from Jaime of New Family Sleep Solutions
Does your child struggle with sleeping through the night?
You are definitely not alone. From what I hear, many parents struggle with getting their child to sleep through the night.
I was thrilled when a few months ago, Jaime founder of New Family Sleep Solutions reached out to me on Instagram to connect. She was so sweet, complimenting my photos and asking if she could use some of them for her feed. I immediately said yes.
As much as I love connecting with others on Instagram, I love connecting in real life a lot more. I invited Jaime to grab a cup of tea and chat more about her business. I love her passion for her work and I knew that it’d be helpful to have her share some of her tips for getting your child to sleep through the night on the blog. I’m delighted to introduce you to Jaime Dolphin, certified sleep trainer.
About the Author: Jaime Dolphin, founder of New Family Sleep Solutions, is a certified Pediatric Sleep Trainer. Jaime aims to empower new families by providing personalized knowledge and support when introducing and implementing healthier sleep habits. She provides a holistic and evidence-based approach to settling your child and improving their sleep, helping the overall wellness of your family. Jaime prides herself on using gentle, kind methods to change habits gradually and with love and compassion!
If you’d like to discuss your family’s sleep challenges, feel free to set up a discovery consultation where I can discuss your specific challenges and talk to you about a personalized support plan to get you back to more restful nights.
Click here to contact Jaime at New Family Sleep Solutions, today!
The making of a consistent bedtime routine
Children thrive with consistency. As your child grows and develops, there are many ways you, as the parent or caregiver, can learn how to communicate. One of these communication tools is the gift of consistency. Being consistent in your bedtime routine allows your child, no matter their age, to understand the direction you are going in and what is expected to be accomplished – in this case sleep. If your child is met with a changing routine for their bedtime they will not be able to fully understand what is to be accomplished.
Bedtime routines should start with the most stimulating activity and settle down into what would be the calmest activity. If an evening bath is part of your routine I advise you to put that at the beginning of your routine. This is because even though baths are very calming it is quite stimulating when you take your little out of the warm water. Next is a new diaper, this is also quite stimulating for your little one which is why I advise it be the next step, then pajamas, etc.
Pro tip! Keep the bath under 10 minutes. And under 5 is even better! If you wish to have longer baths that is great! But they do not belong in your bedtime routine. Bedtime routines in FULL should be between 15-20 minutes. Any longer than this is unnecessary, can lead to stalling and other tactics that push bedtime past your window. As you know from caring for a little one, the line between tired and overtired is a fine one, which is why we do not want to go past our window of opportunity.
Here is an example of a schedule I would recommend to many families:
- Bath
- Diaper
- PJs
- Sleep Sack
- 2 Books
- 3 Songs
- Turn the sound machine on a white noise or rain setting and fan. Noise maker should read 45-50 decibels when read next to the child’s ear. Free decibel reader apps are available in app stores.
- Darken room so it’s pitch black.
- Lay your child to sleep, calm and awake, in their crib on their back or side.
HELPFUL TIP: No diaper changes are needed in the middle of the night. This is because it creates too much alertness. If you find your child is soaking through their diaper in the middle of the night, try a larger sized diaper or find an extra absorbent insert and put it in the diaper before bedtime.
I hope this helps! If you have any questions regarding your specific sleep struggle and would like to set up a consultation please feel free to visit my website, send an email or give me a call. Always here and happy to help!
Where you can find Jaime:
FB: New Family Sleep Solutions
