failed to mention though, is that I am now sleeping on a mattress in his room. Not out of necessity, not out of habit, not out of (his) separation anxiety. Nope; for no other reason than…
Read MoreConfessions of a Sleep Consultant: The Jett Diaries; Five Months
For young babies, symptoms of developmental leaps, teething, and illness (and their affect on sleep) can be frustratingly similar, blurring the boundaries of which point each one begin, and where they end. Often confusion sets for us as parents, and how we *should* respond to them at these times. This sums up my experience of 5 months rather…
Read MoreConfessions of a Sleep Consultant: The Jett Diaries; Four Months
Just when many of us finally feel we are getting some predictability with sleeping patterns…. BANG! Along comes the Four Month Sleep Regression! In Wonder Weeks terms, this also equates to Mental Leap 4: Events (which starts between 14.5-19.5 weeks). If you are going through this, you may find some comfort in knowing that this developmental leap is Universal. Frustration,…
Read MoreToddler resisting bedtime? here’s why, and what you can do
There are many reasons why our toddlers may start resisting naps and bedtime. From experience, if this is a gradual change (over a few days or more), then usually this can be attributed to routine (call for a change in routine, having been out of routine, or lack of routine), or a behavioural/emotional response to a particular life…
Read MoreEmotional Wellbeing and Sleep
Sleep and emotional well-being are synonymous. If our children are feeling insecure, overwhelmed, misunderstood, or they have been unable to express their feelings freely in the moment by day, it’s almost a guarantee you will see this behaviour ‘play out’ in sleeping difficulties at night: bedtime refusal and/or stalling, screaming, crying, tantrums at bedtime, dependence on mum…
Read MoreWhat you can REALLY expect: babies and sleep in the first year
Pre-kids, I had no idea of the magnitude that sleep (or the lack thereof) would impact my life. There is a plethora of information at our fingertips, telling us when our baby should be sleeping through the night; and if we don’t meet these expectations, then we somehow feel like a failure of a parent – or something must be wrong…
Read MoreCo-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 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,…
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