Sleep Fairy and Parent Rescue

Sleep Fairy and Parent Rescue Being a parent isn’t easy. At some point, almost all families with young children will face a prob

Is your baby waking because they've lost their dummy? Dummies can be brilliant. They can soothe a sucky baby, give breas...
26/08/2026

Is your baby waking because they've lost their dummy?

Dummies can be brilliant. They can soothe a sucky baby, give breastfeeding mums a much-needed break, and sometimes they're genuinely needed for medical reasons.

But for some babies, the dummy can quietly become part of the reason they're waking again and again through the night.

If you're putting the dummy back in 5, 10 or even 15 times a night, it might be time to look at what's really going on.

And no, I'm not suggesting you take it away and leave your baby to cry.

When I work with a baby who relies on a dummy, I remove it **with lots of support, connection and reassurance**, giving them the opportunity to learn a new way of settling while knowing their parent is right there.

And yes... I have a dummy chain! 😂

When I do this in person, every single dummy goes onto the chain. No emergency dummy hiding in the changing bag! The chain comes home with me and we get to work on helping your baby discover that they can sleep without it.

I've written a new blog all about dummies, sleep, crying and emotional regulation — including why your baby's crying isn't necessarily something that needs to be stopped.

If you're currently working the night shift as a dummy replacer, go and have a read.

And if you need some help, you don't have to wait until you're completely exhausted. I'm always happy to chat about what's happening with your baby's sleep.

https://www.sleepfairyparentrescue.co.uk/post/is-your-baby-waking-because-they-ve-lost-their-dummy

If bedtime takes 90 minutes at your house, three tactics that change the maths.1. Pre-decide the number. "Two stories to...
11/08/2026

If bedtime takes 90 minutes at your house, three tactics that change the maths.

1. Pre-decide the number. "Two stories tonight", said before bath, not at the book pile.
2. The bedtime pass. One paper pass per night, spend it on a drink, hug, or question. Then it's gone.
3. Same goodbye phrase. Every. Night. Boring is the goal.

Toddlers don't fight bedtime because they're naughty. They fight it because bedtime means goodbye.

DM 'BEDTIME' if you want the full toolkit (and the sentence that gets through to a stalling 3-year-old). Plus 8 weeks of WhatsApp support so you've got me when night 4 wobbles.

09/08/2026

Has anyone kept the receipt? Asking for a friend... 😂

It's 3am. You've been up six times already.

Your baby has finally gone back to sleep... but now you're wide awake, wondering how on earth you're supposed to function tomorrow.

And for just a tiny moment...
..you wonder if it's too late to send them back.

Don't worry, we've all had those thoughts. (Although, if I'm honest, I probably thought it even more when they became teenagers! 😅)

The reality is, sleep deprivation is brutal. It makes everything feel harder, your patience wears thin, your emotions sit much closer to the surface, and suddenly even making a cup of tea feels like a major achievement.

It doesn't make you a bad parent.

It just makes you a tired one.

So if you're reading this after another broken night, know that you're not alone. There are so many parents lying awake at 3am wondering if life will ever feel normal again.

It will.

And if your little one isn't sleeping, you don't have to just "wait it out". There are gentle ways to improve sleep that don't involve leaving your baby to cry.

Until then... coffee, cuddles, and remembering that one day you'll laugh about it. (Probably... 😂)

Tag the parent who'd appreciate a laugh after another sleepless night!

If your baby's naps die at exactly 30 minutes, it's not random. It's biology.Adults cycle every 90 min. Babies cycle eve...
06/08/2026

If your baby's naps die at exactly 30 minutes, it's not random. It's biology.

Adults cycle every 90 min. Babies cycle every ~35–45. At the end of each cycle there's a brief surfacing, a chance to fully wake. Catnaps happen when they can't bridge to the next cycle alone.

3 reasons it's happening to you:
1. Awake window wrong (sharper than people think).
2. Nap room not dark enough (outlines only).
3. Falling asleep on you, then transferred (different conditions = full wake).

Comment 1, 2, or 3. I'll DM the parents who reply with the one tweak most likely to extend the nap by tomorrow. Or DM 'NAPS' for the full plan.

If you're trying to reason with a tantrum-ing toddler, stop. Their brain literally can't take it in.5 things nobody tell...
06/08/2026

If you're trying to reason with a tantrum-ing toddler, stop. Their brain literally can't take it in.

5 things nobody tells you about tantrums:
• It's a brain thing, not a behaviour thing.
• Most tantrums start in the body (tired, hungry, ill).
• Reasoning mid-tantrum doesn't work.
• Strong-willed isn't broken.
• My eldest has ADHD. My youngest is autistic. I get it.

Comment 3 words that describe your child. I'll reply with one thing that's worked for other kids like them. Or DM 'BEHAVIOUR' for a free 15-min chat.

03/08/2026

Sleep struggles don't end when children stop wearing nappies. ❤️

Recently I worked with a teenage boy who hadn't been able to sleep in his own bed for the last three years.

He wasn't lazy.
He wasn't being difficult.
And he certainly wasn't "too old" to need help.

Like so many older children, he didn't feel safe sleeping on his own.

Rather than focusing on the bed itself, we focused on understanding what was happening underneath. We explored his emotions, what made him feel unsafe, and the small, gentle steps that would help him build confidence sleeping independently again.

This is something I see a lot, especially with neurodivergent children and teenagers. Many experience the world more intensely. They may have a more sensitive nervous system, find change difficult, or experience anxiety that shows up most strongly at bedtime, when everything else becomes quiet.

Parents often tell me they feel embarrassed to ask for help because their child is "too old" to still be struggling with sleep.

Please don't.

Sleep difficulties don't have an age limit, and neither does needing support.

Whether your child is 6 months, 6 years or 16 years old, the goal isn't to force independence. It's to help them feel safe enough that independence becomes possible.

If your older child or teenager is struggling with sleep, you're not alone, and there is support available. ❤️

60-second self-assessment. Pick A or B for each question, tally up.→ At bedtime: calm or chaos?→ Night wakings: under 10...
24/07/2026

60-second self-assessment. Pick A or B for each question, tally up.

→ At bedtime: calm or chaos?
→ Night wakings: under 10 min or a whole event?
→ Routine slips: rolls with it or unravels?

Comment your tally (e.g. "A-B-B"). I'll DM the one habit most likely keeping you stuck, based on your specific pattern.

If you're mostly B, that's the family I work with most. One call. A clear plan. 8 weeks of WhatsApp support. DM 'PLAN' for the next step.

No script. No upsell. Just an honest read on whether I can help.

16/07/2026

**Does your toddler turn into a tiny lawyer at bedtime? 😂**

One more story...

One more drink...

One more cuddle...

"I need a wee!"

Sound familiar?

Most parents think their toddler is just trying to avoid going to bed. Sometimes that's true. But very often, there's something else going on.

Children need boundaries.

Not because they like being told what to do, but because boundaries help them to feel safe.

Think about it like this...

If the boundaries move depending on how busy, stressed or tired we are, our children don't know where they stand. So they keep testing them.

Not to be naughty.

Not to wind us up.

But because they're looking for security.

Bedtime is often when this shows up the most.

They're tired, they're separating from you for the night, and if they've been feeling a bit uncertain during the day, those feelings often come bubbling up at bedtime.

That's why I'm such a big believer in calm, consistent boundaries.

Not harsh.

Not controlling.

Just predictable.

Children relax when they know you've got this.

When they know you mean what you say, every time, they stop needing to check.

So if bedtime has become a battle, instead of asking...

**"How do I stop my toddler pushing boundaries?"**

Try asking...

**"How can I help my toddler feel safer within the boundaries I've set?"**

It's a small shift, but it can completely change the way you approach bedtime.

❤️ If bedtime feels like a struggle every night, you're not alone. Sometimes the answer isn't changing bedtime, it's changing what happens during the rest of the day.

Your child isn't giving you a hard time. They're having a hard time. When your child has a tantrum, it's easy to think t...
14/07/2026

Your child isn't giving you a hard time. They're having a hard time.

When your child has a tantrum, it's easy to think they're being naughty, manipulative, or pushing your buttons.

But what if that's not what's happening at all?

Tantrums don't start in a child's behaviour. They start in their body.

When children become overwhelmed, their nervous system goes into survival mode. Their thinking brain takes a back seat, and their body prepares to fight, flee, or seek safety. That's why reasoning, explaining, or telling them to "calm down" rarely works in the middle of a meltdown.

Your child isn't broken. They aren't trying to make your life difficult.

Some children simply have more sensitive nervous systems. They feel things more deeply, become overwhelmed more quickly, and need more help to regulate those big emotions.

Our job isn't to stop them having feelings. Our job is to help them feel safe enough to move through those feelings.

That doesn't mean saying yes to everything or never having boundaries. Children need boundaries. But boundaries can be calm, consistent and compassionate.

When we understand what's happening beneath the behaviour, everything changes.

We stop asking, "How do I stop this tantrum?"

And start asking, "What is my child trying to tell me?"

Because behaviour is communication, and connection is where change begins.

If you're feeling exhausted by the meltdowns and wondering if you're getting it all wrong, you're not alone. Sometimes a small change in how we respond can make a huge difference.

Save this post for the next difficult moment, and send it to someone who needs the reminder that children don't need fixing, they need understanding.

07/07/2026

✨ Unpopular opinion...

I don't tell parents to put their baby down "drowsy but awake."

I know it's one of the most common pieces of sleep advice out there, but in my experience, it often makes settling harder, not easier.

Here's why...

When a baby is drowsy, they're relaxed, cosy, and often enjoying being cuddled.

Then they're suddenly put down.

For many babies, that change in position and the loss of your warmth and contact is enough to trigger their startle reflex. They become fully awake again and can get themselves into quite an upset state.

Now, instead of helping them drift off to sleep, you're trying to calm an alert, frustrated baby.

Personally, I'd much rather help a baby feel calm, settled and secure in their sleep space first, before expecting them to fall asleep there.

Every baby is different, and there's no one-size-fits-all approach to sleep. That's why I never follow rigid rules or generic sleep training methods.

Instead, I create gentle, personalised plans that work with your baby's temperament, development, and your parenting style.

If you've been trying "drowsy but awake" and wondering why it isn't working, you're definitely not alone.

Sometimes it isn't that you're doing it wrong.

Sometimes it's just the wrong approach for your baby. ❤️

Have you ever tried putting your baby down drowsy but awake? Did it work for you? Let me know below. 👇

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