Most parents don’t want to be house-bound just because they have a new baby, with 2 or more children staying at home, becomes even more unrealistic, with the necessity of taxi driving to play groups, swimming lessons, music groups, child care, parks etc.
We recommend creating balance (home and away), age appropriate patterns of care and the importance of a predictable and consistent routine. This helps your little one establish healthy sleep patterns.
Routine & scheduling
For some people the consistent routine forces you to stay at home more than you would like, in fear of mucking up the schedule. However, it is important for you to have contact with the outside world, communicate with adults, get fresh air, as well as getting some jobs done (like the groceries).
I must admit when my children were babies, grocery shopping was my child free time. I use to love walking around the giant pantry, filling my trolley with things that looked appetising, as well as healthy food options for my family. It was an outlet for me! It is extremely important for you to have short periods of time away from your child/ren a couple of times a week- your sanity may depend on it.
Sleep training on the go…
So how do you combine going out and still keeping a healthy sleep pattern for your little ones? As long as your days are fairly consistent, most babies cope with a few variations to the schedule. But if you are on the go constantly and your days look nothing alike, it can be confusing for your baby, making it difficult for them to get the sleep they need.
Remember that falling asleep and staying asleep can be affected by sleep aids and habits. Whereas self-settling without any sleep association aids is often a learnt behaviour. It’s about giving plenty of opportunities to self-settle, this does not necessarily mean crying to sleep. If you want to learn more about self-settling, don’t be afraid to contact us for help.
If your baby or toddler gets use to sleeping at certain times of day, it sets up his/her body clock. It is similar to us eating breakfast, lunch and dinner at the same time, our body lets us know if we are late for a meal by it’s grumbly noises within us. Your baby however will let you know they are late for their sleep by an outwardly grumbly noise.
Environment hurdles
Something that can make sleep on the go difficult, is your baby needing a certain environment to sleep in. If your baby is always put in a dark, quiet room, with perfect temperature for sleep, then the stimulation of light and noise can inhibit them sleeping anywhere else.
The exposure to sleeping in different environments will help your little one to adjust, but for some you will need to have patience, because your baby’s temperament demands a certain perfect environment for sleep.
Age can affect success
The younger the baby the more naps they have during the day, and they often cope with noisy environments, in fact they often prefer noise. Toddlers however need less day sleeps but require longer duration for them to really feel refreshed.
So, as they get older, it gets harder to get them to sleep for the duration they need unless they are moving in the car/pram for the whole duration. But moving sleep isn’t as restorative as sleep occurring in a crib or bassinet. This is why majority of day sleeps shouldn’t be on the go. Just think about where you get your deepest sleep?
The key is to start young, in the early weeks/months with a day trip out a couple of times a week. Short day trips may consist of; out to see friends, breakfast as a couple, retail therapy, appointments, etc. just don’t over do it! BALANCE is the key.
Time for change
Every family is unique, so you don’t have to compare or become jealous of your friend’s baby sleep habits. If you aren’t happy with the sleep you’re getting at your house, it could be time to seek help. It could be easier and cheaper than you think.
Just remember when you are starting sleep training it’s best to plan to stay close to home as much as possible for the first week. Once you are beginning to establish a pattern, then you can venture out and take your settling on the road.
We are standing by to take your call – 0415 970 976
Photo by Micael Widell on Unsplash