Baby sleep

Sleep like a baby

IF YOU’RE A TIRED PARENT UP ALL NIGHT, THE EXPERTS ARE HERE TO HELP WITH YOUR LITTLE ONE

AS TOLD TO ERIN MILLER

e experts

STEPH GOUIN Baby and child sleep consultant, Sleep by Steph owner and (currently non-practising) registered nurse KATIE FORSYTHE Baby sleep consultant and The Baby Sleep Company owner

QEveryone in my mother’s group is talking about their bub going through a sleep regression. What are they?

Steph: I encourage parents to steer clear of terms like sleep regressions. Babies and children don’t go through sleep regressions — they go through periods when their sleep may be temporarily disrupted ie: a burst of rapid growth and development, teething or illness.

QHow do I know when to put my baby down for a nap during the day?

Katie: I work from age- appropriate wakeful periods. The biggest mistake I see a lot of parents making, particularly for very young babies, is keeping them awake for far too long between naps. Steph: Babies, especially newborns, get tired very quickly and show signs when they need to nap. Some common tired signs include yawning, rubbing eyes, jerky arm and leg movements, irritability, grizzling and staring off into space. It’s always best to go by your baby’s tired signs instead of the clock.

QWhat are some of the common reasons babies and toddlers up to 2 years old wake overnight (besides hunger)?

Katie: Habit. They are used to someone coming and doing the things that they think they need to be able to go back to sleep — whether that is rocking, patting, giving some water, finding dummies or co-sleeping. Most problems over the age of six months are habitual and can be reduced by using a behavioural sleep method where the parent still reassures the child but gradually less and less until the problem is fixed.

QWhat is a sleep consultant and when should I consult one?

Steph: A sleep consultant works with families and individuals to help them develop and maintain healthy sleep habits, practices and routines. I’m a big believer in setting up great sleep ‘foundations’ from before the baby even arrives. I think every family should consult with a sleep expert, if not before their baby arrives then in the early days and weeks, to avoid exhausting sleep challenges and struggles.

QWhat should the sleep environment be like for naps?

Steph: I recommend having a natural day time sleep environment for babies and children, which includes having a dark grey level of light, normal household and outside noise and plenty of warmth and cosiness.

Best rest

National charity Red Nose works to reduce infant deaths through research and education and support services. They also support families who have been aff ected by the death of a baby or child. The Red Nose Safe Sleep Recommendations are: ✔ Always place baby on

their back to sleep

✔ Keep baby’s face and

head uncovered

✔ Keep baby smoke free,

before and after birth

✔ Create a safe sleeping

environment, night and day

✔ Sleep baby in a safe

cot in the parents’ or caregivers’ room for the fi rst 6-12 months

FOR MORE VISIT

REDNOSE.ORG.AU

QHow and when do I transition from a bassinet to a cot?

Katie: I find the age is normally around five months but it’s guided by baby’s size and ability to move around. If you notice that your baby can roll or is playing with the sides of the bassinet then it’s time to move to a cot.

QHow do I know when to go from two to one nap?

Katie: It will take a few weeks for your child to fully transition to only one nap. The approximate age this transition occurs is 14-18 months, and the biggest indicator is that you see the first nap creeping later into the morning and then outright refusal of a second nap.