Standing at a junction and determining which direction to travel is a metaphor for life. Its also apt when describing how to select the best Sleep Specialists. In all probability this article will assist you in finding the right direction.

Even though you may not yet be able to feel baby’s teeth, teething discomfort may start as early as three months and continue off and on all the way through the two-year molars. A wet bed sheet under baby’s head, a drool rash on the cheeks and chin, swollen and tender gums, and a slight fever are telltale clues that teething is the nighttime culprit. Around four months of age, your baby’s sense of day and night (circadian rhythm) is getting much better, thanks to the fantastic dance of neural messengers in his brain. Now, every night brings a surge of melatonin. As you’ll recall, melatonin is the body’s natural sleep hormone, released from the pineal gland deep within the brain. Bright light shuts melatonin off, helping us to stay alert and active in the day, and darkness triggers its release to ease us back into sleep. Lavender is a beautiful purple flower, and the essential oil from this flower has been used for centuries as an aromatherapy treatment to promote calmness, relaxation, and sleep. One ancient remedy for poor sleep was to place a small pillow filled with lavender flowers in your baby's bed. Young babies can’t really stay awake for more than two hours: if you watch closely you’ll see them yawn and their eyes may glaze over. This is the time to take them out of a stimulating environment to a calmer one and let them sleep. If you miss the cues, they can get over-tired and seem hyper-alert when in fact they’re craving sleep. Try not to get caught up in comparing your child to others or tie yourself to the milestones you read about in books or from family and friends’ babies. All babies are different, and the same is true of their sleep. It’s important to focus on your own journey and know that your baby will do things in her own time. Firmly tucked in sheets and blankets (not above shoulder height) or a baby sleep bag are safe for a baby to sleep in. Be sure to remove any soft toys from the cot before each sleep period.

If you’re not sleeping at the same time as your baby, don’t worry about keeping the house silent while they sleep. It’s good to get your baby used to sleeping through a certain amount of noise. There are some circumstances where we would strongly recommend against co-sleeping with baby such as on a sofa or armchair, if anyone in the bed smokes or has drunk alcohol or the baby was premature or a low birth weight. We appreciate how difficult it can be to keep your baby’s room between the ideal 16-20⁰C in the warmer months, knowing that overheating can pose a risk. If the room where the baby sleeps is difficult to cool, follow the ‘summer rules’ of lighter bedding and clothing and open the bedroom door and a window, if it is safe to do so. Babies may find it hard to adjust from a sleeping position they have been used to, so persevere and do speak to your paediatrician if you are concerned. Front-sleeping should only be continued for on-going medical reasons on the advice of your paediatrician. There are multiple approaches to How To Become A Sleep Consultant and a sleep expert will help you choose one that is right for you and your family.

Bedtime Routine

If your baby sleeps often and seems happy most of the time, you don’t need to keep track of how many hours he’s slept. I only recommend you track your baby’s sleep if you think there’s a problem- for example, if baby is continually fussy or awake for long periods day and night. Sleep is important for cognitive development. Sleep is crucial for the development of your child’s brain It helps to improve concentration, learning and memory. Getting enough sleep can also have a good effect on behaviour, so getting enough toddler nap time during the day might even reduce the meltdowns and tantrums that all toddlers experience during the terrible twos. You don’t want your baby to sit up too straight because her heavy head might slump forward and make it hard for her to breathe. While some babies have tragically died when they were left to sleep in an upright car seat or infant seat, to date there have been no reported cases of babies choking while sleeping in a fully reclined swing. Getting enough sleep is crucial. But that can be hard when you’re struggling for hours to soothe a screaming baby or to persuade your wide-eyed toddler to go back into her room. In your frustration, you may be tempted to think your child is being willful and defiant, but there may be a biological factor undermining your child’s sleep: the ticking of her inner clock. Parenting is a really personal thing, and what works for one family might not suit another. There’s lots of advice out there, and sleep is perhaps one of the most debated areas in all of childcare – perhaps because sleep (or lack of it) becomes so central to your life once you have little ones. If you need guidance on Sleep Training then let a sleep consultant support you in unlocking your child's potential, with their gentle, empathetic approach to sleep.

Sleep needs for babies vary depending on their age. Newborns do sleep much of the time. But their sleep is in very short segments. As a baby grows, the total amount of sleep slowly decreases. But the length of nighttime sleep increases. An important part of developing healthy sleeping habits for your baby includes teaching them to fall asleep on their own9. Many babies find it soothing to be rocked or cuddled, but it’s best to put your baby to bed before they actually fall asleep. This way they will be less anxious if they wake up during the night and you are not there, and they will be more likely to fall back asleep without needing your help. Since virtually all babies are now placed on their backs to sleep, parents quickly find that they must help them fall asleep for naps and at bedtime, throughout the night, and sometimes in the middle of a nap. Techniques might include a tight swaddle, a specially designed sleep rocker, and co-sleeping. Newborns may not fall asleep consistently at the same time each night. What was their “bedtime” last night may turn into a 20 minute nap tonight. This is frustrating but also inevitable. Place your baby on their back in a cot close to your bed. It’s better to settle them in their own sleeping space than in bed with you as they’re less likely to resist going into their cot when you go home, and you get a good night’s sleep too. You may need to stay with them a little longer to help them settle, to offer a bit of comfort and reassurance, but try to let them go to sleep on their own. A sleep consultant will take a holistic approach to create a sleeping system that you can manage and one which takes into account 4 Month Sleep Regression as well as the needs of the baby and considerations of each family member.

Getting Baby To Nap Longer

Don’t worry if you’re stuck on the phone when your baby launches into a tirade. A minute of crying doesn’t cause mental trauma. But studies show that repeatedly ignored cries are a real stress that can undermine an infant’s core confidence. This confidence—what child experts call attachment—is the glue that holds good families together. Try an abbreviated bedtime routine before each nap (some quiet music, a massage or some storytelling) and be patient — it may simply take her longer to settle into a routine, but she’ll get there. If your child shares a bedroom with a sibling, let your older child sleep in your room or the living room until sleep training is over. And use white noise with your older child so he can’t hear the crying. Calming activities that your baby will start to associate with bedtime can help create the right atmosphere at bedtime. Why not try a bath and nappy change, before putting on PJs and finishing with a little song or a story? You may even want to include a little baby massage. Whatever you do, finish in your baby's cosy bedroom and make sure it's fairly short and sweet – 45 minutes max. If your baby's under 3 months, swaddle them, feed them, and ease them into the crib. For babies who are beyond the swaddle, try a sleep sack. If your cutie still protests, stand next to the crib for a few minutes with your hand on their tummy to soothe them. A belly rub is fine, but avoid picking her up. It will confuse her. For Ferber Method guidance it may be useful to enlist the services of a sleep consultant.

Babies aren't truly developmentally ready to sleep through the night, which is generally defined as sleeping six to eight hours at a stretch overnight, until they're between 4 and 6 months old. By 6 months, if you're lucky, your little one could be clocking a solid seven or eight hours a night. Whilst older children can handle the odd late night, young babies are not able to cope with too much wakefulness between naps or at bedtime - and cannot communicate these feelings so they cry inconsolably. Usually, we tend to associate darkness with sleep and resting. This holds for children as well. Close the curtains, shut those blinds and keep the room dark and cozy. Even the slightest of light can disturb your young one’s sleep. Also, let them snuggle in or laze around in bed for an hour before you begin your day. Your baby will need about 9 to 18 hours of sleep until they are 3 months old. The average they will sleep is about 14.5 hours. Babies do best with special rumbling white noise. That’s what mimics the womb the best. The right type of white noise—for all naps and nights—is key to better sleep from day one to the first birthday and well beyond! Whether its something specific like Sleep Regression or really anything baby sleep related, a baby sleep consultant can guide you to find a sleep solution as individual as your baby is.

Make The Environment Look Different At Night-time

Nighttime pooping can really disturb your infant’s sleep, especially if he has to strain and struggle because of constipation. Your baby’s poops should never be hard little pellets or big pieces that strain or tear the anus. And while breast-fed babies may go days between soft poops during the first few months, all older infants should have soft poops at least once a day. Letting your partner sleep? If you feed baby in another room, be aware that falling asleep with baby on a sofa or armchair increases their risk of injury and sudden infant death. It's a good idea to teach your baby that night-time is different from daytime from the start. During the day, open curtains, play games and don't worry too much about everyday noises when they sleep. It is really important to check baby and judge what layers are needed and adjust accordingly. For example, a baby that is overly warm to touch, sweating or red in the face, should have bedding or clothing removed. Always keep baby’s head uncovered during sleep – no hats, bonnets, beanies or hooded clothing. Avoid sleep-inducing activities, if at all possible, during the day. Don’t fight your baby’s need to sleep. But if you can keep them out of the car seat for a bit, that extra time awake will help them later. The gentle approach and caring manner of a baby sleep expert allows them to assist you in the most preferable way to deal with Gentle Sleep Training and to assist you and your family in any way possible.

Some babies sleep much more than others. Some sleep for long periods, others in short bursts. Some soon sleep through the night and some don’t for a long time. Your baby will have their own pattern of waking and sleeping, and it’s unlikely to be the same as other babies you know. Far from improving sleep, skipping naps and delaying bedtime are the quickest ways to push your baby into screaming meemies and poor sleep. This is especially the case for infants who are passionately curious. They blink, rub their ears, and fight to stay awake to watch you talking or their big brother clowning around. If your baby is showing signs of teething during the day — such as drooling, biting, feeding fussiness and irritability — teething pain may also be waking her up at night. Keep in mind that teething-related sleep issues can begin almost any time during the first year: Some babies get their first tooth by the time they're 6 months old with teething pain starting as early as 3 or 4 months, while others are toothless until their first birthday. Stumble upon supplementary information relating to Sleep Specialists at this NHS article.

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