Quick Wins for Improving Your Little Ones Sleep

I have some “quick wins” that I share with every parent I work with. Ohhhh, tell me more.

These quick wins are here for you to apply when certain things crop up/go a little off. Some days/nights just don’t go very well and having these at hand help you take the edge off of things, or at least attempt to make things a little easier. They are tried. They are tested and most importantly, they are easy to do and might just get everyone a little more sleep.

• Offering snuggles or a breastfeed/bottle/water when your little one wakes between 4am and 6am & will not settle using the normal settling methods (we count anything before 6am as night time & want to encourage our little ones to stay asleep). Sometimes this can get you a little stretch of sleep & chilled time before getting up for the day.

• Don’t fear an early bedtime on those days where things go ski-whiff (super short nap or a busy/full on day where your little one is extra tired). Anything after 6pm classes as bedtime. Just know that on these nights, it can sometimes but not always, mean an earlier start to your day (anything after 6am) & it is always only temporary & helps significantly with curbing overtiredness & multiple night waking’s from staying up too long.

• Keep awake time varied & do things which will “burn off” energy, allow your little one sufficient time to practise their new skills & help with tiredness for naps/bedtime. Being active & stimulated will help build up that readiness for a snooze. Switch things up if they look extra tired before they are due their nap. It can often be that they are in fact bored of what they are doing & a change of scenery or what they are doing can usually perk them back up.