What are the best online resources to help your baby get to sleep? We review the best apps for baby sleep.

In this age, you’d be hard pushed to find a parent that hasn’t got a ready list of apps on their phone for all kinds of parenting emergencies. But which apps actually help when it comes to settling your baby to sleep?

We’ve been doing a little research and have come up with the top five that parents look for when they download a baby sleep app.

What does a baby sleep app need to do?

Unfortunately, no app in the world will get your baby to sleep through the night and they are not a magic cure. If your baby isn’t sleeping well, baby sleep apps may help to calm and soothe them but they won’t teach her how to fall asleep. As always, parenting cannot be done remotely and there are some skills that only you can bestow upon your little ones. That said, baby sleep apps do have a valuable place in your life now and then. We think a good baby sleep app should:

• calm
• soothe
• relax
• help to settle baby ready for sleep
• help baby to sleep a little longer
• help baby to drop off when tired enough 

What to look for when you download a sleep app

It’s worth looking out for the following:

• The size of the app – will it eat lots of data, will it run slowly or buffer?
• Does it have good reviews from parents?
• Is it easy to use?
• Is it free? Or at least reasonably priced?

The top five baby sleep apps 

In our opinion, these are amongst the best baby sleep apps out there. See if you think they’d work for your baby; you know your little one well enough to know what she would respond to best.

Lullabytes

This is available on the Apple store and it’s a really lovely app. It’s free and very simple to navigate, using the concept of lullabies to soothe baby to sleep. There are 12 piano tunes to choose from and the option to add information such as how long your baby takes to fall asleep and how long she sleeps for.

The lullabies wind down in energy towards the end, in the anticipation that by the time they are finished your baby will be relaxed and soothed enough to fall asleep. Each ‘concert’ lasts 25 minutes, which is usually long enough for your baby to fall into a deep enough sleep so that you can creep out. 

In addition to the lullabies, the app also has the option of playing a variety of noises to fill the silence as your baby sleeps, which can be really great for some babies, particularly newborns. The app creators call this a ‘soundscape’ and in this mode, the app will detect your baby’s cries  if she wakes in the middle of the night and automatically start up again.

Of course, it’s not intended to be a replacement for you but it’s a good feature for unsettled babies that struggle to sleep without sound. The diary feature is also handy, with options to add relevant information such as teething, so that you can get a clear picture of your baby’s sleep patterns.

If you have a baby that responds well to music, and likes to have constant sounds during sleep time, this app is great for you. It’s free to download so worth a try. 

Sound Sleeper 

This is another free app from the Apple store. It relies on your baby’s need to overcome the silence of this strange world, and it has lots of different sounds to choose from to help your baby to settle off to sleep, from a car engine, to the sounds of a busy market, to gentle rainfall.

White noise is known to help babies sleep and there are also options to replicate sounds from inside the womb too. There are three modes: Play, to help baby fall asleep, Listen, to help her stay asleep and Track, to help you keep a handle on the sleep. During listen mode, the app will detect when your baby is awake and crying and will automatically start up again in the hope that she will settle herself.

Each sound can be volume-controlled within the app, and if you upgrade to the paid version, you can control how long the play sessions are. Once the session is over, you can choose the listen mode and each sound can be paused at any time. There’s also the option to record your own soothing sound, although with the variety on offer we’d be surprised if there wasn’t one in there that suits.

If your baby likes white noise, this is the app for you!

Instant Baby Sleep

This is another white noise app, once again free of charge. It’s simple to use and works on the same principle as Sound Sleeper – some babies just sleep better with some background noise! You can also record your own sounds onto this app too.

Another great app for white noise fans.

Baby Shusher

This app uses the age old shushing method. The idea is that the shushing sounds help to stop your baby crying and soothe her to sleep. Apparently, it’s great for fussy babies and an excellent way to preserve your own voice if you’re used to shushing for a long time! The app is not free but it is good. It has the option of setting how long you want it to shush your baby for, from 15 minutes up to eight hours and it also allows you to record your own custom shush too. There is a handy feature that listens to your baby and adjusts the volume of the shush.

If your baby responds well to shushing, this app might just save your voice night after night.

Eat Sleep

A simple app, we like this one because it helps you to keep a check on how long your baby sleeps so that you can spot any patterns or issues as they arise. If baby sleep is a problem, this can be a really helpful app.

There is a note-taking function that allows you to add in things such as teething or illness and the simplistic nature of it means that almost anyone can use it easily – even sleep-deprived parents. All you need to do is enter the start and stop time of your baby’s sleep and because you can also enter feeding information, it helps you to get a bigger overall picture of your little one’s sleep. It’s easy to use and handy to have.

If you like to keep a track of baby’s sleep this app is perfect and very easy to use.

So that’s our top five. What are your favourite apps?

Further reading:

Understanding your baby’s sleep from three to six months

Going away with your baby on holiday? See our pick of the ten best travel cribs

Three baby sleep problems and their solutions

 

A little while ago, we shared a highly humorous illustrated guide to the five stages of teething, brought to you by the wonderful writers at How to Be A Dad. 

We loved this lighthearted look at the nightmare that can be teething, and we wanted to expand on it a little in this post.

Here’s our own guide to the five stages of teething.

Stage One: 0-6 months

Babies are born with their full set of ‘milk teeth’ beneath the gums, and they can start to erupt at any time during this first period. For some babies, it can take weeks and weeks for the first tooth to appear, and for others only days. Some babies are born with teeth (yes, really!) and some won’t get them until much later.

The term ‘teething’ usually refers to the process that takes place as the first teeth begin to push up through the gums and as a general rule babies can start to teeth before the age of six months, but teeth don’t usually appear until after that age. So at stage one, you can expect a few bouts of painful teething episodes, but no teeth just yet.

Stage Two: 6 months

The second stage of teething will actually produce some teeth, making those sleepless nights and restless days a little easier to understand! After the age of six months, the incisors will start to erupt, and usually in a specific order too:

• the two middle teeth at the bottom are usually first (lower central incisors)
• followed by the two middle teeth at the top (upper central incisors)
• followed by a tooth either side of the top two (upper lateral incisors)
• followed by a tooth either side of the bottom two (lower lateral incisors)

By the time your baby is around 12-14 months old, she will have at least four teeth at the top and four at the bottom. Before they emerge, your baby will experience many bouts of teething, and sometimes it can seem that the teeth are erupting one day, before disappearing the next! It can be frustrating (for you both) but it’s normal for teeth to take their time coming through.

Take a look at our teething tips for ideas on how soothe baby’s sore gums.

Stage three: 10-18 months

The third stage of teething sees the eruption of the primary molar teeth, those needed for chewing and eating. They usually appear in the same order too:

• First is the two bigger teeth on either side of the mouth, towards the back at the top (upper first molars)
• followed by two bigger teeth either side at the bottom (lower first molars)

These teeth can be very painful for babies and you can expect a lot of dribbling, drooling and maybe even an upset tummy too.

Stage four: 16-22 months

The fourth stage brings with it the canine teeth (and a lot more pain and discomfort too). They usually erupt in the same order once more:

• Two teeth will appear to fill the gaps at the top between the incisors and first molars (upper canine)
• followed by two teeth at the bottom, between the incisors and molars (lower canine)

Despite the crankiness, your baby will by this point have a wonderfully bright white smile for you!

Stage five: 25-33 months

The final stage of teething (hooray!) is sometimes known as the most painful stage, as it’s when the biggest teeth of all erupt through the gums. Your baby is also more of a toddler by this point too, and more likely to really let you know that she’s in pain. Often at this stage teething is mistaken for being poorly (and some babies can feel dreadful during teething too) and parents can be surprised to discover new teeth when they check. The very last teeth to come through as usually in order:

• Two molars at the very back of the mouth at the bottom (lower second molar)
• followed by two molars at the backm at the top (upper second molar)

And with the end of this final stage, your baby now has 20 teeth! Amazing, huh?

We hope you found this helpful, we are not teething experts but know that a baby’s sleep can be disrupted by this ongoing process and thought it would be useful. If you need additional help and advice the NHS has a useful article here.

The first three months of a newborn baby’s life are often referred to as ‘the fourth trimester’ and there are studies that have shown babies are soothed by conditions that emulate those in the womb. One such example is swaddling. Not sure what to do, or why? Here’s a quick guide and a few swaddling tips and tricks to try.

Why swaddle?

Swaddling helps to comfort baby and creates the feeling of being held, much like when in utero. Being held closely and securely also stifles the startle reflex, which is a normal reflex that babies are born with.The startle reflex often wakes new babies- if you’ve ever seen a baby jerk her arms suddenly, you’ll know what I mean. When babies are swaddled, they are unable to jerk their arms uncontrollably and therefore are able to sleep a lot more soundly. Some babies calm down straight away when they are swaddled, and this can be a wonderful way to get your baby to sleep a little better too. Another benefit of swaddling is that there is often no need for extra blankets in the crib.

How to swaddle

If you think that you’d like to try swaddling your baby, here’s how to do it.

• Use a specially designed swaddle blanket. These are usually secured with velcro fasteners and full instructions will be included with the product information.
• Make you own swaddle blanket. Use a thin, square shaped blanket or muslin and fold (instructions further down) around baby to swaddle securely. Make sure all loose fabric is tucked in!
• Check the temperature of the room before adding more blankets to baby.

If you use a swaddle blanket

Always read the product information and make sure that you fasten it up securely, but not too tightly. Make sure that baby can still move arms and legs (as they did whilst in the womb). If your blanket does not have velcro fastenings or poppers, make sure all fabric is tucked in and nothing is loose.

If you use a square blanket

There is an art to swaddling, but really there is no right or wrong way to do it. Here is our tried and tested method:

• Take your blanket and place on a firm, flat surface in a diamond shape, so that one corner is at the top.
• Fold the top corner underneath like this:

 

• Place baby on top of the blanket with her shoulders in line with the fold like this:
• Bring babies arms to her chest (never by her sides) and fold the left corner over baby and tuck under her bottom.
• Take the bottom corner up to baby’s tummy and tuck securely into the top of the blanket going across baby’s chest.
• Bring the right corner over baby and tuck under baby’s bottom, making sure the end is tucked into the the top of the swaddle at the back.

 

Swaddling safety

It’s important to swaddle safely. Here are some guidelines to help you.

• Always place baby on her back to sleep.
• Never wrap baby too tightly- make sure she can still move her arms and legs. This is important to ensure correct development of the legs and hips. Studies have found that wrapping baby too tightly can lead to problems such as hip displasia so do make sure that your wrap is not too tight.
• Don’t have any loose blankets or toys in baby’s crib.
• Make sure the temperature of the room is ok and only add a blanket if it is really cold.
• Use a thin blanket, muslin or sheet.
• Be aware of the clothes that baby is wearing under the swaddle and make sure that she is not overheating.
• When baby is able to roll over, it is time to stop swaddling. This is because baby will be unable to roll back with her arms swaddled.
• Always keep baby in the same room as you when she sleeps swaddled.
• The idea of swaddling is that your baby feels safe and secure, not restricted. Never place blankets higher than the shoulders and check regularly for blankets near the face.
• If baby starts to ‘wriggle free’ allow them to do so- most will self wean from the swaddle around 2-3 months old.

Do you swaddle your baby? 

With thanks to @NurseryDublin‘s article The art of swaddling.

How many times have you heard that line?

“It’ll be a growth spurt!”

Baby slept terribly last night. Growth spurt. Baby is sleeping lots today. Growth spurt. Huh? What’s the truth about growth spurts and sleep? Is it all myth, or is there some truth to the way that sleep is affected? And do babies sleep more or less when they’re having a spurt? Read on to see what we think!

What is a growth spurt?

A growth spurt is simply a short period of time in which your baby’s brain and body undergo rapid developments. Your baby’s weight and height will rise rapidly during a growth spurt, and chances are high that you will know when it’s happening. The most noticeable growth spurts take place in the first twelve months of life, and like most things sleep most definitely is affected. Of course.

Your baby’s brain will go through some amazing stages of development in the first 18 months of life, and when you think about it, it’s little wonder that babies are affected by it all. So many things to learn and skills to master!

How is sleep affected?

Some babies sleep a lot during a growth spurt. And this makes sense, because sleep is when the body recharges, cells are renewed and the body and brain develops. So if the body needs to step up the pace for some serious growing, it makes sense that more sleep is needed. That said, some babies are a little more cranky than usual during a growth spurt, and of course this can affect sleep.

Some babies can also become quite clingy during a growth spurt, and want to spend most of the day (and night) being cuddled. All that brain development and learning new skills can be tiring but confusing too. So while your baby might want (and need) a little extra sleep during a growth spurt, she could well have a few problems getting to sleep for a few days or more.

How to cope during a growth spurt

Remember that it won’t last forever. Growth spurts are usually short bursts and normal service is resumed quite quickly. So, take a deep breath and try these tips:

• No need to feed baby more than is necessary, but respond to hunger cues as normal. Your baby might want to feed a little more, and that’s fine- but don’t feel you need to feed her more than she demands.
• Get support from your partner, friends and family. A clingy, demanding baby is hard work!
• If you’re breastfeeding, drink lots of water to help your supply keep up with demand.
• Try to rest as much as you can, so that you’re more able to cope during the day (and night) when you’re in demand,
• When baby does get to sleep, try to sleep then too. If she is sleeping more than usual, take advantage of it!

How to help baby sleep during a growth spurt

All you can really do for your baby is remain consistent. Keep your routine as regular as you can, and keep on top of naps throughout the day. Remember to watch for sleep cues (yawning, rubbing eyes, fussiness etc) and act on them as quickly as possible. Don’t let your baby get too over tired and keep in mind that longer or extra sleeps might be on the agenda for a couple of weeks or so.

Good luck!

This week on Twitter and Facebook we’ve been asking for your top tips on using your SnoozeShade to ensure better baby sleep. Today we’re excited to reveal all to you, with a few of our own ideas in too!

What the SnoozeShade great for baby sleep?

The SnoozeShade was invented out of necessity. As a busy mum, it became clear quite quickly that my baby was not going to sleep so well whilst out and about. And while sleep has always been a priority for us, I didn’t want to stay at home each day for naps. Some days I just couldn’t! And what many parents who find SnoozeShade are looking for is this: a shady nook for their baby to sleep in, no matter where they are.

When you pull your SnoozeShade around your pram, pushchair or infant car seat, you are creating a darkened environment that blocks out external stimulus and encourages better sleep. Napping on the go doesn’t have to mean bad sleep. The reasons why babies need a darkened environment are simple:

• Babies (as adults) need a hormone called melatonin to induce sleep. Darkness stimulates production of this hormone, which is why a darkened environment is more conducive to sleep.
• Sufficient darkness at sleep times helps to set a baby’s body clock, or circadian rhythm. This is helpful when it comes to establishing a routine.
• A darkened environment can become a sleep cue- a signal to your baby that it is time for sleep. Lots of babies fall asleep almost instantly once their SnoozeShade is zipped up!

Babies need to know the difference between night and day. When you use a SnoozeShade, you are providing a temporary darkened environment, which helps babies to begin to learn the differences between waking during the day and waking during the night. At night, if you keep the room darkened and limit communication with your baby, he will quickly learn the difference between bedtime and sleep time.

Stimulation during sleep time is bad because:

• Babies are easily over stimulated, and often this can make the difference between a good sleep and a bad sleep. An over stimulated baby can be difficult to settle.
• Interaction with your baby triggers automatic responses to smile, gurgle or cry. Basically, you are asking your baby to communicate with you, and this can be detrimental to sleep.

The SnoozeShade successfully blocks out this extra stimulation so that baby is not disturbed, and it able to fall asleep quickly and easily.

How do parents use their SnoozeShade to ensure better sleep?

Kim told us that she swears by her SnoozeShade for infant car seats for better naps when she’s out and about. While infant car seats are not designed for prolonged use, sometimes babies sleep better in them than anywhere else! And sometimes it can be impossible to keep them awake when you go out in the car. So in these instances, the SnoozeShade can be a life saver! Kim says her little one tends to wake grumpy if she takes him in from the car after he’s fallen asleep. The SnoozeShade helps him to settle back, and wake more gradually- and happily!

@Beingmumtoday told us that her SnoozeShade is fantastic in the summer- for shielding her little one from the sun and helping to protect against sunburn and sun stroke. It’s worth noting that in the colder months the SnoozeShade makes an excellent wind shield too!

@MTJAMBLOG says her SnoozeShade is invaluable for keeping away the various bugs and flies that crop up when it’s warmer. Not only does this mean no horrid insect bites, but no more incessant tickles from the blighters too!

Because the SnoozeShade is made from fully breathable fabrics, it is great to use in hot weather, so it’s fantastic for shielding from the heat too. @allbymama says she uses her SnoozeShade to help keep the heat away in the summer.

More creative uses…

We’ve had customers tell us that their SnoozeShade works fantastically on bouncy chairs- although we don’t know which brands! Do make sure there is adequate room underneath for your little one if you try it- and make sure baby is able to breath fresh air at all times. The SnoozeShade has also reportedly been used as a wind shield on the beach, proving that you don’t always need a pram to make it work! And you can also use your SnoozeShade for cots as a bug and sun shade while your playpen is out in the garden too.

And if baby is awake and wanting to play… our Sneak a Peek zip is perfect for a game of Peek-a-boo!

How do you use your SnoozeShade to ensure better baby sleep?

What will your baby be doing from three months to six – and will they have a sleep regression at four months?

• Learn about the four-month sleep regression
• How long does your baby sleep between three and six months?
• What problems may interrupt my baby’s sleep?

The newborn stage is amazing – but sleep is in very short supply for you and you have had to get to know this tiny and demanding human who cries, needs their nappy changed and vomits. The first three months can be really tough. After that, though, things start to settle down and you begin to understand your baby’s likes and dislikes and to get started on a newly established routine for days and night.

Things Are Going to Get Better Now, Aren’t They? Well – Maybe!

In the very early stages, your baby may have suffered from colic, wind, long periods of crying and other complaints, so you can’t wait for that 12-week stage. Other moms and your Health Visitor may have told you that this is a magical point when things start to get better – and generally it does – but there are a few things to look out for.

Your baby’s immature digestive system will now start to mature and they will be able to hold more milk in their tummies at each feed, to keep it down and to digest it well. They will be better able to bring up wind, with your help, as their muscles develop. This means that wind and colic may now ease and if you’re breastfeeding, you may be able to eat some things that upset your baby before such as citrus and strawberries.

If your baby’s symptoms do not get better, it is possible they are suffering from Reflux or CMPA (cows’ milk protein allergy) –see your GP and be referred to a Paediatrician if you think this may be the case.

It’s now time to start to wean your baby from their sleep props so that they will be able to settle themselves to sleep. If their prop has been you – either breastfeeding or rocking –start putting them in their cot when they are sleepy but not yet asleep. You should carry on talking or singing to your baby and then gently leave the room, still talking. A good monitor is gold dust here. If you can talk to your baby through it, they will still be comforted by your voice, even if you are in another room.

What Is The Four-Month Sleep Regression?

There are things happening in that tiny body. That’s why, even if they have been sleeping well, they may suddenly have a change of sleep patterns at four months. Here’s why:

Eyes: At birth, your baby could see quite dimly and for just a short distance. By four months, their eyes have developed enough to be able to see really well – so they want to keep looking around! That’s why SnoozeShade is ideal if you are out when their nap time is due, as you can remove too much visual stimulation.

Ears: Similarly, their ears now start to hear better and so they can be disturbed by the slightest sound. Especially the sound of you trying to sneak out of the nursery…

Because they share your bedroom for the first six months, you and your baby may actually disturb each other’s sleep patterns as your noises set the other one off. This is because you sync your lighter sleep phases. You can mask these noises by using a white noise machine, which often helps babies sleep better. Wave or womb sounds are also great.

Hands: Hand/eye coordination is getting better. So, your baby tries to grab everything within their reach. This may lead to their trying to grab things at nap and bedtime, so a comforter or favourite toy may keep their hands busy and aid sleep.

Once you have cracked this stage, the next things to interrupt sleep will be things like teething and weaning – but for now, try to ensure your baby gets those great, golden hours of sleep!

Further Reading:

Five Top Tips to Deal With Sleep Regression
Baby Teething? Here’s How to Help Them with Sleep Regression
What Temperature Should My Baby’s Room Be?

We all know that newborn babies wake frequently, day and night. It’s normal. Many new parents put themselves under pressure to try to get their baby to sleep through the night but you’re not doing something wrong if your baby is not sleeping ‘well’ in the early days.

Having said that, good sleeping habits really can be established early on and there are ways to help your baby become a good sleeper. Here are some tips to try to establish good sleeping habits for newborn babies.

Newborn Baby’s Sleeping Patterns

New babies sleep a lot, with most of that sleep in short bursts of up to three hours at a time. Sadly, this means that your sleep is frequently interrupted too. Your baby needs to wake often to feed and thrive and the resulting sleep deprivation can feel as though it will last forever – but we promise, it won’t!

By six weeks, babies tend to be awake longer and have longer stretches of sleep too. They still need regular feeds, so nights are disturbed.

Encouraging Good Sleeping Habits

Try these top baby sleep tips for encouraging good habits:

• Recognise your baby’s sleep cues. Yawning, rubbing the eyes, pulling the ears, becoming fussy or irritable are all signs that your baby is tired. As soon as you recognise your baby’s sleep cues, try to put her down for a sleep. Don’t leave it too long, as an over-tired baby is not easy to settle.
• Don’t stretch your baby’s waking periods. From six weeks, babies can stay awake for up to two hours at a time. Don’t be tempted to try to keep them awake longer in the hope of more sleep at night.
• Make a clear distinction between day and night. Your baby can learn what makes day distinct from night at an early age and is more likely to sleep longer at night if they recognise the difference. Make nights dark and calm and interact minimally with your baby. In contrast, daytime naps should happen in your usual routine – the telephone ringing, other children playing. There’s no need to tiptoe around during daytime naps, and if you need to get out and about, don’t let sleep routines hold you back – just pop your baby into their pushchair with the SnoozeShade on to create a calm, dark place for a little shut-eye.
• Encourage independent sleeping. Newborn babies usually fall asleep during feeds and it’s natural to lay them down in their crib – but this can become a ‘sleep prop’, meaning that your baby will only fall asleep during a feed. As they get bigger, you should encourage your little one to be able to self-settle, especially so that they can go back to sleep if they wake unexpectedly in the night. Try to plan your day so that when your baby wakes, you feed them, then have some play time, then put them to sleep when they are awake but getting tired.

Sleep training is not recommended in babies younger than six months. Use your instincts and let your baby guide you as much as is possible. Do let us know how you get on!

Further Reading:

Your Baby’s Developmental Milestones
Understanding How Your Baby Sleeps from 12-18 Months
Understanding How Your Baby Sleeps from 18 Months +

What are the most common errors new parents make about their baby’s sleep?

Congratulations on being a parent! While the word ‘mistakes’ may be a little strong, hopefully it got your attention! When it comes to parenting, and especially sleep, there really can be no right or wrong way. There is just your way, when you use your instincts – and you can rest assured you’re doing the best you possibly can.

However, there could be a couple of things you can tweak to get longer and better naps for your baby. So, here are three of the most common nap ‘mistakes’ you might be making…

Problem 1. Your Sleep Environment Isn’t Very Sleep-Inducing

While we are huge advocates of napping on the go, this doesn’t mean that you don’t need to think carefully about your child’s sleep environment. Some babies and toddlers can sleep anywhere but some can’t – it’s no different for us adults. Some of us are lighter sleepers than others and some of us need special conditions before we can even think about falling asleep. We all know someone who has to have special sheets, whale noises, red lights and other sleep props before they can get to sleep! Your sleep environment is very important, whether you’re at home or away, so here are some tips for making your baby’s environment conducive to sleep:

At Home

• Remember that nap time is different to sleep time, and you want your baby or toddler to know that too. So don’t be tempted to eliminate ALL noises during daytime naps (that can be impossible at times anyway) but at the same time, you might want to ask your older kids to postpone drum practise for an hour or two!
• Use black-out blinds to block out the sunlight. During the day, sleep can be a little harder to achieve for some children because of the amount of light coming into the bedroom, so do all that you can to create a sleepy, darkened room.
• White noise might help to block out normal, everyday sounds for the baby that finds it hard to settle. You can use an app, or take the opportunity to hoover in a different room while your baby sleeps.

Away

• Use SnoozeShade! When you’re out and about it can be hard to control noise and external stimulation that comes with other people in a café, cars on the road and dogs being walked. In the stroller, you might find that your little one is so distracted by what’s going on that he just cannot sleep. SnoozeShade creates a cosy little nook to eliminate distractions and at the same time it blocks out daylight too. Read our post on napping on the go.

Problem 2. You Don’t Have a Consistent Daytime Routine

Just as bedtime and nap time routines are important, your daily routine is just as essential for ensuring your baby’s naps go to plan. If you don’t have the regularity of a school run for older kids, for example, it can be hard to get a routine going. Try to start your day around the same time each day (even if you have slept badly – it will help later on, we promise) and incorporate a good bedtime routine into your day every day so that your baby knows when to expect sleep. Of course, this will need to be adapted every now and then and your baby’s needs will change too as they grow – but as long as you keep naps a priority, you should see improvements. So, rather than squeezing naps in between your activities, plan your day around naps instead.

Problem 3. You Let Your Baby Get Over-Tired

Watch your baby for their sleep cues. Just because your baby usually sleeps at 11am, doesn’t mean they aren’t tired at 10am. Babies change, sleep needs change and your routine needs to change with it. So, watch for eye rubbing, yawning and other sleep cues that mean your baby needs to sleep and adjust your day accordingly. The result will be a baby that sleeps a lot better than a baby who is over-tired.

How are your naps going at the moment?

Further Reading:

Avoid Night Time Sleep Problems With Day Time Naps
Help Your Baby Nap Longer
Toddler Nap Problems and Their Solutions

Happy New Year!

Are you making any New Year’s resolutions this year?

If you’re anything like millions of other parents across the world, you might be hoping to get a little more sleep this year. If that’s the case, perhaps it’s time to make some New Year’s sleep resolutions. Here are some tips to help you get started.

Try To Not Let It Become An Obsession

Ok, so you’re not getting much sleep at the moment and that’s pretty rubbish but try not to get too hung up on it. Sleep IS important but accepting your baby’s sleep patterns can help you come to terms with it. Newborns have small tummies that need filling up regularly, which is why they wake up frequently and there is little you can do about it. If you spend all your energy trying to get your newborn to sleep for longer than four hours at a time, you’re just likely to get yourself worked up about it.

Understand ‘Sleeping Through’

You might be interested to know that sleep experts define the phrase ‘sleeping through the night’ as five hours’ continuous sleep.

Read more on the truth about sleeping through the night here.

Understand Sleep Cues

It’s a fact that good daytime naps help to promote good night time sleep. Watch your baby for sleep cues through the day and act on them straight away. Typical sleep cues include:

• yawning
• rubbing eyes and pulling ears
• fussiness
• irritability
• crying
• refusal to look at you

If you act on the sleep cues when they appear, you lessen the risk of your baby becoming over-tired and more difficult to settle.

Boss Your Baby Bedtime Routine

A bad bedtime routine can play havoc on your baby’s sleeping habits. If you think yours could do with some tweaking, now’s the time to do it. A good bedtime routine can work wonders for sleep and it’s never too late to get started!

Understand How Much Sleep Your Baby Needs

It’s no secret that babies need more sleep than we do, but it helps to have an idea of roughly how much they need so that you can address any issues you feel they have. For a quick guide to sleep patterns, see this post.

How much sleep does your baby need? Find out here

Sort Your Own Sleeping Habits

It’s all too easy to blame tiredness on the kids. Children are tiring and those early mornings and night wakings take their toll. However, it might pay to look at your sleeping habits too. If you’re going to bed late, your baby is waking in the night and then waking you up early too, this can be hard. If you can, take a nap or rest during the day when your little one is sleeping. If not, a few early nights might just be the best New Year’s Resolution you can make.

Have you made any new year’s sleep resolutions?
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Further Reading:

Christmas Eve Bedtime Tips
Tips for Dealing with an Overtired Baby at Christmas
Seven Tips for Mastering Your Baby’s Sleep Routine Over Christmas

Ah, babies. They’re hard work, but you can pretty much guarantee they will sleep when they’re tired (as long as they’re not overtired, or under tired, over stimulated or under stimulated, too hot, too cold, hungry… but that’s another post!) and usually it doesn’t matter too much where or when they do it either.

In the crib, the pram, your arms, the sling… And they can do it with noise too. The hoover, the washer, the TV, the kids running riot with Lego. Whatever the circumstances, it can be said that babies are able to sleep pretty much any time, anywhere and through anything.*

*Ok, so not all babies do this, and we realise that we’re generalising here. But you have to admit that there are some days where baby sleeps well… surely? No? Oh, ok..

But what of toddlers? As babies grow older, suddenly the game changes. Now they need a certain pair of pyjamas in order to initiate sleep. Or they need a drink. Or they need absolutely NO daylight/ darkness in their bedroom. They need three stories- the same ones- each night and they need only YOU to do the funny voices the way they like them. There are so many rules! And nap times are just as bad, aren’t they? That precious sleep time during the day has been whittled down to a one or two hour stretch (if you’re lucky) into which you can try to cram as much stuff as you can before they wake again. The naps are essential.

So how you deal with toddler nap problems? Here are some ideas;

The Problem: My Toddler Refuses to Nap

Let’s start with the biggy. The toddler who will not nap is the greatest of all toddlers, for he rules our days with an iron fist. Over tired, grumpy, tearful, refusing to eat, refusing to sit still… sound familiar? When you know your toddler needs a sleep, but he just won’t accept it, what do you do?

Take a deep breath. No need for you to start screaming and stamping your foot either. Try to talk to your toddler calmly and explain why naps are a good idea. Try not to emphasise that you need a break (!) but instead let him know that it’s a special time for his body to rest ready for more play.

If he still isn’t convinced, then go for some quiet time instead. Encourage him to have a book or two in his crib and to lie down for a story, so that at least he is resting rather than sleeping. Alternatively, pop him in the stroller and get some fresh air on a walk if you can. This will help you to recharge, gather your thoughts and calm down if you’re feeling stressed. Don’t forget your SnoozeShade and you might find your toddler soon drifts off to sleep!

My Toddler Takes Ages to Fall Asleep

Some of us find ourselves in a ‘trap’ of waiting with our toddlers while they fall asleep, and sometimes this can take a long time! Now, we don’t ever judge anyone else for how they choose to parent, and in no way would we suggest that one method is better than another. If you like to stay with your toddler as he drifts off, and it works for you, then fine. But if it’s an issue, here are some tips for dealing with it:

• Set the scene. Just as at bedtime, have a nap routine that allows your toddler to realise that its soon sleep time, and prepare for going to sleep. Don’t skip a step and be consistent.
• Make sure the area where he sleeps is comfortable and conducive to sleep. Black out blinds, favourite blanket, etc. Make sure nap time is as appealing as possible.
• Explain to your toddler that you are going to pop out briefly, but will be back in moment. Make sure you do return, so that he knows he can trust you. Repeat this until he is happy to go to sleep without you, making the length of time you’re away a little longer each time.
• Get a comforter. This can be a toy your toddler already loves, or you can go together to buy a new one. Either way, it could make the idea of sleep a little more appealing.

Remember that this is likely to be a phase, so if the above don’t work and you’d rather stay with your toddler, then perhaps the best advice is to ride it out.

My Toddler Won’t Stay in His Crib

Hmmm. Might be time to move to a bed? Otherwise, make sure that the great escape attempts are as safe as possible. Remove any toys from the crib, and make sure there is no furniture close by that your toddler can climb onto. It’s also a good idea to place soft cushions and blankets on the floor in case he does get out. Explain to your toddler that climbing out is not a good idea, and that he must stay in bed until you come in. Some parents will put a safety gate on the bedroom door to prevent their toddlers going downstairs etc, but this is up to you.

My Toddler Only Wants One Sleep a Day but Gets Too Tired

Your toddler will eventually drop down to one nap a day (sob!) and this is going to take some getting used to. You might need to amend your bedtime a little by bringing it forward to combat the tiredness. It’s also a good idea to anticipate when the grumps will strike, and have a quiet activity at the ready to help him to wind down. He will get used to it eventually.

What are your top tips for dealing with toddler nap problems?

Further Reading:

Tips for Helping Your Toddler Sleep in Hot Weather
Three Reasons Why Your Toddler Wakes at Night
Toddlers and Sleep