Tiny Dreamer

Spot on here! No caption needed 😂😴

This can be so stressful! When your baby just won’t settle for a nap. Be sure to rule out health concerns, environmental factors or developmental milestones before assessing if you might need to adjust or drop a nap.

0-3 months - whatever they need
4-6 months - 3-4 naps
6-10 months - 2-3 naps
10-15 months - 2 naps
15+ months - 1 nap at lunchtime

Don’t be pressured by these guidelines as every child is different.
Drop by in the comments below as to how you successfully dropped a nap!

MYTH BUSTED: avoiding eye contact with your child at bedtime will not help them sleep better or drift off independently. Quite the opposite. When babies can’t talk or communicate, solace and feelings of comfort come from eye contact. 👁 Eye contact of any form, at any time should be promoted!

Music played a massive part of my childhood!! Our wonderful family member has decided to write a book all about Drum and Bass….
“Well, this is rather exciting. Becoming a parent made me realise the distinct lack of UK dance music representation in kids literature and to cut a long story short, I thought to myself well perhaps I should do something about that... Myself and a very talented illustrator friend of mine are working behind the scenes on our first Kids book - 'My First Book of Drum & Bass', an alphabetical adventure for little ravers and misbehavers! Sign up now to be notified of our kickstarter launch, and please re-share with any friends or family you think might appreciate it!”

Seriously sign up for info about this one - you won’t want to miss it!
https://myfirstbookofdnb.mailchimpsites.com/?fbclid=IwAR3-18bbk_T5dAI303xy1KrEIQDSBa6IGSj8c4KwxuUPfLNIgpOduHW9zvA

A simple post with a simple message.

Sleep = sleep.
Most messages I receive are about night wakings or early morning risers. Invariably these are due to over-tiredness. Ensure your child is having enough sleep during the day and optimising their naps to help a solid sleep through at night.
I know when I’m over tired I take forever to drift off to sleep and usually wake up a couple of times during the night, so really it’s the same for your babies.
Drop me a message for any advice surrounding age appropriate nap length!

Is your toddler ready to drop their nap??

Have a look at these to ensure they still get some downtime during the day - or you can always pop a film on so you can get some chill time too! There’s nothing wrong with TV!

If your toddler seems tired bring their bedtime forward - but no more than half an hour. Then slowly bring it back to normal, 5 minutes every night.
You know your child best - there might be some days when you know they might need a little power nap - let them - keep it to 20/25 mins and all will be fine :)

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⭐️ DREAMS ⭐️

REM sleep happens from as young as 2 weeks - you may see your little ones eyes fluttering. Newborn babies sleep is in the REM stage, especially in the first few months as it lighter sleep is thought to prevent SIDs.
Newborns spend approx 50% in REM sleep so twitching or little smiles can be expected - what babies dream about is still unclear - or even if they do until their brain has developed further 🧠.
Light sleep can lead to frequent by wakings in the early days but this is normal and healthy. By around the 12-16 week marker deep sleep can start to occur leading to less night wakings.

Do you think your little one was a dreamer?

Babies aren’t programmed to sleep through for 12 hours straight, so some night waking is expected and NORMAL!! Of course there will be unicorn babies who can manage a solid 9-12 hour stretch however don’t feed disheartened is your child is still waking.
Here are my top tips to helping your baby sleep longer and better:
👶 ensure enough sleep during the day. Overtiredness a major factor in night wakings
👶 baby goes to bed with a nice full tummy and is properly burped
👶 solid bedtime routine to create sleep anchors
👶 white noise
👶 feeding optimised during the day
👶 sleep pressure - read your babies sleepy cues and ensure sleep pressure has built up
👶 loads of fresh air during the day
👶 when putting baby down make sure they’re calm, settle and pat in crib

Share your tips below!!

🥱 BEDTIME ROUTINE 🥱
A consistent and gentle bedtime routine is one of the best ways to signal to your little one it’s bedtime. What is your bedtime routine ?

Remember there is support out there if you are struggling - don’t suffer in silence and reach out.
I always say to clients who struggle with asking for help “If your best friend were feeling how you are feeling - what would you say to them” … invariably answer is always “tell them to seek some support”