Libby Sleep Consultancy

06/09/2024

🌙 NIGHTMARES V NIGHT TERRORS: What’s the Difference? 💤

🧡 A number of my friends and clients are experiencing nightmares and night terrors with our little ones. These can be quite common when something significant is going on e.g. House move, new sibling et cetera or indeed a major developmental milestone like going to school! We have been experiencing quite a few recently without eldest age, it is important to know the differences between the two and how to deal with them.

💛 NIGHTMARES
🔹 Typically occur in the second half of the night during REM sleep.
🔹 Your child may wake up frightened and seek comfort.
🔹 They can recall the bad dream the next day.

How to handle nightmares:
- Reassure & Comfort: Hold and soothe your child with calming words.
- Keep in their safe sleep space ie in their bedroom
- Reduce Anxiety: Limit exposure to scary TV and practice relaxing activities before bed.

💙NIGHT TERRORS
🔹 Usually happen early in the night during deep, non-REM sleep.
🔹 Your child may scream, thrash, or appear awake—but they’re not.
🔹 They won’t remember the event the next day.

How to handle night terrors:
- Stay Calm: Avoid waking your child, as this could make them more confused or agitated.
- Keep Them Safe: Gently guide them back to bed, ensuring they aren’t hurt by thrashing.
- Stay Nearby: Stay close by until the episode passes, and let them return to sleep naturally.
- Preventative Measures: Stick to a consistent bedtime routine, ensure they’re getting enough sleep, and reduce stress or overtiredness during the day. If you find it’s happening frequently, you could consider waking him 30 minutes before the terror occurs as it can rouse them to shift into a new sleep cycle.

💡 Key Difference:
Nightmares need comfort and reassurance, while night terrors are best handled with calm observation, ensuring your child’s safety. Consistency, observing wake windows/ sleep needs and a peaceful bedtime routine can help with both!

♥️ If your child is experiencing either of these frequently and you’d like some advice do get in touch xx

28/08/2024

SLEEP TRAINING ≠ ONLY COT NAPS 🛌

I’m often asked by parents if it is essential for babies to have all naps to be in the cot. My answer is absolutely NO.🛑

If your baby can only sleep in the car, it’s just as restrictive as it can only sleep in the pram or Car. ⛔️

The majority of the time, most parents are struggling to get their babies to sleep in the cot for any significant length of time. 💤

I usually encourage parents to do one nap per day in the cot and the others can be however best it suits their family set up. Attempting the cot for the first nap of the day is the best opportunity to practice these new skills – there will be residual melatonin in the body from the long sleep overnight whilst you also have enough energy to try and get to sleep as it’s the beginning of the day. 💤

Sleep training is not meant to be restrictive but instead, provide you with reassurance that your baby will have consistent, reliable sleep. ⏰

Many of the families I’ve worked with have chosen to focus on one cot nap a day and ensure their babies sleep needs are met through other types of naps such as contact, sling, pram, Car etc so that it works around other commitments or siblings or childcare that they might have. These other forms of naps can be really useful to ensure you have appropriate wake windows, optimise daytime sleep and avoid overtiredness. 💛

If you have a restrictive (or non existent) nap routine which you’d like help with, comment NAP below and I will DM you with an invitation to a Free Discovery Call AND a special discount offer! X😱

21/08/2024

Should I use White Noise for my baby’s sleep? ⚙️

What is White Noise? 🤔
White noise is a consistent, soothing sound that masks other noises, helping to create a calm environment for your baby to fall asleep in. It mimics the gentle whooshing sounds your baby heard in the womb, making it familiar and comforting.

When to Use It ⏰
Use white noise during naps and nighttime sleep to help your baby settle down and stay asleep. It’s especially helpful during transitions, like moving from crib to bed or traveling.

How to Use It ❓

• Set up a white noise machine or use a white noise app on a low volume.
• Place it across the room, not too close to the crib.
• Use a continuous loop, ensuring it plays throughout the sleep period.

How to Stop Using It 🛑
As your baby grows, you can gradually reduce the volume over a few weeks or use a timer to slowly shorten the duration. This way, your baby can learn to sleep without it naturally.

It can be a great tool to provide comfort and minimise disruption to your baby’s sleep however it can turn into a sleep association - something your baby cannot sleep without and there are other ways to encourage healthy sleep habits and self settling independently. 🌙

Get in touch if you want to learn more about improving your baby’s sleep with ME!

29/07/2024

20/07/2024

BEFORE & AFTER ✨

I loved working with Theo’s parents and seeing the transformation over a couple of weeks. 🌀

💪🏼They had worked incredibly hard on day and bedtime routines before we started, but found he was waking frequently in the night, often fed to sleep and unable to settle himself in the night. Naps were short and the unpredictability coupled with broken nights was clearly affecting their mental health.

🥰 I was SO impressed with their hard work and adjustment to minor tweaks in the schedule as well as their approach to gradual sleep coaching, we encouraged Theo to self settle in the night if he woke up. Ultimately he is a very happy and robust sleeper.

I received a fabulous message a month after finishing with them explaining that whilst sleep on holiday hadn’t been great (!) he reset straight back to his usual sleep patterns at home and this foundation makes all the hard work worth it.

If any of these ‘before’ Issues are concerning you and you need support, please get in touch by DM or click on my link.

I’d love to help.xx

06/06/2024

📞☎️CALLING ALL pregnant or new mamas 🤰🏼🤱🏽

and I are going LIVE next TUESDAY 11th JUNE at 7.30PM!!

is a pre and postnatal PT and has been training me for 3.5 years. We met through and supported one another through a tough lockdown with newborns!

I will be asking her all about postpartum health and fitness tips specifically for those first 6-8 weeks after giving birth and gentle advice on where to start and how to build up gradually. 🏋🏼‍♀️🏊🏼‍♀️🧘🏼‍♀️

I will also be on hand to talk about newborn sleep and how to optimise your baby’s sleep so if you have ANY QUESTIONS— do DM/comment below/watch out for comment box in stories!

Looking forward to the chat, come join us and bring your friends 👯👯‍♀️👯‍♂️🥰

29/05/2024

The 8️⃣ MONTH SLEEP REGRESSION 💤

A LOT is going on in your little one’s cognitive and physical development at this age. 🤯

They may be more clingy or upset when you move away due to separation anxiety kicking in- give them lots of reassurance and playing hide and seek/peekaboo games are really good for their understanding! 🙈👀

They are also becoming more physical, learning to crawl or pull themselves up to standing. This is such a fab development to witness- but you don’t necessarily want them doing it in their cot at bedtime or naps! Give them lots of opportunity to PRACTISE when they are awake and playing! 🪁🪀🧸

Finally, nap transition from 3 down to 2 often occurs around this age and you will want to adjust the timing of these, stretch wake windows so that you protect the last one before bedtime to avoid overtiredness 😴. Remember: it’s not linear so in this phase some days you may have 2, others back to 3 naps. Be flexible

Finally teething! Very common at this age so remember to give them soothing gels, medicine if needed and extra comfort 🦷

Finally- it’s a PHASE but also a major PROGRESSION! It can last a few days, some a few weeks. Reinforce consistency, bedtime routines will help your little one to transition more smoothly. ⏰

If you are having trouble with your little one’s sleep and it’s going on longer than a few weeks, get in touch I can help! Xx

28/05/2024

YOUR BABY'S SLEEP CYCLE 🌀💤

🌀This cycle visual is your babies sleep cycle aged 4 months plus 💤 Prior to this age babies have been sleeping in 2 states - Active & Quiet.

4️⃣The 4 month sleep regression is in fact a sleep progression and an important developmental milestone for your baby creating these sleep cycles.

😢When they wake briefly after each sleep cycle, they will seek out the same external comfort they initially went to sleep with e.g cuddles, patting, feeding to sleep. If they go to sleep in your arms but wake up in a cot they may be surprised (wouldn't you be?!).

💤Once your baby develops their sleep cycles, it's a great time to practice putting them to sleep awake in their cot (with external support like verbal or physical touch from you is absolutely fine, it's gradual!) and teach them to learn the art of self settling.

📩If you need advice on how to help your baby learn to connect sleep cycles - please get in touch xx

26/05/2024

THE 4️⃣ MONTH SLEEP REGRESSION 💤

😴Your baby has been sleeping for longer each night and you're getting into the rhythm of a bit more sleep and suddenly it feels like a complete 180 degrees. Your settled baby is now waking every 45-60 minutes and won't settle to sleep, seem more fussy and irritable when trying to get to sleep.

✅If you can see this phase as a progression not a regression it will help you to have a healthy mindset knowing it is a really important development milestone and ultimately will allow your baby to learn the skill of self settling when they naturally wake up after each sleep cycle.

⏰It typically lasts 1-2 weeks (can be a couple of days, can be 6 weeks!) so if you are finding your baby's sleep is disrupted for longer than this period, they may need some help learning how to self settle.

📩Get in touch if you want to talk about your babies sleep xx

11/05/2024

Helping your baby to sleep on holiday 👶🏼🌍🛫☀️💤

Trying to create an optimal sleep environment on holiday can be tricky if you aren’t in your own home. Temperature plays a big part in making your baby (and us!) uncomfortable as well as noise & light. My top tips are as follows:

🌚 Take blackout blinds away with you
🛌 Familiar blankets or bedding so it smells similar
🏨 Shut the blinds/windows in the day to keep the heat out
🥵 Keep baby’s temperature down with cool bath, a fan and remember tog and number of layers
🍼 Extra fluids are needed either milk or water. It may lead to extra milk feeds

Save these tips for future holidays later on in the summer! Xx

08/05/2024

TRAVELLING WITH A BABY 👶🏼✈️🌍☀️

We are off on holiday next week! Can’t wait for some sun, sea and sandcastles with my family. 🏖️🏰

☀️🚗✈️I’ll be honest- I’m a little daunted about the travel days- we will be outnumbered and have the twins on our laps on the flight, not to mention navigating the car hire and negotiating 3x car seats!

📋There is a lot of organising that goes into a family holiday but there are some simple tips that should help with travel day if you have a baby with you:⬇️

1️⃣ Check in ahead of time and book seats together. If you can afford it then book them their own seat so you have the extra space (we may live to regret not listening to our own advice here!). If you have a little baby you can ask for a bassinet

2️⃣ You don’t want to be running around the airport carrying a baby and luggage. Prams can come all the way to the gate/sometimes on board or another idea is wearing a sling

3️⃣ Prepare your carry on with all baby’s essentials- nappies, toys, wipes, snacks, change of clothes! If the airline loses your luggage you have the basics

4️⃣ Change your babies nappy before you board as it can be tricky in the small space on the plane!

I’m sure there are more so please add your tips in the comments below! I’ll be sharing more holiday tips over the next few days xx

06/05/2024

MYTH BUSTING MONDAY ✨
My 3 year old shouldn’t nap - MYTH.

The most typical age a child will drop their nap is around 2.5 years old (for us this coincided with the twins arrival...😞) but some drop it around 2 and others can still need one until the age of 4.

If you are unsure about whether your child should drop their nap, take a look at your bedtime routine and when they are falling asleep. If they are refusing to go to bed or chatting for over an hour, their sleep pressure may not be enough to get them to sleep at the best time.

I wouldn’t recommend removing it entirely - first I would try reducing it to a 45 minute nap on the sofa to see if that helps. It is also important to be reactive to their energy and what activities they may have been up to - it maybe that naps are required occasionally on very busy/social days.

Dropping naps does not happen in one go. Found this useful? Share with a friend!

02/05/2024

Bridging Naps - the best kept secret to nap transitions 🤐✨

🧠Your little one is unlikely to drop their nap and the next day be completely fine with the adjusted wake windows and change in daytime routine. They may struggle with dropping naps or overtired before their scheduled nap time?

⚠️It is a strategic power nap which last NO MORE THAN 20 MINS, bridging the gap between wakefulness and the ideal nap time. It's purpose is not to create a wake window but reduce the sleep pressure and to be used as a tool to get from a-b ie to maintain their sleep schedule.

😄😄I used this a lot for one of my twins - they naturally dropped from 2 naps to 1 around 14/15 months but T has higher sleep needs than A, so a bridging nap mid morning c 10.30 am for 20 minutes allowed him to refresh between the morning wake up and ideal lunchtime nap of 1pm.

01/05/2024

What to do when naps haven’t gone to plan? 🤯

😴 This was our Famly app update from nursery yesterday. T had 2.5 hours sleep waking at 3pm which is long but good timing, A had only 50 mins and woke up at 1pm. This is a long wake window for a 19m old leading up to 7pm bedtime.

💤 If you have one child who’s not getting optimal wake windows/day time nap(s) or twins having completely different amounts/wake up times, it can result in overtiredness which can be hard work.

🤔What are my options?

1️⃣ Try not to stress too much, as long as it isn’t a reoccurring situation the overtiredness should be able to be recouped relatively swiftly

2️⃣ Consider a 20 minute Bridging Nap late afternoon to relieve sleep pressure- more on this tomorrow!

3️⃣ Bring bedtime forwards- up to 1 hour before normal bedtime to catch up on sleep.

(We went for options 1️⃣&3️⃣)

💌 If you are finding your child isn’t having enough sleep in 24 hours, suffering from overtiredness resulting in false starts or early wakings, get in touch (DM or link in bio for Discovery Call)! Xx

19/04/2024

14/15 - 36 MONTH ROUTINE 🕖

✨Occasionally some babies will still be on two naps a day aged 18 months but the majority will be down to 1. As mentioned in yesterday's post, the transition from 2 - 1 can vary day by day. A bridging nap of 20 mins max in the morning can help in this instance, allowing a baby with higher sleep needs 'get through' to their lunchtime/afternoon nap,.

✨From 2 years old, we start to see more divergence between children's sleep needs with some no longer needing a nap, and some still needing a nap even beyond 3 years old. In my experience with H, he dropped his nap around 2.5years (just as the twins arrived!) but we found he needed a little 45 mins or so at the weekend as he was so tired from 5 days at nursery during the week.

✨If in doubt, keep the nap and just shorten it if you are concerned about it affecting night-time sleep. If they aren't able to make a full day without their energy and mood changing by bedtime it's worth including in your daytime routine.

✨Did you find this useful? Save and share with a friend who has a toddler and may be uncertain about daytime napping! I will cover off nap transitions next so keep a look out! xx

18/04/2024

11-14 MONTH ROUTINE 🕖

✨By now it is likely you will have a relatively fixed daytime schedule for this age with a short 45 minute morning nap and a longer 1.5-2 hour lunchtime nap per day.

✨Towards the end of this age range you are likely to see your baby try and drop to 1 nap around 14 months, however its important to note occasionally this can happen much earlier and also later even up to 20 months or so. It is also not linear - it may be that on some days your baby needs 2 and on others they need 1. Be reactive to sleepy cues and mindful of wake windows and overall sleep over 24 hours.

✨Did you find this useful? Save and share with a friend who has a baby this age!

Tomorrow I will share my 14/15 - 36 month routine AKA the toddler routine!



13 w

17/04/2024

9-10 MONTH ROUTINES 🕖

✨Your baby will probably be having 2 naps of 1h30 each at this age range, aiming for wake windows of c 3 hours. Quite a few are already keen to have a shorter morning nap of say 45 mins (1 sleep cycle) and them aim for a longer lunchtime nap of 1.5-2 hours. If you're aiming for a 7-7 routine, you'll want this long early afternoon nap to finish by 4pm to give a 3 hour wake window in the lead up to bedtime. It's often at this age that you find fixed nap times become pretty regular.

✨Did you find this helpful? Save and share with a friend who has a baby of this age.

Tomorrow I will share my 11-14 month routine! xx

16/04/2024

6-8 MONTHS ROUTINE 🕖

✨It is likely at this age that naps will start to stretch but not necessarily, especially if your baby is unable to self settle as they could wake up after 1 sleep cycle and need support to go back to sleep. Wake windows should start to stretch too towards the end of this age group and is a prime time to drop from 3 naps down to 2.

😴You'll know when it's time as the last nap of the day becomes a battle! (Keep your eyes peeled for a post on nap transition soon!)

✨Did you find this useful? Save and share with a friend who has a baby in this age range! xx

Tomorrow I will be sharing my 9-10 month routine!

15/04/2024

4-5 MONTHS ROUTINE 🕖

✨ You've probably just come out of the 4 month sleep regression where your baby's sleep has changed from newborn Active/Quiet Sleep to proper 40-45 minute sleep cycles. It is a great time to focus on creating a consistent daytime routine and encourage longer stretches at night as their tummy is getting bigger.

😴This age-range involves short wake windows and short but frequent naps. Some babies can do longer naps here, especially if contact naps but short naps of around 45mins in total is completely normal. The only downside is that they will be tired again in about an hour so have a look at my Wake Windows post for guidance on timings depending on long or short naps.

Do you have a baby in this age range? Save and send to a friend or tag them in the comments below ⬇️ we hope you've found this useful, if you know someone with a 4-5 month old tag them below.

Tomorrow I will be posting a 6-8 month routine so check back in!

08/04/2024

WAKING A SLEEPING BABY: When It's Necessary and Why ✨

There's a common belief that you should never wake a sleeping baby, but let's debunk that myth! Sometimes, waking your baby is not only okay but even necessary. Here are some of the key reasons...

✨ Feeding Schedule: Newborns need to eat frequently, usually every 2-3 hours. If your baby sleeps longer, it might be necessary to wake them for a feeding to ensure they're getting the nutrition they need to thrive.

✨Health Check: If your baby is ill, premature, or has specific medical conditions, your doctor might recommend waking them for regular health checks and feedings.

✨ Day-Night Reversal: Some babies might get their days and nights mixed up, sleeping a lot during the day and staying awake at night. Waking them during the day can help reset their internal body clock.

✨ Scheduled Activities: If you have appointments, errands, or other commitments, you might need to wake your baby to stick to a schedule.

✨ Sleep Safety: In certain situations, such as when a baby falls asleep in an unsafe position (e.g., in a car seat), it's crucial to wake them and move them to a safe sleep environment.

✨ Daytime Routine: You may have to wake your baby to ensure you can fit in another nap before bedtime to ensure your baby doesn't go to bed overtired.

So, whilst we cherish those peaceful naps and find it difficult to wake our sleeping baby, sometimes it's for the right reasons. 💕👶

Share this with a friend so the myth doesn't continue!

06/04/2024

EARLY WAKINGS⏰😴

❓Why is my baby waking so early? (By this I mean pre 6am) Most likely? Their sleep pressure is low between 4-6am and they are struggling to get back to sleep, maybe overtired, maybe too light in their room. Here are 5 ways to reduce these early wakings and gives you the best opportunity for a decent morning wake up (I can't promise lie ins but I can deliver consistent mornings:

😴1. Any wake pre 6am to be treated as a night wake. Encourage your baby to self settle or go into the room and settle as you normally would.

😷2. No Feed Zone - wait to give breakfast / milk until 6am as a habitual early wake can just reinforce their metabolism to kick in early.

🌚3. DARKNESS is KEY! Ensure no light is creeping in as well as consider temperature and noise.

😵‍💫4. Don't go to bed overtired. Check baby's wake windows and that they are going to bed happy and contented with the right level of sleep pressure.

⏳5. Daytime routine and naps will help significantly in ensuring that baby is getting the right amount of sleep over a 24 hour period. ( I will be posting about this next!).

As ever, consistency is so crucial - try the above for the next 5-7 days and you will see some changes!

03/04/2024

‼ LAST CHANCE! !‼

‼ You have until 19:30 TODAY to take advantage of my Easter Giveaway ---- £100 off my Bespoke Sleep Plans (normally £299) -- all you need to do is BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL (link in Bio) or email [email protected] and quote EASTER100. 🐥🐣

✨ I have only have availability for 2 more clients in the next 2 weeks so don't miss out on this opportunity!! I can improve your baby's/toddler's sleep - it's just one click away x

02/04/2024

✨From constant bedtime battles to a happy, calm and contented toddler going to bed at 7pm and sleeping 12 hours.... in 1 week! I loved working with this family and saw first hand how much it meant to them to get their evenings back and improved their overall mood! 🥰

✨If you are dealing with similar type issues then please get in touch - BOOK a FREE 15 min DISCOVERY CALL (link in Bio) xx

01/04/2024

🏋️‍♀️😴 JOIN AND I TOMORROW FOR OUR INSTA LIVE ‼️📱

📅 Save the date: Tuesday 2nd April at 7.30pm UK time.

🤱👶👣 We'll be diving into those first 8 weeks with a Newborn, discussing how to optimise their sleep and yours as well as focussing on Mum's health and wellbeing during this period. It's going to be an engaging and informative discussion, and we'd love to have you join us.

❓Bring your questions and comments! See you there!

30/03/2024

HAPPY EASTER!🐥🐣

⏰ For a limited time, I'm offering an exclusive £100 discount on my 1:1 Bespoke Sleep Plan.

✨ Having analysed routines/sleep logs, I provide a 1 hr Video Consultation to discuss sleep issues, following up with a Bespoke Sleep Plan for improving sleep. I offer Daily Check in’s to guide parents through the process and my Support Period lasts 3 weeks (longer for specific scenarios)

I can help you:
🌟 Break sleep associations
🌟 Reduce night feeds
🌟 Reduce night wakings
🌟 Introduce a calming bedtime routine
🌟 Establish a consistent nap routine
🌟 Deal with early wakings
🌟 THRIVE NOT SURVIVE!

✨ Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to improve sleep for all the family. Use code 'EASTER100' when you book a discovery call with me.
To receive the discount, your discovery call will have to be booked by midnight Wednesday 3rd April but can take place anytime.

✨ Use the link in my BIO to book the FREE 15 min Discovery Call or email [email protected]

Offer ends soon, so act fast!

29/03/2024

LATER BEDTIME ≠ WAKE UP

It's a common misconception that pushing your baby's bedtime later will result in a later wake up in the morning. Here's why:

🌙 Sleep Needs Remain Consistent: Babies need a certain amount of sleep each day, and those needs are largely consistent. Even if your baby goes to bed later, their internal sleep clock might still wake them up at the same time, leaving them short of overall sleep.

🌙 Overtiredness: Keeping your baby up too late can lead to overtiredness, making it harder for them to fall asleep and stay asleep. It's a classic case of less sleep causing more wake-ups during the night. If you do wish to push bedtime later as part of an early wakings strategy, you either need to push naps later too or add in an extra nap. This way you are keeping the same optimal wake window from the final nap to bedtime.

🌙 Quality of Sleep Matters: Babies tend to experience deeper and more restorative sleep during the earlier part of the night. Pushing bedtime much later might mean they are missing some key restorative sleep.

🌙 Instead of focusing on a later bedtime, try these tips to encourage a full night's sleep:

Establish a consistent bedtime routine.
Ensure your baby naps well during the day
Optimise the wake window between final nap and bedtime.
Help your baby learn to self-settle.

Remember, every baby is unique, and finding the right sleep routine takes some trial and error. If you need some extra help or would like some guidance, send me a DM and let’s have a chat