Baby expert's 6 'life-changing' tips for sleep-deprived parents - including temp
All parents with newborns are sleep deprived - having to wake up multiple times a night to see to their crying babies.
But with a lack of sleep, it can be hard to function, and as mum-of-three Rosey Davidson found, she became a 'shell of her former self'.
The 40-year-old was having to get up 10 times a night to check up on her firstborn Daisy, who is now 10.
But after research and training to become an infant sleep consultant, she found ways for her little girl to get to sleep with ease - and has now revealed her expert tips that have 'changed lives' for exhausted parents.
Rosey became an expert in infant sleep after struggling with sleep-deprivation (Gaby Ekaireb)"Daisy wasn't sleeping well at all. She was up and down about 10 times a night," Rosey recalled about the struggles of being a new mum.
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"I was exhausted, I became a shell of my former self and I just thought, 'This can’t be it, this just can’t go on'."
She began researching what she could do to help her daughter and enlisted the support of a GP and nanny she knew.
Taking a holistic approach, she found subtle changes to Daisy's environment had a big impact.
The parenting expert considered her daughter's personality, her sleeping environment and overall lifestyle - and within weeks, Rosey finally had her little girl's sleep routine cracked.
"I'd read all the baby books and thought I knew all the tricks, but nothing seemed to be working," she said.
"I'd struggled for five months and within weeks of trying the method, she went down perfectly."
"Sleep disturbance shouldn't be long-term" (Getty Images/iStockphoto)The mum commenced training in October 2016 to become an expert in baby slumber before launching her own business - Just Chill Baby Sleep - which offers parents advice on infant bedtime.
She and her husband Dan, 44, then followed the steps with their other two children - who are six and 21-months-old.
Now, amid the launch of her debut book - The Just Chill Baby Sleep Book - she has revealed her expert advice with the Mirror to help struggling parents and their families get a better night's kip.
"It comes with the territory that we will be tired at some point when we have a baby - it is very normal for small babies to wake and feed regularly," Rosey told the Mirror.
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"They do this not only for nutrition, but for comfort and development.
"However, this sleep disturbance shouldn't be long-term. We all need sleep to function at our best - for our mental health, our immune systems, our physical health and our general well-being."
Rosey added: "By showing mums and dads how to get their little ones into a good sleeping routine I'm quite literally helping them to change their lives."
Rosey talks about the important of a good sleep routine for all of the family (Sara Dalyrmple)
The mum-of-three now helps other exhausted parents (Sara Dalyrmple)How to cope with sleep deprivation
Rosey's top tips for getting a better night's sleep:
Natural light
Rosey said: "Get out in the natural light, ideally in the mornings.
"It might feel like the last thing you want to do when you have had a disturbed night, but natural light exposure, particularly in the mornings, can help our internal body clocks to know when we should switch off and go to sleep in the evenings.
"This is the same for your baby. Fresh air and natural light will also leave us feeling energised for the day, even if we are tired."
The pro suggests getting outside first thing to help with the rest of the day (Getty Images/Blend Images)Regular routine
"Have a regular routine for you and your baby," Rosey has instructed.
"Starting and finishing your day at roughly the same time is really helpful for your internal body clock, and your baby's.
"It will also help you to start to notice a pattern in your baby's naps. You can start to predict when they will be tired and need to nap.
"This ends up giving parents more flexibility as it is easier to plan your day and get out and about."
Sleep environment
Rosey continued: "Consider if their sleep environment is optimised. Get some blackout blinds for your bedroom or their bedroom if you haven't.
"This can make all the difference with early morning wake ups, and settling down in the evenings when it is still light outside. Darkness helps us to fall asleep, and to stay asleep.
"Think about what they are wearing - make sure they are not too hot or too cold. Think about what they are sleeping in - is it safe?
"We want a firm, flat mattress free of loose bedding. A baby sleeping bag is a great investment as they stay safe once they are on the move."
Day/night balance
"Think about the balance of day and night sleep," Rosey suggested.
"A baby who sleeps all day will likely be wakeful at nighttime, but equally babies do need to nap during the day so that they don't become overtired.
"Consider a regular, age-appropriate, and predictable routine to help you with this. Babies like to know what is coming next."
Rosey recommends sticking to a routine - with a balance of naps during the day and sleep at night (Getty Images)Independence
"Think about how your baby settles to sleep - is what you are doing sustainable?" Rosey asked.
"If you are rocking them to sleep continually through the night, for example, it might be time to move away from this.
"There is nothing wrong with helping your baby to sleep, but you might find that long term it helps you to move away from these habits.
"Helping your baby to fall asleep independently is something to aim for in the long term, but there really is no rush."
Temperature
"Keep it cool. We obviously don't want our babies to get cold, but we all sleep a little better when things are on the cooler side," Rosey added.
"The optimum temperature for sleep is 16-20 celsius."
The Just Chill Baby Sleep Book: Easy and Empowering Sleep Solutions provides "non-judgmental expert advice for every type of sleep challenge in the first year of babyhood" and is available on Amazon now.
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