Here are 5 top tips for promoting sleep with your little ones.

1. The majority of babies I see with sleep issues are over tired. They then become irritable and cannot go off to sleep despite being exhausted. Just like when we get our “second wind” after going out late. Are you able to predict when your baby is ready for a sleep by knowing when they woke up? What are your babyʼs tired signs and can you recognise them early?
2. Have you provided an environment conducive to sleep? Is the room temperature ok? Many babies begin to wake overnight as they are cold. Always consider the temperature at 3am as this is the coldest time of the night. Do they have a clean nappy, full tummy and have had some wind down time before trying to settle them?
3. Make sure you have a strong support network. Someone to help you bounce ideas off and give you a break to have some sleep your self. It is a sign of strength not weakness to ask for help. Remember the old saying “it takes a village to raise a child.” How true this is-often we try to go it alone however asking for help during the tough times is ok.
4. Be kind to yourself and have patience as it can take a while to see real improvement once you are consistently putting changes in place. Donʼt expect it to all happen overnight.
5. Stay calm and relaxed. Your baby can pick up on your feelings and will be less likely to settle if you are anxious and feeling stressed.