Parenting doesn't stop for a pandemic and neither do we! Tresillian is here for you - 7 days a week. If your baby is having sleep difficulties you can now self-refer to Tresillian services by calling our Parent’s Help Line on 1300 272 736. Call now to talk to one of our experienced nurses about which Tresillian service will best suit you.
My baby is not sleeping
There are many reasons why your baby may not be settling straight away. It could be related to feeding, to their stage of sleep development or the way baby is being put to bed. It may be over-stimulation. Are you both doing too much each day? This could be affecting your baby’s daily rhythm of sleeping, feeding and socialising? Call us on the Tresillian Parents Help line on 1300 272 736 if you want to talk it through.What does ‘Comfort Settling’ mean?
Comfort Settling is what we recommend at Tresillian for babies over 6 months to help them discover their own way of going to sleep. First lay baby in their cot on their baby. Make gentle ‘shhh’ sounds, with rhythmic patting at until baby is calm but if baby becomes distressed, pick them up for cuddle and try again. Stay with your baby until they fall asleep and if they wake up, try again!How do I read my baby’s ‘tired signs’?
At Tresillian we call tired signs ‘non-verbal cues’; it’s your baby’s way of telling you how they’re feeling. So how do you know when your baby is tired? Well, most babies will start to yawn, rub their eyes, pull at their ears, make fists, start kicking and fussing. These are classic tired signs - baby is trying to tell you that they need a break or they’re wanting to go to sleep. Respond to your baby sensitively before they become overtired.Why is my baby waking every hour?
There may be things you haven’t thought of that are impacting on your child’s sleep. Start by taking a close look at their sleep environment. Is the temperature of their room comfortable for the time of year? Make sure the lights aren’t too bright and if your child needs a night light go for red or yellow rather than a blue light. Is their room in a noisy part of the house? All these factors can impact on the quality of your child’s sleep.What’s the best baby bedtime routine?
Your baby’s night-time routine can be as simple as three or four steps. For babies under 12 months, start with a relaxing, bath, then try a gentle massage but check they’re enjoying it (some babies don’t). Change baby into pyjamas and using a soft, low voice, read a story or sing some rhymes. Finish with cuddles, and place your baby on her back, in her own bed. Turn out the lights and leave the room.What is the best baby sleeping position?
Tresillian follows the Red Nose SIDS guidelines recommending parents put baby in a cot next to their bed for the first 6 to 12 months of life. The safest way to put a baby to sleep is on their back with no cot bumper. Co-sleeping or bed sharing with your baby is not recommended and can dramatically increase the risk of a fatal sleep accident. Checkout the latest research at the Red Nose website.How to put a newborn to sleep in the first few weeks
When you first bring baby home, it can be stressful if they don’t settle on their own. At Tresillian we don’t use controlled crying or recommend it. First, make sure baby has a dry nappy and has been fed. Then try holding your baby in your arms until she falls asleep or becomes drowsy. Use gentle rhythmic patting, rocking and soft singing before putting baby into the cot. It takes time and patience but it’s worth it.Should I wrap my newborn baby?
So ‘Is it necessary to wrap baby?’ There are a few reasons why wrapping is a good idea for babies in the first three to four months. Babies are often very active in their sleep and startle easily. Wrapping can help contain the startle reflex that can wake a baby. So long as baby is wrapped in a light cotton and their head and face are uncovered and they can use their hands to suck on, wrapping can provide babies with a real sense of securityHow much sleep does my 3 month old baby need at night?
Many parents ask us how long should my baby sleep at night-time? Well, by 3 to 6 months of age your baby’s night time sleep has usually stretched to about 5 or 6 hours twice a night. It’s perfectly normal for babies to wake briefly at least three times each night, the difference is whether your baby calls out to you or goes back to sleep on their own (which we call self-settling).Tips on establishing your newborn baby’s sleep cycles in the first 3 months
In the early days it’s important to establish a day/night rhythm which will help your baby establish a sleep routine. Soak up natural daylight by taking your baby for short walks, keep the curtains open. Put in place a predictable and flexible bedtime routine each evening for example a bath, feed, cuddle then bedtime. Try to get to bed when baby does and sleep when she sleepsHow can I help our 6 month old baby sleep through the night?
Some babies sleep development is more immature than others - they need help to fall asleep. At Tresillian we recommend the Responsive Settling method. Put baby on her back awake and watch for signs of drowsiness. Talk in a calm, soothing voice being reassuring, then quietly leave her to self-settle. If baby can’t fall asleep try gentle ‘shhh’ sounds, rhythmic patting, or rocking. If baby is still distressed you may need to repeat this several times.What’s a typical baby’s sleep routine at 9 months?
At nine months, most babies are having two daytime sleeps morning and afternoon. If your baby becomes tired late in the afternoon, you may need to add a third short sleep. Your baby may still be night waking or even start to wake at night - this can be due to separation anxiety which is quite normal for this age. If this happens, reassure your child and try to resettle with minimal fuss.My three year old is still not sleeping through the night
If you’ve tucked your child into bed but she continues to call for you or gets up to find you, try these strategies to settle her into bed. Gently lead her back to bed and with a kiss and cuddle, tell her it’s time for sleep. If she becomes distressed, stay with her reassuring her, until she falls asleep on her own. You may need to repeat this several times until your child feels OK about bedtime.How can I get my twin babies to have the same sleep cycle?
To help synchronise your twins’ routines, a good place to start is to makes sure they both enjoy their day and night routines together and they are settled to sleep at the same time. If one twin wakes between sleep cycles, try to re-settle them to keep both babies in the same routine. The same goes for feed times. Use the time when one baby is awake to strengthen your bond with them.
