Suzi Lee Sleep

I’m excited to share that I’ll be joining Messy Play session on Monday 5th January to chat all things sleep 💤

I’ll be on hand to answer any of your questions during the session and to meet your little ones 🧡

Look forward to seeing you there!

📍Mary Virgin Church, Mortlake, SW14 8JA
🕦10.15am
📆 Monday 5th February 2024

💫 TESTIMONIAL 💫

This lovely mummy came to me wanting some general help with her little boys routine. He was waking a lot overnight, fed back to sleep and his daytime naps were inconsistent and short.

After a full consultation and ongoing support, Felix is now sleeping through and has a great daytime routine which works around his older brother 🙌 we’ve even tackled getting rid of the dummy!

This mum and dad were an ABSOLUTE pleasure to work with 🧡 they were really consistent and are reaping the rewards! I’m so pleased we were able to help little Felix to sleep better 💤 I absolutely love this job and my clients.

😴 Dropping to One Nap 😴

Is it time to change your little one’s daytime routine?

Scroll for signs of readiness to drop their naps down and how to deal with it!

A tip from me: always try pushing the morning nap later by 15 minutes before deciding to drop it completely. It will mean later naps across the day, but stick with their awake window between morning and lunchtime nap and see how it goes 🙌 If this doesn’t work, then look to shortening to a cat nap.

Do you remember when your little one started to drop naps? Comment below 👇

Please do get in touch if you would like some 1:1 help with navigating nap transitions 🧡

💤 Sleep at Childcare 💤

This subject can cause such a lot of worry in parents who are about to put their little one into nursery or new childcare setting.

“What if they can’t get them to sleep?”“What if they don’t put them down at the right time?” “What if they don’t sleep for long enough?” “What if they don’t sleep at all?!”

A LOT of ‘what ifs?’ causing a LOT of anxiety.

Although nurseries do tend to have their own routines in place, generally speaking they will listen to what you say and do their best to help. It’s always worth expressing any fears and concerns by being open and upfront from the get go.

My top tips to help your little one settle into sleeping well at nursery:

🔸Take a sleeping bag/comforter from home. It will remind your little one of home and provide them with some comfort whilst they nap there.

🔸Try to practice your little one being put down for naps by a different family member of friend. It’ll help them get used to someone else doing nap times besides you.

🔸Take a portable white noise machine for nursery to play during nap time (if they don’t already!) are perfect for this situation 👌

Whilst your little one is settling into their new childcare setting, an early bedtime is KEY! Do not be afraid of that 6pm bedtime if you can do it. It’s essential to protect their overnight sleep by making sure they’re not too overtired.

I hope this is helpful and please comment below with any other tips you have 🧡

😴 Let’s Talk: Dropping Naps 😴

Is your little one showing signs of wanting to drop that last afternoon snooze?

Dropping from 3 to 2 naps typically happens between 6 and 9 months of age and is a gradual process.

You may find that some days your little one will want that afternoon cat nap, other days…not so much and that’s ok! It’s a transition and will take a little time for baby to settle into their new routine🧡

My biggest tip is do not be afraid of a 6pm bedtime! It works wonders in combatting overtiredness by bridging that gap between the last nap of the day and bedtime 👌

Scroll across for more tips of what signs to look out for and how to help your little one through it 💪

If you need any help or have any questions regarding nap transitions, please DM or email me 👉 [email protected]

Teething is often blamed for sleep disruption in babies and toddlers. Although teething can of course disrupt our little ones sleep, realistically a bout of teething lasts maximum a week with some babies not even noticing 🦷(aka the lucky ones!)

Teething can impact your baby or toddlers sleep if they are in pain or discomfort. This is typically worse at night when they are less distracted. Lying down also causes more pressure and blood flow to the head.

Signs of teething:
👉 Red cheeks
👂 Pulling ears
👉 Excessive dribbling
👃 Stuffy or runny nose
👉 Red gums
👉 Irritability
🤒 Slight fever

Swipe right for my top tips on relieving teething pain. I also massively recommend a LOT of extra cuddles and love ❤️ whilst they’re cutting through. Keep going 💪 you got this xx

This topic is extremely close to home as we’re currently navigating our way through a VERY apparent Parental Preference stage.

My daughter has a ridiculously strong bond with my husband, to the point where I am completely dismissed when he’s around 😢 It’s ‘Dada bath’ ‘Dada bed’ ‘Dada duddle’, she’s Dada obsessed 😵‍💫

It’s tough. Tough on both sides. I feel useless and unwanted and he feels overwhelmed, having to do all the bedtime stories and put downs.

My son on the other hand only wants me. He’s even reverted to calling me ‘Mama’. He cries if I don’t do his bedtime. Won’t let anyone else do it. When you’re tired, sometimes it’s not worth the battle of trying to let Daddy do bedtime 🥴

My top tips for anyone struggling with Parental Preference are:-

➡️ Remember it’s a really normal and common developmental phase that children go through. It’s not personal, despite feeling like it is! This phase will pass 🧡 you aren’t doing anything wrong.

➡️ Try not to show your emotions when you’re being pushed away. Take deep breaths and respond with compassion and empathy. We don’t want to put any pressure on them or make them feel like they’re responsible for causing you upset.

➡️ You could shadow bedtime and have both parents there. This can be helpful in certain situations, but doesn’t always work for all.

➡️ Enjoy as much 1:1 time with your child during the day. Lots of eye contact, no phones, filling up that love bucket 🧡 it will only ever help.

Again, please remember that this is just a phase. Children love to test boundaries. If they’re pushing you to your limits, it’s a sign that they fully trust you aren’t going anywhere.

Proud to say that is now a registered member of the International Paediatric Sleep Association.

IPSA’s mission is to promote and advance paediatric sleep medicine worldwide.

Keeping up to date with what’s happening in the world of paediatric sleep is SO important. Knowledge is key and being a member of IPSA allows access the most recent research being carried out 👏

🌙 TESTIMONIAL 🌙

Absolutely loved working with this mummy! She and her husband absolutely smashed it ♥️ and Abel was so receptive and ready to sleep well.

I just love receiving feedback. It really does make this the best job in the world!

🍼The Dream Feed 🍼

Before embarking on a dream feed routine, it’s important to have a think about the below and decide whether it’s the right route for you and your family.

❓Baby’s Age
If they’re a newborn and still waking multiple times during the night, waking them to dream feed doesn’t make much sense. However, if they’re slightly older and you’re struggling with night wakes, trying a dream feed may be beneficial

❓Bedtime
The dream feed is generally given around 10-11pm. If you are in bed by 9pm, it may not be the right option for you.

❓Bottles
Breastfeeding mums may be less inclined to do a dream feed as they still need to wake anyway. If bottle feeding, Mum may benefit from a dream feed routine as the other parent can do it and lighten the load!

❓Reflux
Baby is unlikely to be comfortable and settle quickly after a dream feed which defeats the point.

The Dream Feed is a personal choice and is dependent on what works for your family.

Please do get in touch 👉[email protected] or DM me if you’d like to have a chat about any of the points above ♥️

Lets talk: Early Morning Wakes ⏰

Have you found yourself recently firmly in the 5am club?

There is absolutely nothing worse and I swear, when you’re in the thick of it, no amount of coffee helps 🥱

It’s relentless.

It’s mentally and physically exhausting.

It feels never-ending.

Having been there myself, I can honestly say that there is light at the end of the tunnel and certainly many things that can be done to help 🫶

Some common reasons for early waking are:

1. Overtiredness 😴 - this is the MAIN cause. An earlier bedtime can really help combat overtiredness and in turn, significantly reduce early wakes.

2. Not enough daytime sleep 💤 - check how much sleep baby/toddler is having throughout the day by way of naps. Working on routine and getting better daytime sleep will have a knock on effect to early morning waking.

3. Awake windows ⏰ - not having the appropriate amount of awake time before napping or bedtime could contribute to early wakes. Check out my post on age appropriate awake windows to see if you’re on the right track 👌

4. Morning nap length ⏳ - you may need to tweak the length. If baby is sleeping too long, this could result in overtiredness at bedtime, especially if the lunchtime nap isn’t long enough. Or it may need reintroducing or lengthening if it’s been cut too soon.

5. Self-settling ability 👩‍🍼 - if baby cannot independently settle to sleep, they may struggle when they rouse in the early hours to get themselves back off.

6. Hunger 🍼- typically more relatable to younger babies who have dropped all night feeds but not yet established on solids.

7. Sunlight ☀️- is their bedroom dark enough? Light can creep in early doors, especially during the summer months.

8. Undertiredness 😳 - one of the most unlikely causes, but can be a factor if baby is having TOO much daytime sleep.

9. Habit - if you literally feel like you’ve tried everything to kick those early mornings, it could just be a habit. Please get in touch if you need support with this 🧡

10. Digestion🌿- the digestive system kicks into action at around 5am and early morning wakes may be connected.

DM or email 📧 [email protected] for more details 🧡

✈️ TRAVEL TIPS

As requested by you, here are my top tips when travelling by plane!

For all of those jet-setting this Christmas, I hope you find this useful.

Does anyone have any other tips to share or even brands they recommend?

Happy Holidays 🎄🎅🏼