6-12 Month Sleep Programme

WELCOME TO YOUR SLEEP

THE SLEEP CHIEF APPROACH

SLEEP GOALS

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SLEEP

CYCLES

SAFE SLEEP GUIDELINES

SLEEP ENVIRONMENT

THE IMPORTANCE OF ROUTINE

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EXAMPLE ROUTINE

ASSOCIATIONS

SETTLING TO SLEEP METHODS

FINAL CHECKLIST

GET STARTED

WORDS

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WELCOME TO YOUR SLEEP PROGRAMME

I’M SO GLAD YOU’RE HERE

WHOEVER YOU ARE, I’VE GOT YOU.

Whether your baby is waking six times during the night. Won’t nap in their cot. Won’t nap in their pram. Won’t nap at all! Whether they’re using you as a human comforter. Whether they will only fall asleep by feeding. Whether they need to be rocked for hours on end. Whether you just need to know if you’re doing things right! I am here to help.Sleep shouldn’t be complicated. It’s something we all deserve and consistently good sleep can be achieved with some practical advice and actionable help.

Sleep is so important for our little ones. A well-rested baby is a happy baby and a well-rested parent is definitely a happier parent. When babies sleep their learning consolidates, their bodies repair and their immune systems are strengthened. It is also when their brains create and connect new neurons and their emotions are regulated. Sleep sustains a baby's physical, mental, emotional and social development and is something our little ones fundamentally need in order to thrive.

So, if you’ve ever thought that working on your baby’s sleep is purely for your own benefit, think again! And the great news is, you can help them master the skill of sleep which is so important for their development and mood. They may be sleeping now but not sleeping well, and this is a skill they will use for the rest of their life

From six months, most babies will have started on solids and will be moving towards three balanced, nutritious meals a day in addition to milk feeds. Whether your baby is breastfed or formula fed, sleep can be worked on and improved. By six months, many babies are capable of sleeping through the night without a feed. However, some will still need a night feed. Working on how your baby settles to sleep will help you to be able to distinguish between if your baby is waking due to hunger and when it is being used purely as comfort to return to sleep.

THE SLEEP CHIEF APPROACH

SLEEP ENVIRONMENT

The bedroom and cot or crib that your little one sleeps in

ROUTINE

What happens between when they start and finish their day

SLEEP ASSOCIATIONS

How or what does your baby need to fall asleep or fall back to sleep

When I work with families who are having a one-to-one consultation, we go through three key areas that all work together harmoniously for sleep. Without one, the other two will only go so far in helping sleep. They really are all as important as each other and need equal attention. By overlooking one element of the sleep environment or thinking that your routine is working fine as it is, you could be unwittingly hindering the ongoing progress of your child’s sleep so try to have an open mind and trust the process. I always say to my clients: don’t be overly attached to things which you might currently be doing, or using for sleep while your baby’s sleep is not in the place you want it to be The great thing about babies’ brains is that they pick up new things really fast!

YOUR SLEEP GOALS

Being clear about what your goals are from the start will help you to see progress once the work begins. This course can help you with:

A FRAMEWORK

We provide you with a framework for your days to aid nighttime sleep

LONGER SLEEPS

The aim? 11-12 hours of uninterrupted sleep at night, every night

RELAXING EVENINGS

A routine that allows for restorative downtime for you each evening

PREDICTABLE NAPS

Getting daytime sleep right is often the key to unlocking successful nights

SLEEP GOALS

This page is for you to write down your own sleep goals. It is so useful to keep these goals front and centre of your mind whilst doing the hard sleep work and are great to look back on and see how far you’ve come in a few days’ time. Print it out and put it on the wall or refer back to it. What will be the benefits of improving sleep in your household? How would continuous good sleep make you feel? Commit to these goals fully and remember exactly why you want to do this:

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SLEEP

Here’s a few things about the science behind sleep which will help with understanding your baby’s sleep.

CIRCADIAN RHYTHM

This is the 24 hour clock controlled by the brain which governs our sleep and wake cycles. Creating a consistent 24 hour routine really helps to establish your baby’s circadian rhythms and regulate the hormones that prepare their bodies for being asleep and awake.

MELATONIN & CORTISOL

Melatonin is the “sleepy” hormone, aided by darkness and created by our pineal gland. Between 6 and 9 months and as circadian rhythms are established, Melatonin starts to be created at regular times.

Cortisol is the “wake-up” hormone produced by our brain which we need in order to get up in the morning. When a baby is over-tired they can produce cortisol which makes it harder for them to unwind, frustratingly when they need the most sleep! This can lead to babies fighting sleep, multiple wake-ups at night, and not getting quality sleep.

SAFE SLEEP GUIDELINES

Before getting started working on your baby’s sleep it’s really important to familiarise yourself with the Safe Sleep Advice given by The Lullaby Trust who specialise in the prevention of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

The advice and guidelines in this sleep programme are only to be used in conjunction with the parents’ knowledge of The Lullaby Trust’s guidelines and that you are following them.

Visit Lullaby Trust’s website HERE to read their up-to-date information and if you have any concerns relating to the health of your baby, talk to your doctor or health visitor.

SLEEP ENVIRONMENT

Creating a calm, safe space that your baby associates with sleep is crucial. The following things are all really important to get right in your little one’s sleep space. If you are working on sleep with your baby still in your bedroom then think about all of these aspects with regards to your bedroom but also bear them in mind for your little one’s bedroom for as and when you are going to move them.

DARKNESS

The darker the room is the better, particularly for early risers. A wellfitted blackout blind or curtains are ideal, if this is outside of budget you can buy a travel one with suckers that sticks onto the window and can be taken with you on nights away. An optimal sleep space should be able to be made pitch black.

A CLEAR COT

Keep the cot clear, so no loose pillows, bedding or toys. This is primarily for your baby’s safety but also so that they associate their cot with sleep and not play. We want them to see their bedroom as an environment where they can feel totally relaxed with no distraction. A retreat.

OTHER DISTRACTIONS

Removing any other distracting element from your little one’s sleep space is the best option for creating that calm, dark space that is ideal for sleep. So, get rid of any light projectors, decorative mobiles, glowing thermometers (hide that Gro egg behind something!) and put away any toys and books that are visible (or reachable!) from the cot

TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED

The Lullaby Trust’s Safer Sleep Advice recommends a room temperature of 16-20c. Not only is this the best temperature for safety, it also works with the body’s natural desire to be slightly cooler when we sleep.

A NIGHT LIGHT

Most parents will find they need some form of light in their baby’s room for the time before bedtime, etc. A red or amber based light is best at not stimulating your baby. The light we get from our electronic devices is particularly disruptive to sleep so try to avoid screen time for 1-2 hours before bedtime if you are in the process of trying to improve sleep.

WHITE NOISE

Many babies sleep better with white noise, after all they’ve spent 9 months in a noisy womb. There is no negative association with using it, just make sure that if you do use it that the noise is on continuously rather than stopping after a set period of time.

ENVIRONMENT CHECKLIST

What simple changes or little tweaks to your baby’s sleep environment do you need to make? Use this checklist to make sure you have everything covered.

DARKNESS

The darker the room is the better.

A CLEAR COT

Keep the cot clear, so no loose pillows, bedding or toys.

OTHER DISTRACTIONS

The best option for creating that calm, dark space that is ideal for sleep.

TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED

A room temperature of 16-20c.

A NIGHT LIGHT

A red or amber based light is best at not stimulating your baby.

WHITE NOISE

Many babies sleep better with white noise.

THE IMPORTANCE OF ROUTINE

WHY DO THEY NEED ONE?

Both babies and adults thrive on routine, consistency and order. In my experience with my own baby and working with lots of families is that there is something in the theory: If you do the same thing for them during the day, they will do the same thing for you at night . And ultimately that’s where we want to get to: predictable nights!

Lots of parents say to me: “I don’t mind about the daytimes, I just need the night time sleep to get better!” But, what happens during the day – how your little one feeds, eats and naps directly affects their nighttime sleep.

Regulating the timings of when your baby eats, sleeps and wakes each day will help to bring structure and predictability to your day. Having a solid routine also means avoiding having to worry about potential over-tiredness.

A TWELVE HOUR DAY

Starting and finishing every day at the same time is really important. This helps you plan your naps, feeds and meals and helps to avoid potential late afternoon naps (or over-tiredness) that may de-rail a successful night.

There is no need to be at home all day clock-watching. But knowing the times of day that your baby is going to be regularly feeding and sleeping will allow you to make plans at the times when they will be at their best and that won’t impact your nights.

FLEXIBILITY

Having a shorter morning nap and a long lunchtime nap fits with the needs of all babies I have worked with in this age bracket and following the routine closely is imperative to having a baby who sleeps well at night.

Sleep is spread nicely across the day and it avoids your baby getting overtired which can in turn de-rail the nights. There isn’t an alternative routine I would recommend but of course there will be days when “life happens” and naps get moved or dropped.

NAPS

The routine that I recommend for babies in this age group is a shorter morning nap and a longer restorative, afternoon nap and there are a number of reasons for this:

1. Babies are much more able to stay awake happily for a longer duration in the afternoon and with a long nap in the middle of the day it means they are the right amount of “tired” come bedtime.

2. A long morning nap can sometimes mean that your little one is simply catching up on their all-night partying by taking another long sleep not long after they wake-up!

3. A short morning nap encourages a longer lunchtime one which is the most restorative time of the day for your baby to nap.

4. It tends to suit parents best too. Having a short nap in the morning is easy to achieve if you are having to be out and about doing school runs, etc. A 30-45 minute nap in the pram, buggy or car is much more achievable.

5. If they have their long nap in the morning instead of the afternoon you are much more likely to have an overtired baby by bedtime and in turn, a more disrupted night time sleep.

6. Some babies in this age group might still need a third nap between 4 and 5pm but generally speaking if the long lunchtime nap is achieved then most can happily be awake between the end of their lunchtime nap and bedtime. The aim is for them to not be too well rested in the late afternoon so we can comfortably expect them to be tired enough to sleep longer stretches at night.

I recommend having a mini bedtime routine that you will use for all nap times. This might look something like this: going to your little one’s sleep space, closing all the blinds and curtains, putting on a little night light if you need one, giving a top up milk feed (if they are due one), reading a story together, singing a lullaby as you put them into their sleeping bag in the cot, saying the same “good night” phrase each time. Repetition is great when it comes to bedtime and naptimes and this little ritual will really help to get your baby comfortable in their routine and what happens next.

EXAMPLE ROUTINE

7AM - BABY AWAKE AND FEED

Baby should be awake and feeding at 7am

8AM - BREAKFAST

9.15-9.30AM - NAP

Should be settled and in sleeping bag in crib for 9am. Duration 30-45 mins

10.AM - PLAY

Playtime/getting out and about

11AM - FEED

11.45AM-12PM - LUNCH

Lunchtime, a nice filling lunch before the longer lunchtime nap is a good idea

12.30PM-2.30PM - NAP Duration 2 hours

Start winding down at 12.15pm to be sleeping by 12.30pm. If they wake earlier, try to settle using your chosen settling technique first before getting them up

2.30PM - FEED

3PM-5PM - PLAY

Playtime/getting out and about

4.30PM-5PM - NAP Duration 15-20 mins

A short cat nap can be taken before 5pm if the lunchtime nap was short.

5PM - DINNER

A balanced filling meal alongside water to sip

5.45PM - BATH

6.15PM - FEED

Baby should be clean and dressed between 6pm – 6.15pm and ready to feed

6.30PM-7PM - STORY, CUDDLES

Have the lights dim and read a story together, give the last of the milk feed and have cuddles before putting your baby down awake

7PM - SLEEP

Baby should be in their cot and sleeping by 7pm

Babies waking during the night is absolutely normal.

It’s the ability to return to sleep swiftly after waking which causes problems . One of the biggest changes for your baby will likely be how they fall asleep and changing any negative sleep associations that were in place.

When a baby is rocked, fed or cuddled to sleep we are inadvertently teaching them: this is how you fall to sleep. That means that when they experience the brief arousals between sleep cycles during the night they will then need the same thing that they are used to – be it a bottle, breast or rocking on mum’s shoulder - in order to fall back to sleep. These are what’s sometimes referred to as ”negative sleep associations” as they involve a parent or carer needing to be involved each time the baby briefly wakes.

If your baby has gotten used to falling asleep using one of the following methods it is perfectly normal and the good news is that they can all be overcome fairly quickly.

BEING ROCKED

Something that we begin doing naturally when cuddling, carrying and soothing our baby can later become a hinderance to longer periods of sleep.

SLEEP ASSOCIATIONS

BEING FED

One of the most common sleep associations but once hunger can be ruled out as the wake-up cause, the habit can be broken.

DUMMY OR PACIFIER

This can be used very effectively to help babies fall to sleep but if it leads to multiple ”dummy runs” at night, it has stopped being helpful!

BEING IN THE PRAM/BUGGY

Many babies love the motion of the buggy but nap walks during cold weather and long days can be exhausting and are unsustainable.

A BOUNCER OR ROCKER

Similar to the pram or buggy, the gentle rocking or bouncing motion can be sleep-inducing for many babies.

SETTLING TO SLEEP METHODS

Teaching your baby how to settle themselves back to sleep is often the key to getting them to go through the night. There are two options for teaching this, either “controlled crying” where you will leave your little one for short intervals and go back in to reassure them regularly. Or “controlled comforting” where you will stay in the room with your little one as they are falling asleep. If your baby is easily stimulated by your presence then controlled crying tends to work better by giving them a little more space to fall asleep independently. If you feel you have tried either method before and it hasn’t worked then it may well be because it wasn’t working hand in hand with a good routine, and an optimal sleep environment. A baby who is overtired is so difficult to settle that it will certainly seem like either settling method hasn’t worked in the past however if everything is working together then these settling methods really do work.

Commit to one method rather than employing one for naps and another for overnight. Committing to one method will work much better for your baby in terms of them understanding and learning quicker and not getting confused which can lead to longer periods of crying. If you find that after starting one method though that it is not working well for you or your baby after a few days then try the other.

CONTROLLED COMFORTING

With this method, when you introduce it for the first time it’s really important to do this at bedtime after a full day of your new routine and good naps when your baby will be at the most receptive. You are going to be staying in the room with your baby until they have fallen asleep or are calm and starting to fall to sleep. You will:

• Put your baby into their cot awake after completing your bedtime routine. Say ”I love you, sleepy time” then wait in the room

• If they start crying, hold their feet firmly with one hand and with the other hand do clockwise strokes on their tummy (or on their back if a tummy sleeper)

• Keep the room dark and no eye contact/stimulation. Quietly say “shhh” if they cry but generally stay quiet

• If your baby stands in the cot, lie them back down and say ”lie down” each time

• Once your baby is falling to sleep take one hand off at a time and then leave

• If they start to cry again, return and start again. Repeat as many times during the night as needed.

• It can seem like there is little progress in the first 2-3 days but by 5 days they will start to get it and you will see the progress

With this method, when you introduce it for the first time it’s really important to do this at bedtime after a full day of your new routine and good naps when your baby will be at the most receptive. You are going to be leaving the room where your baby sleeps and returning at regular intervals to soothe and reassure them, but giving them space to fall asleep independently. You will:

• Put your baby into their cot awake after completing your bedtime routine. Say ”I love you, sleepy time” then leave the room

• Set a timer for an amount of time you feel comfortable with, you could start at 1 minute or 2 minutes for the first night while you are introducing it, then as the week continues you could increase to 3, 4 or 5 minutes if you feel comfortable. Just be consistent with your response.

• Once the time has passed if they are crying, go back into the room, put your hand on their chest and say “shhh”. Count to around 3 seconds with your hand on their chest but no other stimulation.

• Leave the room and reset your timer, if you feel comfortable you could increase the amount of time by 1 minute, or if you feel they need you more frequently leave it at the same amount

• Repeat this as many times as necessary until they fall asleep and they will stay in their cot during this process

• Use this method for naps and bedtime. If you are consistent with it, this method will take a matter of days to work

How long should we carry on with the settling method for?

I would recommend giving your chosen settling method around 45 minutes of trying at bedtime or during the night before you call it a night, as long as your baby isn’t in distress. If it doesn’t happen, just think of it as “practice”, then get them to sleep in whichever way they are familiar with, but ideally with them staying in their cot to sleep. This does not mean it hasn’t “worked”, don’t worry and persistence is key. Keep coming back to it so settling them in the same way for the next wake, then the next nap, etc. and very soon they will start to get the hang of this new skill.

How do I know if my baby is waking due to hunger? Some babies at this age may still need a feed during the night. Try with your chosen settling method first at the night wake and if they are not settling and you feel it’s due to hunger then offer a feed. If they take a big night feed then still take a big feed when you start your day around 7am, then you will know that they are still waking due to hunger. If they take a tiny feed then fall asleep at the bottle or breast during the night then it’s likely they are using it more as a way to fall asleep which can be worked on. If they take a large feed then don’t feed well at the 7am feed then they are taking their morning feed during the night and in this case you can try doing a smaller night feed so that they are just taking a small feed at that time, then re-settling and feeding well during the day instead.

FINAL CHECKLIST TO GET STARTED

Now you have read through your sleep programme it’s time to put everything together and if you are ready to start, let’s do this! It is really helpful to have your partner be fully on board if you have that support and sharing this programme with them and having it be something you are both 100% committed to is when you will have the best results. Getting started on a Friday when you have the weekend ahead of you to fully commit to the programme can also work really well.

If you are ready to get started here’s your final checklist to go through to make sure you are firing on all cylinders:

SLEEP ENVIRONMENT:

Dark, fully blacked out room

Safe, clear cot: no pillows, bumpers or other bedding

Sleeping bag (or well tucked cellular blanket)

No distractions: remove mobiles, light projectors, put toys and books away and out of sight

White noise: if you are going to use, have a machine or app that plays continuous white noise rather than something which goes on and off after a set time.

FINAL CHECKLIST TO GET STARTED

ROUTINE:

Decide on your start and finish time for each day and the 12 hour day that you will keep to

Read through the routines and put a copy up on the wall to help you stick to the timings

Have your bedtime and naptime routines clear in your mind: we want to do as close to the same thing every time we put them down to sleep

If you are getting your little one used to sleeping/napping in their cot then aim to do all of their naps in there for the first 2 weeks while you are working on sleep

If there are any signs of illness or teething wait before starting working on sleep so you can have the best chance of success

SLEEP ASSOCIATIONS/SETTLING METHOD

Choose one method, either “controlled crying” or “controlled comforting” depending on what you feel will work best for you and your little one

Decide which date you will start and introduce your settling method at bedtime, after a good day of naps so that they are not overtired

Share your chosen method with your childcare: grandparents, nursery, etc. It’s important that all parties are being consistent

You’ve made it to the end of your sleep programme, well done! You are doing such an awesome thing for your little one. Now it’s time to put theory into practice and start the real hard work. Just know that if you have followed all of the steps and advice in this programme, much improved sleep is just a few days away.

Consistency is 100% the key to success with this and just keep in mind when it is at its hardest in the first few days that being totally consistent with your routine and how you respond at night will absolutely get you the good sleep they, and you, both need.

For most babies you will have a vastly improved sleeper within 1-2 weeks but some need a little longer and in these cases patience and persistence will totally pay off – don’t give up! In the pages that follow you will find help for if and when you come up against any hurdles when you start to work on sleep

TROUBLESHOOTING CHECKLIST

It is totally normal to have stumbling blocks and regressions on the road to good sleep. Use the troubleshooting checklist below to help you identify what might be causing the set-back or read through the library of frequently asked questions – it is very likely that someone else has been exactly where you are at now and there is always a way forwards.

ASK YOURSELF...

Is your baby eating every 2-4 hours during the day?

Is your baby able to take full feeds during the day?

If they are finishing bottles, have you tried offering larger feeds?

Is your baby able to fall asleep independently at bedtime?

Are they able to settle themself for any longer periods during the night, perhaps at the beginning of the night?

If yes, could it just be persistence that’s needed in order to crack the wakings happening in the second part of the night?

Is your baby getting the right amount of daytime sleep or close to it?

Is your baby getting a sufficient amount of play and activity during the awake periods in the day?

Is your baby’s last awake period before bedtime long enough? (at least 2 hours)

Have you had your partner try to settle your little one using your chosen method and is there a difference?

Is your baby’s sleep environment optimal?

Is your baby comfortable – appropriate clothing and comfortable room temperature?

Are they going through a bout of teething or illness?

Have you removed a dummy? (if it is causing wake-ups when it falls out)

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT

You’ve done the hardest bit now but sleep isn’t linear so if and when things go off track for a night or two, whether it’s due to your little one being away from home, going through illness, teething, etc. don’t worry - it’s totally normal! Just know that you can absolutely get back on track with your routine the next day(s) and being absolutely consistent with how you respond to night time wakes.

For a lot of families this sleep programme will contain everything they need in order to get their baby’s sleep vastly improved and for others, some additional support is really useful which is where the consultations come in. All pricing and details for one-to-one consultations can be found on the website and will offer you a higher level of support and hand-holding through the first few days of putting a new sleep programme in place or helping to iron out those last few kinks. Check out the website for full information and book your intro session to find out more.

LIBRARY

COMMON QUESTIONS

WE HAD A NIGHT WHERE IT ALL WENT WRONG

Firstly, don’t worry. If it’s your first night trying then see it as “practice” and try again the following bedtime. If you are a few days in, your hard work will not be undone so don’t lose hope and pick up again the following day.

THERE’S MORE TEARS AT BEDTIME THAN IS COMFORTABLE, WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

On night one when you are introducing a new way of falling asleep to your little one it is completely normal to have tears. Everything feels different or new to your little one and you will be there to reassure them through this process. This is usually the hardest part of working on sleep and from that first night usually it starts to get a little easier each night.

You can also check bedtime timings to make sure they are actually tired enough and ready for bed. Try pushing bedtime 10-15 minutes later allowing their sleep pressure to build slightly more and thus helping them to accept their new way of falling asleep.

Other things to look at:

• Check in with your GP to make sure there are no undiagnosed health problems such as allergies

• If they are teething or under the weather, try waiting a few days so you have a clear road when trying the new settling method

MY BABY IS STILL SLEEPING IN OUR BEDROOM, IS IT OK TO WORK ON SLEEP?

You can certainly work on sleep with your baby in a cot in your bedroom. However, it tends to work better if you start working on sleep with your baby in their own bedroom if it’s possible and you’re ready for that transition. You can try introducing a comforter which smells of you which may help them with the transition if you would like to.

DOES IT HAVE TO BE ONE PERSON DOING THE BEDTIME AND SETTLING OR CAN WE ALTERNATE?

It doesn’t have to be only one person doing the bedtime routine and settling method. You can alternate and share the load between two parents/caregivers which works fine. The most important thing is that you are both doing exactly the same thing when you go into the room or when you are doing the controlled comforting so there is absolute consistency and no “reward” from one parent over the other.

CAN I CHANGE SETTLING METHOD?

Choose one method and give it a good try over a few days but if you feel that you would like to try the other method then do switch over and go for that method instead. It’s best if you don’t alternate by doing controlled comforting for naps and then controlled crying for bedtime, for example. By sticking to one method, it will be the most easy for your little one to understand and get the hang of the quickest.

Some babies find controlled comforting too stimulating by having a parent present in the room and you may find you have better results with giving them a bit more space to fall asleep independently and just keeping the intervals low (2 minutes) to start with while you’re getting them used to it.

DOES MY BABY HAVE TO STOP USING A DUMMY?

If you have found yourself in a position where you are doing multiple “dummy runs” a night to replace your baby’s dummy that has fallen out then it has stopped being a help and become more of a hindrance. My advice would be to go cold turkey in this instance, the great thing is babies adapt so quickly and within a day or two will not even remember their dummy!

If your baby has a dummy at bedtime or naptime and does not wake for it to be replaced during the night then by all means leave this in place and decide when you are ready to remove it all together at a later time.

MY BABY KEEPS STANDING UP WHEN I TRY TO SETTLE THEM

If you are using the controlled crying method then when you return to the room to reassure your little one with the hand on their chest and “shh” you will firstly lie them down if they are standing, then do the hand on the chest and “shh”. If they spring straight back up before you’ve left the room, don’t worry. They will get the hang of it and understand quickly that it is time to sleep by your consistent response.

If you are using the controlled comforting method and they are trying to stand, you can hold their feet with one hand and do your circles on their chest (or back, if they are a tummy sleeper) instead.

I HAVE TWINS/MULTIPLES, HOW DO I MAKE THE SLEEP PROGRAMME WORK?

Firstly, use the same routine and chosen settling method for both babies. If one baby is sleeping well then you can try working on the other baby’s sleep in a separate room for a short time so that the good sleeper isn’t being woken. However, many twins can sleep through their sibling’s crying and making noise so keeping them together can also work fine. It is definitely more work with twins/multiples but all of the principles are the same and consistency with your responding and being really strict with your routine will absolutely get you multiple good sleepers!

HOW DO I SETTLE MY BABY FOR NAPS?

You will use your chosen settling method to settle your baby for their nap but when you are first introducing the new method, do that at bedtime. So if you start with your new settling method on a Friday you would introduce it at bedtime, then you would try it for the first time for their Saturday morning nap. It is normal for naps to sometimes take a few days for them to get the hang of though so give it 25 minutes of settling then have a “Plan B” alternative nap for if it’s not happening, for example a contact nap or a buggy nap. Try not to go back to a previous settling method that you are trying to move away from though, for example feeding to sleep.

THE NAP TIMES IN THE ROUTINE AREN’T WORKING FOR US, WHAT SHOULD I DO?

Firstly, feel free to adapt the routine to fit with your little ones sleep needs. But, we advise only adjusting recommended timings by 20 minutes or so and really trying to avoid naps from happening too late in the afternoon which might then affect bedtime. Secondly, if you are using your new settling method for naps keep in mind that naps tend to take a bit longer for them to get the hang of settling themselves. I advise having a “back-up” nap option so if you have been trying to settle them using either controlled crying or controlled comforting for 25 minutes during the day and it is not happening, go for a buggy/sling/contact nap instead in order to make sure they still get the daytime sleep that they need. See it as “practice” and come back to it the following day. They will get there.

HOW DO I GET MY BABY TO TAKE LONGER NAPS?

If it is a shorter morning nap than the routine suggests then don’t worry too much. If they don’t manage the longer lunchtime nap then build in a third nap between 3.30pm and 5pm so that they can have a bit more daytime sleep. Alternatively, bring bedtime earlier if you have missed a nap or daytime sleep is down overall. The lunchtime nap is usually the hardest bit to crack but persistence will pay off.

WHAT TO DO IF I HAVE A BABY CLASS BOOKED DURING THE ROUTINE NAP TIME?

This is totally up to the parents to decide about what the priority is for them. Once your routine is in place your baby will naturally be getting tired (and cranky!) around the times naps are due to take place so won’t necessarily get the most out of a baby class booked for those times. And I find once you have a baby who sleeps well at night, naps well and is content and happy the value of planning activities outside of nap times becomes really clear.

FEED QUESTIONS

DO I NEED TO DO MY DAYTIME MILK FEEDS AT SET TIMES?

The timings in the routine are a really good framework to work on for feeds so that we can encourage your little one to fill up at set times rather than taking small “snacks” every hour or so (and then continuing this into the night!). The feed timings in the routine also allow sufficient time for them to be hungry before their “meals” too so we can encourage them to fill up on solids. If your little one is hungry outside of the set times then absolutely do feed them, equally if they are seem to be ready to drop one of the suggested feeds and are far more interested in solids then that’s fine.

SHOULD I STOP DOING NIGHT FEEDS?

From six months onwards as long as babies are feeding well during the day and have started to take solids then most are capable of sleeping through the night without a feed. Some will still need a feed and that is ok, what we do want to do though is try to settle them first before automatically offering a feed. That way we can establish that they are definitely hungry and not just using it as a way to fall back to sleep. Within a few days of introducing your new routine and settling method it should become clear if there is a night wake which is definitely hunger and you can continue with this feed until they show they are ready to drop it.

EARLY RISING QUESTIONS

MY BABY IS WAKING UP EARLY IN THE MORNING, WHAT DO I DO?

Early rising (before 6am) can be for a number of reasons, make sure you have checked the following:

• The room is pitch black at that time. It sounds obvious but if there is light coming in, even cracks coming in round the sides of blinds or curtains it can be enough for your little one to think it’s morning and them to wake fully

• Early rising can sometimes be because they are overtired from the day (or days) before, think about if they’ve had as much daytime sleep as they need to? And if naps are still a struggle, look at bringing bedtime a little earlier for a couple of nights to see if that makes a difference.

• They may be waking out of habit at that time and it’s about just being really consistent with your settling method for any wake ups before 6am.

• Check the room temperature and that they are not waking up because they have got a bit cold at that time

If you are unable to settle them back to sleep from an early rise, bring the first nap a little earlier so that they are not then awake for too long in the morning. If you can get them to take a slightly longer morning nap to get the day “back on track” and more in line with your routine then great, if not I would recommend adding in a third afternoon catnap between 3pm and 4pm to see them through to a reasonable bedtime.

FUTURE PROOFING QUESTIONS

THINGS HAVE GONE OFF TRACK AFTER GETTING SLEEP TO A GOOD PLACE, WHAT SHOULD I DO?

You’ve done the hardest bit now but sleep isn’t linear so if and when things go off track for a night or two, whether it’s due to being away from home, going through illness, teething, etc. don’t worry - it’s totally normal! Just know that you can absolutely get back on track with following your routine the next day(s), having a couple of early nights will help if naps have been all over the place and being totally consistent with your settling method at night will get your sleep back to a good place.

WE TRIED THE SETTLING TECHNIQUES FOR A FEW DAYS AND NOW MY BABY IS WAKING UP MORE FREQUENTLY THAN BEFORE. IS THIS NORMAL?

Multiple wakings at night is usually down to two things, either overtiredness or the baby needing their sleep association (i.e. rocking) in order to help them return to sleep. If they have had less sleep in general over the first days and nights of trying out the new settling method then this could mean they have gotten a bit less sleep than normal and possibly become overtired. In this case a bit more daytime sleep (at the right times) and an earlier bedtime for a day or two can help to get out of that. Otherwise it is just about being absolutely consistent with your settling method and they will become more and more secure in this.

WHAT HAPPENS IF MY BABY GETS ILL OR GOES THROUGH TEETHING?

If your baby is unwell and they are distressed when trying to fall asleep, then you can pause your plan and start again as soon as they are well.

Mild colds and teething rarely need to stop your baby from sleeping independently or having regular naps or mealtimes, so you can still continue with your plans to bring in great sleep habits if you are comfortable doing so.

At any time, if you’re concerned about your baby in any way speak to your doctor, paediatrician or health advisor.

FUTURE PROOFING QUESTIONS

I HAVE CHILDCARE ON DIFFERENT DAYS, HOW DO I MAKE SURE MY BABY SLEEPS AT DIFFERENT PLACES?

Communicate your sleep programme and routine to the different childcare that your little one goes to whether it’s a nursery, grandparent or childminder. Explain your nap times and often nurseries can accommodate, or they are having that much more activity and stimulation that they can go down for a nap slightly earlier than at home without an issue.

If your little one is starting nursery and not sleeping well yet then get them down for an early night(s) until they are napping well. This is really important as they will be very tired from a full day of activity at nursery.

If your little one is going to grandparents/childminders then recreating the sleep environment that you have at home can help; a travel cot, travel blackout blind, white noise, bedding from home. All of these will help them to feel settled and sleep well when not at home.

WE ARE GOING ON HOLIDAY, WHAT DO I DO THEN?

Firstly, it’s totally normal for things to go a little off track when you are on holiday and it will not mean all of your hard work will be undone. There are a few things you can do that will help:

• Take things to help recreate your little one’s familiar sleep environment: their cot sheet, sleeping bag, a travel black-out blind and white noise are all things which will help your baby feel “at home”.

• With regards to your routine, for UK holidays you can try to keep them more or less in their normal schedule. For European/short-haul holidays with a small time difference sometimes keeping your little one on UK timings can help, meaning you can have slightly later meals/ bedtime whilst away.

• For long haul destinations, stick to your routine but at local times and your baby should adjust over the course of a few days. Babies are adaptable but the best thing you can do is to be a bit more relaxed with it and enjoy your holiday. Naps can be taken on the go in a travel buggy (try to take a shade that can go over it), in the car or a contact nap in the shade by the pool!

• Once you are home get right back onto your routine and be absolutely consistent with that and your bedtime routine and nighttime settling.

A REMINDER

You will have agreed to my Terms & Conditions before purchasing this sleep programme. This document remains the intellectual property of The Sleep Chief. Copying, re-distributing or sharing any of the material in this course with anyone who has not purchased it is in breach of the Terms & Conditions.