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How to end daylight savings without ending a good nights sleep!

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 The end of daylight savings can be quite depressing as it can mean that those gorgeous summer days are over!  For those children that are going to bed at 8pm currently the transition back an hour to 7pm is still totally ok, so only transition if you feel the future wake up time is going to impact on your daily routine and the sleep quality of your  child.baby-clock

I totally recommend to parents to be proactive and prepare for the clocks going back on Sunday the 3rd April 2016.

Obviously I am all about trying to minimize the interference to a baby’s sleep and help them adjust much quicker to the change whilst protecting their (and your sanity) sleep health as the colder climate sets in. Lets face it being up when it is cold for hours on end is not fun!

It is important that you start the transition at least 5 days  before the clock changes as this gives your child’s body clock time to change to the bedtime, the wake times, the nap time and often meal time changes that a new schedule can impede on. Also as well it can co-inside with a schedule change as your bub has got older!

So here is a guideline for transitioning and the end of daylight savings:

I will assume your current bedtime is 7pm and it is easier to do the changes in 15 min increments over that week.

Night ONE:  Bed Time is  7:15pm – All sleep and feed times are moved 15 minutes later, so when the wake up the next day, feed your bub at 715am.  Put your baby down for naps 15 mins later.

Night TWO: Bedtime is 730pm- All naps and feeds through the day 15 mins later, and yes they may be tired, but this is why we do it slowly.

Night THREE: Bedtime is 745pm- All naps and feeds moved from 15 mins again. So the first feed on the day is actually 745am now move from 7am.

Night FOUR: Bedtime is 8pm- clock goes back, and wake your child at the new 7am, to begin your day with the new routine and schedule 🙂

A few tips to consider:

The mornings will be lighter now so consider block out blinds if need be to prevent early rising.  These stick on ones are awesome available through Sleep Tight Babies online : Easy Gro-Anywhere Blackout Blinds

Another tip is a Sleep Trainer Clock-  a simple visual for your child that the moon is still up so time to be asleep. Children do rely on cues as whether it is light or not.  A sleep trainer clock can also help parents to be consistent.

Here is a few to consider if you believe it would be of benefit for your child: Sleep Trainer Clocks

Most importantly while your child is getting used to the new time, stick to your usual bedtime and naptime routines. Try not to implement any new additional sleep assistance.

For any further advice contact me on amanda@groovybabies.com.au

Top Sleep Tips From A Baby Whisperer

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“On the Blog for Herasphere”- honored to have been the featured expert this week on all things baby and sleep. #herasphere #babysleepconsultantgoldcoast #babysleepwhisperer.

Click the link for the full interview.

 

http://herasphere.net/postnatal/top-sleep-tips-baby-whisperer/

Groovy Babies reviews Lulla Doll

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Groovy Babies has recently reviewed Lulla doll!

Lulla imitates closeness with its soft natural touch and by playing a real-life recording of the breathing and heartbeat of a mother at rest. The doll’s  aim is to help babies stabilize their own breathing and heartbeat, resulting in longer and better quality sleep as well as added security.

There can be many reasons and situations when it is simply not possible for parents to keep their little ones close. Some babies take frequent naps, go to sleep early in the evening and it´s not safe for some people to co-sleep with their babies. There are also more serious reasons like illness and hospitalization of parents and babies, and last but not least, sometimes we just need a little break and a good nights sleep.

I find some mums don’t want to cosleep but want the baby to benefit from the heartbeat and breathing as they know biologically this is how a baby regulates.

The Lulla doll imitates closeness with its soft touch and soothing sounds, so when parents have to be away for whatever reason, their babies can still experience the positive benefits of closeness.

Lulla’s was inspired by research on kangaroo care, the effects of heartbeat and breathing sounds, and the effects that smell, sight and touch have on babies and small children.

Hear– When the chest is pressed, Lulla plays a real-life recording of the breathing and heartbeat of a mother at rest. Her name is Gudrun, she is a dear friend, a mother of four and a Kundalini yoga teacher.

Look– Babies prefer to look at something that resembles a human face. The colors of the doll were chosen for the purpose of making the doll unisex and unirace.

Touch– The outer layer is made from soft natural cotton. The filling is made from ultra fine microfiber that is hypoallergenic.

Smell– The fabric of the doll can absorb smell from parents if they first keep it close to their skin before giving it to their child for extra feeling of security.

Clean and safe– The doll is machine washable in warm water making it safer for small babies with underdeveloped immune and respiratory systems.

 

Looking forward to seeing how she helps my clients 🙂

 

[ARTICLE] When you’re carrying small- Essential Baby, August 2015

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Fiona Trewhitt sported a “very big” bump in her first pregnancy. In her second pregnancy, however, she carried small – “so it was a huge contrast”, she says.

She wasn’t the only one to notice the contrast. “People made loads of comments about the way I ate or exercised and about how concerned I should be,” she says of her smaller bumped-pregnancy.

While Fiona wasn’t overly concerned, her obstetrician was cautious, organising extra scans to monitor her baby’s growth. “I kind of felt [the scans] were unnecessary and expensive, but did it anyway to be safe and sure,” Fiona says.

Thankfully, the scans were all reassuring, and baby Tommy was born a healthy size.

Midwife Amanda Bude says your baby’s position, the position of your uterus and your pelvic shape can all influence how you carry.

She says there are also lots of reasons your baby may be small – your child’s growth can be limited in pregnancy if you smoke, drink alcohol, use drugs or have poor nutrition. Babies may also be small for gestational age (SGA), growth restricted, or just be genetically small.

And if there’s not much fluid around your baby, your bump may also appear less pronounced.

[button shape=”square” size=”regular” float=”left” href=”http://www.essentialbaby.com.au/pregnancy/stages-of-pregnancy/when-youre-carrying-small-20150811-giwb22.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=editorial/” target=”blank” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover”]Read the Full Article[/button]

[ARTICLE] No Need to Swap Tipple for Nipple- Courier Mail August 2015

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NEW mothers are being warned that feeding their ­babies formula is worse than breastfeeding after a few drinks.

The advice from the Australian Breastfeeding Association comes as new research shows an increasing number of women turning to bottle feeding within weeks of giving birth, in some cases because they wish to recommence consuming alcohol.

Gold Coast midwife Amanda Bude believes that while ­socialising is not the main reason women give up on breastfeeding, she sees women who simply get fed up “being good”, especially after abstaining from ­alcohol throughout pregnancy.

“I believe one of the leading reasons women drop out is due to work commitments,” she said.

[button shape=”square” size=”regular” float=”left” href=” http://www.couriermail.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/no-need-to-swap-nipple-for-tipple-breastfeeding-mums-told/story-fnihp1e3-1227474700976/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=editorial/” target=”blank” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover”]Read the Full Article[/button]