Embracing Restful Nights: A Gentle Approach to Baby Sleep

Meet Charlott: Owner of Charlott Lehmann Sleep Consulting, she is an experienced Baby & Child Sleep Coach and Infant Nanny.

We asked her to share her transformative perspective on baby skeep – one that revolves around normalizing infant sleep and embracing a holistic approach to fostering healthy sleep habits.

Does this situation sound familiar to you? Every evening, although you are already exhausted, you spend hours trying to gently settle your baby to sleep in various different ways. You are doing the best you can, only to know that as soon as you close the bedroom door behind you, your little one will wake up again needing you to comfort them?

Becoming a mum is an awe-inspiring journey filled with countless magical moments. However, let's be honest – it's also a whirlwind of exhaustion, especially when sleep becomes a distant memory. But here's the thing: it doesn't have to be that way.

Sleep is not just a luxury; it's a necessity for both you and your little one to thrive. Through my own experiences and learning, I've come to understand the profound impact that establishing a solid sleep foundation can have on a family's well-being. My mission? To empower mums like you to reclaim those precious hours of rest with easy steps by giving you the relevant knowledge and confidence to deal with the daily sleep challenges, you might be battling with.

Every family is unique, and there's no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to sleep. That's why I aim for a personalized approach tailored to your family's needs – one that's compassionate, understanding, free of judgment and full of creative, effective solutions.

So, how can you make strides toward a better night's sleep for both you and your baby without resorting to traditional sleep training methods? Here are five easy to implement steps to guide you along the way:

1. Optimize the Sleep Environment

Create a safe, but cozy sleep space for your baby, which smells familiar. Don’t use strong washing detergents or any other artificial smells! Make sure the the room is dark (use Black-out curtains) and quiet, helping to boost the melatonin (sleep hormone) production. Stay away from mobiles, moving colourful light installations or any engaging lullaby playlists. Simple white noise is absolutely fine to create a womb like atmosphere and block out any outside noise. Remember baby’s sleep environment shouldn’t be engaging nor exciting. It should be calming and a bit boring, actually!

2. Understand Your Baby's Sleep Needs

Each baby is unique, and understanding their individual sleep requirements is crucial. Pay attention to your baby's cues and rhythms to determine their optimal sleep schedule. You can use age-appropriate wake windows to guide you. For example, babies aged 6-9 months, won’t be able to stay awake for 2-3.5 hrs at the time, before you should offer them a rest. Overtiredness will result in a release of wakefulness hormones like cortisol and adrenaline in your baby’s brain. This will make it difficult for your little one to fall asleep and stay asleep and can lead to early wake-ups.

3. Address Sleep Associations

Sleep associations are great when they are something that can be done independently. Where things get tricky with babies is that we utilize parent-led sleep associations that the baby won’t be able to replicate during the night to put themselves back to sleep. They’ll end up crying out for you so they can get more of that sleep association they rely on (such as rocking, feeding, holding) to relax and fall asleep again. You can help your baby develop healthy sleep associations from as early as 6 weeks. This could include a predictable bedtime routine, their familiar own sleep space, white noise, a comforter, a swaddle or sleeping bag. Parent-led sleep associations like rocking, feeding, holding to sleep might seem like a great way to settle your baby in the beginning, but from around 4-6 months, you could start to gently transition your baby into their own sleep space awake, after a calming bedtime routine and comfort them in their cot, slowly teaching her/him, how to fall asleep without your support.

4. Establish Predictable Routines

While exact timings may vary, having consistent bedtime routines can work wonders for promoting better sleep. Focus on creating age-appropriate routines that provide comfort and security for your baby. Personally, I follow the Tracy Hoogs, proven EASY-method: Offer a feed after each sleep (Eat), followed by active play before it’s nap time again (Sleep). This way you avoid to create a strong feed to sleep association. While your little one is asleep do something for yourself, don’t be tempted to do the dishes. It’s important that your rest during the day as well. Once a day, put your feed up and relax!

5. Engage in Sleep-Inducing Activities

Sunshine and fresh air during the day are your best helpers to boost your baby’s circadian rhythm, making it easier for her/him to produce melatonin (sleep hormone) in the evening. Actively engage with your baby during their waking hours, but don’t overload their schedules with baby yoga, massage and playgroups. We want to avoid an information overload, which will make it harder for their brains to shut down and drift to sleep. A warming bath, a story and some cuddles before bed are an excellent way to incorporate some quality 1:1 time with your little one and helps them to feel relaxed, safe and all snuggly, ready to sleep peacefully.

By incorporating these simple yet effective strategies into your daily routine, you can pave the way for restful nights and peaceful mornings. Remember, it's not about rigid schedules or strict sleep training methods – it's about nurturing a supportive sleep environment that honours your baby's unique needs and rhythms.

Now, imagine your baby would fall asleep in independently after a calming bedtime routine with lots of cuddles from you. You step out your baby’s bedroom door with no fear, guilt or exhaustion and you would still have 3 blissful hours for yourself and your partner. Wouldn’t that be amazing?

Motherhood isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach, you can read as many books as you want but ultimately you will need to do you, trust your mama instinct and be kind to yourself. Be gentle on yourself, you might not know what you’re doing but you are all your baby needs and you’ve got this!