Forum home Product Tests Expert Q&As

Baby Sleep Webchat, Wednesday 18th May, 12-1pm

Sleepless nights are just about the biggest problem for new parents, and for some it doesn't get any easier when babies become toddlers either!



That's why we've recruited the expertise of Prima Baby's Sleep Expert, Jo Tantum to join us for a live webchat on Wednesday 18th May between 12- 1pm.



Don't worry if you can't make that date. Leave your question below and Jo will endeavour to answer as many questions as possible on the day...
«1

Replies

  • Our little boy is nearly 11 months and is waking twice during the night at around 1am and 4am and waking at 6. He will not settle without a feed.



    We have a bed time routine of tea, play, bath, breastfeed and into bed by 7.30pm . He always falls asleep with the feed, usually only feeding 5 - 10 minutes and is impossible to wake. We have tried to put him to bed earlier but he is still falling asleep with the feed and waking earlier during the night around 12 and 3.



    He is a good eater and has a good tea before he goes to bed.



    He has two naps during the day, usually 30 minutes on a morning and 30 - 60 minutes on an afternoon.



    Any help and advice would be very much appreciated as we are becoming very tired.



    Tracey
  • Our 12-week old baby won't sleep during the day unless he's sat on someone's lap. He doesn't like going into his room in the day if the curtains (and black-out curtains) are closed and if he falls asleep and is put in his cot, he generally will wake up only 10 mins later and take ages to settle, only to eventually fall asleep and awake again 5-10 mins after that.

    However, our night-time routine is great - in bed by 7pm, woken up for a feed at 10.30pm, back in bed by 11.30pm and sleeps through til about 6.30am.

    Do you have any suggestions, please?
  • We are about to welcome Sleep Expert Jo Tantum to our live webchat. Please continue to post your sleep queries while Jo is here for the next hour. Thanks Web Ed
  • I need to move my 20 month old to a toddler bed and new room as I have a new baby on the way. Do you have any tips to make it as painless as possible?
  • Hi Everyone ,Thanks for sending in your questions I will do my best to help you .

    Jo x
  • We're having problems with Jo Tantum's login, so she's going to post her replies using the Babyexpert avatar and login. Apologies if you're waiting! Web Ed
  • Hi little_tuk ,

    You need to teach your baby how to sleep without being fed to sleep .Start this in the day with his naps .When he is tired take him to his room ,but him in his sleeping bag and make sure there is blackout .Give him something to hold ,i suggest a muslin square knotted .Then leave the room .Use my spaced soothing technique- So wait for 5 minutes and listen to him .If there is quiet gaps or sleep noises aaarrr or mmmm then leave him longer as he is trying to settle himself .Then go and soothe him - you can try stroking his head patting his shoulder back bottom ,do this for 2-3 mins then leave the room and wait for 5 mins again .If he is still unsettled after 30 mins get him up and try again later .Always make sure you make a big fuss of him so he feels happy in his cot .

    Jo
  • Hi Benjs mum ,I suggest that you read my reply to little_tuk .Make sure you always start to teach your baby how to sleep at the naptimes ,so that when it comes to night

    she has already had some practise .When teaching a baby a sleep routine it usually takes 7-10 days for your baby to be sleeping better and longer .So persevere as it's the best thing for the whole family!

    Jo x
  • Hi Jo



    Thanks for your reply.



    He isn't breastfed during day now, only at night. When we do put him into his cot during the day he screams the place down. To get him to sleep during the day we have to walk round with him and then lie down with him across us as he will wake very soon after being put into cot.



    Tracey
  • Hi Jo, my son is 8 months old, eat well during the day and naps well, having at least 2-3 hours of naps, the problem comes at night, he goes down to sleep well after his bedtime routine at around 7pm, but then will wake any time between 3 and 5 am for milk, he drains the bottle then falls back to sleep and will wake at about 6am, is there anything I can do to get rid of the early morning feed, it would make the 6am wake up so much more bearable! or is it just hunger and I have to just suck it up? from speaking to other mums it seems to be very common at this age, so if there is anything to be done about it im sure there will be a lot of mums listening!

    Thanks image
  • Hi Cazza158uk ,

    It's sounds as if your baby is ovetired .At 12 weeks he should be tired after about 1 hour 15 mins - 30 mins .So watch for tired signs yawning ,staring into space and take him to his room ,sleeping bag ,and something he likes to hold ,as I said earlier a muslin square knotted that you can put down your top so that it smells of you before he has it is perfect .

    Making sure you are consistent with this everyday .Keep a log so you can see the progress you are making .

    Jo x
  • Hi louiserogersuk ,

    It must be hard when you have a new baby too .I suggest you start a reward system for him ,as at the moment he has no incentive to behave or sleep better .

    Put a stairgate on his room .Do a chart with the days opf the week on .And go out with him and buy some stickers .Also find some cheap things to wrap and do a lucky dip .Then explain to him whats going to happen and if he sleeps well he gets a sticker and when he good for 3 days he gets a prize .Tell everyone Granny etc so they are all asking him about it .Remind him at bedtime again .Always try and start this daytime naps although he may not respond with his age .Also get a lamp and put it a timer .switch it the time you want him to wake - go in your room .And call it the magic lamp so it switches on by itself .

    Lots of praise!!Good Luck .

    Jo x
  • Hi Mini510_0,



    It is sometimes an easy transition and sometimes difficult .I usually suggest parenst keep their little ones in their cots as long as possible and safe .

    Sometimes just taking the side off the cot and having a side bar ,or putting the mattress on the floor for a while. Or their are some great cot rolls that you put under the cover and then they don't roll out .

    Always explain what you are doing ,even though they may not undertsand .Make sure that you continue the same bedtime routine so they are secure in the knowledge that not everything is changing .

    Jo x
  • Hi Little_tuk ,

    You really need to tackle putting him in his cot during the day ,he may get cross ,but just keep going and reassuring him .Once you start it you will find that it may be even easier than you thought it would be .

    Jo x
  • Hi Jo, Lauren Morris posted this query on our Facebook page yesterday - can you help her please? Thanks, Web Ed



    I have a 22 month old who has just gone in to a toddler bed- she goes in there fine but at some point every night she gets out and sleeps under the bed. Never cries just does it! So we don't know until the morning!
  • Hi futuremrscover2011,



    It sounds as though your baby is just in the habit of waking in the night for the feed .Even though he is draining the bottle he shouldn't be hungry if he is eating well in the day .

    I would try from tonight to give less in the bottle and water it down .Each night put less and less in .Be strong and resettle him if he gets upset .Do this for a week then stop giving the bottle and use my spaced soothing to resettle him .See earlier posts!

    Or you could get me to come to your house and do it all for you so you can get some sleep!!

    Jo x
  • Hi ,Has anyone else got a question for me??

    If you need anymore advice I will be at the NEC Baby Show on stage for Prima Baby at 11am everyday and on stand E2 selling my Go Anywhere Blackout Blind .Or go to www.babysecretsltd.com xx
  • Hi Jo



    My son is 13 months and has suddenly started sleeping an awful lot in the day.



    He only does it on days he is not at nursery. At nursery he will have a nap am and pm totaling an hour and a half. At home he wakes at 6am and goes down for a nap at 10ish. after 2 and a half hours he is still sleeping so i wake him. I am worried that this is too long. He doesnt like being woken but i am unsure whether to leave him for any longer than this and let him wake on his own.



    He has only been doing this for the last couple of weeks and is still sleepin 7pm - 6am



    how long should he be sleeping for at this age?
  • Hi Jo,



    My 7 month old is waking earlier and earlier. His usual wake up time is around 5am now. We have got a blackout blind but it seems to have made no difference. If I feed him he's not overly fussed so it's not hunger. It's just so hard starting the day that early!
  • Hi WIF ,

    it sounds as though he is just tired out from Nursery .If he is happy after the nap for the rest of the day then let him sleep .

    If he is grumpy late afternoon I would try and get him to nap later say 11am .He will still need 2 1/2 hours sleep at this age anyway .

    I really wouldn't worry at this stage especially as he is still sleeping all night !

    Jo x
Sign In or Register to comment.

Featured Discussions