[Emma H]

Hi Sarah,

It sounds like your little one is quite settled during sleep, which is fantastic! It’s great to hear that he’s sleeping through the night and his naps are going well.

It’s amazing what our baby devices can tell us! It might have suggested that your little one transition to a crib because, when a baby is close to learning to roll over (which can happen around 4 months of age), it’s recommended that they move to a crib for safety.

Given that your little one’s sleep is fairly consistent, the transition from a bassinet to a crib shouldn’t be too disruptive. The first sleep in the crib might be a bit challenging as he adjusts, but he should settle back into his usual routine within a day or two.

Here are some tips to help with the transition:

Timing the Transition:

It’s great that you already have a consistent bedtime. Try to make the transition when his sleep patterns are stable. If his current sleep routine is unpredictable, you might want to wait until it evens out. However, if he’s already rolling over, it’s best to start the transition now.

Familiarize Him with the Crib:

Let him play in the Newton travel crib during the day so he becomes familiar with it. This can help make the transition smoother.

Maintain a Consistent Routine:

Stick to your usual bedtime and nap routines as much as possible. Familiar steps like a bath, story, or lullaby will signal that it’s time to sleep, regardless of the sleeping environment. If he needs extra help the first night, that’s okay, but try to avoid introducing new sleep associations. For example, avoid feeding him to sleep if that’s not part of your usual routine.

Comfort and Safety:

Use the same sleep sack or swaddle that he’s used to in his current sleep space, as this will also signal to him that it’s time to sleep.

Position the Crib in the Same Spot:

If possible place the Newton travel crib where the bassinet used to be. This will ensure that the surroundings are familiar when he looks up, which can help ease the transition.

Be Patient with the Adjustment Period:

It’s normal for there to be an adjustment period. He might have a few nights or naps where he struggles more than usual. Be consistent (so respond how you usually do) and patient; he’ll adapt with time.

I hope these tips help make the transition smoother for both of you!

Emma

[Emma H]

Hey Monique!

It’s been a while!

My family is doing well. My youngest was sick last week with another cold that turned into bronchitis (childcare germs are constant at the moment 😂). The poor thing sucked her fingers so much that she got a small infection, which meant I had to put a bandaid on it to stop her sucking it. On the bright side, this weaned her off finger-sucking to fall asleep, so it turned out okay in the end.

I hope you and your family are well!

It’s so good to hear that your little one has got her self-soothing sorted overnight and has given up the dummy! That can be really tricky, so well done!

Before I give you strategies to help with daytime naps, could you update me on what her day looks like? Specifically:

• What time does she wake up in the morning?
• What time does she nap, and how long are her naps?
• What time does she go to sleep at night?
• What is her nap routine?
• Where is she sleeping for her naps – so what’s the environment like, is it the same place she sleeps overnight?
• What is the bedtime routine and how are you settling her to sleep at this time?

When she wakes from a 30-minute nap, you can try to rock her back to sleep, but it’s likely she won’t fall back to sleep, since the short nap has lowered her sleep pressure (the driver for naps), and she’s no longer tired. If you want to try to rock her back to sleep, set a time limit of 10-15 minutes. If she doesn’t fall asleep in that time, get her up and start the next wake window. It’s also perfectly fine to get her up and start the next wake window when she initially wakes.

Thanks,

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Anastasia,

It’s great to hear that your little one has learned to roll over! Have you noticed if he prefers to sleep on his tummy now that he’s rolling?

When babies get a bit older, they tend to become more aware of their surroundings, and staying in the room can sometimes be distracting or distressing for them. If that’s the case with your little one, you might want to modify the settling pyramid method slightly. So you would complete the nap or bedtime routine, lay him down in the crib, and then leave the room, completing the watch and listen step outside the bedroom (by watching him on the monitor), similar to what I did in the video with my little one.

When you are completing the watch and listen step, outside the room, remember that if he calls out but there are pauses between the call-outs, it doesn’t necessarily mean he needs you. It could be his way of saying, “Hey, this is different!” or just him settling to sleep. Babies can take up to 20 minutes to fall asleep, so if he calls out but there are pauses, give him the space to fall asleep without you in the room.

However, if he calls out and there are no pauses, that indicates he needs you. At this point, you would enter the room and move up and down the settling pyramid. Once you enter the room, I recommend you stay until he falls asleep (but move down the pyramid so that he completes the last step of falling asleep on his own), as opening and closing the bedroom door could alert your little one and cause him more distress.

Regarding your question about how often I needed to ‘retrain’ my daughter due to natural disturbances like growth spurts, teething, and sickness:

The discomfort from teething and sickness can impact sleep and result in the need to retrain our little ones, if we change our responses to how we settle them to sleep and respond to them overnight. Therefore, I tried to be as consistent as possible with settling my little one and responding to her overnight when she was sick or teething to minimise these impacts. If she was uncomfortable due to teething (which meant she was also uncomfortable during the day and clingy) or sick (evident through coughing or a constant runny nose 😂), I would give her pain relief if needed before naps and bedtime, then proceed with her usual routine.

I might have rocked her slightly longer but I still aimed to put her down in her crib while she was awake and then helped her fall asleep by patting if needed. I was also careful not to introduce a night feed if it wasn’t previously needed. Introducing a feed when it wasn’t needed overnight could have created a new sleep association, resulting in the need to ‘retrain’ if she didn’t naturally return to sleeping without it once she was well again. Instead, I would settle her back to sleep in my arms if needed and then put her back in the crib.

Once she moved into her bedroom around 12 months, I would move a mattress into her room if I needed to sleep in the same room (such as when she had croup). This way, when she was well again and I didn’t need to be in the same room, her routine remained unchanged. This prevented her from getting used to sleeping in my bed, which could potentially require retraining her again.

By remaining consistent and not introducing new sleep associations, I’ve had about ten occasions (which have lasted 3 – 7 days) where I had to provide more comfort than usual when she was unwell or in pain. However, she naturally returned to her usual sleeping pattern once she was well again or those teeth came through!

I hope this helps!

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Melina,

It would be so hard to get anything done with these quick naps!

There are potentially a few reasons the catnaps have continued. To work out which one it might be I just have a few questions.

1. When you say she goes down pretty well, what exactly do you mean? What does her nap routine look like, and how do you settle her to sleep?
2. Have you been able to adopt the wake, feed, play, and then sleep routine?
3. Can you describe what her day typically looks like? Specifically, the time she wakes up in the morning, the times of her naps, and her bedtime?
4. How does she sleep overnight? Does she go to bed and sleep through the night, or does she wake up for feeds and then fall back to sleep? If she wakes for feeds, what time does this usually happen, and does she find it easy to go back to sleep afterwards?
5. Is she generally well, happy, and content during the day?
6. When she naps during the day, where is she sleeping? What is the environment like—dark, quiet, white noise, or are there other kids/people in the house?

Thanks in advance for taking the time to answer these questions.

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Simona,

I’m sorry to hear you’re having a challenging time at the moment. It’s great to know that you were able to identify and address your little one’s reflux.

The four-month sleep regression can be particularly tough and tiring!

To provide the most helpful advice, I have a few questions. So when you have a moment (I understand how busy life is with a 3.5-month-old, so no rush), could you please answer the following?

1. During the modified settling pyramid when you rock him in your arms, does he have the pacifier in?
2. Are you waiting for him to be fully asleep before putting him down in the crib while rocking him?
3. When he wakes up after 5 minutes, has the pacifier always fallen out, and do you need to replace it? I am just wondering if the pacifier falling out is causing the frequent wakes.
4. Is his sleeping environment cool, dark, and free from sudden loud noises? So, where does he sleep during the day and overnight?
5. How many naps does he generally have during the day, and what times do these naps usually occur (I am just trying to work out the spacing between them)?
6. You mentioned he sleeps in the crib for the morning nap. Where does he generally sleep for the subsequent naps during the day?
7. For the second nap, you said he sleeps for 15 minutes but will sleep longer if you lie down with him. Are you feeding him, replacing the pacifier, or patting him to help him sleep during this time?
8. Have you been able to follow the wake, feed, play, and sleep routine with your little one?
9. What does his nap and bedtime routine look like?
10. Have you been able to implement a set wake-up time in the morning?
11. What time is his bedtime? Has it become more consistent?
12. When he wakes overnight, you mentioned he wakes at 11 pm for a feed, then sleeps until 2-3 am for another feed. After this, he wakes up frequently when the pacifier falls out for the next 1-2 hours. He then wakes again at 5 am for another feed, followed by more frequent wakings whenever the pacifier falls out for the next 1-2 hours. I am just wondering what the overnight environment is like when he wakes at these times?

Sorry for all the questions. But once I have these answers I should be able to provide you with more specific advice.

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Katerina,

It’s so good to hear that Helen has been doing well. I was wondering how you all were! It’s also great to hear that she has started to sleep independently again, after learning how to roll over and then sit up (she has been busy!).

Unfortunately, it will be hard to settle Helen back to sleep if she wakes at 5-6am, as sleep pressure would be low, sleep itself is generally lighter in the early hours of the morning, and her circadian rhythm is encouraging her to wake up​​​​.

Another thing to note is that it’s really common for babies to start their day between 6-7am. This is just a typical circadian rhythm for infants​​.

Before I give any recommendations, I have a few questions:

1. You mentioned she naps at 9am and generally has a 35-40 minute nap. For her second and third naps, how long is she generally napping for?
2. Is she waking overnight for feeds? Or is she waking sometime between 5 and 6 am and you’re feeding her at this point to try and help her fall back to sleep?
3. From what you have said, I am guessing Helen’s schedule looks a little like this:
   • Wake: 5am – 6am
   • Feed and then play
   • Nap #1: 9am until 9:45am
   • Feed and then play
   • Nap #2: 12pm until 12:45pm
   • Feed and then play
   • Nap #3: 3pm – 3:45pm
   • Feed and then play and then feed
   • Bedtime: 7/8pm
4. Is Helen having all her naps in a bedroom in a crib? Or is she still having some contact naps and naps in the pram?
5. Does she self-settle for naps and bedtime?

Thanks for taking the time to answer these for me – I know life can be very busy with a 6-month-old!

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Maddie,

I’m so sorry to hear that teething has been so rough.

Teething can definitely disrupt sleep, and it’s understandable that you’re doing everything you can to comfort your little one.

I wouldn’t be too concerned about creating a new sleep association at this point. Since she is going down for naps and bedtime as usual, it shows she knows how to fall asleep on her own, which is fantastic.

I would expect that once the teeth pop through and the teething pain resolves, the time between night wakings will lengthen again.

To help her through this stage there are a few things you can try:

1. Pain Management: It’s great that you’re using painkillers. If you feel that the pain relief is wearing off before the recommended time, you can consider alternating between ibuprofen (Nurofen) and paracetamol to ensure your little one has continuous pain relief throughout the night. If you’re interested in this approach, please talk to your little one’s doctor about how to do this safely. Additionally, you might try cold teething rings or gently rubbing your baby’s gums before bedtime to help ease the discomfort.

2. Try Comforting Without Feeding: When she initially wakes up at night, see if you can comfort her and get her back to sleep by rocking her in your arms instead of feeding her. This will help reduce the number of night feeds and lower the chances that she will continue to wake up at these times due to hunger once the teething pain has resolved. However, if you can’t get her to fall asleep this way, then go ahead and feed her.

3. Gradual Withdrawal: If she doesn’t naturally start to extend the time between overnight feeds once her teeth pop through, you can help her do this by slowly reducing the amount of time you hold or feed her over several nights until she can settle more on her own.

4. Remember, teething is temporary. Once the pain subsides, you can gently work on re-establishing any routines that might have been disrupted. Babies are resilient and can adapt, so don’t worry too much about bad habits at this stage.

I hope this helps!

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi!

It sounds like she might be starting to drop her 3rd nap of the day? If that is the case, then you do want to move the bedtime earlier (so 7pm). I would only keep bedtime at 8pm if she is having her 3rd nap and waking at 4:30pm.

Does that make sense?
Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Elen,

I hope you enjoyed your trip away with your extended family!

Regarding your little one’s naps, have you noticed if there is a consistent time she poops after lunch? It might be helpful to note the time she eats and the time she poops to see if there is a pattern. This can help determine if you need to shift her nap time later or her mealtime earlier.

Each child has different sleep needs, so while some children can handle being awake from 6:30am until 1pm, for others it may be too long. To determine if this wake time is too long for your little one, look for signs of overtiredness. These signs include being more clingy than usual, crying or becoming upset more frequently, increased clumsiness, or rubbing her eyes etc. If she exhibits these signs, she might benefit from an earlier nap time.

However, if she’s mainly talking to herself when you put her in the crib and then falls asleep around 1-1:10 pm, it suggests she’s not overly tired. In this case, try shifting her nap time to 12:45pm/1pm to see if she falls asleep more easily.

Napping for 60-90 minutes is okay, especially if she’s happy in the afternoon after waking up (not necessarily immediately, as some kids take a while to wake up!). If she’s grumpy all afternoon (and not unwell), it suggests she’s still tired, and would benefit from a longer nap.

At this age, 12-15 hours (+/- 2 hours) of sleep in 24 hours is typical. If your little one is generally happy, it suggests she’s getting the sleep she needs and may have a lower sleep requirement, which is perfectly fine.

Since the 5am wakes have just started, it’s hard to say if it’s a pattern yet. But if you notice that she continues to wake at 5am and doesn’t go back to sleep even after a feed or comforting, it might suggest she’s had all the sleep she needs overnight. In that case, you might need to reconsider her bedtime and possibly shift it to a later time.

Does this make sense?

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Katerina,

Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions.

It seems like giving her a feed when she wakes at 4:30/5am is working well, as she falls back to sleep afterward. She might be waking because she’s hungry. If you’re comfortable with it, I recommend continuing to feed her if she wakes at this time. In the meantime, consider the following:

• If she wakes before 6am: Wait, watch, and listen. If she isn’t calling out and you’re comfortable with it, leave her be. She might just be stirring and could fall back to sleep on her own. The potential issue is if you go to pick her up too soon, you might wake her fully, making it harder for her to fall back asleep.

• If she’s awake and calling out: Go to her and feed her, keeping the room dark and quiet. After feeding, place her back in the crib to continue sleeping.

• If she wakes after 6am: Consider getting her out of bed, as a wake-up time between 6am and 7am is typical for babies.

• Bedtime routine: Continue putting her to bed at 8pm for the next few nights and keep the lights bright until bedtime. This will help shift her circadian rhythm. We’re aiming to move her wake-up time later, and adjusting her bedtime is key. This shift can take at least 3 days, so don’t expect immediate changes. You might initially see small changes, such as waking at 5:45am instead of 5:30am, gradually getting later.

• Monitor her naps: You mentioned that her naps are lengthening, which is a good sign. If the first and second naps become consistently longer, consider if it’s time to drop the late afternoon nap, especially if she doesn’t do it herself. Babies typically drop the third nap between 6-9 months of age. If she starts waking earlier in the morning and doesn’t go back to sleep after a feed, it might be a sign that she’s ready to drop the third nap.

Does this sound doable?

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Maddie,

I’ve been wondering how your little one has been doing, and it sounds like she’s doing really well, which is great to hear!

I’m glad the move to her own bedroom went smoothly.

Teething can be tough, but hopefully, those teeth will come through soon, and the pain will subside.

It’s also wonderful to hear that she’s going down well for naps and bedtime and that her overnight sleep is starting to lengthen.

I hope you’re all feeling a bit more energized!

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Simona,

Thanks so much for the detailed reply.

It sounds like you’ve already started to make some positive changes to your little one’s naps, which is great. Based on your observations, I have a few suggestions that might help further:

Daytime Nap Suggestions:

1. Continue to get him comfortable with the crib: It’s wonderful that you’re increasing the amount of time he naps in the crib. Whenever you’re home and it is possible, continue to give him this opportunity to nap in the crib. This consistency will help him get used to the crib environment.

2. Consider using the settling pyramid to help him fall asleep: He seems to be getting more comfortable with the pre-sleep routine and falling asleep in your arms without much protest. How would you feel about trying to place him in the crib when he is calm after the pre-sleep routine, and then using the settling pyramid technique to help him drift off to sleep?

3. Consider fading out the pacifier: From what you’ve said, it sounds like the pacifier falling out might be causing him to wake up, and you have to keep putting it back in until he falls into a deep sleep. To help him fall asleep more easily for naps and overnight, how would you feel about removing the pacifier just before he falls asleep? If this is something you are happy to try, this is how you can do it:

   1. When he is tired, let him suck on the pacifier while you complete the pre-sleep routine.
   2. At the end of the routine, lay him in his crib with the pacifier still in his mouth.
   3. Use the settling pyramid to help him fall asleep.
   4. Just before he drifts off, gently remove the pacifier by placing your little finger between the pacifier and the corner of his mouth. This breaks the seal and allows you to take the pacifier out.

   For some babies, this works, and they fall asleep without the pacifier. For others, it might cause them to stir more, in which case you can use the settling pyramid to help him fall asleep. If he wakes up fully, you can try the following options:

   Option 1: Continue using the pacifier and put it back in his mouth when needed. However, if this becomes too frequent and exhausting, you might decide to remove the pacifier completely or only use it at the start of the pre-sleep routine.

   Option 2: Use the pacifier for fussy times during the day and at the start of the pre-sleep routine, but not for sleep. In this case, give him the pacifier at the start of the routine, but remove it before laying him in the crib. Then, use the settling pyramid to help him learn to fall asleep without the pacifier.

4. Wake him up by 7:30 am at the latest: Even though it’s tough, setting a wake-up time can help regulate his sleep pattern and assist in establishing a nap schedule.

5. Remember that catnaps are normal at this age: Unfortunately, catnaps (naps lasting 30-45 minutes) are normal at this age. It sounds like his first and second naps of the day are going well, which is great! Right now, focus on helping him learn to self-settle and providing an optimal sleep environment. This way, when he is developmentally ready to extend his naps, he will have the skills and environment to do so.

6. As much as possible adopt the Wake, Feed, Play, Sleep routine: When he takes catnaps, he may need to feed more frequently throughout the day. As his naps start to extend, the time between feeds will naturally lengthen. It’s okay to feed him before his nap, but make sure he doesn’t fall asleep while feeding. Even a brief nap can reduce his sleep pressure and make it harder for him to settle at nap time.

   Also, at this age, he might get distracted during feeding and not have a full feed. If this happens, try feeding him in a bright room with minimal distractions to help him focus and complete his feed.

Overnight Suggestions:

It’s great that bedtime has become consistent, and it sounds like you have a solid bedtime routine. Here are a few more tips to consider:

1. Feeding Closer to Bedtime: It’s fine to feed him closer to bedtime if needed, but make sure he doesn’t fall asleep while feeding. Even a brief nap can reduce his sleep pressure, making it harder for him to settle. However, at bedtime, his circadian rhythm and sleep pressure work together to help him fall asleep, so it shouldn’t be as disruptive as during daytime naps.

2. Using a White Noise Machine: If you or your husband snore or move around a lot in bed, consider using a white noise machine overnight. White noise can mask these sounds and may prevent your little one from waking up fully. If the white noise doesn’t make a difference, it’s fine to turn it off if you prefer.

3. Consider trying the settling pyramid overnight and fading the pacifier: As I mentioned earlier, I think the pacifier falling out is causing him to wake up fully between sleep cycles and fall back to sleep (as he needs the pacifier to fall asleep). Unfortunately, at this age, they don’t have the fine motor skills to put the pacifier back into their mouth, so they call out for us to do it and continue to call out until they fall back to sleep. If you’re comfortable with it, I would consider trying to teach him how to fall asleep without the pacifier (as outlined in the nap strategies). As, when he learns to fall asleep without the pacifier, it’s likely that he will start to naturally link sleep cycles overnight and start having longer stretches of sleep.

4. Consider feeding him at the 2am/3am wake-up: If he no longer wakes at 2am and is sleeping soundly from 11pm to 5am, you can disregard this suggestion. But if you find that he is waking every 5 minutes for 1-2 hours from 2/3 am onwards, then I am wondering if he is hungry?

   Typically, overnight sleep patterns evolve with the first part of the night consolidating first. Babies often start with longer stretches of sleep early in the night and continue to wake every few hours for a feed. For instance, if your baby goes to bed at 8:30 pm, you might notice that, over time, his first sleep stretch extends. Instead of waking at 11 pm, he might start waking at 12 am, then eventually 1 am, and so on.

   As this first stretch lengthens, the subsequent wake times will also shift. Currently, he might be waking at 11 pm, 2/3 am, and then again at 5 am until about 6:30/7:30 am. If his first feed shifts to 12 am, his next wake might be around 3/4 am, allowing him to sleep until morning. Eventually, if his first overnight feed shifts to 1 am, he might wake again at 4/5 am and then sleep until morning.

   Would you be open to trying a feed when he wakes at 2/3 am to see if this helps him settle back to sleep more easily? I am not sure if you previously were feeding him at 2/3 am he was just not settling back to sleep. So sorry if I got this wrong.

What do you think of these suggestions? Are there some that you think are possible to implement?

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Katerina,

No worries at all.

It does sound like there have been some changes in her schedule in the last few days.

I’m sorry but I am a little confused. Are you able to write down what her day naps now look like? So the time that they occur and then how long she is napping for each nap?

Also, you mentioned that in the past you tried to shift her bedtime from 7pm to 8pm to see if that helped shift her morning wake-up time. When you did this, did you keep her bedtime at 8pm for more than 3 nights to see if there was a shift in the wake-up time?

It’s great that you worked out that when she wakes at 5/6am and you give her some water she falls back to sleep. Does this happen every time you do this or just sometimes?

Sorry again for asking more questions!

Emma

[Emma H]

No worries!

[Emma H]

Hi Ana,

I’m so glad to hear that some of the recommendations are already making a positive difference! The “reset” of sleep pressure can indeed have a big impact, and I’m happy to hear that it made sense to you. It’s often a tricky one to spot in the moment.

I’m excited to hear how the rest of the week goes with these small tweaks.

Keep up the fantastic work!

Emma