Disclosure: Some of the links within this article may contain affiliate links, meaning at no cost to you, we may get commission if you decide to make a purchase through one of the links within the article.
A Mums Guide on Keeping Toddlers Entertained During Quarantine
The Covid-19 pandemic tragically shocked the world, and it has turned our mum-senses upside down. From school ending early, changes in our routines and the (slightly) unbearable thought of having the kids at home for weeks, it has definitely caught us off-guard. You may experience toddlers running around the house while you’re busy finishing off some work. Or, the little kids wreaking havoc because of boredom. What’s worse, wailing and crying because they seriously need sweet treats ASAP!
But we got you covered! We feel your pain, and as awesome as we mums are, sometimes it can get a little too overwhelming. With this guide, we’re going to keep your toddlers from destroying household items and disturbing your (already) chaotic work routine. Read on below to know about fun, creative and exciting adventures you and your toddler can embark this quarantine period with our mums guide on Keeping Toddlers Entertained During Quarantine
Establish a Mini Kitchen Band
Let’s face it. Toddlers make a lot of noise! Whether it’s by playing around, jumping up and down or screaming for their favourite toy, the sound is their companion. With this activity, you can channel their inner noise-loving feature and play along with it. Grab a spare set of pans, wooden spoons and pots as their instruments. Then, invite them to sit with you in front of the TV with their favorite tunes and let them bang and sing along with it.
Include Them in Age-Appropriate Chores
Since toddlers are pretty much a nova of energy bursts waiting to be unleashed, ask them to help you with chores. Let them water the plants, sweep the floor, feed the pets and more! You’ll be surprised that some of them are more than willing to help you instead of just lying around and doing nothing. If all goes well, treat them with a cup of warm milk and chocolate cookies as a prelude for a quiet nap.
Create Artsy Pieces Each Day
The internet is a gold mine for crafting finds! Research for craft ideas from all seasons and ideas that they may like and with their help create a calendar of crafts. A timeline of crafting will make them look forward to the activities set for each day, much like how school works. It can be a cute bracelet or a finger puppet, just as long as they can keep their creative juices flowing (and your mind sane), it’s worth a try.
Storytelling
Toddlers are pretty much hardwired to miss nursery activities because of its abrupt end. Make sure they don’t miss out on anything by recalling their lessons and injecting the value of storytelling to them. If storytelling doesn’t fit your work routine schedule, you can always try informational and exciting TV programs or cartoons, try and follow up with what they learn in the stories.
Playing Their Favorite Games
If all else fails, always go with their choice of entertainment and play. Kids want to play hide and seek? Do it with them. Do kids want to play house? Cherish the moment with them. They are only toddlers for a limited time. Pretty soon you’ll miss how they annoy the bonkers out of you because they’ve grown up.
Being in quarantine doesn’t have to be bothersome. You can take advantage of this moment by being proactive to their needs and learning how they respond to play and learning. If you need help with anything, know that we’ve got you covered. You’ve got this super-mum!
https://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mums-Guide-to-Keeping-Toddlers-Entertained-During-Quarantine.png6301120Carla Letthttps://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Logo-300x81.pngCarla Lett2020-04-30 06:52:082020-04-30 06:54:12A Mums Guide to Keeping Toddlers Entertained During Quarantine
Today we share an expert article on the “Do’s & don’ts of postnatal exercise” written by Louise Wilcockson, the founder of the franchise Créche Fit.
Increasing your activity levels after having a baby..
After having a baby, chances are you’re keen to start increasing your activity levels and start some form of exercise, especially if you were active before and during your pregnancy. But where to start? The internet is awash with conflicting information on exercise in the postpartum period and there’s certainly no ‘one size fits all’ rule when it comes to what exercises we should be doing and when we should start doing it.
Support and Guidance to Exercise Safely
One of the reasons I started Crèche Fit was to provide mums with an abundance of support and guidance in order to exercise safely and effectively postpartum. I wanted to offer more than just an opportunity to work out with their baby. My mission was to educate mums on how to exercise – not just tell them what to do – and give them the confidence to do go it alone.
Often new mums are guilty of not appreciating the time it takes to rest, recover and repair after birth – whether that’s a vaginal, assisted or C-section delivery. Returning to exercise – or the wrong type of exercise – can be detrimental to your recovery during a period of vulnerability both physically and mentally.
The simple facts are;
Most women can return to regular exercise as soon as they feel ready. But the type and level of intensity is key here. Exercising too hard and too soon after pregnancy and birth can lead to issues such as stress incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, hernias, back injuries, damaged joints and compromised cores. Also – not receiving the proper checks before commencing exercise can set you back in the long term. For example – doing tonnes of sit ups and crunches to ‘burn that post-baby belly fat’ when your stomach muscles have split can actually push you backwards in terms of recovery rather than forwards.
To help you get started on your postnatal exercise journey, here is a list of standard do’s and don’ts when it comes to training:
Do’s of Postnatal Exercise
Start pelvic floor exercises as soon as you can after birth to help the healing process.
If you have any separation of the tummy muscles (diastasis recti) – which is common in around 60% of pregnancies – working the deep abdominal muscles will help close the gap, increase strength and stabilise the pelvis. Restoring the core is so more than just Kegels!! All our Crèche Fit classes incorporate effective exercises to help with restoring your core and we run through a comprehensive core restore home programme every 8 weeks.
Wait until your 6 week post-birth GP sign off before returning to any form of higher intensity exercise (other than the above mentioned pelvic floor work and light exercise such as brisk walking, swimming etc.)
Make sure you ask them to check for any Diastasis Recti as often this is not offered as standard (but should be!!). If you had a C-section, you need to wait 10-12 weeks post birth before commencing an exercise programme. Your body has effectively been through major surgery and needs longer to recover.
Drink plenty of water
We should be aiming for 2-3 litres per day anyway (for optimal cellular function; for replacing lost fluids through breastfeeding to name just a couple) but don’t underestimate the power of water for healing, especially if you have a Diastasis! The abdominal wall consists of primarily collagen which is made up of 70% water so good hydration is ESSENTIAL when trying to heal your Diastasis.
It may sound obvious but when you are ready to start some exercise – check your shoe size!!
Often our feet go up a size when pregnant so check that those pre-baby trainers gathering dust at the back of your cupboard still fit to give your body the support it needs.
Exercise at a good intensity
For exercise to be effective – whatever your goal – this is key. An analogy I like to use to gauge your intensity levels is to use a scale of 1-10. 1 = sat on the sofa watching TV (no exertion). 10 = a madman is chasing you down the street and you are trying to get away (max exertion)!! You want to aim for an intensity level of 6-7 (conversational pace) for 3 x week, 20-30 mins at a time to start. And you don’t have to be jumping up and down to achieve this! During our Crèche Fit classes, we will show you a variety of ways to get your heart rate up safely.
Incorporate a mix of strength training into your workouts
Think bodyweight, light weights, resistance machines etc. This is vital for improving muscle and bone density, supporting your joints and improving your metabolism to turn your body into a fat burning machine! Think about how often you are picking up and carrying your little one around? As they get bigger, you’ll be thankful for lifting those weights early on!
Ultimately – listen to your body
If something doesn’t feel right, STOP. As I mentioned at the start, there is no ‘one size fits all’ rule when it comes to exercise. Seek the guidance of a specialist pre- and postnatal Personal Trainer or attend a postnatal exercise class – one particular class springs to mind 🙂 – where the instructors understand the postnatal body and will make sure you’re starting off on the right track.
Dont’s of Postnatal Exercise
Avoid ANY form of sit-ups or crunches if you have a Diastasis as this will only make this worse and can easily undo any specific pelvic floor and core restore work you are doing to fix it
Those sort of movements only work on putting the already damaged muscles under huge strain, causing the tummy to bulge or ‘dome’. Think about what you do on a daily basis also: roll onto your side when getting out of bed; squatting rather than bending forward to pick your little one up off the floor; keeping an upright posture when sitting or standing. All these small changes can make a big difference to your healing.
Leaking is not normal!!
It’s common, yes but you shouldn’t have to live with it. If you find you’re leaking urine when exercising (especially high impact exercise such as jumping, skipping, running) then work to fix the problem with corrective exercise, not live with it (and waste money on those ‘special’ pants)! Work through a specific ‘Core Restore’ corrective programme to start (at Crèche Fit we have a simple home programme you can follow) or see a physio who specialises in female health for a full ‘Mummy MOT’ (we work with some great local physios who we can put you in touch with).
Don’t sack off a workout if you’re tired.
Light exercise – even just getting outside for some fresh air and sunshine will help boost serotonin levels (the mood boosting hormone), increase your energy levels and promote better sleep. Trust me – I know first-hand how tiring motherhood can be but keeping active helped keep me sane! Plus it’s great for your little one to see mummy keeping fit and healthy and promotes good habits from a very early age. And you only ever regret the workout you DIDN’T do – not the one you DID!
Don’t try and start off where you left off
Your body has changed and you may need to start with modified or different exercises early in the postnatal period.
Don’t put yourself under unnecessary pressure to get back to the size you were before you got pregnant
Instead, choose a balanced approach which focuses on safe and effective exercises and good nutrition. Set yourself small goals and make small changes each week to your food and exercise habits. They all add up. And remember: it’s all about balance. Try to eat well 80% of the time and relax and have what you want 20% of the time. Never deprive yourself of anything. It’ll only feel like a diet and you will soon fall off the wagon.
So there you go. Hopefully this article has provided some insight in to the do’s and don’ts of exercise in the postpartum period and has kick-started your desire to do something for you (it can’t all be about baby all of the time – we all need some me time!). If you have any questions, just ask or why not join our online ‘Crèche Fit From Home’ online portal to start your postnatal fitness journey and find out more about what we are all about?
Disclosure: Some of the links within this article may contain affiliate links, meaning at no cost to you, we may get commission if you decide to make a purchase through one of the links within the article.
Lauren, a sleep consultant from Little Sleep Stars shares a fantastic article on getting your little one ready for the clock change this weekend.
In the midst of the Corona-crisis, you could certainly be forgiven for having forgotten that the clocks change soon! That’s right…at 1am on Sunday 29 March, the time springs forward by an hour.
Traditionally, I have detailed three approaches to managing this shift, enabling parents to choose the one best-suited to their child’s age, stage and temperament. But, the unprecedented times in which we are living call for something a little different this year…
The challenge of springing forward
Of the two-yearly clock-changes, parents tend to fear this one less than it’s autumnal sibling. And it’s clear why as 6am becoming 7am is way more appealing than it dropping back to a rather inhumane 5am! However, it’s actually the harder one for little body-clocks to negotiate, largely because it requires the advancing rather than delaying of sleep – an altogether trickier biological exercise!
Age and stage
For babies and younger toddlers, and/or those little ones with very fixed sleep/wakes times, an incremental approach remains the safest. Starting today, edge naps and mealtimes forward by just 5-10 minutes where possible. Then commence your bedtime routine 15 minutes earlier than usual. This time difference is barely noticeable to a body-clock, especially when the usual pre-bedtime routine is completed in full, providing the familiar cues for sleep. Wake your little one 15 minutes earlier than usual tomorrow morning and then repeat the process of pulling timings forward, culminating in bedtime starting 15 minutes earlier than tonight – 30 minutes earlier from where you originally started. Repeat the earlier wake up on Friday and so on until you are putting your child down a whole hour earlier than usual on Saturday night. When they wake on Sunday, voila, they are adjusted to the new timings.
For older toddlers and those with more flexible routines and/or temperaments, the unusual times we find ourselves in mean many families can be altogether more relaxed…
Go with the flow
For older toddlers upwards, or even younger if you are currently really out of their normal rhythm, the ongoing reality for many families of children being cared for exclusively at home, provides a more flexible opportunity. Between now and Saturday, look for any opportunities to get your little into bed earlier – perhaps they seem ready to nap a little earlier one day and/or their nap is a little shorter than usual on another. Utilise these to move bedtime up, even if it’s just by 15-20 minutes – it’s all heading in the right direction. If bedtime has crept later recently, make a concerted effort to pull it back to at least its usual time by Saturday night.
If bedtime hasn’t moved significantly by Saturday, do what you can in terms of achieving an earlier one that night. Getting out in the fresh air, as much as social-distancing allows, during the day will help. Home-made obstacles courses in the garden are just as good as a long walk! Avoid screen-time from around 4pm and consider a sleep-boosting evening meal, assuming the supermarket shelves haven’t been stripped bare of the best foods for sleep, which include: fish especially fattier versions like salmon and tuna, complex carbohydrates such as wholewheat pasta, cottage cheese, nuts including nut butters and in particularly almonds and walnuts, and some fruits including kiwi, bananas and cherries.
Forge a new path
Whether you have achieved an earlier bedtime on Saturday night or not, adopt the “new” time on Sunday and forge ahead with meals at their normal times. For little ones who still nap, you may have to make some accommodations to absorb the change across a few days. Here is an example:
A child of 18 months who usually naps 12-2 and sleeps 7pm-6:30am, goes to bed on Saturday at 6:45pm, waking at 7:15am on the clock. Aim for their nap to 12:15/30pm and, assuming it is of its usual length, aim for sleep around 7:15/30pm on Sunday evening.
Whichever route you choose, within a few days of moving to the new time, almost all little body-clocks will have adapted. Babies and young children cannot tell the time and are driven by what time if feels like. This means that if you make it feel like bedtime, the time on the clock matters more to us than to them. With this in mind, if you don’t already have curtains or blinds that remove all light from the room where your little one sleeps, invest in some as soon as possible – that way your little one can happily settle to sleep, and you may be able to squeeze in an hour sitting out in the garden!
https://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/When-Will-My-Toddler-Stop-Needing-a-Nappy-at-Night-1.png10801080[email protected]https://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Logo-300x81.png[email protected]2020-03-25 15:14:462020-04-18 20:11:06The Challenge of Springing Forward - Little Sleep Stars
At MyBump2Baby we pride ourselves on finding helpful products and services to support growing families throughout the UK. Today we share a review from Lauren on the fabulous brand Ez-Sip. The Ez-sip is great for little ones that are learning to drink from an open cup, and is proven to benefit toddler development and confidence.
How to stop my toddler spilling juice? Our EZ-Sip Review
One of my greatest challenges I have come across on my parenting journey has to be finding a cup that the kids can both use. We have tried everything from beakers to straw cups, and no matter what I have used, they always seem to find a way to spill their juice everywhere, they especially like spilling their juice on our new carpets and new sofa! We found that using a normal beaker made snack times and meal times very… wet and very messy!!! I have often Googled “How to Stop my toddler spilling juice?” but have never had much luck in finding anything that would help.
When I heard MyBump2Baby were going to review Ez-Sip – I jumped at the opportunity to share my thoughts on the product. I must admit, I hadn’t heard of this brand before but after reading the amazing reviews I was keen to give it a try.
Our Experience of Ez-Sip
Ez-sip has helped us to battle the juice stained carpets, juice stained clothes and made my life a whole lot easier. Not only has it stopped me numerous clothes changes every day but it has also helped us to teach the girls how to drink out of an open cup.
Having two toddlers means double the mess, so any way I can limit the splashes and spills – I am all ears!!!
I am so happy I made the change to Ez-sip and I wouldn’t go back to cups again.
I can’t speak highly enough of this product and will be telling all parents to make the move to Ez-Sip, my only regret is that I didn’t know about this brand sooner.
Ez-sip is a spout free, reusable lid and because it stretches, it is able to comfortably fit over a range of different cups, glasses and beakers.
Ez-sip also has tabs which, once you have the lid on your chosen cup or beaker, help you to adjust the fit of the lid and the position of the drinking hole easily if you need to.
The Ez-sip lid fits cup sizes with a diameter from 6cm to 9cm so is the perfect fit for a lot of cups!
Ez-sip come in a handy resealable pack allowing you to easily take the lids out with you when you are out and about, all you have to do is pack them in your bag and you are ready to go! Perfect to keep in a changing bag when out and about and on holiday.
The Ez-sip is great for little ones that are learning to drink from an open cup, and is proven to benefit toddler development and confidence. It is also perfect for busy toddlers who are always on the go, or for anyone who may need a helping hand. The Ez-sip has no spouts, no straws, and no valves, which not only makes it super easy to clean, it also means it’s better for our little ones oral development too and helps to support them sipping and not gulping their drinks. With the Ez-sip lid our little ones get the real feeling of drinking out of an open cup without the splashes or spills that may come with it. Let’s face it – there is nothing worse than getting your child all dressed up for the day/evening then within an instant their outfit it ruined due to a spilt drink.
The Ez-sip lid are almost clear, and this is because most kids cups are a solid colour, and the only way to see how much is in your cup is to look in it. With the Ez-sip lid being semi-transparent, the lid allows you to see how much you have left of your drink. This is also a great way to teach your little ones how to get the hang of how far they need to lift their cup up each time they want a drink. There is no air hole as this creates a faster flow, and this is not what you want when teaching your little ones to drink out of an open cup, it also minimises any spillages.
Ez-sip is made from 100% food grade silicone and is BPA free. They are also plastic free, so better for the environment and planet. Dishwasher proof and easy to clean.
(I moved this line further up in the text – The lid is also better for our little ones oral care and development.)
Today we share a review from a member of our parent panel Kyleigh Gregson, due to sleep deprivation Kyleighs health suffered and work suffered and she reached breaking point. Kyleigh shares her honest review on The Sleep Sanctuary, her journey with Rachael Taylor from start to finish and the outcome and how it has changed her life.
My Sleep Consulant Review and Journey
So this is a very personal review and one that has affected and changed my family’s lives. I am the proudest mum to two incredible little girls my eldest who is 4.5 and my youngest who is 2.5 years old. Ever since the day my youngest was born she made her presence in our household known, she suffered greatly with colic and lactose intolerance and so the first few months of her life were difficult and filled with tears from her and me.
Struggle with Sleep Deprivation
I think it was from those very early days that we struggled with her sleep, she was a classic day time ‘cat napper’ only having 20 minutes here and there. When it came to the night time we struggled to have any sort of routine. We tried in vain to put her down with her sister at 6.45-7pm but found it so difficult and stressful, and so while she was young she was often up with us until 10-11pm with small sleeps during that time. When we would go to bed we would put her down to sleep in her room which could take us anywhere between 30 minutes -2 hours to actually get her to go to sleep, she would then wake up to seven times and night, and boy could she scream!
This carried on well into her toddler years though we insisted she went to bed with her sister at 7pm she was never asleep before 9pm and either myself or my partner would stay with her the entire time until she dropped off to sleep then commando crawl out of the room like you see of those funny viral videos. Again she always woke up to seven times a night, and we made some mistakes (I will talk more about ‘mistakes’ later) by putting her in our bed, sleeping next to her bed, or giving up and taking her downstairs to play or watch tele at all hours of the morning.
Snappy and Irritable
I don’t think I can express to you how tired we actually were. It was full on sleep deprived exhaustion. We were miserable, her behaviour in the day was poor she would have tantrums often and for long periods of time and her nursery had made us aware she could be difficult and stubborn. Looking back our whole daily lives were affected and revolved around her tantrums and sleep patterns. My partner and I argued daily, I cried all the tears, I was snappy and irritable with both of my children and my work and health were affected.
It’s funny because in my line of work I often talk to new parents about sleep deprivation and how it all gets easier and they grow out of it (which a lot of the time they do) when in my own mind I was thinking when will my little one ‘grow out of it’?, when will we get even 5 hours of sleep?
We had reached utter breaking point we had tried the ‘let her scream it out’ or ‘that child just has to learn to self soothe’ methods that so many had passed opinions on. But they were not at our house at 3 am when the neighbours had passed comments about her keeping them awake; when we were that tired we couldn’t even see straight. We really couldn’t just let her scream you could hear her in Australia her scream was that loud! We just did anything we could to get by.
That’s when I found Rachael a Sleep Specialist from The Sleep Sanctuary, that’s when she and her methods changed our lives!!
So firstly, she too was a sleep deprived mother of two small children and knew exactly how it felt to live with extreme tiredness every day.
Having desperately wanted to change her child’s sleep habits but not knowing where to turn, she herself consulted with a sleep coach. That’s where she developed her passion and wanted to share that passion with other sleep deprived parents.
When you work with Rachael at The Sleep Sanctuary, you work in partnership to uncover your parenting style, your child’s temperament, and your shared sleep goals. Together you look at the whole picture and unpick where the challenges are really coming from.
A Bespoke Sleep Programme
From there Rachael creates a bespoke sleep programme for your child, and selects the techniques and solutions that will work best for your family. She then supports and guides you through the programme to make positive changes and keep progressing. The programme she makes always has your family’s best interests at heart with an end goal in sight. She never promises that it will be easy, and she is realistic that it can take weeks even months to see real changes (that sort of honesty is something that really appealed to me) she only promises that you will work at your child’s pace and do what is best and appropriate for them and you together.
So What is Sleep Consultant and How can it Help?
The day Rachael called me for my initial free 15 minute consultation (that I think I cried all the way through) we talked through roughly what was happening and what I really wanted from the plan. She listened and let me cry the whole time reassuring me that she knew how I felt and that she had been there.
The Mistakes We Made
So here’s the bit where I talk about the ‘mistakes’ we made, like putting her in our bed and taking her down stairs when it all got too much. When I told Rachael about these ‘mistakes’ and that people had told me that we had made a rod for our own backs, she listened and then the most amazing thing happened. She told me that we had never made any mistakes and that at the time when we were in that vicious cycle of sleep deprivation you do what you have to do to make it through the night. This made me cry the most because in a way we had felt like we had failed! Why wouldn’t our child sleep when others would? (not sure about the last bit as it sounds as though I made you cry by telling you that you had failed! Eeek!)
Our In Depth Chat about Our Childs Sleep
After this initial call we had a very in-depth 1 hour conversation where Rachael goes through all of your child’s sleep history and analyses the areas that need improvement to ensure that your child gets the right plan for them. She breaks everything down and explains all about the importance of getting enough sleep and how the brain is a funny old thing and can cause not only unwanted challenging behaviour, but if it doesn’t get enough sleep it can actually cause the reverse of being tired and make a person to struggle to get to sleep and cause more night waking. She explains that it really is true sleep really does induce sleep. She explained that our little girl’s brain was stopping her from getting enough sleep, and the only way to improve that was to get her more sleep. She explained that her challenging behaviour was due to her being too tired to regulate her emotions (I knew exactly how that felt!!)
I genuinely thought though there was just no way that I could break the cycle we were in.
However when she reassured me that whilst I may not get to my end goal very quickly anytime soon, I would certainly see results in a few days if I was 100% committed and completely stuck to the plan. See a good sleep consultant doesn’t just throw a plan at you and say ‘see you later get on with it’ no, she took it in stages, explaining to me at each stage what to do and how to stick to it. It really is about consistency.
Now she warned me there would be times I would want to give up and that there may be tears but in her words “I never, ever advocate ‘Cry it Out’solutions and would only ask you to introduce something that I would also be happy to use with my own children.” From there she sent over all of the resources such a star charts and handouts that I would need with support calls planned for when I needed them.
Working through the first stage was hard I won’t lie, there was a lot of sleepless nights (but we were used to every night being that way anyway) however I was consistent and stuck to plan and I noticed an improvement within 4 days, and at the first support call I was thrilled. She even sent star charts for my eldest daughter to make her feel included. Each stage gets a little easier and the more results you see the more you are spurred on.
We have had some rocky roads since beginning the plan, with illnesses setting us back a little, but throughout it all Rachael was at the other end of the phone. It has probably taken us a little longer than expected because of that but I can hand on heart say that having Rachael as our sleep consultant and her advice has changed our lives! We know have a (still slightly devilish) 2.5 year, who no longer has whopping tantrums in the day, who’s behaviour has improved at nursery, who goes to bed with reasonably little fuss and sleeps a good 11 hours with minimal wake ups. For us that is a miracle and something we can very much live with. We are happier, our toddler is happier and that is what matters most. I always have the advice now and feel confident that any further sleep hurdles we face, we can overcome.
I cannot thank Rachael enough.
So all hail the Sleep Consultant, and all hail Rachael and The Sleep Sanctuary.
So what did other independent reviewers think, had The Sleep Sanctuary helped with their child’s sleep?
You really can’t just take my word for it, here is what others thought of Rachael’s services.
“Me and my wife started working with Rachael in Jan 2018 to help us with our 2-and-a-half-year-old twins. They never slept through the night and were both ending up in our bed every night. It was exhausting. Rachael was so helpful; we had a 1 hr consultation online where we explained our routines and our children’s personalities etc. We were then offered advice that was specific to our needs. Rachael was very clear to point out the do’s and don’ts and also warned the first few nights wouldn’t be easy… she wasn’t wrong. However, within 1 week there were huge advancements in our twin’s sleep and within 3 weeks they were going to sleep on their own and sleeping through 8 out of 10 nights. Even when they do wake, they settle back to sleep within 10 mins. If you follow Rachael’s advice, commit yourselves 100% you will see results. We only wish we had started the program much, much sooner. Our lives are honestly so much better now that we are ALL getting more sleep. Rachael has also given us some advice for our 11-month-old daughter and it’s the same story, she sleeps almost all night every night now after only 2 weeks of her sleep training proving it’s never too early to start. Thank you, Rachael.”
“Rachael recently helped me and my two-year-old daughter through a long period of sleep disruption. She is a great listener, easy to talk to and has a huge depth of knowledge – both personal and professional. I’d thoroughly recommend Rachael’s sleep consultancy services.”
“It’s amazing what the advice from Rachael the Sleep Consultant has done to the Twins’ sleep patterns! I can honestly say I never could have believed such a good result – our 7-month-old twins now sleep 12 hours straight through with not a peep from them! And they’ve been napping for two nearly 2 hour stretches every day. I never thought we’d sleep again when they were younger, but what a turnaround! Rachael gave us clear advice with a personalised plan tailored to our family, and our preferences. She backed her video-call advice up by emailing us resources that we could read in our own time. There has also been regular contact and phone calls with Rachael as we’ve progressed through each stage. Her support has been fantastic! I have to say I bombarded her once the babies started sleeping… I was in shock that the advice was working so well! We feel we could rule the world now we’ve slept. Thank you, Rachael.”
Is the Sleep Sanctuary and it’s sleep programmes value for money?
Although not completely in-expensive I can absolutely say YES!!!
Why did I wait so long? Why didn’t I know about this sooner? Rachael and The Sleep Sanctuary andcan help with sleep advice from birth to 6 years. The Sleep Sanctuary offers a variety of packages with a range of price range all over £100, however she does offer a free introductory 15 minute call, which if she can help in that time she will.
From there you work together and choose the best package to suit your needs. For me and my slightly devilish baby it was the Lunar package at £245.00 and it in my opinion it is worth every single penny. It lasted months for us and she went above and beyond, answering messages when I needed advice and offering support and tips for my eldest daughter, sending resources and star charts for her so she didn’t feel left out. I truly felt 100% supported.
If you are in any doubt at all visit her website, book that phone call, because if you are in the horrible world of sleep deprivation and exhaustion, I have been there and I promise with the right quality help it can all be changed.
Due to the proven benefits and high quality of the service coupled with the feedback from our followers and the reviews we have awarded The Sleep Sanctuary the recommended on MyBump2Baby badge.
Does it feel like only yesterday you found out you were expecting? Or has your pregnancy dragged on for what feels like an eternity? Whatever your stance on the last 9-10 months might be, all new mums have one thing in common – the need for a healthy, postpartum recovery. This last stage of pregnancy is seldom talked about the discomfort, the pain and the mental adjustments to your new body. But you must treat postpartum with just as much importance as you did during your various pregnancy stages. That way, your baby can get the best start in life, and you can get back to feeling like you again as quickly as possible.
Read on for 6 steps to a healthy postpartum recovery;
A mishandled birth
Did everything go to plan? Sadly, for many mothers not only did they not get the birth they imagined, but they were let down by their midwife or medical teams. Resulting in life-changing injuries and damage to their newborns. It’s a difficult time, but if you think you may have been the victim of a mishandled birth or your child has received injuries that could have been avoided then speak with a lawyer as soon as possible. You can click here to take a look at a medical malpractice settlement calculator.
Embrace the baby blues
Your mental health has never been more fragile or important and as a new mother, due to your hormones retreating back to normal levels, you may experience what many refer to as the baby blues. Mixed emotions, irritability, restlessness, inability to sleep, mood swings. These are perfectly normal, and these kinds of emotions can fluctuate in the few days after giving birth.
Be mindful of postpartum depression
Again, your mental health should be as much of a priority as your physical wellbeing is, especially after giving birth and if you’re aware that you’ve had feelings of depression, sadness and even animosity towards your baby for two weeks or more than you should reach out and speak to your doctor. People are waiting to support you, so don’t be afraid to ask for help at any stage after giving birth.
Look after your breasts
Whether you’ve chosen to breastfeed or not, you’ll notice that your breasts fill with milk and can become quite engorged a few days after giving birth. As wonderful as this is for new mothers, it’s incredibly uncomfortable and in some cases painful! Look after your breasts and apply soothing warm or cold compresses to your chest. Things will improve with time.
Eat well
Eating a balanced, healthy diet that’s full of nutrients, leafy greens, vitamins and minerals will not only help you recover but also help to keep your energy levels up and pass on those nutrients to your little one if you’ve chosen to breastfeed.
Move
Speak with your midwife or your doctor before you hit the gym after giving birth. They’ll be able to tell you when is best for you and your body. Until then (with medical approval), a gentle stroll in the pram, practising pelvic floor exercises and completing some simple stretches at home will have you moving your body and feeling energised.
https://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Now-What-6-Steps-to-a-Healthy-Postpartum-Recovery.jpg14401440Carla Letthttps://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Logo-300x81.pngCarla Lett2020-03-01 09:08:222020-03-01 09:08:22Now What? 6 Steps to a Healthy Postpartum Recovery
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Today we share a informative article on The Importance of Tummy Time from the fabulous franchise Baby College. If you would like to find out more about Baby College and if they run classes near you simply head to their website or check out our directory.
Baby College classes are filled with lots of different activities and games that parents can play with their babies at home, however, we always stress the importance of tummy time for their baby’s all round neurological and physical development.
Back to Sleep was the campaign launched by Anne Diamond in the 1980s. It has been incredibly successful in reducing cot death, but it had the unexpected knock-on effect of also reducing the time that babies play on their tummies. In fact, the campaign was called ‘Back to Sleep, Front to Play’, but the second half of the slogan was lost. We completely endorse the Back to Sleep Campaign but remind parents of the importance of the ‘Front to Play’ in our classes as we encourage parents/carers to play with babies on their tummies and suggest that this is consolidated at home.
The Importance of Tummy Time for Babies
Tummy Time helps babies strengthen their neck, back, and shoulder muscles needed to meet infant developmental milestones such as holding the head up, rolling, sitting and crawling. It may also help prevent early motor delays and conditions such as flat head syndrome – this common condition can occur when the baby’s soft skull can mould and cause a flat spot at the back of the head and has been associated with motor and other developmental problems.
From birth, the infant brain begins developing the different neural networks needed for sensory awareness of the surrounding environment and their relationship to it. Tummy time activities during infancy encourage babies to use their body parts to reach, push, pull, kick and twist. They are also given the opportunity to feel different textures on their arms, hands and cheeks thus supporting their tactile sense (sense of touch). As they move and shift their weight, they gain a sense of body awareness while developing their movement and balance. In addition, it helps babies develop eye and hand coordination – by looking down at their hands, they can see how they move and what they can do. Through tummy time, the brain structures that support all of these sensory, visual and motor skills are stimulated generating new connections and becoming more complex! As babies improve their coordination and overall muscle strength, they are being prepared for sitting, gliding along the floor, crawling and eventually walking.
Babies are active from birth and can start having a small amount of tummy time from as early as one month old. Start by giving your baby just a couple of minutes on their front at a time, which should be repeated two or three times a day, gradually building up to a total of about an hour a day by around three months old. Even at three months this hour shouldn’t be all at once but made up of short bursts across the day. Your baby will naturally try to lift their head to see what’s going on but won’t be able to hold it up for long periods of time until they are around three or four months old.
Tummy Time Activities for Babies
Under 3 months:
Lie your baby face down on your lap (you could do this when winding your baby).• Lie your baby on your chest or stomach with their face near yours, whilst you are lying down or relaxing in a chair.• Lay your baby down on the floor and then you lie down in front of them and use a rattle to distract them and to encourage visual development.
• When standing hold your baby on their tummy, lying flat on your hand/arm, holding them securely round one arm and one leg (Tiger in a Tree pose).
Over 3 Months:
Practice tummy time in small time increments.• Continue to use rattles or pull-a-long toys to encourage head turning and visual tracking.• Encourage your baby to practise rolling and moving while on their tummy by placing a toy just out of their reach, as this will encourage them to reach and rotate on their tummy to get the toy.
• Play peek a boo under a scarf or a blanket.
• Use mirrors as babies love to look at themselves.
Always make tummy time a fun activity with smiles, songs, praise and lots of interaction. Try as much as possible to get down on the ground with your baby – it reinforces the idea that it is a fun and social activity and helps keep them distracted.
https://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/the-importance-of-tummy-time.png627940Carla Letthttps://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Logo-300x81.pngCarla Lett2020-02-24 21:36:102020-04-18 20:21:01The Importance of Tummy Time for Babies
Disclosure: Some of the links within this article may contain affiliate links, meaning at no cost to you, we may get commission if you decide to make a purchase through one of the links within the article.
Today we have a help article from our expert Lauren from Little Sleep Stars. Lauren offers a free 15 minute consultation service to help you with your childs sleep, you can book in with Lauren by clicking here. Today Lauren is sharing a fantastic article on a question many parents ask “Why does my baby need to nap?”
Ahhhh naps…one of the most glorious or frustrating aspect of being a parent – depending on whether or not your little on has nailed the tricky art of daytime sleep. Anyone who is the proud owner of a challenging little sleeper will undoubtedly be aware that naps play a vital role in a child achieving a settled night’s sleep. But getting a little one to nap well can be a formidable task!
So Why does my baby need to nap?
It turns out that daytime sleep can be hard for children – not least because they are working against their body-clock and lack the enormous helping hand that the sleepy hormone melatonin provides for night-time sleep. The daytime is just an altogether less natural time to sleep. As little ones move through toddlerhood, daytime life can also become way too exciting to waste time sleeping. Phases of nap-refusal are particularly common during certain stages of development – either because a little one just has too much else to think about and/or practice, or, especially in toddlers and pre-schoolers, the increasing desire for autonomy leads to some experimentation with simply refusing to sleep.
Over tiredness Means Your Baby Needs to Nap
Naps are about controlling sleep pressure. The younger a child is, the shorter their comfortable awake window. If a nap isn’t forthcoming at the point a little one needs it, a hormone called cortisol is secreted enabling them to “keep going”. If you’ve read my previous post on overtiredness (which can check out HERE), you’ll know that cortisol is at the root of many baby and child sleep challenges! Well-timed naps are the key to keeping a little one’s cortisol levels in check.
So, if daytime sleep is tricky but essential, how do I help my child to nap well?
When we are alerted to the importance of naps, it’s logical to begin working on them in earnest. However, because of the comparative biological ease of night-time sleep, it actually makes the most sense to start there. If your little one is fed-to-sleep or rocked-to-sleep overnight, assume they will also need this help for naps – both at the start of the nap and potentially also to extend the nap beyond around 45 minutes (when the first sleep cycle ends). Most children stir at the end of the first nap cycle – but rarely are they genuinely “done” sleeping by this point. Experiment with meeting this end-of-cycle wake-up as you would a night-waking and seeing whether your little one will resettle. Similarly, if your little one has fallen asleep in the pram, car or carrier and the motion has ceased since they fell asleep, gently restarting it around the 40-minute mark, might just help your little one slip into a second cycle.
When at home, if you want your little one to nap in their own sleep-space, work on making the conditions as close to bedtime as possible. This means having a short, consistent pre-sleep routine consisting of three to four steps, which will, over time, cue your child for sleep. Keep the sleep environment as dark as possible and ensure any associations your little one has around their night-time sleep such as white-noise are present.
How Many Naps Does My Child Need?
Whilst all little ones are different, there is surprising commonality across nap needs by age. As a general guide, I would say the following are typical nap milestones:
No real pattern to naps until around month four – although for some little ones, naps don’t consolidate onto a more settled pattern until nearer six months.
From four months to eight to ten months, most little ones sit well on three naps with the bulk of the sleep split across the first two and the third being a late-afternoon catnap.
Sticking with two naps until around fifteen months makes the two-to-one transition easier. Although children often experiment with some nap refusal around their first birthday, this is almost always a phase which passes within a week to two.
Most children benefit from some daytime sleep until around three-and-a-half.
Does Motion Sleep Count When it Comes to Napping?
In a word: yes…although the sleep isn’t of the same quality as sleeping without motion. This is because whilst the motion persists, we remain in a lighter phase of sleep – more ready to respond to environmental threats. Motion is almost irresistibly sleep-inducing to a tired child and can be a great, drama-free way to start a nap. If you can cease the movement once they are asleep, your little one is likely to achieve more restful sleep once stationary – giving you the best of both worlds. So, instead of pushing the pram for miles, there’s a very good reason to park up and grab yourself a coffee whilst baby snoozes!
To ask Lauren questions directory you can request a 15 minute free call with her here
https://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/why-does-my-baby-need-to-nap.jpg6301120Carla Letthttps://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Logo-300x81.pngCarla Lett2020-02-24 21:16:062020-04-18 20:34:16Why Does My Baby Need to Nap?
Disclosure: Some of the links within this article may contain affiliate links, meaning at no cost to you, we may get commission if you decide to make a purchase through one of the links within the article.
When Will My Toddler Stop Needing a Nappy at Night
Getting a child ‘potty trained’ during the day is relatively easy partially due to the child’s peer pressure and the fact the child thinks it’s quite a ‘grown up’ thing to do. So, coming out of nappies is somewhat of a doddle but the ‘follow on’ problem is slightly harder to resolve. The question is often asked, at “when will my toddler stop needing a nappy at night”
A rule of thumb suggests that a child should be toilet trained between 2 and 4 and should stop bed wetting by the age of 5. Obviously, the sooner the better for both the parents and the child.
Why does my Child still need a nappy at night?
As I write this, I must first confirm that I have read articles that contradicts my preferred method, however, this will require patience and a level of toughness by the child’s parent.
The more a child drinks before bed the more likely the child will need to empty their bladder during the night. I would suggest cutting down on drinks at around 4.30 pm. Of course, if your child is thirsty, you should not prevent him/her from drinking a limited amount. Try to avoid citrus and sweet drinks like orange juice, fresh fruit drinks and milk.
Toilet trips during the night can keep them dry…
Making a child go to the toilet just prior to going to bed, in my opinion, is a must. Once the child is asleep, take them out of bed, maybe twice, say at 8pm and the again at 11pm before you retire for the night. Although it will seem cruel, the child will not remember these events. Obviously get them into the toilet the very first thing in the morning is a must to avoid morning mishaps.
And just when you think it’s all over and you have the potty routine….
Once you’ve got yourself into a routine. The training nappies have gone and the washing machine does not need to run every morning. Your child seems happy to drink less and be woken from to visit the toilet during the night when, all of a sudden, the bedwetting comes back with a vengeance. For some reason this ‘blip’ is harder to fix. During the first stage the child will probably be in training nappies while at this stage the training nappies have already been dispensed with never to return. Now the real hard work starts. Basically, you have to go back to step one and start the whole process again.
It is also worthwhile to keep a diary. Create a list of foods and drinks which you believe exacerbates the problem. Be cruel to be kind, not only for your child but also for yourself. Don’t give up. The longer you leave it, the harder the problem is to fix.
And finally You know the bedwetting problem is resolved when your child jumps out of bed in the morning and runs to the toilet when he or she wakes up ‘dry’
It may feel like a long journey but you will soon forget about all the difficulties.
Rules to remember are
Keep a diary
Make a note of what works for your child
Avoid excessive drinks after 4pm
Get your child up at least 3 times per night
Reward the child for staying dry
Persevere
https://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/When-Will-My-Toddler-Stop-Needing-a-Nappy-at-Night-2.png10801080Carla Letthttps://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Logo-300x81.pngCarla Lett2020-02-13 22:17:392020-04-18 20:57:13When Will My Toddler Stop Needing a Nappy at Night
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