The sheer amount of people on social networks, particularly Instagram and Giphy, conversing about Sleep Experts continues to grow exponentially. I’d like to know what you think about Sleep Experts?It’s recommended that baby sleeps in their own crib/Moses’ basket in the same room as you for the first six months. But once they are passed six months old, many parents choose to put baby in their own room and often in a cot for the first time. Some parents hope keeping their baby awake during the day will help them sleep at night. But like other sleep training, this ignores normal infant sleep development and risks not observing the cues your baby is giving about their needs. Some parents also feel that their baby becomes ‘over-tired’, which can be really stressful in itself. With older babies feeding to sleep can continue to be effective at getting your baby to fall asleep. However feeding to sleep quickly becomes a firm habit, as baby learns to fall asleep by feeding. Over time this means they will want to be fed back to sleep every time they wake in the night, which is on average 4-6 times for babies over 5 months. Safer sleep rules for baby apply equally to a travel cot, which should have a rigid frame and base, and a firm, flat mattress, covered in a waterproof material. Travel cot mattresses are often thinner and feel harder than those in a permanent cot, but don’t be tempted to place folded blankets or a quilt under the baby to make them ‘more comfortable’. The younger your child is, the more sleep they need. Schedule ample daytime naps as well, so that they are not overtired. 3-4 hours of nap time is more than enough for the baby. The rest of the time should be devoted to playing, interaction with the family, feeding, cleaning and other activities. Don’t be surprised if your baby can only stay awake for an hour or two. Over time, her body gets into a sleep pattern. She starts sleeping for longer stretches, even during the night. If you’re worried about your baby’s sleep, talk to her health care provider. Many children do not have established night feeds. They may graze repeatedly all night, or have irregular feeds, amounts, or nursing times. Whether sleep training or not, almost all women go through a period of time (usually around four to six months) during which they are all but certain their supply is diminishing. That’s usually when the mother’s body acclimates to her milk production and her breasts stop feeling full nonstop, like they do after birth. All babies need different amounts of sleep, and one baby’s pattern of waking and sleeping is likely to be completely different from another’s. Sleep is not a state you can force your baby into. Sleep must naturally overtake your baby. Your nighttime parenting role is to set the conditions that make sleep attractive and to present cues that suggest to baby that sleep is expected. If you’re looking for a compassionate, effective and evidence-based approach to sleep or just advice on one thing like gentle sleep training then a baby sleep specialist will be able to help you.Help Your Baby Sleep Through The NightKeep baby awake a little longer during each waking period during the day. This will help increase the need for sleep later. Some sleep experts recommend playing with your baby for a few minutes after a feeding instead of letting your baby fall asleep. Experiments show that babies are especially attuned to — and aroused by — their mothers’ voices. In fact, some researchers claim that babies arouse more easily in response to their mother’s voice than to a smoke alarm. Likewise, brain imaging research confirms that eye contact triggers busy activity in an infant’s brain — especially in a part of the brain that processes social interactions. Reading about Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) can be scary. But try to remember that SIDS is rare and the risk to your baby is low. There are also lots of things you can do that will significantly reduce this risk. All babies are unique and all have their own individual feeding needs. It’s not unusual for a baby to want a night feed for the first three months at least because their tummies are so tiny that they need to feed during the day and night in order to take in enough milk. The proper sleep environment will matter more and more as baby gets past the 6-week mark. Set up a room for your baby to sleep for naps and bedtime. The sooner your baby starts to associate darkness and loud white noise with sleep, the easier his or her life will be. Whether its something specific like sleep regression or really anything baby sleep related, a baby sleep consultant can guide you to find a sleep solution as individual as your baby is.It’s a truth universally acknowledged that as a new parent, you are going to lose a lot of sleep. Not only will you be navigating night feeds and dealing with a newborn adjusting to their environment, your new-parent worries will kick in and that can spell many a sleepless night. Thankfully, there are some nifty baby sleep essentials out there to help you and your little ones catch some much-needed Zs. Keep soft objects, loose bedding, or any objects that could increase the risk of entrapment, suffocation, or strangulation out of the baby’s sleep area. These include pillows, quilts, comforters, sheepskins, blankets, toys, bumper pads or similar products that attach to crib slats or sides. Don’t try to keep your baby up during the day in the hopes that he or she will sleep better at night. Overly tired infants often have more trouble sleeping at night than those who’ve had enough sleep during the day. In the early months, babies need clear nasal passages to breathe. Later they can alternatively breathe through their mouth if their nose is blocked. Bedroom inhalant allergies are a common cause of stuffy noses and consequent night waking. Dust-free your baby’s bedroom as much as possible. With parents being busier than ever, there is a huge need for good quality advice and compassionate support to help bring baby into the world. A sleep expert will be with you every step of the way, guiding you on how best to find a solution to your sleep concerns, whether its sleep training or one of an untold number of other things.Put Your Sleepy Baby To BedKeep the intervals of wakefulness short at first, offering as many naps as your baby will take, with no more than 1-2 hours of wake time before the next nap. By age 6 months, establish a 3-nap routine. Feeding your baby at night is similar to feeding your baby during the day in that you do not want to feed your baby more frequently than every two and a half hours. How long you let your baby go between feedings at night, however, depends on whether you have a singleton or twins. Your baby needs about eleven to twelve hours of nighttime sleep, so if they are consistently starting their day between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m., they need a bedtime about twelve hours before then. There are many causes of sleep regression, and the triggers for sleep disruption could be different at different stages of a child’s development. So, sleep regression at 4 months or 6 months old might happen for different reasons to sleep regression at 8, 9, 10 or 12 months old. Could your baby’s broken sleep be caused by a surge in development? Maybe your baby is chuffed to bits they can crawl, and now wants to practise – at 3am. How babies sleep depends largely on their age, but there is still a lot you can do to turn things around and get some precious sleep again. If you need guidance on 4 month sleep regression then let a sleep consultant support you in unlocking your child’s potential, with their gentle, empathetic approach to sleep. Regular waking in the first few months is nature’s way of keeping the baby alive so parents should have very low expectations of sleep and concentrate on building the trust bond. Go with the flow. You need the early weeks and months to simply get to know each other. Most babies, especially newborns, will sleep in short bursts of time anyway – but for those that tend to sleep for longer stretches should be woken after four hours for a feed until they show good weight gain. Also, letting babies sleep for longer during the day may result in a restless baby when it comes to bedtime. Put your baby to sleep on his back every time until he’s 1 year old. It’s not safe for a baby to sleep on his side or tummy. If your baby can roll from his back to his side or tummy and back again, it’s OK if he changes positions while sleeping. It’s important that babies sleep in a dark space—darkness triggers your child’s melatonin hormone, which is released every night and helps them feel sleepy. While some babies are fine in a room that’s just darkened with regular blinds or curtains, many sleep consultants recommend blackout blinds to completely darken the space, especially for naps and in the summer months, when it’s light out for several hours past a typical baby bedtime. Parents may think that elevating the crib mattress to relieve symptoms of reflux is safe, but it is not, nor are any types of sleep positioners or wedges in a crib. Furthermore, however safe the crib may be, any new parent can attest to the fact that all babies will end up sleeping in many other places. The gentle approach and caring manner of a baby sleep expert allows them to assist you in the most preferable way to deal with ferber method and to assist you and your family in any way possible.Regulate The BedtimeA tiny baby gets tired just being alive, but older babies need a bit more stimulation and play during their wake times in order to be tired enough to sleep. That doesn’t mean spending their every waking hour frantically dangling toys in front of them and singing The Wheels on the Bus, but find a nice balance: plenty of face-to-face interaction and talking is good. Avoid TV and screens at this age. A peaceful daytime is likely to lead to a restful night. The more attached you are to your baby during the day and the more baby is held and calmed during the day, the more likely this peacefulness is to carry through into the night. After spending nine months in a dark (and sometimes noisy) womb, your newborn has established her own sleep cycles, which feel natural to her even if they seem strange to you. Just as she lets you know she’s hungry at any time of the day or night, your baby’s sleep patterns may seem random at first, sometimes changing from one day to the next. Discover further facts on the topic of Sleep Experts on this NHS web page.Related Articles:Easy Misjudgements People Make About Baby Sleep Consultancies Here’s What Industry Insiders Say About Baby Sleep Trainers Every Single Thing You Need To Comprehend About Sleep Specialists
