Sleep Podcast for My Baba

23rd March 2020

Parental Control, Ep 7: How To Spot A Sleep Problem & Eliminate Bedtime Battles

Why is sleep so important? How do you calm them down after a nightmare? And is there a perfect amount of sleep for your child?

Leonora invited Mandy Gurney, a health visitor, sleep expert and the founder of Millpond Sleep Clinic on the show to talk about children’s sleep problems, how to learn your child’s sleep pattern and the things that stop them dropping off to sleep at night.

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How minimise disruptions to your sick child’s sleep

18th January 2019

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Everyone is back at school and nursery and the inevitable coughs and colds are doing their rounds.

When your child is ill, his or her sleep is very likely to be disturbed by frequent waking, wanting drinks, cuddles and noses blown. Even children who normally sleep very well can be kept awake by fevers, coughing and blocked noses.

So how do you stop this inevitable event causing long term sleep problems for your child?

Your child will sleep more:

Don’t worry if your child is sleeping more at this time, this is nature’s way of helping him fight infection. In fact the illness itself actively increases his need for sleep to help support and stimulate his immune system.

Maintain your bedtime routine:

Try and keep up your normal bedtime routine.

Having a warm soothing bath helps to relax achy muscles and unblock noses.

A warm bath is a great trigger for the production of the sleep hormone melatonin and keeping to your routine will prove invaluable when he recovers and needs to start getting used to “normal” routines again.

Keeping close by at night:

He is very likely to need medication or frequent close attention during this period of illness and you may want to sleep near to keep a close eye on him.

To minimise disruptions and prevent unhelpful sleep associations that could be difficult to resolve once he is better, make up a bed for yourself in his room and stay close to him. Once he is well again it will be much easier for you to return to your bed than get him out of yours.

Being close by also means you can respond quickly in the night and offer reassurance and comfort as well as any medication he may need. As soon as he is comfortable again resettle him back down in his bed as quickly as possible.

Becoming ill during a sleep plan:

It is not uncommon for children to become ill during a sleep plan. Most colds are short lived and sleep plans should be put on hold until he is feeling better.

Once he is eating and drinking well and seems back to his “old self”, you can go back to your sleep plan.

There is usually no need to go right back to the start of your plan, you should be able to pick up from where you were when he became ill.

After about 3 or 4 nights of perseverance and hard work you will be back on track.

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How to help your child sleep well

31st January 2018

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Did you know one of the best gifts you could give your child is the ability to sleep?

Sleep is the only thing we do that has the biggest positive overall impact on our bodies and our brain.

It is responsible for controlling our appetite and stablising our blood sugars, supporting our immune system and preventing infection. Helping us to learn both scholarly facts and motor skills by storing and making sense of our memories. Sleep enables us to keep our emotions on an even keel and make logical and creative decisions. Sleep in effect makes us happier, healthier and brighter.

Here are Millpond’s top tips to help your child sleep well

Get your routine right

30 to 40 minutes before your child goes to bed carry out the same series of steps every night – make this routine your bedtime ritual. Having a regular routine at about the same time every night means your child’s body will start to prepare for sleep as soon as you start this process.

The lead up to bedtime

About an hour before your child goes to sleep have quiet time. Tidy away the toys and turn off the TV. Research has shown light from computers, iPads etc. can interfere with the production of the sleep hormone melatonin.

Food for sleep

If your child is hungry at this time, avoid sugary foods and drinks. Instead offer foods that contain the amino acid tryptophan that causes sleepiness. The best snacks should contain carbohydrates and protein and are found in foods such as chicken or turkey with brown bread, peanut butter on whole grain cereal or low sugar cereal and milk.

Warm bath

Have a warm, quiet andrelaxing bath lasting no longer than 10 minutes.

Keeping the bath to a maximum of 10 minutes means bath time doesn’t become a stimulating play time. The added bonus is coming out of the warm water allows the body to cool quickly triggering the sleep hormone melatonin.

Straight to bed

Then go straight into your child’s bedroom; going back into the living area at this time will lose the focus and magic of the routine and make your child think it’s time to play again.

Lighting

Pre dim the lights in the bedroom. Dim light is another trigger for melatonin production.

Dress for bed

Have their night clothes ready for your return from the bathroom so they can quickly get dressed and climb into bed.

Story time

Read a story and have a cuddle and kiss goodnight then tuck them in with their favourite soft toy so they are warm and cosy.

Now that they’re drowsy, leave the bedroom so that they learn to fall asleep independently.

Mandy Gurney

RGN, RM, DIP HV.

Founder Millpond Sleep Clinic

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For three years, bedtime for Felix was something I'd be dreading by early afternoon each day. Millpond's brilliant blend of commonsense, encouragement and understanding - plus a highly logical strategy that is easy to implement - changed hell into heaven literally overnight. My entire family is thus indebted to Mandy and her team.

Freya North, Author