Category Archives: Sleep Products

Topics related to popular sleep products on the market.

About Janelle, Child Sleep, Parenting, Sleep Products, Toddler Sleep

My daughter sucks her fingers!

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Sucking fingers or a thumb is a self-soothing strategy.
Sucking fingers or a thumb is a self-soothing strategy.

Before I became a parent I had this mental list of “my child will never…” One of those specifically was “my child will never suck their thumb.” I was really against it and thought it was a “bad habit” kids had.

Once Emily arrived she quickly refused the dummy and decided to suck her fingers instead. I guess technically it wasn’t her thumb!! At first I was really concerned as I had images of my beautiful little girl having horrendous bucked teeth.

Once learning more about infant sleep, I realised that finger and thumb sucking was in fact the perfect “self-settling tool” as the sucking sensation calms and soothes. It was something she could do for herself. Emily was an excellent sleeper and the finger sucking was only for sleep, not all through the day.

Fast forward and Emily is now 5. Recently we visited a dentist and we were told her front teeth were starting to move forward. She advised us that stopping this habit was best done prior to her permanent teeth coming though.

I was dreading tackling this issue because Emily was such a great sleeper and I didn’t want to mess with that, also I didn’t want her to be upset. I’m such a wimp!

So operation finger sucker began…

1)    Talk – In the lead up to preventing Emily from sucking her fingers during the night we talked a lot about why we needed to stop the habit. I showed her a couple of pictures of children on the Internet that had bucked teeth. This wasn’t to scare her but to help explain what we were trying to prevent.

2)    Reward – We talked about what we could do to reward her for not sucking her fingers. She decided she wanted to have earn a lolly every morning she didn’t suck her fingers. After 10 mornings, she wanted to go ten-pin bowling. Yep, I wouldn’t have picked that one!

3)    Begin small – For a fortnight before starting, Emily stopped sucking her fingers during story time. This was difficult but not impossible for her. Giving lots of praise was crucial.

4)    Tool – I decided Emily needed a tool to help her, as just asking her to not suck her fingers would be impossible plus I couldn’t watch her all through the night to check. I bought a “T-Guard™” which is basically a device that slips over the fingers (or thumb) to prevent suction. It is this suction that is comforting and pleasurable for children. It is the suction that pulls the teeth forward.

So with everything in place, we started “operation finger sucker”. I am shocked that Emily is doing so well. We are 5 nights into it and so far so good. Not being able to monitor everything that is going on is tricky, so I have to hope that it is working. I wish I had a video monitor!!

Emily is not thrilled about no longer sucking her fingers but she is settling really well at night and after a few early mornings, she is right on track. She is excited every morning to get a lolly in her bag plus a step closer to bowling. It is recommended she wear the guard for 45 nights so I guess we have a long way to go.

Sleep well.

Janelle Jeffery Child Sleep Consultant for Sleepytime Child Educator and Behaviour Specialist.
Janelle Jeffery
Child Sleep Consultant for Sleepytime.
Child Behaviour, Child Sleep, Parenting, Sleep Products, Toddler Sleep

Does your child have difficulty separating from you?

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Some children find separation very difficult.
Some children find separating from parents very difficult.

Do you have a child (2.5years and over) who is having a difficult time separating from you? There can be many different reasons why your child is feeling this way such as:

  • Change in living arrangements – a new bedroom, a new house or parent’s separating
  • Death of a loved one
  • Distance from parents due to the birth of a sibling
  • Separation due to parent/s work commitments especially fly-in-fly-out or interstate/overseas travel
  • Starting at a new day-care, kindergarten, or school
  • Is a sensitive soul or may just be a little more anxious than usual

Even if the reason your child having difficulty separating from you is not listed above, all children young and old need to know that their loved ones are close by. Many children will go through periods of being extra clingy. My daughter who is 5 is finding it really difficult leaving me in the morning at school. She has never been this way before. She attended day-care since she was 8months, and last year at kindergarten, it wasn’t really a problem. Now it is.

For some children separating from parents during the day is fine but when it comes to bedtime, they want you to start sleeping with them and for you not to leave them there alone. This is all normal and typical child behaviour but what I advocate is to try to reduce the stress and anxiety your child feels and for you to explain what is happening using ‘child-friendly’ language.

Though it is important to recognise what is happening with your child and attend to their needs so they feel loved and safe, it is crucial parents do not make the situation worse by making it bigger than it needs to be. Children are sensitive and they can pick up on our own feelings as much as we think we are good at hiding them. If we are tense and worried when it is time to say ‘goodbye’ then our children will sense that too.

If your child has trouble separating at night it is helpful to have a very special cuddly sleepy toy. Care-Bears are “old school” but excellent sleeping companions for older children. When you leave your child at night, come back and check in on them as they are falling asleep. Start with a 2minute check, then a 5minute check, then a 10minute check. By the time you do the final check, they should be asleep.

Care Bears are great companions for children.
Care Bears are great companions for children.

Through my many years of teaching children, I find reading picture books a fantastic way to chat to them about what is happening in their world. The best book I have read and completely recommend is, “The Invisible String” written by Patrice Karst. This beautiful book is about helping adults and children understand that we are all connected and we are never truly alone. The aim of this book is to help alleviate your child’s fears from being apart from you and for your child to know they are truly loved no matter where in the world you are.

The Invisible String by Patrice Karst
The Invisible String by Patrice Karst

Another way to help with separation is through distraction. If you are dropping your child off somewhere, it is best to get the ‘goodbyes’ over with pretty quickly. When their teacher or caregiver etc receives your child, they are best to distract your little one by getting them engaged with something fun immediately. This is the best time for you to go. If you hover around, the separation will become worse. Typically most children settle really quickly once you are gone. Know that if there is any further distress, the caregiver will call and let you know. It is important you have a great relationship with all the people in your child’s world.

Allowing your child the opportunity to express how they are feeling is a great way to not only connect with you, but to connect to their own thoughts and feelings. Often the route cause of tantrums is due to feelings they need to express. I have found “Kimochis” toys are a wonderful way to assist children with this. These soft toys come with “feelings characters” and help children identify what they are feeling at the time. Another way is to make a “feelings” chart with ‘feeling faces’ as this can be a reference point for your child.

Kimochis are toys that help children express their feelings.
Kimochis are toys that help children express their feelings.

If you have a child that is having difficulty separating from you, first of all, do not feel alone in this. All children go through this at some stage. If you can identify why they are feeling this way, then try to reduce their worry by implementing the suggestions in this post.

If you find night-time separation a real battle, then book in a chat together here.

Sleep well,

Janelle

Baby Sleep, Child Behaviour, Child Sleep, Sleep Products, Toddler Sleep

Why is my child suddenly waking at 2am?

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Sleep is a very complex issue. Just when you think you have this gig sorted, your child begins to wake up again. There can be many explanations for this but sometimes the simplest answer can solve the problem. Is your child getting cold?

With summer gone, autumn brings unpredictable weather. Some nights it’s hot and you’re sweating, other nights you contemplate getting the electric blanket out.

As adults, we can regulate our temperature pretty well. When falling asleep we may have the fan on, then somewhere during the night we turn it off and pull the blankets up. Our children cannot do this for themselves. Keeping a regulated room temperature throughout the entire night is difficult and usually impossible to achieve. Here are some tips to help with the change in weather to prevent those 2am wake ups.

1. Use a sleeping bag but now increase the tog (blanket weight). Most sleeping bag companies will give you a guide as to what sleeping bag to use for each bedroom temperature. Not all houses are the same so choose the right one for your environment.

2. Choose what you dress your child in for sleep carefully. Choosing the correct sleeping bag tog is important but so is what you clothe your child in. Though the aim is prevent your child from waking up from the cold, you also need to make sure you are not over heating them either. Layers and full-length pyjamas will be needed soon.

3. If it is hot when your child first goes to bed, put a fan on. When it is time for you to go to bed, turn the fan off. Leaving the fan or air conditioner running all night will wake your child because they will get a chill.

4. If it is going to be a cooler night, also consider safely tucking in a lightweight wrap/blanket over your child when it is time for you to go to bed. Only use cotton or muslin wraps that are breathable as many other wraps can cause over-heating. Babies control their temperature through the face so it is vital that you follow all the recommendations for safe sleeping here to prevent the increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

So preparing your entire family for the cooler weather can prevent very early morning wake ups. Sometimes though it is a bit of trial and error.

Sleep Well,

Janelle Jeffery

Child Sleep Consultant for Sleepytime
Child Sleep Consultant for Sleepytime

 

 

Baby Sleep, Child Sleep, Sleep Products, Toddler Sleep

5 Hot Tips to Summer Sleep Success

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Summer is fast approaching so before we know it we will have our aircons on full blast and sweat dripping down our faces, legs other??? Ewww. Summer also means a very full social calendar and longer days filled with endless daylight. Have you already noticed a change in your child’s sleep? I sure have!

So this got my brain ticking and my fingers typing. Here are my 5 hot tips for summer sleep success.

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#1 Consistent and Predictable Routines and Schedules

It is so important that you approach bedtime they same as you would any other time of year. If bedtime is 700pm, stick to that time. (Note – if you have daylight savings, then move to the new time as quickly as you can then stick with that schedule.) With social events filling the diary, it can be tempting to stretch out bedtime or forgo daytime naps. Once and a while this is okay, but the less sleep your child has, the more difficult sleep will become overtime.

 

#2 Dark, dark, dark

Whether you have daylight savings or not, at the end of the day we are all trying to get our children to sleep when there is daylight. Make sure your child’s room is super dark. Darkness helps to trigger the pineal gland to release melatonin into the body. Melatonin makes us sleepy. If you do not already have block-out curtains, purchase a blackout blind like the “Gro Anywhere Blind”. These are removable and can be taken with you wherever you go.

 

#3 Drink lots of water

When our bodies are dehydrated, it can interfere with sleep. If you are flying, drinking lots of water reduces the effects of jet-lag. Adults should reduce alcohol consumption and children should avoid sugary drinks.

 

#4 Keep an eye on the temperature

Before bed, make sure your child is engaged in quiet activities. If your child is running around, their temperature will increase making it harder to fall asleep. It is just like exercising before bed.

As the temperature during the night dips, if you run a fan or air-conditioner in your child’s room, they may wake from feeling cold. Set a timer if you can and stop it before midnight.

 

#5 Do not engage in the battle of the wills

Older children will question “Why do I have to go to bed, the sun is still up?” Yep it sure is. Sticking to your guns and not engaging in an argument is important. Referring back to Tip #1 and Tip#2, if you are 100% consistent with your routines and schedules, and you darken the room as much as possible, this will help your child to fall asleep.

School age children may go to bed a little later over the summer holidays but 2 weeks before school returns, begin to transition them back to their usual bedtime.

 

So enjoy these summer months. I love this time of year as it is all about spending time with love ones, being outdoors and BBQs!! Yummy!! How about you?

 

Sleep well,

Janelle Jeffery

Child Sleep Consultant for Sleepytime