Sleep Training – Everything you need to know!

Sleep Training – Everything you need to know!

We ALL know the importance of a good nights’ sleep, not just for our baby but for ourselves too! Sleep training is one of my most requested topics over on my Instagram so I thought I’d take the time to round up what I’ve learnt on our journey with H, to hopefully give you some tips and advice to help all the family get their 40 winks (within reason!).

Ensuring good sleep hygiene practices are put into place can help to place your little one in the best position to be able to sleep for longer periods throughout the night.

Here are some of my top tips for good sleep hygiene – I’ve learnt them all from the Slumbertots Sleep Guides (the code NIC10 gets you 10% off!) – her Newborn Sleep Kit and 0 to 3 year nap guide have been essential to us (oh and the early wake up guide when that became a problem!!). I love Katy’s approach so much that we are potty training using her new guide next year!

SLEEP HYGIENE TIPS⁣Click here for the original post

Dark Room – Babies and toddlers (and us too!) sleep better if it’s completely dark (which is one of the reasons why I love winter!). We use a blackout blind from 247blinds & tape the edges down using reusable frog tape. For travel we use a groblind.⁣

White Noise – We use a white noise maker which I can control via Bluetooth on my phone. We click it on at the start of the night & don’t turn it off until the morning (keep scrolling down for more info on this!). [update].. H is almost 25mo and we have just stopped using it.. the batteries ran out of charge and we realised that he was still sleeping the same!

Temperature – I dress H according to the temp of the room using a chart that came with his sleeping bag – check out [this post] for more information!

Routine – Babies like routine which is why our 30-45 min bed time routine rarely changes; we do milk/snack, bath, sleeping bag, book, bed – starting around 6:30pm (click #mummynutritionroutine for more information!).

Monitor – Using a video monitor means that you can keep an eye on your baby without disturbing them. We used to use a sensor monitor under H’s mattress for added peace of mind (6-12 months ish).

Our Bedtime Favourites

Our new swaddles for 0-3 months
Our new swaddles for 0-3 months
Our gro bag for 0-4 months and beyond!
Our gro bag for 0-4 months and beyond!
H’s new bedding!
H’s new bedding!
New Toddler Gro Clock
New Toddler Gro Clock
Toddler Duvet
Toddler Duvet
A Classic Book!!
A Classic Book!!
16 Classic Bedtime Stories
16 Classic Bedtime Stories
Travel Blackout Blind
Travel Blackout Blind
The Snowman
The Snowman
Set of 10 Julia Donaldson Books
Set of 10 Julia Donaldson Books
Anti-allergy Cot Bed Pillow
Anti-allergy Cot Bed Pillow
Toddler Pillow Case
Toddler Pillow Case
H’s Toddler Pillow
H’s Toddler Pillow
Where do diggers sleep at night?
Where do diggers sleep at night?
A book about gratitude
A book about gratitude
1.0 tog sleeping bag
1.0 tog sleeping bag
A fantastic bedtime book for vehicle lovers!
A fantastic bedtime book for vehicle lovers!
A lovely bedtime book
A lovely bedtime book
Frog Tape
Frog Tape
Ollie’s Magic Bunny
Ollie’s Magic Bunny
Here We Are Book
Here We Are Book
A brilliant emollient for eczema
A brilliant emollient for eczema
6-18m & 18-36m Sleeping Bag – 2.5 tog
6-18m & 18-36m Sleeping Bag – 2.5 tog
0.5 Tog Sleeping Bag
0.5 Tog Sleeping Bag
The Nap Guide: 0-3 years
The Nap Guide: 0-3 years
Next to Me Cot from Shnuggle
Next to Me Cot from Shnuggle
Next to Me Cot from Shnuggle
Next to Me Cot from Shnuggle
18-36m 2.5 & 1.0 Tog Sleeping Bags x 2
18-36m 2.5 & 1.0 Tog Sleeping Bags x 2
The Hungry Caterpillar – Paperback book
The Hungry Caterpillar – Paperback book
Light Show & Music Toy
Light Show & Music Toy
Our white-noise maker
Our white-noise maker
How to Handle Early Wake Ups
How to Handle Early Wake Ups
Newborn Sleep Guide (ebook)
Newborn Sleep Guide (ebook)
Rockit Baby Rocker
Rockit Baby Rocker
Shhh Sleep Machine
Shhh Sleep Machine
Baby Shusher
Baby Shusher
Love to Dream Swaddle Up
Love to Dream Swaddle Up
Starball Disco Light
Starball Disco Light
Stories for Girls
Stories for Girls
Stories for Boys
Stories for Boys
Gentle Sleep Book
Gentle Sleep Book
Cocoonababy
Cocoonababy
Waterproof Mattress Protector
Waterproof Mattress Protector
Waterproof Mattress Protector
Waterproof Mattress Protector
0-6m 2.5 Tog Sleeping Bag
0-6m 2.5 Tog Sleeping Bag
Mokee Cot
Mokee Cot
Lumie Bedbug Night Light
Lumie Bedbug Night Light
Good Night Moon
Good Night Moon
Bedtime Book
Bedtime Book
Pram or Car Seat Blanket
Pram or Car Seat Blanket
Swaddle Blankets
Swaddle Blankets
GroEgg 2
GroEgg 2
0-4m Newborn GroBag/Swaddle
0-4m Newborn GroBag/Swaddle
Shnuggles Moses Basket
Shnuggles Moses Basket
Flat Sheets
Flat Sheets
Cellular Blankets
Cellular Blankets
GroEgg Original
GroEgg Original

OUR PERSONALISED SLEEPING PLAN

One thing that changed our lives when it came to sleep was speaking to Katy one on one, who created a personalised plan for H based on his sleep issues, age and our routine – I could not recommend her enough!!

So what changed since we started our plan?!

The main changes (originally written when H was 9 months old)
⁣⁣
AWAKE TIME – Between 7 & 9 months of age Katy advised us that H’s awake time should be around 3 hours: meaning if he wakes from his last nap at 3:15pm, bed time should be no later than 6:30pm.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
NAPS – H is down to 2 x 60-120 min naps a day now at 9:45am & 2:15pm. I tweak these times by 30 mins if we have a clashing appt.⁣
⁣⁣
MILK – I fed H had the START, rather than at the end of our evening routine to avoid feeding to sleep..⁣⁣
⁣⁣
SAME PHRASE – When H goes to bed I say ‘night night’ every night.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
PUTTING DOWN AWAKE – This is a must if you want your baby to sleep for longer & wakeup less often.. Katy guided us through a gentle 2 week sleep plan which started to work from night 1 (check out the ‘SLEEP TRAIN’ bubble below my Instagram bio for more detail).⁣ I never left H’s side for the first 10 days & supported him with my voice & touch to go to sleep. He took 40 mins on night 1 which reduced to 5 mins by night 2!⁣
⁣⁣
PAUSE – H started sleeping through the night from night 3.. during the first 2 nights I allowed him 10 or so minutes to self soothe which he did 3 times out of 4 before he stopped waking up completely.⁣⁣

Katy's Sleep Guides

New Toddler Gro Clock
New Toddler Gro Clock
Travel Blackout Blind
Travel Blackout Blind
Anti-allergy Cot Bed Pillow
Anti-allergy Cot Bed Pillow
Toddler Pillow Case
Toddler Pillow Case
H’s Toddler Pillow
H’s Toddler Pillow
White Noise Maker
White Noise Maker
Frog Tape
Frog Tape
The Nap Guide: 0-3 years
The Nap Guide: 0-3 years
Our white-noise maker
Our white-noise maker
How to Handle Early Wake Ups
How to Handle Early Wake Ups
Newborn Sleep Guide (ebook)
Newborn Sleep Guide (ebook)

WHITE NOISE[written then H was 18mo]

Since I first started sharing our experience with sleep training, white noise is something I’m asked about on almost a daily basis! I am SO grateful we found the noise that works for us – I hope you do too!

What is white noise?!

White noise is ‘sound, especially of a continuous kind, that seems to have no pattern or rhythm’. It helps to mask other sounds naturally occurring in the environment & for newborns can mimic what it’s like to be back in the womb.⁣

We’ve used white noise with H from birth (on the 12 hour setting & for naps too!). The other week though our (rechargeable) batteries ran out and I didn’t replace them & H then started to wake up at 430-5am (instead of 6am)! I swiftly recharged the batteries but this time (accidentally) changed the sound (most white noise makers have a few options & some you can even control from an app!) & increased the volume & guess what.. he immediately started sleeping to beyond 7am!!⁣

✔️ My top tip therefore is to EXPERIMENT with different white noise sounds & volumes as it could be the sleep-hack that you need. Our white noise maker clearly masks the sound of the birds chirping outside, however it doesn’t mask a phone alarm going off in our room so we are going to swap to vibrate mode for that..⁣

✔️Another tip is that you DON’T NEED a specific white noise maker like us (if you do though make sure you either get rechargeable batteries or one that plugs into the mains or charges via USB) as I’ve heard other parents using an old Ipad near their LO’s cot (& using a 12 hour YouTube playlist or Spotify!) or even an Alexa Dot or Google Mini Speaker – just ask them to play white noise all night!⁣

Continuous White Noise Makers

White Noise Maker
White Noise Maker
White Noise Maker
White Noise Maker
Night Light & White Noise
Night Light & White Noise
White Noise Maker
White Noise Maker
White Noise Maker
White Noise Maker
Our white-noise maker
Our white-noise maker
White Noise Maker
White Noise Maker
White Noise Maker
White Noise Maker
Night Light & White Noise
Night Light & White Noise
White Noise Maker
White Noise Maker
White Noise Maker
White Noise Maker
Our white-noise maker
Our white-noise maker
White Noise Maker
White Noise Maker
White Noise Maker
White Noise Maker
Night Light & White Noise
Night Light & White Noise
White Noise Maker
White Noise Maker
White Noise Maker
White Noise Maker
Our white-noise maker
Our white-noise maker

If you’re a new mum or parent, I really do hope this post helps you.. make sure you keep up to date with more tips and advice over on my Instagram too @mummynutrition!

H's Sleeping Bags

Anti-allergy Cot Bed Pillow
Anti-allergy Cot Bed Pillow
Toddler Pillow Case
Toddler Pillow Case
H’s Toddler Pillow
H’s Toddler Pillow
1.0 tog sleeping bag
1.0 tog sleeping bag
6-18m & 18-36m Sleeping Bag – 2.5 tog
6-18m & 18-36m Sleeping Bag – 2.5 tog
0.5 Tog Sleeping Bag
0.5 Tog Sleeping Bag
18-36m 2.5 & 1.0 Tog Sleeping Bags x 2
18-36m 2.5 & 1.0 Tog Sleeping Bags x 2
0-6m 2.5 Tog Sleeping Bag
0-6m 2.5 Tog Sleeping Bag
0-4m Newborn GroBag/Swaddle
0-4m Newborn GroBag/Swaddle
Anti-allergy Cot Bed Pillow
Anti-allergy Cot Bed Pillow
Toddler Pillow Case
Toddler Pillow Case
H’s Toddler Pillow
H’s Toddler Pillow
1.0 tog sleeping bag
1.0 tog sleeping bag
6-18m & 18-36m Sleeping Bag – 2.5 tog
6-18m & 18-36m Sleeping Bag – 2.5 tog
0.5 Tog Sleeping Bag
0.5 Tog Sleeping Bag
18-36m 2.5 & 1.0 Tog Sleeping Bags x 2
18-36m 2.5 & 1.0 Tog Sleeping Bags x 2
0-6m 2.5 Tog Sleeping Bag
0-6m 2.5 Tog Sleeping Bag
0-4m Newborn GroBag/Swaddle
0-4m Newborn GroBag/Swaddle

*This blog post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclaimer page for more information.

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My Newborn Essentials

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P’s Vitamins
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Car Mirror
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Our new cellular blanket
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Our new swaddles for 0-3 months
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Our gro bag for 0-4 months and beyond!
Our gro bag for 0-4 months and beyond!
Arms in or out!
Our new nappy caddy
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Great value!
Our new milestone cards
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H’s vitamin D drops 0-6 months
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Just one tiny drop a day is all you need!
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Loved this book!
Pipi Bear Changing Backpack
Pipi Bear Changing Backpack
Thousands of great reviews!
Grey Changing Backpack
Grey Changing Backpack
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Changing Backpack
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Baby Bag
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Ideal for your changing bag to keep your baby's nappies, wipes & a spare change of clothes!
White Noise Maker
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Another of your suggestions!
Next to Me Cot from Shnuggle
Next to Me Cot from Shnuggle
I would get this for baby 2!
Changing Mat – Ideal for Travel!
Changing Mat – Ideal for Travel!
Use the promo code NIPPER for 10% off!
Sanitising Water
Sanitising Water
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Our white-noise maker
Our white-noise maker
it's bluetooth so connects to your phone with an app!
Video Monitor
Video Monitor
Essential when your baby sleeps in another room to you
Quinny Pram
Quinny Pram
Love this brand!
Nappy Caddy
Nappy Caddy
Perfect for around the house!
Socks On
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Because baby socks ALWAYS fall off!
Sleepsuits
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An essential for day & night!
Baby on Board Sign
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For your car!
Baby D Drops
Baby D Drops
Just 1 tiny drop daily is all you need. Needed from 0-6 months old if breastfed.
Baby Nail File
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You pop them on your thumb!
Love to Dream Swaddle Up
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For when my baby is too big for his Gro Snug!
Hana Baby Wrap
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Baby Car Mirror
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Lamaze Firefly
Lamaze Firefly
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Baby Bibs
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Love the design!
Baby Thermometer
Baby Thermometer
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This one is so popular!
Personalised Bunny Comforter
Personalised Bunny Comforter
Such a gorgeous gift!
Soft Book
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For the pram!
Lots of Links
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To attach to the toys!
Lumie Bedbug Night Light
Lumie Bedbug Night Light
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Hair Brush
Hair Brush
The bristles are so soft!
Baby Coconut Oil
Baby Coconut Oil
I was bought this as a gift!
Black and White Book
Black and White Book
For your newborn!
Nipple Balm
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Manual Breast Pump
Manual Breast Pump
To have on hand to catch excess milk
Slow Flow Bottle
Slow Flow Bottle
To mimic breast feeding
Reusable Nursing Pads
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More environmentally Friendly
Breast Pads
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For leaky nipples!
Pretty Muslins
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Love these from Storksak
Mother’s Cocoon
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For nursing your baby.
Nursing Pillow
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For you and baby.
Changing Bag
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Suitable for mum and dad!
Pramsuit
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Essential in colder weather!
Baby Carrier
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I love this mini from Baby Bjorn
Car Seat
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Pram or Car Seat Blanket
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Love this one!
Water Wipes
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For nappy changes!
Aqua Wipes
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For nappy changes!
Hooded Towels
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So cute for after a bath!
White Muslins
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I love multipacks of these!
Swaddle Blankets
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Love the panda print!
Baby Sponge
Baby Sponge
For bath time!
Soft Fleecy Blanket
Soft Fleecy Blanket
For tummy time!
Baby Bouncer
Baby Bouncer
This one vibrates too!
Angel Care Nappy Bin
Angel Care Nappy Bin
I have this in our nursery.
Nappy Sacks
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These are Eco Disposal
Nappy Cream
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We use this to protect H's bum!
Whale Scoop
Whale Scoop
To help wash your baby.
Bath Thermometer
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Aim for 37 degrees C.
Shnuggle Baby Bath
Shnuggle Baby Bath
Perfect for bath time!
Top & Tail Bowl
Top & Tail Bowl
For cotton wool & water washes.
Shnuggles Changing Mat
Shnuggles Changing Mat
Perfect for nappy changes!
GroEgg 2
GroEgg 2
This is bigger than the original!
0-4m Newborn GroBag/Swaddle
0-4m Newborn GroBag/Swaddle
Perfect for those early months to sleep in (available in summer & winter versions)
Shnuggles Moses Basket
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For 0-6 months
Flat Sheets
Flat Sheets
To go over your baby at night.
Cellular Blankets
Cellular Blankets
To go over a flat sheet at night or to be used alone in the pram.
GroEgg Original
GroEgg Original
To track room temperature (aim for 18-20 degrees!)
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