May 13, 2020

Is my child having night terrors?

You may be concerned your child is having night terrors, want to know what they are and what you can do to prevent them. Read our guide to night terrors for the answers to your questions…..

Sleep-walking, sleep-talking, night terrors and nightmares are all behaviours that happen at night. They are very common in preschool children, with more than 80 per cent experiencing what are known as parasomnias. Most of these disturbances are usually manifestations of a maturing neurological system or simply just run in your family.

Night terrors usually occur in the first few hours of the night, during deep non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep. A young child experiencing a night terror appears to ‘wake up’ suddenly out of a deep sleep often with a wide-eyed, frightened expression, and sometimes screaming loudly. She may even get out of bed and run around in a state of seemingly inconsolable anxiety. Ironically, while night terrors may leave parents feeling anxious, they do not disturb the child. Although your child may look terrified, she is usually totally unaware of what is happening as she is in a deep sleep.

Night terrors rarely lasts longer than ten minutes, and your best response is simply to keep your child safe, wait until it passes, then guide her back to bed. Do not attempt to wake her or to offer comfort or reassurance as she is more likely to be upset if woken.

Causes and prevention of night terrors:

Sleep deprivation

This is the most common trigger. A sleep-deprived child has a greater need for very deep sleep when they occur. Ensure your child is having the right amount of sleep for his age.

Pre-emptive stirring

If your child regularly experiences night terrors, rousing her from her deep sleep in the early part of the night may prevent it. If you keep a sleep diary, you can monitor when they typically occur and then aim to rouse her 30 minutes before her usual earliest night terror. Repeat this every night for 7 consecutive nights. Week two stir your child every night for 6 nights. Week three miss out 2 nights and stir for 5 consecutive nights. Repeat this pattern until you no longer need to stir your child.

Irregular sleep schedule.

Regular daytime naps and consistent bed- and wake-up times will help to stabilize your child’s sleep pattern.

Stimulants

Avoid food and drink containing caffeine and/or sugar as both can disturb your child’s sleep.

Stressful events and illness

Both can lead to disturbed sleep and it is this lack of sleep that acts as a trigger for the night terror.

Night terrors run in families

If there is a family history of night terrors, your child has an 80–90 per cent chance of experiencing them.

October 14, 2019

How to prevent illnesses causing longer term sleep issues

How to manage your child’s sleep when they are ill

As social creatures children top the charts for both spreading and catching germs. Parents know only too well that coughs and colds mean their child will wake more and need comfort and care in the night. Even children who can sleep for England will be kept awake by a fever, coughing or a blocked nose.

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

Maintain your bedtime routine:

Try and keep up your regular 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.

Your child will need more sleep:

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

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 nearby in order to keep a close eye on him.

To minimise disruptions to your child’s sleep it is better to do this by “camping out” in his room. If you bring him into your bed, you may set up sleep associations that could prove difficult to reset when he is well again….it will be much easier for you to return to your bed than to persuade him back into his own.

Becoming ill during a sleep plan:

It is not uncommon for children to become ill when you’re in the middle of a sleep plan. Most colds are short lived and it is best to put your sleep plan on hold until he is feeling better. Try to keep up the bedtime routine; this will prove invaluable when he recovers and needs to start getting used to ‘normal routines’ again.

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 beginning, 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 should be back on track.

September 12, 2018

9 month Tola woke throughout the night – she had a sucking to sleep association?

The sleep problem: frequent night waking

Before working with Millpond, Gilly and her family were extremely sleep deprived and finding everyday life really hard work. Read below Gilly’s story in her own words and then Juliet’s tips on how she helped improve sleep for the whole family.

The success story:

Tola, our 5 month old, was waking every 30 minutes all night and we were all exhausted. A friend recommended Millpond Sleep Clinic.

The service was quick and easy including receiving our sleep plan on the same day so we could start straight away. Our sleep therapist, Juliet’s suggestions made a huge difference and on the first night Tola slept for 4 hours in a row. We were able to build up to a routine that continued to improve both Tola’s day and night sleep.

Now at 9 months, Tola has her naps in the cot, self-settles to sleep, knows her routines, and is nearly sleeping through the night.

The impact on our whole family has been huge. I now have time with my older daughter while Tola naps in the cot (instead of only in the sling). My husband and I can spend our evenings together again and actually have time to talk rather than just trying to get as much sleep as possible. Tola is happy and energetic during the day.

The phone calls and emails with Juliet kept me on the right track and her suggestions always made a big impact straight away. It has definitely changed our lives. Thank you.

Sleep Tips:

Try to avoid your baby falling asleep sucking at bedtime

Sucking to sleep at bedtime can become a sleep association. For example, if your child falls to sleep sucking at bedtime then they may come to rely on a suck to get them back to sleep when they come into light sleep throughout the night.

For Tola we changed the order of her bedtime routine. She had her milk downstairs in a quiet room before starting her bedtime routine. Then instead of sucking to sleep at bedtime she was cuddled to sleep and within a few nights she had settled into the new routine.

Spacing of night feeds

If your child wakes very frequently through the night it may not always be because they are hungry.

Initially we spaced Tola’s feeds so they were about 3 hours apart: if she woke in between her feeds she was cuddled back to sleep. This was a gentle way of encouraging self settling and helped to change the habit of Tola sucking to sleep not only at bedtime but also during the night.

November 23, 2016

All the sleep advice on Google was just not working for Rose; her baby was still waking every 2 hours.

Rose was exhausted searching the internet for help on her son’s sleep problem; she felt she had tried everything to help her 7 month old son, Ben sleep better. He had regressed from waking twice a night at 3 months to waking every 2 hours at least as a 6 month old.

What if it’s not just a sleep problem?

Rose felt she had read everything about sleep and tried several different sleep training techniques with Ben as described in books and on reputable internet sites with no success whatsoever. The sleep deprivation was having a huge impact upon family life and Rose couldn’t find a way to make it better, “we were losing confidence in being able to deal with Ben at night” and she started to worry that it might not just be a sleep problem.

I need to speak to a health professional

Rose felt that she needed to find a sleep consultant with a medical background who would have the experience to tackle Ben’s frequent waking issue. “The website suggested that techniques used by Millpond were the most up to date and evidence based, and that Millpond trained NHS staff, so we would be getting help from reputable, highly qualified people”.

Underlying medical issue identified

Rose started working on her consultant’s plan for Ben and she found her approach supportive and gentle; but most importantly she was able to assure Rose and tell her that Ben’s problem was not just behavioural, but medical. “Juliet was able to point us to where to get help and was very flexible about the timetable, to allow us to seek some medical help before continuing with the sleep training consultations”.

Ben started to sleep through

Rose is now delighted that Ben’s night waking has improved, and he has even slept through for several nights. Ben still has to see various consultants to get his tummy and skin issues under control, but Rose feels, “we feel more confident about identifying what he needs if he wakes at night and we know there is an end in sight”.

November 16, 2016

What you need to know about sleepwalking in children

: What you need to know about sleepwalking in children

Seven things you need to know about sleepwalking in children

Like adults, children go through various stages of sleep each night. The transition between these stages can cause a child to partially wake. It is at these times that they are susceptible to various forms of sleep disturbance such as sleepwalking.

Sleepwalking is often one of the most concerning sleep disturbances for parents, because of the perceived risk of your child injuring herself while moving around in the night. In fact, the risk is relatively low and can be decreased further by taking a few simply safety precautions.

1. When does sleepwalking occur?

Sleepwalking normally occurs an hour after bedtime when we have our deep sleep.

2. Why does it occur?

Sleepwalking often runs in families and although it can be alarming for parents, sleep disturbances are a normal developmental stage through which most children pass unharmed.

3. Should I wake my child from a sleepwalk?

Sleepwalking usually occurs when your child has entered deep non-REM sleep. Sleep during the first third of the night is very difficult to be woken from and your child will be very disorientated and confused if you try to wake her. It is best not to intervene, as waking her may upset her. It is best to simply guide your child gently back to bed and stay in the room whilst she settles.

4. Does diet have an impact?

Foods that are high in sugar can contribute to factors leading to sleepwalking.

5. What other factors may effect it?

Sleep disturbances such as sleepwalking can be exacerbated by sleep deprivation, so ensuring your child gets enough sleep will help.

6. How can I keep my child safe when she sleepwalks?

If your child sleepwalks, do not allow her to sleep on the top bunk.
Be mindful of trip hazards, keep the floor clear of large toys and other obstacles.
Fix a stair gate to the top of the stairs if you have one.
Make sure all windows are secure.

7. What can I do to help prevent my child from sleepwalking?

Stirring a child who regularly sleepwalks can often prevent it. Stir your child 15 minutes before the earliest sleepwalking episode every night for 2 weeks.

Finally, remember sleep disturbances such as sleepwalking are manifestations of a maturing neurological system and most children will have grown out of sleepwalking by the age of six years.

September 18, 2016

From waking seven times a night to sleeping through in 3 weeks!

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Archie now sleeps through the night

Archie was just over six months old when exhausted parents Helen and Benny realised that their son had a sleep problem and that it was not going to go away on it’s own.“He was waking up to seven times per night and needed help falling asleep every time. His daytime naps were also irregular. We had read several books and tried making changes to his sleep associations, all without success,” says Helen honestly.

The couple contacted Millpond after a recommendation from their health visitor. After their initial consultation with Millpond’s Mandy Gurney they were given a clear program that was tailored to Archie’s specific sleep problems.

“We started to see results after about a week. The second week in the program he was waking up a couple of times per night and after the third week he started sleeping through the night. We couldn’t have done it without Millpond,” says Helen.

We are so glad that Helen and Benny took action by contacting Millpond as soon as they realised their son had a sleep problem and that it was sorted completely after just three weeks.

June 16, 2016

I needed help with my toddler’s sleep – Anna’s Story

I needed help with my toddler’s sleep, I was struggling to cope at work on 3-4 hours sleep a night.

Before using Millpond we were absolutely exhausted. My toddler Sam (18 months) was waking up 3 – 4 times most nights and often staying awake for more than an hour. Bedtimes were becoming very stressful and we were exhausted. Both of us work full time and it was extremely difficult to concentrate at work with often having only 3 or 4 hours sleep. The weekends involved sleeping in shifts to catch up, which meant no time as a family, which was really tough as that is the only time we get to spend with my two teenage stepsons. Sam was tired and grumpy a lot of the time, so even when we were all awake together he was often crying or overtired.

Getting advice from my sleep therapist

I felt that Juliet, our Millpond sleep consultant, took the time to listen to us and understand our situation and how we wanted to handle things. I didn’t feel that we were being forced to take actions we weren’t comfortable with. It all seemed to work quite naturally. I also liked the follow up calls and the fact that Juliet adapted the sleep plan a little as we went along to take into account our feedback.

No more bedtime battles

After a month following the tailored sleep plan, Sam now sleeps from 7 pm through to 5.30 am almost every night. Bedtimes are now a pleasure rather than a battle and we have loads more energy for work and enjoying the weekends together as a family. Sam is much happier and really enjoying the new routine. His nursery nurse at nursery says he is like a different child, having much more fun and joining in games and songs with the other children.

No cry sleep solution

What is really amazing is that we have done all this with very little crying. I had resisted sleep training in the past as I thought it would just involve leaving him to cry. Juliet’s method was very gentle and Sam cries and gets upset a lot less now than he did before we started this. I just wish we’d done it sooner!

June 8, 2016

Does lack of sleep affect your work?

Sarah was so tired, she was struggling to cope with the work/home life balance. Two year old Ben was waking 5 times a night. A work colleague recommended she contact Millpond.

Read her story…

“We can’t thank Millpond enough for all the support, advice and understanding they have shown us over the last few months.

Ben’s sleep problems were horrendous and at nearly two years he was waking up to 5 times a night and sometimes for up to 2.5 hours at a time.

We were desperate, but scared to try any form of sleep training for fear that we would fail and then have endured a lot of screaming for no result.

Sarah was worried about what sleep technique she would use…

A colleague recommended Millpond and initially we were hesitant – was it going to involve leaving him to scream? Was it going to go against our parenting style? Was it unfair on him to change his routine so much? Was it going to be worth investing that much time and money? We also felt that Ben was incurable!! However, eventually we decided that it was worth a try – Ben’s behaviour was suffering due to his lack of sleep and we realised that the current situation was as unfair on him as it was on us.

Ben’s sleep programme was gentle…

Right from our first consultation with Mandy our sleep consultant, we knew we had made the right decision! She’d seen it all before and gave us confidence that Ben’s sleep would improve. The programme was SO unique to Ben and incredibly gradual and gentle on him and us. We didn’t want to do controlled crying and Mandy confirmed that, for Ben, this would not be the right approach.

Each step felt like the right thing to be doing and Ben responded positively from day one. It took some weeks to see an improvement in his sleep. However, we always felt that we were moving forward and never doubted that it would work. Within a couple of weeks we were no longer picking him up out of the cot and rocking him for hours on end…things were slowly beginning to improve. Mandy was so patient and kind and gave us the confidence to stick to the new regime to the letter. As a result as the weeks went by we began to see an improvement to his night time waking. Now Ben asks to go in his cot at night!! He settles himself and chats away happily when he goes to sleep at night and when he wakes in the morning. We can’t believe that we have a child who ‘sleeps through the night’!!

Wish we had contacted Millpond sooner…

We would highly recommend Millpond to anyone who is suffering from lack of sleep. The change to my work/life balanc, and to Ben’s life has been unbelievable. We only wish we had contacted Mandy sooner!! We cannot thank and recommend Millpond highly enough.” Sarah

May 21, 2016

Baby Sébastien was taking a long time to go to sleep

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Sebastien was taking a long time to go to sleep

Véronique & James realised their son, Sébastien, had a sleep problem when it began to take increasingly longer periods of time to get him to sleep.

“We had created so many sleep associations, a bottle of milk last thing at night and/or multiple times at night, cuddling him and/or putting him in our bed until he fell asleep. He’d wake numerous times at night, needing resettling,” explains Véronique.

This situation led to the couple having very little time for themselves; Sébastien would wake badly rested, while they were shattered, cranky and concerned.

They chose to contact Millpond after seeing founder Mandy speaking on one of the sleep DVD’s in the Essential Baby Care Guide. Their sleep advisor, Jackie, guided them through a programme of gradual retreat, which included the elimination of each sleep association to slowly wean Sébastien off each association.

“Since working with Millpond Sébastien consistently sleeps for 11 hours straight. He also takes 1 hour 45 minute to 2 hours daytime naps. We’ve been putting him into his cot after a story, walking out of his darkened room and he now self settles within 20 minutes,” explains Véronique. “Sébastien gets himself back to sleep in the wee hours which is great news not only for us but we know it’s an important skill for him now and in the future – we are delighted”, she continues.

We are so glad the whole family are now getting the sleep they need and deserve.

October 12, 2015

19 month old Yusuf was waking frequently in the night

As a GP, Vanessa is a busy working mum trying to cope with a career and parenting a lively toddler. Vanessa was woken repeatedly during the night by her 19 month son. She had no time to herself in the evening as Yusuf needed cuddling to sleep and she was exhausted through endless sleep deprived nights. Now expecting her second baby, Vanessa was struggling to manage and knew she had to take action…….

Toddler asleep new 2015

“I was exhausted and finding it difficult to cope juggling being a working mum before coming to Millpond. I just want to say a huge thank you to Mandy. Your wealth of knowledge and solutions made me feel I was in safe hands and helped me have total confidence that what you were saying was the right thing to be doing.

It was so helpful to have a structure to work too and filling in the diary really helped see how bad things were initially and how dramatically they improved so quickly.

I am a GP and would recommend this to any sleep deprived parents who are struggling that I see. You cannot put a price on sleep. Bedtime now takes less than 20 minutes and I can then get on with my evening.

I know I will have a full nights sleep every night. We are expecting a new baby soon and feel so much more relaxed knowing I won’t have two children up at night and that there is a place I can go if we run into problems.

Thank you so much. I only wish I hadn’t waited 19 months.”