Sleep Problems
Every parent wants their baby to sleep well and establishing a routine will help your baby to do this. Babies sleep patterns change depending on their age but in general it should look like this;
3 to 6 months: Three to four naps daily
6 to 9 months: Two to three naps daily
9 to 12 months: One to two naps daily
12 months to 3 years: Most toddlers nap once per day
Many babies will easily fall into this routine and sleep well during the day and night. However if your baby is not settling into a routine where they are sleeping well during the day, this may impact on their quality and length of sleep at night (as well as your own)
If your baby can not get go to sleep on their own or resettle after one sleep cycle (which lasts anywhere between 30-40 minutes) they will need to be taught how to self settle. This is not always an easy thing to teach or learn and is one of the biggest issues to stress parents out! It takes time and persistence and it certainly helps if you have someone to support you.
My time as a NICU nurse and mother of 3 means I have had many hours of practice teaching babies and toddlers to self settle. The earlier a child is taught how to self settle the easier it will be for you to deviate from your routine and still have a baby that can get themselves off to sleep without the stress of hours of crying.
I do not believe in letting a baby or toddler ‘cry it out’ for hours and hours.
However in my experience there is always going to be a certain amount of distress from a child when they are learning to self settle, especially on day one. Having support from an experienced Baby Whisperer like myself will ensure both mother and child will benefit from my gentle and supportive approach.
