The Sleep Mums

Comforters are an essential part of a sleep routine. We all have things we do before sleep that set us on the path to the land of nod, we know some of them are useful and some of them are not so much. In this episode we'll explore what a comforter is and answer some of your most common questions including: 1 - Is a swaddle is comforter?2 - How do I transition my baby out of a swaddle.3 - How can I introduce a dummy/soother?4 - How can I get rid of a dummy/soother?5 - Is my baby just sucking on their hands for comfort? 📌 Please read before listening This episode was recorded in 2021. Infant safe sleep guidance is regularly reviewed and updated, and some information discussed may no longer reflect current recommendations. We always encourage parents to follow the most up to date guidance from the NHS and The Lullaby Trust (lullabytrust.org.uk) on all matters of infant sleep safety. When in doubt, please consult your health visitor, midwife, or GP.

It’s the middle of the night, you’ve just got back to sleep and suddenly you hear a whimper, then it turns into a cry. You have just got your baby to sleep, they can’t possibly be up… The loop of exhaustion, frustration and disappointment that can come with regular night wakings is very real. We’re here to help you out of it. 1. Why does my baby wake every hour at night?2. What can I do?3. Are regular night wakes related to hunger, lack of activity, or illness?4. How do I deal with each wake up? 5. Talk me through a plan Plus, we’ll answer your question about a 12 week old who is waking every hour from 2am.

Contact napping is where a baby, toddler or child spends their nap with all or part of their body in contact with their parent or caregiver. It’s lovely, its necessary, it’s part of parenthood but it can also be intense and tiring too. In this podcast we discuss: 1 - What is contact napping?2 - When it works3 - Is there a point it’s not so good?4 - How can you move away from contact napping? 5 - Is it an all or never kind of thing? Plus, we answer one of your questions about moving away from being nap trapped.

Sleep is a big topic in the baby days and then you hit the toddler years and it feels like it all goes quiet. However, as your baby has grown into a wild and wonderfully wilful toddler they have become more keyed into the world, so things like changes to their routine, separation anxiety, illness and teething can all add up to make sleep more challenging. That’s why you need our Toddler Sleep Tool Kit!

‘They don’t come with a manual’. If you're a parent it’s likely you’ve heard this more than once. The reason they don't is because there is no one right way. So, in place of a manual we have created a Baby Sleep Tool Kit. We are your biggest sleep supporters, however, as they say ‘it takes a village’ so as well as us, here are some of the most useful things to help your baby to sleep better.

December can be an exciting time but it can also be really exhausting and if you’re already parent-level tired, the overwhelm of making it through can make it feel a lot less merry and bright. In our holiday episode we talk about why and how the holidays can be tough, some tips on how to manage them and bring you a wee bit of festive cheer. As always, we hope to give you the gift of better sleep, that’s top of our list! 1 – Pack Your Sack 2 – Home Comforts 3 – Festive Naps 4 – Selection Box of Treats 5 – Just one day

What is sleep like when you first bring your baby home? Non-existent? Glorious? Broken or anxious? In our very first podcast episode we look at The First Two Weeks. Share our most important guideline from our book and how, if you’re ready, to start laying the foundations for better baby sleep. We’ll also answer a listener question from someone you might just recognise! 1 – The Most Important Thing 2 – Hormoans 3 – Sleep Foundations 4 – Feeds 5 – 4th Trimester

One of the hardest things about baby sleep is that there is so much information out there. It can feel like everyone reckons they are a baby sleep expert and it doesn’t help that not all of the information they’re sharing is true! Our myth busting episodes are some of our most popular so it’s time to put some more of these sleep untruths to bed - forever - in our brand new Sleep Myths Part 3! 1 – Total Quiet Please 2 – Just a Bad Sleeper 3 – I’m Just Not Meant to Sleep 4 – Solid Food Solid Sleep 5 – Your Baby Will Hate You If…

Has your child pleaded for you over the other parent? Or begged for them instead of you? Then you may have experienced parent preference. At first, being the favoured parent might feel flattering but it can quickly stop feeling like a win. And, whilst not being the preferred parent can be hurtful, what does it actually mean? In this podcast, we’ll explore parent preference, what it looks like at different ages and how to cope – and manage - being the chosen and the not so chosen one. We’ll also answer your Listener Question about how to manage bedtime when a child refuses to go to one parent. 1 – What is Parent Preference? 2 – Why does it happen? 3 – The Chosen One 4 – The Not Chosen One 5 – Split and Share

Juggling sleep with a baby and a toddler can be difficult. You might be pro at coping with a poonami, be able to butter toast one-handed and manage a meltdown but working out nap and bedtime with two (or more) can floor even the most experienced parent. Meeting the needs of two - sometimes screaming – children who have very different demands is challenging and, particularly where sleep is concerned, exhausting. In this episode we look at ways to help you through, what to do at naptime, bedtime and night wakings and how to find rest for you. We’ll also answer one of your questions about doing bedtime alone with two. 1 – Help! 2 – Bedtime 3 – Naptime 4 – Night Wakings 5 – Rest for You

‘Fed is best’ is so reductive (like any parent doesn’t know that!). We believe informed and supported are best, in whatever way that might be for you, and why we are passionate about sharing your questions, particularly when it comes to feeding. All of parenting is individual but perhaps nothing more so than our feeding journeys – even within a family each baby is different. We can share our expertise and our experience but it’s much more important to hear what you have to say and help you with advice that makes sense in your lives. In this episode we’ll cover helping baby to take a bottle, settling without feeding, dream feeds and night weaning when still sharing a room.

Are you struggling to get your baby to take a bottle? Or have they taken a bottle and are now fussy breastfeeding? If so, you may have heard or Googled the term Nipple Confusion. And possibly panicked. I did. Can too many teats spoil the baby? In this episode, we’ll look at whether nipple confusion is real, and if there's anything you can do about it. Plus, we’ll answer one of your questions about how to help your baby take a bottle. 1 - What is Nipple Confusion 2 - Is it real? 3 - Nipple Confusion confusion? 4 - When to introduce a bottle 5 - When to introduce a dummy/soother

⚡️🎙We’re BACK!🎙⚡️ The Sleep Mums podcast returns THIS Thursday! It’s a jam-packed, SLEEP-full season with of all your favourites! From Co-Sleeping to Nipple Confusion, we’ll leave no pillow unturned! Listen on wherever you get your podcasts and subscribe so you don’t miss a thing.