Sleep Works

👶🏼 DUMMIES 👶🏼

👶🏼 DUMMIES 👶🏼 I love a good dummy to help settle a newborn and often tell mums not to worry it’s not actually difficult to get rid of, as long as you get the timing right. 🌟 From 16 weeks the dummy will become a problem (if not sooner) and parents will find themselves endlessly having to pop it back in so baby can return to sleep 💤 🌈The best age to ditch the dummy are between 4mth-9mth of age. 👌 When you are dropping the dummy make sure the room is set to support sleep and you are using an age appropriate routine to help with the transition, then you can either use an independent settling method to help your baby sleep without the dummy this sounds hard but with confidence and consistency it’s actually easy!! 🫶🏻 I’d love to help so please reach out !! 👍 After around 9mths a baby is often quiet attached to the dummy so it’s often gentler to keep it, and the good part is that a baby this age is now more then capable of finding the dummy themselves and replacing it 🎉 So if you have a baby 9mths or older that you are having to replug the dummy all night long this is for you. 🌟 For 3 days, when baby wakes wait 5-10mins to allow baby time to find it, don’t rush in. Then if still grizzling go in and Place the dummy in baby’s hand and guide to their mouth. Repeat for 3 days. 🌟 For another 3 days, when baby wakes wait 5-10mins to allow baby time to find it, don’t rush in. Then if still grizzling go in and Place dummy in baby’s hand and let them guide to their own mouth. Repeat for 3 days. 🌟 For another 3 days, when baby wakes wait 5-10mins to allow baby time to find it, don’t rush in. Then if baby is still grizzling go in and pat the mattress next to the dummy to signal to where the dummy is stay a moment and leave. Repeat for 3 days. Z Z www.sleepworks.co.nz

Daylight savings end

As the end of daylight savings approaches I recommend to help our little ones body adjust, slowly move the routine out (forward) by 15mins every two days this will soften the effects when the clock goes backwards by one hour next Sunday. We are really trying to avoid EARLY MORNING WAKING 😲 Adults are really good at taking a sleep in when we can, but your baby is going to follow their internal body clock so shift the routine the week before the clocks go back. Everything in the routine needs to move •naps •all milk feeds •all solids •all snacks •morning wake up •bedtime! ⚠️If you just move bedtime without the morning wake up or solids without naps, it will not work! What we are doing is helping your baby’s body adjust by April the 7th so we don’t end up with early morning waking due to the end of daylight savings 😣 This adjustment can take your baby’s little body 2 weeks to settle down back into their usual routine so getting a head start can help. 👉You can make this adjustment after the clocks have gone back too so, if you want to be more reactive rather than proactive that’s ok 👍 (also not forgetting that there are those easygoing kids that will just ride it out) ☀️ 3 sunlight tips are: 1) When baby wakes in the morning (at the new adjusted time) get them into some direct morning sunlight to help set the circadian rhythm. 2) After the bath in the evening pop out go for a short walk to the letterbox or on the lawn to get a little more evening sunlight into the end of the day. 3) Pushing the routine later in the a.m can be difficult so make it easier on yourself and your baby by BLACKING OUT THE ROOM, this is truly a must! @sleepworks.nz

Solids

🍠🍐🥕🥦🥩 Starting solids is an exciting milestone so let’s enjoy this new stage! 🔅It is a myth that starting solids equals your baby will sleep through the night so try not to rush this process, the recommended age to start is 6mths. There is so much to learn for your baby when starting solids, from tongue movement and swallowing to new tastes, texture and temperature not to mention navigating the gag reflex that may still be just a little sensitive at first. Getting the timing right along with the best foods to start with is important when teaching this new skill of eating and can take quite a few days for some babies to learn and others are very ready and scoff it down (those babies we want to make sure they aren’t over eating causing a milk solids imbalance in the beginning). Great foods to start with are low-gi carbohydrates like kumara and some pear to keep the bowls going along with carrot pumpkin, broccoli and believe it or not meat 🥩 is a vital part of starting solids. Meat/iron is needed from 6mths to sustain your baby’s blood sugar levels overnight, if your baby is late to start solids and or meat they can actually have night walking because of a blood sugar drop that occurs. Foods to avoid are raw banana 🍌 avocado 🥑 and potatoes as these foods are actually very complex and difficult for your baby to digest, so interfere with baby’s sleep due to tummy upset and possibly constipation. Other things that can interfere with sleep when starting solids are eating too much off just one food, or eating solids at the wrong time. Look at starting with one meal a day and the best time is 11am after the mid morning milk feed, this way we won’t have an imbalance of solids versus milk. Then aim to slowly work your way up to 1/4-1/2 cup in volume of a variety of first foods (starting one new food at a time and adding to the mix) 🤍 I offer support with solids for baby’s and toddlers within my sleep training program 💕

🤍 I want you to thrive as a mother!

🤍 I want you to thrive as a mother, to feel empowered and rested, YES I said rested that is possible for you! There is so much support out there for you if we need it reach out before you’re at breaking point 💔 lactation consultant or nutritionist they are here for you. Sleep consultants or maybe a personal trainer.. If you want to have knowledge and understanding around sleep or routines reach out and give your day predictably and confidence to make sleep work! 💖 SLEEPWORKS.nz 😴

🤔 - Wondering if these night time feeds are just habitual waking..?

🤔 - Wondering if these night time feeds are just habitual waking..? Baby can seem fussy after the feed and not easy to settle Baby is taking short feeds just to calm and resettle themselves Baby wakes frequently even with a night feeding Baby isn’t interested in the morning milk feed Note: That a newborn may need 2-3 night feedings and waking for help to resettle is expected. Babies between 4-8 mths can often still need only one night feeding, and from 8mths a baby can be taught to consolidate their night and sleep through without a feed. If the night feed is needed and it’s because of hunger, the wakes are at random times not the same time every night When baby does feed it’s a big full feed and when finished they resettle easily and without any fuss. The waking is after at least one full night sleep cycle (4hrs) If the night feed is from hunger your baby will still take a full feed at breakfast time. www.sleepworks.co.nz Zzz

👇Awake windows

Following a routine can feel tricky especially if your baby is cat napping or waking up early in the morning. But helping baby reach the ideal awake window is going to get you there. Babies that are 4-6 month old may need help in the form of a 🛟 rescue nap to get them on track, but for older babies 7+mths they should be ok to “aim” for the top end of their awake window for the nap to start if cat napping. Catnapping is a difficult stage but is developmentally normal for younger baby’s to go through this phase, use your wake windows, and set up the room to support sleep to help them out of this issue. 4mths - 2hrs awake time - 3hr 45mins of total day sleep over three naps. 5mths - 2hrs 15mins awake time - 3.5hrs of total day sleep over three naps 6mths - 2.5hrs awake time - 3hrs of total day sleep over three naps 7.5-12mths - 2.5-3hrs awake time - 2.5hrs of total day sleep over two naps

Newborn

🕗 Timing newborn sleep is tricky 😴 but it plays a massive part of helping to shape sleep making it easier or harder in some cases for your baby. In the first 3 months, your baby’s biological clock is still immature and not fully formed so we are mostly going of awake windows. By supporting the development of this immature internal clock you can create healthy sleep patterns that will begin to emerge. The timing of milk feeds and activities are important but mostly watching out for those sleep cues is what has an impact on the quality of the sleep that follows. If the timing of sleep is too soon, then your baby is not tired enough to fall asleep easily (under tired), and may struggle to have the ability to link their sleep cycles, we often see a baby fighting the swaddling, cat napping and difficulty settling in under tired babies. For a baby to sleep well you must also help your baby have enough wakefulness through the day (awake windows), be sure they are taking good optimal milk feeds, have enough time to grow and develop with physically movement, and have enough natural light exposure to further support night sleep as this biological clock develops. If the timing of a nap is too late, then your baby may be too tired to be able to shut off and settle easily, stress hormones are produced when your baby is over tired and this is often what is responsible for making your baby cry more at the settling time, fight sleep, fighting the swaddle and also cat napping. Having a consistent flow to the day you will set your baby up to have a loose schedule and the begin of what will form sleep associations. 💜👍 Please understand that a newborn needs help to sleep and to settle, so providing a pattern or schedule is great but not to forget that feeding or cuddling to sleep within the recommended time frame is a positive thing when working on newborn sleep. 😴 😴 #sleeptips

Movement and sleep

👣Now I’m not suggesting you put your baby on a workout schedule or that you can’t head out in the car, what I’m actually asking you to think about is how much physical movement is your baby getting and how is this impacting sleep..!? What has the day looked so far.? 💜Baby is up and milk feed then sit and have long cuddles with Mum, then get dressed and into car popping out for some jobs, then into pram and into shops (have some snacks in pram), then back to car seat heading home, home and into highchair for my solids then off to the nursery to clean up and into cot for nap time 😴 OR did the day look more like this…… 💜Baby is up and milk feed, then put on floor to roll stretch and reach for toys, then into nursery to put on clothes and practice some sitting with Mums help, then into the kitchen to play on the floor while Mum prepares baby’s solids, baby gets a little grumpy after so much physical play so mum picks up and finished making lunch with baby in her arms. 🤔What morning would you say will better prepare baby for long restorative, consolidated sleep..? 😅Things you want to try and avoid “for a little bit” if you’re working on consolidating your baby’s sleep. Long prams rides In the front pack all day car seats Stationary play stations

🛌 My advice is to always keep your toddler in a cot until as close to 3yrs as possible, your toddler will start to form impulse control around this age and this means they will then begin to understand that they should stay in bed 🛌 and not to continuously get up. But before this age they don’t have the impulse control and so will get up repeatedly overnight if in a big bed too early as they simply don’t understand how to stay in bed and can’t fight the urge to get up. 😃 So if it’s safe to do so, keep the cot until 3yr 🎉 In my experience a toddler will often sleep better without a pillow until closer to the age 3.5-4yo because they are still moving so much in their sleep at this age. ❌Babies should not have pillows or anything large and lose in the cot!! Introducing a pillow when your toddler goes into a big bed can make the transition a little more difficult simply because there is more to go wrong and a toddler will often fuss over a pillow especially if it’s a new thing along side a new bed. • The pillow can fall out • The pillow can get “lost” • The pillow can give your child a stiff neck • The pillow can be used for attention Keep it simple when moving into the big bed and maybe wait to introduce a small skinny pillow “once” your child has made the transition to a big bed and is sleeping through consistently. 😴 www.sleepworks.co.nz 😴 @sleepworks.nz #sleeptraining #babysleep

❗️There are no secrets to sleep training 😱 That’s right, once you get the basics right (and make sure there are no medical issues) you are on your away! All of the correct information is out there and easy to follow, I’ll list a few things that you need to get right. • Having an age appropriate naps routine • Have a milk/solids routine to supports sleep • Create the OPTIMAL sleep environment •Be ready and committed to the change. • Then you need to be confident with your settling method, and keep it up! Having someone to answer all the questions as you are “in the moment” makes all the difference to your confidence and often your success Some of the things that run through our minds when sleep training are…... 💭 Maybe they are cold? Maybe they are hungry? Maybe they are hot? Maybe the timing isn’t right? Maybe they need me (separation anxiety) Maybe they are teething? 🦷 How long do I do this for ? How do I get through the day on short naps? Having a sleep consultant will allow you to fully focus on just sleep training, I will take the worry out if it and give you the confidence to commit and see sleep WORK for your family. 💓💓 . Z Z www.sleepworks.co.nz #sleeptraining

💕 LOVEYS/COMFORTERS 💕 Absolutely a comforter will help your baby or toddler sleep, and encourage independent resettling. all you have to do is encourage your baby to become attached to it. ⭐️Make sure it’s a small hanky size breathable fabric lovey. ⭐️ Toddlers may enjoy using a favourite teddy or doll. ⭐️Newborns-8mth nothing in the cot! ⭐️How to encourage a lovey, offer your chosen lovey at feeding times and at (room exposure) settling times as these are moments when you are calm and bonding with your child. Overtime they will become attached and upon waking will use the lovely to help settle back to sleep. ⭐️Toddlers may like to choose a teddy as the special toy to sleep with, and you can talk with them explaining that if they wake to cuddle into their teddy and close your eyes. Loveys and comforters are so helpful for when separation anxiety hits. OR if your baby is sleeping in a new environment. OR even take them to daycare to help your baby sleep. 😴 For sleep help and advice find me @sleepworks.nz #comforters #toddlersleep #loveys #hamiltonsleepconsultant #sleepworks #sleepytotnz

Did you know you can do both, or if your baby doesn’t enjoy tummy time then floor time is just as effective! The aim with tummy time is to strengthen the core tummy muscles helping baby with movement and rolling. The problem is some babies will simply cry the entire time resulting in families not offering any or enough of it. The good news is that “floor time” helps in the same way, if your baby doesn’t enjoy tummy time then simply place baby flat on their back to stretch right out. This will give those tummy muscles the work out they need to gain muscle memory, strengthening your baby AND the bonus is this physical activity actually supports sleep as it increases the drive to sleep. Things to avoid when wanting to encourage rolling and support sleep, long stints in baby seats, bouncers or cuddles for the entire awake window. The reason for this as that in these positions baby’s core body is relaxed and the muscles are inactive and becomes lazy. www.sleepworks.co.nz Z Z Z

😴 Don’t dump and go, stay and play. Allowing your baby’s body time to prepare for sleep with ROOM EXPOSURE Yes it’s as easy as staying and playing for 5-10mins. Offering good nursery exposure to the 4 positive sleep cues that will lead to independent settling. 1• White noise 2• Dimly lit room 3• Sleep sack 4• Some calm “floor play” That is nursery or room exposure - is the wind down time before sleep. Equally as important is not going to fast with offering room exposure. I encourage you not to dump and go, we want to allow enough time for your baby to move from play-time to sleep time with that calm floor play in-room. If you are working on independent settling and now moving away from newborn settling where you would fully assist to sleep, then after this room exposure is when you want to offer baby some time and space to practice independently settling. When you need to respond to your baby or return to the room, be sure to bring the right energy in with you……. Calm Confident Consistent Your baby will feel your energy, so offering a strong calm wave of energy from a parent will help your baby learn this new independent way of settling. www.sleepworks.co.nz 😴😴😴😴😴

❌ Mum shamming/ judgment/ bullying I’m so happy with my life and how I parent. There should be no room for negative messages towards other parents, this is such a ridiculous thought to me! 🤯 This kind of person will feel very unhappy and unfulfilled within their life (in my opinion). ⚠️They just sound sleep deprived & tired, you aren’t “yourself” when in a sleep deprived state!! Nothing “good” ever comes from this type of negative action against others, so why are some parents feeling compelled to let others know their personal opinions….? I don’t spend any time thinking about how others parent! However you get it done is A-OK with me 👍 But if you come to me for evidence based help, rammed full with strong empowerment so you find your strength and confidence to change your sleep situation 🤸‍♀️well that’s when I’m all in with both👣 My point is, you would have to “ask” for help - but until then whatever you are doing is 💯 perfect 👍 www.sleepworks.co.nz

🤷🏻‍♀️ WHY I ENCOURAGE A SHORT MORNING NAP & A LONGER LUNCH NAP! 🤸‍♀️A short morning nap encourages a longer lunch time sleep which is the most restorative time of the day for a baby to nap. 🤸‍♀️A short morning nap is easy to achieve on school runs or on the go so you can head out in the morning to coffee groups or to run errands. This nap can easily be in the car or in the pram. 🤸‍♀️Baby can view a long morning sleep as an extension of their night sleep which contributes to early morning wakeups in babies “over 6 months old”. 🤸‍♀️A long morning nap often means a shorter lunchtime sleep which means Baby will be very overtired come bedtime and not sleep well at night. 🤸‍♀️The 12 month sleep regression hits those hardest who have had a long morning sleep and short afternoon sleep. 🤸‍♀️It makes the transition to one nap at 15-18 months of age much easier as you simply drop the morning nap and keep a lunch nap. This is much easier than progressively shifting a morning nap later and later and having months of a tired toddler! www.sleepworks.co.nz

The PERFECT example of how a baby can use a lovey/comforter to self-settle👍🏻🥰 This little guy won’t relax until the lovely is in just the right spot for him 🤗😍 👉 https://www.sleepworks.co.nz/ #comforters #selfsettling #babysleep #toddlersleep #sleepworks

**LIVE SLEEP TALK** I’m guest speaking over at the “Milkbar Mum Chat” FB group, this Friday 7.30pm (link to group below) Jump over to their group now and pop your sleep questions down in the thread that is going and I’ll do my best to answer your questions. Remember to put baby’s age in the comments too. This talk will cover great sleep tips for newborn babies and toddlers, as well as getting your questions answered 🤗🤗 https://www.facebook.com/milkbarnewzealand/

Appropriate awake windows and the number of recommend naps at each stage, for your babies and toddlers.. You’re welcome 😊 For sleep support and advice find us at, https://www.sleepworks.co.nz

Bedtime rules for your toddlers work much better if they are positive. Try incorporating these rules into your bedtime wind down. * Close your eyes * Snuggle down under your covers * Stay as quiet as a mouse 🐭 Of course we first need to make sure the sleep environment is optimal for sleep, ensuring your child isn't hungry or cold. For one-on-one help, find us at: https://www.sleepworks.co.nz/

Winter sleeping tips 😴❄️☀️ * Pop your baby or toddler into a sleeping bag, this will stop them from becoming cold overnight because they can’t kick those covers off. * put a heater on timer, set it to come on at 2/3am and off again at 5am. This will keep your little one warm, but not too warm! * your babies and toddlers are producing a hormone called melatonin, this is the “sleepy hormone” it is responsible for helping your child settle to sleep and stay asleep. Sunlight prompts melatonin to be released once your child is in the dark, so get outdoors each day to top up your child’s sleepy hormone!! For more advice and help with your babies and toddlers sleep, find us at: https://www.sleepworks.co.nz/