Guest Posts Archives - MyBump2Baby

Quite Possibly the Best Mum Pamper Spa Session in Lancashire | Clare Ashton Hair

23/03/2019/0 Comments/in Guest Posts /by Carla Lett

“Have a child” they said… “It will be fun” they said….

Here I am typing away as my darling child is smashing up the house behind me with a broomstick “take that” he is shouting at my walls as he pretends they are a fierce dinosaur. With a blink of the eye all the house work I have done today has been reversed and I am pretty sure some permanent damage is being done at the moment. If I am totally honest, I have stopped caring – I have stopped caring about a lot of things including myself. I often spend my time looking after everyone else and when I get a moment to myself I fall asleep. This ultimately means the only “spa experience” I look forward to these days is my daily trip to the “au’de kitchen”, pulling on that “just finished” dishwasher leaver and sticking my head it…. I love that moment…..ahhhhh!!!!

A Luxury Pamper Spa Session in Lancashire

Last month I decided enough was enough and I deserve a treat, so I started searching for the best mum pamper session in Lancashire. It was then that I was inundated with messages about Clare Ashton Hair and Beauty in Freckleton and the fantastic packages they offer. Initially I thought it was just hairdressers but they offer so much more than that.

I was shocked to see a fantastic deal offering a full 1 hour 20 minutes of pure bliss for only £50, 1 hour 20 minutes???? my first thought was… “my c section took less time”….. this felt like an eternity away from work and jobs and I had to book in.

The £50 mum package included;
25min Crystal Clear facial
25min Quartz spa back,neck and shoulder massage
Shellac hands or feet
Gift vouchers available

The Luxury Spa Pamper Session Review

Foot Spa and Shellac nails

If you have set foot in to Clare Ashton Hair and Beauty before, you will know exactly what I mean when I utter the description “luxurious classy design peppered with a twist of modern décor”, in other words it is simply stunning and you instantly feel like you are in the perfect place for a well-deserved treat.

I was greeted by the lovely Toni who kindly asked me to fill in a form to ensure I get what I want out of my experience. I was instantly offered a coffee and we went to the foot spa room.

I took my shoes off and I had my feet soaked in a warm foot spa as I sat comfortably and chilled with my latte – mums and hot drinks don’t happen often and of course I totally embraced it. I chose a glitter shellac which was simply stunning. My feet however, are totally gross. I took numerous pictures but I can’t bring myself to share them with you sorry!!!! #feetphobia

Luxury neck back and shoulder massage

We then headed to the luxury treatment room – it was beautiful, it smelt lovely. It was great to listen to something other than the “Peppa Pig” theme tune. I loved the relaxing spa music and that alone was bliss. For all the mums out there that fear cold rooms – you can rest assure that this room was the perfect temperature. Toni confirmed again that I am not allergic to anything and also asked me how I would like to feel after the massage as the different oils encouraged different feelings. I could choose from Happiness, Hope or Energise. We chose Happiness which offers a revitalising boost of happiness whilst clearing the mind of any stress and business. Rose Quartz crystals were used in the back massage. Rose Quartz restores trust and harmony in relationships, encouraging unconditional love. Rose Quartz purifies and opens the heart at all levels to promote love, self-love, friendship, deep inner healing and feelings of peace

We started with the 25-minute back, neck and shoulder massage and it was absolutely brilliant and as expected I was full of knots of stress. Every inch of my neck back and shoulders were massaged and Toni managed to get these out without causing any pain or discomfort – I felt incredible afterwards and was close to drooling.

Luxury Mini Facial

I then had my 25-minute mini facial, I have no idea why it is called “mini” as 25 minutes is probably the most time I have ever had someone concentrate on my face before. When it comes to skincare, I must admit my face has been neglected. The fantastic mini facial included eye and facial cleansing. Toni also used a skin analysis lamp to see what skin type you are and what products are best for your skin in particular which was handy for me as I never know what type of skin I had.

The facial included, 2 facial and neck cleanses, eye cleanse, lip cleanse, a skin exfoliation with a Clarisonic brush to get all of the dead skin away and refresh my face. Toni applied a super repair face mask which is full of all the necessities your face craves, such as deep hydration and nourishment, and anti-ageing plant stem cells. Whilst I had the face mask on I did a relaxing scalp massage. We finished with a toner, an eye moisturiser, and a face moisturiser, along with some nourishing lip balm. All of the products were removed throughout with some fresh hot mitts. My face felt amazing!!!

Overall Review of Clare Ashton Hair and Beauty Pamper Session

Book in!!! Book in and you will never look back!!! This is the best package for a mum ever, forget flowers, chocolate if you really want to treat yourself or another mum then this is absolutely the way to do it. I highly recommend Claire Ashton Hair and Beauty.

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To book in call 01772 490156

Mess Free Interiors (baby-and-toddler-proof your home)

19/12/2018/0 Comments/in Guest Posts /by Carla Lett

If you’re planning on making some ‘baby-safe’ updates to your interiors, you’ll have no doubt read-up on how to make your home as child friendly as possible. The internet is awash with all the typical advice. Choose soft furnishings. Make sure all cables are tied and tidy. Dispose of any choking hazards such as potpourri and decorative plant or water features containing small stones. Open fire place? You’re going to need a grill. Large family dog? You might want to install a gate. Et cetera.

But what about mess? What can we do to help us to deal with those regular spills, scuffs, and splatters, not to mention the piles of junk mail and other accumulated jumble that little hands love to scatter around the home? Let’s take a look at how to ‘baby-and-toddler-proof’ your home against any avoidable mayhem.

Wipe Clean Skirting Boards

There’s nothing worse than the bottom of your well-chosen wallpaper showing signs of mucky hands and dirty shoes. What you need is an easy-to-install skirting board that’s wipe-clean and fits with your colour palette. Ovolo skirting board options give you exactly that. The simple traditional design – in clean white – is popular among the trade for its ability to blend in with any feature wall, neutral wall, and flooring of any type.

Create a ‘De-Clutter Zone’ at the Entrance

This is much easier if you have a porch or hallway at the entrance to your home. Although a de-clutter zone may sound obvious, there’s more to it than meets the eye. For instance, not only can you instantly declutter your home and keep your floors and furnishings free from wet/muddy shoes or pram wheels by allowing yourself to keep that one entrance point as a bulging cloakroom, you can also use the space as a mail room. Mail gets everywhere. Coffee tables, kitchen worktops – leave an ironing board standing long enough and soon white and brown envelopes will appear as if by magic. Keep separate in-trays for quick and easy sorting and also keep a waste basket to hand for junk mail. Quick, easy, and no bits of paper lying around the living room that can be ripped up, scrawled on, and tossed around by junior. Simple.

Establish an “Art” Drawer or Cupboard

Speaking of the dishevelled look that loose papers create when mixed with small prolific artists, there’s no quicker and simpler way to keep the colourful scribbles from clogging up your coffee table than creating a positive impression around ‘the drawer’ that only ‘the best’ artworks are chosen for. Start with a pinboard or fridge magnets if you wish. But sooner or later your walls and your fridge door will become overwhelmed. ‘The drawer’ is the perfect answer. Tidy away all scribbly artworks into the drawer, and occasionally empty it into the recycling. They’ll never know.

7 Tips to Help you Sleep Better Every Night

13/11/2018/0 Comments/in Guest Posts /by Carla Lett

We all look forward to a good nights sleep, but for many of us, it’s just unattainable. Whether you have small children who just won’t give in, a 1, 3 and 5am wakeup call from your new born or you spend all night tossing and turning while your partner snores away, falling asleep is one thing but actually getting a good night’s sleep is a completely different ball game.

So what’s the solution? Before you give in completely and invest in the best concealer for dark circles, check out this helpful guide with 7 tips that will hopefully help you sleep better every night.

Night, night tech

All smart phones, TV screens and computers give off a soft blue glow. It’s this glow that stimulates the brain and damages your sleep; effecting its quality. An hour before you go to bed, turn off all screens and cover up the ones you can’t directly switch off. You can still keep your phone on, but have the screen facing down instead.

Naps

If you’re lucky enough to have the opportunity to nap during the daytime, then try to limit these powernaps to just 20 minutes, set an alarm so you don’t overdo it and try your best to nap in the earlier part of the day. You wouldn’t let your toddler nap at 4pm – so apply the same rule to yourself.

Clocks

Got a clock in your bedroom? Did you know that most sleep experts recommend not having clocks of any kind in the bedroom. Glancing at the clock every time you wake up or just checking it every time you try and get comfortable will set your mind off about how much time you have left to sleep and your plans for the day ahead. Either turn the digital display away from you or remove it completely.

Save the bedroom

As a rule, keep the bedroom for sleep and sex. Your bedroom should be a relaxing place, not somewhere the TV is on all night. Avoid sitting in bed and checking social media, online shopping or watching TV. Keep the bedroom a comfortable, intimate and relaxing space. Your mind will soon get the message.

Hidden Caffeine

If you’re drinking cups of coffee or tea just before bedtime then there’s no wonder you can’t sleep. But you also need to be wary of the caffeine hidden in other things we might be consuming. Chocolate, ice cream and yogurts, paracetamols and other pain relief remedies, double check what you’re consuming before bedtime.

Have a drink, rethink

We all enjoy a glass of wine on an evening, it might even make you feel sleepy before bedtime; a most welcome push into the land of nod. But be careful, once the initial effects of the alcohol have worn off, you might find yourself more awake then you were before!

Toilet trips

Speaking of drinking…if you’re taking trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep afterwards, then try to not drink anything at least 2 hours before bedtime.

Getting Ready for a Baby

17/10/2018/0 Comments/in Guest Posts, Pregnant /by Carla Lett

Having a baby, especially your first, is an incredibly exciting time. There are also a few worries in the mix of emotions, too, though. Chief among these concerns is whether the baby is going to be alright, followed by how you’re going to afford it!
Some surveys have found that new parents spend up to £10,000 on their baby’s first year – the cot, the pram, clothes, nappies, formula, car seats, toys and special food being just some of the items on the shopping list. You don’t have to spend this much if you don’t want to, though, as there’s lots of ways to reduce this expensive first year’s costs.

Work out how much you can afford

Whether you’re embarking on this journey with your partner or going it alone, you have to work out how much you’ll have to spend and what you’re going to spend it on. Use this handy budget calculator to work out your finances for the next 18 to 20 months (the pregnancy period and baby’s first year or so) to pin down how much you’ll have coming in and how much will be going out. Then you can start using these bright ideas to curb your spending.

Start looking for bargains as soon as possible

You can join local marketplace groups to keep an eye out for equipment – large and small – as soon as you feel comfortable. For some people, this is after the 12-week scan and for others this may come later. The sooner you start looking for prams, cots and bundles of clothes, however, the more you’ll have amassed while you’re still working. You’ll also get to know the market and the territory and soon you’ll be bidding like a pro!

Enter magazine and online competitions

You may think that you never win anything, but by dedicating an hour or so a week to entering baby magazine and website competitions, you may just strike it lucky a few times. Most magazines have giveaway competitions and you should enter as many as you can – sometimes the giveaways are little things like teething rings and sometimes they’re biggies like travel systems and cots. If you don’t try, you’ll definitely not win anything.

Try to live off just one salary for a month

You’ll probably be taking at least nine months’ maternity leave. During maternity leave, if you’re an employee, you’ll get six weeks on full pay followed by a period of reduced pay until you return. If you’re self-employed you’ll probably get Maternity Allowance, which isn’t a huge amount. A good savings tip is to live for a month off your partner’s salary to see how it goes and to squirrel away yours for your period of leave.

Don’t buy everything on the “must buy” list in those magazines

There are some things that you’ll buy and never use! Listen to friends, family and forums and don’t bother with wipe warmers, baby food-processors and nappy bins. Just don’t! Similarly, when you are making the big purchases – the pram and the cot – think about how long you can use it for. Many cots turn into toddler beds so you’ll get three or four years’ use out of them. Many prams are also designed to go from new born to toddler (with the help of some engineering wizardry) so you’ll only need to buy one.

What You Need to Know About Fuel Poverty

12/10/2018/0 Comments/in Guest Posts /by Carla Lett

While most of us find something about autumn and winter that we love – golden leaves, silver frost – for some the colder months present terrible stress because they can’t afford to heat their homes properly.

Not being able to provide adequate heat is worrying because a cold home can lead to health problems or exacerbate existing ones and it’s also uncomfortable and tiring to be cold. If a household spends more than 10% of its annual income then it’s deemed to be in fuel poverty.

Around 400,000 households in Ireland are in fuel poverty and the Emo Oil company, which provides many Irish households with heating oil, recommends that people buy their fuel in the summer when it’s cheaper.

What are the causes of fuel poverty?

There are three main causes of fuel poverty.

The household is on a low income, which means that fuel eats up a bigger proportion of its annual income.

The price of oil suddenly rises, pushing households into fuel poverty temporarily. This prise rise could be in real terms or it could be because the euro has fallen in value. OPEC sometimes decides to limit the production of oil, or there’s unrest in oil-producing areas of the world. This pushes the price of crude oil up and if a household hasn’t stocked up during cheaper times, then it may be a struggle to fill up the heating oil tank.

When autumn and winter come around, prices also rise because the temperatures are dropping and there’s suddenly more demand.

The house is poorly-insulated and lets out too much heat. In a household that’s already struggling, the cost of adding extra insulation may be just too much to afford. If the home loses lots of expensive heat, however, it will be almost impossible to maintain the safe temperature range of 18-21C. Furthermore, poorer households tend to have minor issues like loose windows and uninsulated lofts.

How can households at risk of fuel poverty help themselves?

If draughts are a problem, then any form of extra insulation is better than none at all. It’s possible to buy adhesive foam strips quite cheaply and these can prevent draughts coming in through windows and loose doors. Using draught excluders under doors is a good idea, as well as thick curtains and closing off unused rooms so heating is concentrated just in occupied rooms.

If the family can afford loft insulation then this is one of the best solutions and it’s always worth asking the local authorities if there are any grants or subsidies to help to pay for it.

Get the boiler serviced annually

This might look like a big, unnecessary expense, but an annual service will keep the boiler in good shape and it’ll work more efficiently. On average, a service will cost around €100, but if it cuts the risk of a breakdown and helps the boiler to produce more heat, then it’s worth it.

Spread the cost

If families can use a pre-payment scheme that spreads the cost over 12 months, then winter needn’t be such a burden.

Ask for help

Some households may be eligible for a fuel allowance payment, so they should contact their council to find out more.

Buy when the prices are lowest

By making an order in summer, as large an order as possible, then the tank will hopefully be full enough to last over the winter. The price-per-litre will be lower and so if a smaller top-up is needed at a higher price in winter, it’s not such a disaster.

Why you should have a 3D/4D HD Live Bonding Scan? And what are the benefits?

01/10/2018/0 Comments/in Expert Articles, Guest Posts, Pregnant /by Carla Lett

From the moment you get your positive pregnancy test you are aware that a little person is growing inside of you. It’s the start of a blossoming relationship which is everlasting. That bond between mother and child has begun and gets stronger and stronger as the days go by. Ultrasound allows expectant parents to watch this journey. Whilst ultrasound allows the performance of pregnancy screening tests such as the nuchal scan, non-invasive prenatal testing, anomaly scan (which allows assessment of the development of the fetal anatomy), ultrasound also allows you to take a sneak peek at your developing baby.

Ultrasound emerged in maternity during the 1950’s. Since then there has been a revolution and the speed of the technological advancement has been astonishing. At first there was 2 Dimension (2D), then 3D and now 4D. 2D is the black and white grey scale image that is the standard for doing most fetal ultrasound work and this is also amazing because this allows assessment of fetal structures and fetal growth.

3D allows you to see still realistic images of your baby. It can be possible to recognise features and parents often say “that’s your nose” or “he or she looks just like me”. It cements the bonding between expectant parents and their fetuses. The 3D images can be rotated so you see the fetus at different angles. However, 3D is surpassed by 4D because 4D shows the real time movement of the fetus. Intricate facial features in real time are obtained. Smiles, grimaces, thumb-sucking, swallowing, body movements, all are plain to see on 4D bonding scan.

In terms of 3D/4D technology, the crème de la crème is the HD Live technology.

You will often hear this mentioned when you look up baby scans, but what does it really mean. Well, you are in for a treat. HD Live is an amazing method of showing the fetus in its best light. HD Live uses an amazing technique called rendering to show remarkably realistic images of the fetus. The fetal skin is illuminated using a virtual light source which creates contrasting shadows and shows the fetus in its best light. You will be amazed that the fetal skin looks so real and translucent.

3D/4D scans are best done between 28 and 32 weeks although they can be done earlier. This is because later in pregnancy the fetus gets bigger and begins to position itself in the pelvis, getting ready for labour. The more advanced you are in pregnancy, the less likely you will obtain good images.

A scan during the 3^rd trimester, whilst providing an opportunity to see the fetus in 3D/4D HD Live is also a chance to check the growth and wellbeing of the fetus. The wellbeing scan can assess the fetal growth, amniotic fluid around the fetus and look at the blood flow in the umbilical cord (umbilical artery Doppler). If you did not want to know the gender and cannot resist then it’s not too late to find out! Scans in later pregnancy also inform you of the way the fetus is lying down in your pelvis (presentation).

These scans are additional scans and not routinely available but can provide more reassurance that all is well if required. Family and friends can share in the joy and excitement of the scans.

Question: So why you should have a 3D/4D HD Live Bonding Scan?

Answer: All of the above applies.

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This expert article was written by Dr. Jacqueline Bamfo from The Aster Baby Scan Clinic in Dunstable

https://www.asterbabyscan.com/

10 Reasons to Book on a Baby Yoga Course

13/09/2018/0 Comments/in Baby, Expert Articles, Guest Posts /by danny

What are the Reasons you should Book on a Baby Yoga Course?

I have been working as a baby yoga instructor for nearly 3 years now but before this I worked in Early Years for well over 10 years and have a degree in Early Childhood Development. For me, it is all about development and boy does baby yoga promote this massively!!!!

Just like Baby Massage, the Baby Yoga groups have all the same lovely social and emotional benefits to them and the loveliest bonds and friendships are made within them. They are fun and stimulating for little ones with lots to keep them entertained, because there comes a point where all babies get bored of lying down just chilling (however lovely that may be for us parents) and movement becomes life!

For me, my interest came when I could actually see the benefits the class had with my own child. The moves used are specifically designed to help target muscles that enable babies to reach their developmental goals. Now all babies are different and have different ability levels and the important thing about Baby Yoga is that it is adaptable using age and stage appropriate moves with variations offered when needed meaning it can be enjoyed by all families and babies.

By using my knowledge of early childhood development and the skills I have learnt becoming a baby yoga instructor, I have made sure each class focuses on not only physical development but emotional and communication using important sensory aspects. If that’s not enough the classes also focus on the parent too, bringing in light exercise that can be focused upon and used at home should parents wish, all done in a relaxed environment with no pressure or judgement.

So here are 10 reasons to book on to a Baby Yoga course;

SLEEP (The Holy Grail)

Baby Yoga absolutely promotes better sleep as regular movement promotes a more settled behaviour with less extreme ups and downs. It is a time where babies can use up all that stored energy they have when they have yet to learn the skill of on demand movement.

Builds muscle strength and promotes development

A balance of activity and relaxation helps build and encourage muscle strength e.g. – tummy time, head holding, sitting, and eventually standing. Through carefully planned stretches and activities Baby Yoga helps build muscle and promotes muscle suppleness so that early development milestones such as rolling over, crawling and sitting independently can be reached.

Calmer Babies (Holy Grail part 2)

Baby Yoga can help to development muscle tone and encourage the muscles to react in the correct way or positions to encourage movement or others development milestones such as sitting independently. This in turn reduces frustration during the transition between developmental changes because boy is it annoying for a baby trying to make your hand move in the right direction to reach that foot and get it in your mouth!!

Helps Develop those little brains

Through stimulation provided by sensory activities and objects brain stimulation is encouraged helping with development such as hand eye coordination. Activities used encourage muscle development in the eyes to promote focus and co-ordination.

Communication

Babies learn through repetition and mimicking Baby Yoga will encourage early language development as baby will watch parent/carers mouth movements and we sing and rhyme throughout the class.

First baby friends

Helps develop and build social skills by encouraging early social interaction etching and being with babies their own age.

For Mums

The simple moves we do during our parent and baby stretches can help mum to regain strength and maintain posture, safely tone abdominal muscles and pelvic floor.

Fun and enjoyment

Parents/Carers enjoy activities with their baby spending a happy hour sharing in their child’s enjoyment

Social time for parents

Parents/Carers can enjoy a relaxing hour away from the demands on daily life enjoying and socialising with people in the same position as themselves

Learn new skills

Not only can parents learn a few stretches that they can do at home to improve their own muscle strength. Fun activities and songs are introduced that can be used at home and shown to other family members often giving ideas of what to do to keep a young baby entertained.

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This article was written by Kyleigh Gregson a Baby Yoga expert from Lytham St Anne’s, Lancashire

Kyleigh Gregson
BA Honors Degree Early Childhood studies and Development. Qualified Baby Massage and Baby/Toddler Yoga instructor
Owner at J’adore Mama – The Maternity & Infant Centre

Website: www.jadoremama.co.uk
FB: www.facebook.com/jadoremama
Tweet: @jadoremama
Tel: 07719 901271

When a Child Becomes Too Tired to Sleep

20/08/2018/0 Comments/in Baby, Guest Posts /by Carla Lett

One of the perennial challenges when it comes to child sleep is overtiredness. It’s also one of the most counterintuitive! Parents often think, entirely logically, that a tired child will sleep well. Whilst this is true, the line between tired and overtired is so fine that it’s often barely visible and although a tired child typically will sleep well, an overtired one is likely to fight sleep as if his life depends on it…

Is Your Child Too tired to sleep?

Understanding overtiredness enables us to initially spot and subsequently prevent it. Babies and children have limited “wakeful windows” which is best understood as the period of time a child can comfortably remain awake between periods of sleep. For a newborn baby, the wakeful window can be as short as 45 minutes! By 2 years old this will have extended out to more like 5 to 5 and a half hours. This is why children require naps to get them through the day.

Think of it like a pressure gauge; when a child wakes for the day, their sleep pressure is nice and low as they are rested from their overnight sleep. As time passes, the pressure starts to steadily build until it reaches its comfortable maximum – at this time the little one is primed for sleep and if their schedule is working well, it will be nap-time. The period of sleep will reduce down the pressure, the child will wake refreshed and then enter a new period of awake time and the pressure will again start to increase. This pattern repeats until bedtime.

But what happens if a child reaches their maximum sleep pressure and, for whatever reason, a nap doesn’t happen? Well…the pressure blows. If only it were so simple that a tired child goes to sleep! The world is incredibly exciting to a baby or toddler and whilst the environment provides stimulus, a child will continue to engage. In order for the little one to “keep going” in this way, their body secretes a hormone called cortisol. And that is where the problem starts…

Running on adrenaline

Cortisol affects the body in a similar way to adrenaline. Children appear wide awake, even giddy – sleep is the last thing on their mind. But these little ones are in fact wired. As time goes on babies are likely to become increasingly cranky. A toddler may be less noticeably upset than a baby but their elevated cortisol level is likely to show in their behaviour – they may be particularly noisy, boisterous or even prone to hitting, biting and throwing things.

The nemesis of sleep

Once a child is overtired, getting them to sleep is likely to be a battle. Babies may well cry. In the same way that if we are unwillingly awake and unable to get back to sleep in the night we may huff, puff and aggressively rearrange our pillow, an overtired baby gets frustrated. They are exhausted and desperately want to be asleep but their body just won’t let them. Overtired crying can be some of the most intense and sustained that a parent ever hears. Toddlers may also cry but others will simply mess around – finding interest in anything but sleep, asking question after question and generally seeking to delay having to tackle the foreboding task of trying to sleep despite feeling utterly hyper.

But once they’re asleep the worst is over, right?

Unfortunately, getting an overtired child to sleep is only the first hurdle in what can be a very long race. Cortisol hangs around for a long time and an overtired child will typically wake more frequently in the night (or after only 30-40 minutes of a nap) and once awake may find it very hard to return to sleep – cue more crying and/or a little one being awake for an hour or more in the middle of the night. The closer to morning it gets, the harder staying asleep becomes for a child as their cortisol levels begin to rise (a normal function to drive us towards wakefulness as the day approaches). With the additional cortisol caused by the overtiredness, the process simply kicks in too hard and too fast, often meaning a little one feels ready to start the day at 5am.

A cycle then develops where the shortened night sleep and/or inadequate naps maintain the overtiredness which in turn further inhibits the child’s ability to take the sleep they so desperately need.

Prevention is better than cure

By far the best plan is to understand your little one’s sleep needs (which depend almost entirely on their age) and manage their daytime schedule to ensure they can sleep when and how much they need to. This doesn’t mean that life needs to be dictated by a little’s one routine – sometimes setting off 15 minutes early to an activity so that your child can take a quick nap in the car is enough to ward off a bedtime meltdown!

Many parents, sensibly, watch their child for signs of tiredness and take that as the cue for a nap. Some children do exhibit very clear sleepy signs right at the start of feeling tired. Others, and it depends largely on temperament, give far less away and by the time a parent sees an obvious sign, the window for getting the child down without a battle is rapidly closing.

Aside from understanding how much sleep a typically needs (which is information I am always happy to provide a parent with free of charge), it is helpful to know what the true “tired cues” are. People often think of things such as a little one rubbing their eyes, pulling their ears or not wanting the parent to put them down. Typically, these are actually very late signs of tiredness. Parents may have more success getting their child to nap without tears if they look to get them down when the little one begins to lose interest in their toys, turns their face away and seeks to avoid engaging or if they adopt a glazed expression – these are all early (but considerably less obvious) tired signs.

In the eye of the storm

If you know that your little one is already overtired, the only way out is to top up their sleep tank. This may mean additional naps and/or an early bedtime. Parents of early-risers often fear an early bedtime will lead to their little one being up even earlier – actually, the opposite is likely as the more a parent can limit their child’s overtiredness, the better chance the child has of being able to sleep until a wake-up time that starts with a 6 or 7.

If there are two things a parent remembers when it comes to child sleep, let them be this:

No good comes from keeping a child awake;
Sleep begets sleep!

Little Sleep Stars creates gentle, bespoke sleep plans to enable babies and children up to 6 years to reach their sleep potential. No two children are the same and nor are any two sleep plans but with the right, tailored and gentle plan in place, any child can learn to sleep well. All consultations are carried out using web-based video-conferencing, enabling Lauren to work with clients throughout the UK and even overseas. Little Sleep Stars offers a free, no obligation, 15 minute call to any family needing support with their child’s sleep – to book yours visit https://littlesleepstars.as.me/free15minutes

The Dreaded “4-Month Sleep Regression” – What it is, why it is inevitable and how to navigate it.

14/07/2018/0 Comments/in Baby, Guest Posts /by Carla Lett

Newborn Sleep

There is no doubting that newborn sleep can be a challenge! However, by around 12 weeks old, many babies will be taking a solid block of overnight sleep which may be 6 or 7 hours, and occasionally even longer than that.

This rapid progress from a period of two-hourly wake-ups often leads parents to believe they have overcome the trickiest phase of baby sleep. Yet they may notice friends with slightly older children look decidedly shifty whenever the subject of sleep crops up. This is because those friends know what is lurking – the parental blackhole that is the Four. Month. Sleep. Regression…

Newborn sleep, although taken in small chunks, is actually wonderfully simple in structure. In those early months babies go from awake to a fairly deep sleep remarkably quickly without much lighter sleep in between. They can be placed down, already fast asleep, and stay that way for several hours.

The inevitable change

Somewhere in the first 6 months (most commonly around month four), a child’s sleep, inevitably and permanently, matures and they begin to sleep in a more organised pattern, cycling through longer periods of lighter sleep every 45-60 minutes.

During these cycle changes, a child who has a sleep crutch or association – something they need in order to fall asleep – is more likely to wake as they realise the crutch is missing. This can lead some little ones to wake every hour! Others will be able to navigate their way through some transitions (especially in the first half of the night when tiredness does a better job of keeping them asleep) but not consistently and may still wake three, four or even five times through the night. Common sleep associations are being on the breast or bottle and being rocked by a parent.

More wake-ups means more resettles which typically further ingrains whatever sleep association(s) the child has. So for a little one who falls asleep whilst being rocked or fed, each waking is likely to be met with a feed or more rocking. This reinforces to a little one that this is how they fall asleep and they become more dependent on the sleep association.

There is a need for two words of caution here…

Firstly, there is nothing wrong with feeding or rocking your baby to sleep. Nothing at all. What a parent needs to be aware of however is that once a child’s sleep pattern has matured, they will wake in the night – it is a normal biological function. If a child is fed or rocked to sleep at bedtime they will most likely need this every time they wake in the night because they haven’t learned the skill of settling to sleep without that help. It is unfair to expect a little one to resettle in the night with less help than they had at bedtime.

Secondly, in the first year, babies will need night-feeds and I am certainly not saying they shouldn’t be given them! Babies absolutely can be fed in the night without having a dependency on that to fall asleep. It is helpful to ask yourself whether your baby ever (day or night) falls asleep other than on a feed. If the answer is no then it may be that the feed is something your little one, currently, cannot fall asleep without.

And if that wasn’t enough…

There is also a lot going on developmentally for babies around the four-month mark. Some are babbling, many are rolling, and all are increasingly fascinated with the world around them. Babies make huge leaps forward in their early months and unsurprisingly this can be unsettling for them. Clinginess, fussiness and increased waking are very normal and natural side-effects of this amazing development.

Practice, practice, practice

You might be wondering what you can do to lessen the impact of this sleep milestone. The answer really depends on when you are reading this! If your little one is under four months then try to get into the habit of feeding on waking throughout the day. This gives an opportunity for a little one to experiencing falling asleep other than on the breast or bottle. I don’t, however, recommend feeding to a schedule and the nature of on-demand feeding (which I absolutely do endorse) will mean that sometimes this varies!

You can also try placing your baby down drowsy but awake for naps and at bedtime. Some little ones are fairly adaptable and, when comforted and supported from the cot-side, are amenable to falling asleep in this way. Others will be less keen and if it’s clear after being down for a minute or two that a little one isn’t happy then I wouldn’t push it – in that scenario I would advise picking the baby up and rocking to sleep. It is worth continuing to try putting your baby down awake (always responding quickly and never allowing the baby to become distressed), even if it’s only once a day, as several short practices often accumulate to a little one learning to fall asleep in a new way.

It’s never too late

If the regression has already hit and your little one’s sleep habits have changed literally overnight, this is not the time to ask something new of them. The trickiest part of significant development leaps typically last for a week or two. Wonder Weeks is a fantastic resource to understand what is going on for your baby and when. If you are at the peak of the stormy period then get through however you can then review the sleep position. If you are happy helping your child to resettle in the night then there is no reason to change things. On the other hand, if you feel the time is right to help your little one learn how to sleep a little more independently and your child is over the age of 18 weeks, you could consider some gentle sleep-coaching. The emphasis here is on the word gentle – sleep-training should never be an ordeal for either you or your child.

Little Sleep Stars creates gentle, bespoke sleep plans to enable babies and children up to 6 years to reach their sleep potential. The business is owned by Lauren Peacock, a former tired mummy who was never prepared to leave her own little boy to cry. Through a detailed assessment and consultation process, Lauren is able to identify what is causing an individual child to struggle to sleep well. No two children are the same and nor are any two sleep plans but with right, tailored and gentle plan in place, any child can learn to sleep well. All consultations are carried out using web-based video-conferencing, enabling Lauren to work with clients throughout the UK and even overseas. Little Sleep Stars offers a free, no obligation, 15 minute call to any family needing support with their child’s sleep so to take the first step on the path to better rest for your whole family get in touch today.

Click here to claim your FREE 15 minute call with Lauren

www.littlesleepstars.com

lauren@littlesleepstars.com

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My Top 5 Tips for Creating Memorable Family Holidays

28/06/2018/0 Comments/in Guest Posts /by Carla Lett

Dr Seuss wrote in his popular children’s book, “Oh, the places you’ll go!” And oh do we long for our children to travel and see the world – whether it be in wellington boots in Cornwall or in flip flops in Bali. When our children grow up, they will rarely remember what they got for Christmas when they were 3 or what Mummy did (or didn’t!) make for dinner. They will remember the family holidays they went on, the sensation of the hot air hitting you as you step off the plane in a warmer climate, the feel of the sand between their toes, meeting holiday friends from different countries.

I’m so very lucky as my job is to help families make memories by creating bespoke holidays personally tailored to each customer’s needs. I’ve found by putting the customer at the heart of everything I do, creating a holiday that’s right for them and at the right budget for them, not necessarily booking what’s “in the brochure”, I am helping that Mum or Dad make wonderful memories with their family.

My Top 5 Tips for creating memorable family holidays:

Start with YOUR family – what do you like to do? Do you like the quiet or do you like to meet other people? Don’t feel you should only go on holidays during the summer, winter holidays are a great family option such as Lapland or Iceland – not just ski!

Don’t be intimidated by travelling further afield – children of all ages are very adaptable and airlines and airports are completely geared up to cater for families travelling long distances and often with multiple stops. Etihad Airlines even have an inflight Nanny service for all passengers – not just first class!

Bespoke doesn’t have to mean expensive – using a travel expert can help you create the holiday that’s perfect for you within a budget that’s right for you. I was able to arrange for a birthday cake surprise for a little boy who celebrated his 8^th birthday while away on holiday – it didn’t cost the earth but certainly created a memory for a lifetime for him and his parents.

Don’t be afraid to stray from the norm – whilst European sun is a must for most British families, don’t discount an experiential holiday such as your family helping to wash elephants in Thailand or stay in the desert under the stars in the Emirates. You really can combine relaxation and holiday fun with amazing experiences that are perfect for children.

Book with someone you can trust – with someone having your back while you are away, you can switch off and relax knowing your family are taken care of. Having the peace of mind that you have someone at the end of the phone should you need them is worth its weight in gold.

But above all, travel. Travel to the seaside, travel across the Irish Sea, travel to Bora Bora in the middle of French Polynesia. But make sure you travel!

Tricia

Tricia Anderton – Personal Travel Counsellor

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