"Restlessness can often be linked to new physical or mental milestones. Such as rolling, crawling, first words..."

5 questions for
@snugglesanddreams

 

On Instagram you had the chance to formulate 5 questions for baby and child sleep coach, Nathalie Schittekatte. Do you have a difficult sleeper, curious about the ideal sleeping pattern or looking for other tips? Then read on quickly!

 

Nathalie Schittekatte  
Mum, Belgian author & coach  
Founder of Snuggles & Dreams, certified baby and children's sleep coach  

www.snugglesanddreams.com

5 questions for
@snugglesanddreams

How do you get your toddler back to sleep after he/she wakes up and how do you handle this as a parent?

It is quite normal for toddlers to wake up. This need not always have a cause, it can simply occur when linking sleep cycles. However, screen time before bedtime or being awake for too long can trigger this so try to watch out for this.

What is a good sleep pattern for a 9 month old baby?

A 1-year-old baby usually still takes 2 naps; 1 short morning nap and 1 long afternoon nap. At this age, you can work with a 2-3-4 rhythm, with the first nap starting 2h after getting up, the afternoon nap starting 3h after the morning nap and bedtime 4h after the afternoon nap. At night, from this age, the aim is to learn to sleep through the night nicely without night feeds.

How do I get my baby to take longer naps?

There are 2 important conditions for good naps. First, your baby must be able to link sleep cycles independently, you can teach your baby this from around 4 months of age. Second, it is important to follow the right wake-up times to have enough sleep debt for a long nap.

Tips to help a baby sleep peacefully in a different environment?

It is quite normal for a baby to have trouble sleeping at a new location, usually this can make the first night a little more difficult than it would be at home. It can help to get your baby used to a travel cot beforehand. Furthermore, it is important to take your time for your bedtime ritual in the new environment, so that your baby can get into the right mindset. Don't let one bad experience stop you from continuing to go on fun weekend outings/holidays; your baby will get used to this!

My baby has been sleeping through the night for a while, but lately he often wakes up unsettled. Any tips?

Restlessness can often be linked to new physical or mental milestones. It is sometimes difficult as parents to find the cause of this and it is not always necessary to do so. If your baby is struggling, go and comfort him briefly, that way he knows his anchor point is never far away. If your routine during the day is fine, everything usually falls back into its fold naturally after a few days.