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Sleep myths busted!  

30th September 2015 0 Comments

boy asleep blue sheets

What you need to know about your child’s sleep

At Millpond Sleep Clinic we frequently hear “old wives tales” that parents have had handed down from well-meaning family and friends. So to help you sort the facts from the fiction we dispel the top most common sleep myths

Myth 1: All babies should be able to sleep from 7pm to 7am

A common question for parents is how much sleep their babies and children should be getting. The amount of sleep each child needs can vary greatly. While some small children may well be able to sleep for 12 hours, for other children a 10 hour night could be just right for them. New studies are currently being carried out to look at how much sleep children are getting in 24 hours to enable parents to have the most accurate information about their children’s sleep.

Myth 2: Children outgrow all sleep problems

Just as children need to be taught many things in life, learning how to sleep well in their early years not only reaps immediate psychological and physical rewards but also teaches good habits for life. Research has shown that people who had poor sleep habits as a child are more susceptible to sleep problems as an adult.

Myth 3: Routines don’t matter; a child will fall asleep when they’re ready

Children thrive on simple repetitive routines as they feel safe and secure, knowing what is coming next. Aim to carry out the same series of steps every night, about 30 minutes before your child goes to bed. Having a regular bedtime ritual makes it easier for them to relax, fall asleep and sleep through the night.

Myth 4: Cutting out naps will help your baby sleep through the night

Naps are vital to babies and young children; in fact, at 3 months old, 30% of a baby’s sleep occurs in the day. Napping time declines as children get older but most children will still need some sleep in the day at 3 years old. A regular nap makes bedtime easier and children sleep better overnight.

Myth 5: TVs and technology in the bedroom for children is OK

Recent research has shown the more TV children watch in the evening the less sleep they have. Researchers have also found that children with one or more electronic devices in the bedroom were far more likely to be overweight or obese. The blue light from screens interferes with the production of the sleep hormone melatonin. It is thought that even 2 minutes of exposure to this light could delay sleep by 2 hours. The advice is to turn off all devices at least an hour before sleep.

Myth 6: Running around just before bed gets rid of that last bit of energy

Children need to relax and be calm an hour before sleep. Running about just before bedtime could give them a “second wind” and prevent them falling asleep.

Myth 7: A child full of energy at bedtime is just not sleepy

Rather than being lethargic, young children will often seem very active when they are tired.

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See what parents' say about us

  • When feeling overwhelmed by tiredness and in need of real sleep help, Millpond’s ‘Teach Your Child to Sleep’ is a much welcomed, well researched resource. This is an easy read with a practical nurturing approach that walks you and your child through to a good night sleep.

    Rozanne Hay, UK Representative and Director for Continuing Education IACSC International Association Of Child Sleep consultants
  • The Millpond approach is non-prescriptive and [their] book offers lots of choices for parents to match their own goals and parenting styles. I would heartily recommend it for anyone already experiencing problems with sleep or to set up good sleep habits proactively.

    Melissa Hood, founder of The Parent Practice
  • This baby and child sleep guide is the perfect combination of accessible science, Mandy’s years of experience and a mother’s warmth. I love the way things fall into place with Mandy’s clear and thorough explanations!

    Diana Hill, co founder of Essential Parent
  • 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
  • I am a GP and would recommend Millpond to any sleep deprived parents; you cannot put a price on sleep. Thank you so much. I only wish I hadn’t waited 19 months.

    Vanessa, GP
  • We are so happy that we put our trust in you to help us with what has been a huge problem for our family for almost 2 years. We are finding time to relax and time for each other and I did not realise how much we missed this time.

    Ben
  • As a family, we were sleep deprived. The tailored plan for our son made it personal. I am really pleased with what we’ve achieved during the programme and I am thankful to Juliet and Millpond.

    Evrim.
  • We were at rock bottom. Our son has a neurological condition, so I was nervous and and wanted a sleep clinic who had experience of this and would adapt to the needs of our son. Our lives literally changed overnight!

    Shurron
  • Within weeks our son was waking only once a night. The investment we made into Millpond was one of the best we’ve ever made. It gave my son a solid night sleep and consistency. It gave me and my husband our sanity back.

    Shurron
  • I am delighted. I was aiming to go from 6+ wakes at night and feeding to sleep 100% of the time to 1-2 wake ups and some ability to self-settle. After doing the plan for less than 6 weeks my daughter started sleeping through the night.

    Katie
  • My daughter is now having quite a bit more than the average sleep for her age and it’s lovely to see her waking up naturally. I’m also waking up naturally and feeling much more refreshed for having a regular sleep routine myself!

    Louise
  • We are so happy we could jump for joy, we wish we had spoken to you ages ago. Using Millpond has built our confidence and made us feel on top of it at last. You really gave us some life back!

    Sarah
  • I live in Switzerland so it is really quite remarkable that Millpond was able to help me over the phone and by email. When you have slept you can deal with anything!!

    Melanie
  • We still can’t believe that such small changes have made such a difference to us and Alice. She has even slept through while on holiday in a travel cot.

    Louise
  • We are just so sorry we did not get in touch sooner as we went through 18 months of no sleep.

    Ann Marie
  • Thank you, thank you, thank you!! We never thought life could be improved so greatly. You showed us the light. Luka is much happier and loving his sleep now.!

    Diane
  • Alex is sleeping beautifully again and is now quite happy to lay in his cot singing until 7.30/745 am ( Godsend!) and sleeps very happily through the night again. Thank you so much!

    Sandy
  • Very happy to say that Joshua, who you helped us with, is now sleeping a regular 11 hours a night uninterrupted. In fact, getting him up some mornings is a real challenge!

    John
  • Mandy has been an absolute saviour at a time which was starting to feel quite bleak in terms of our little one’s sleep. The personalised advice and guidance has been invaluable.

    Mary

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