[Emma H]

Hi Emma,

How have the last few days gone? Have there been any changes?

If it has continued, it’s unusual for there to be this sudden change. Do you think he is getting sick or teething? It just sounds like he might be unsettled/fussy all the time and he is even finding it challenging to fall asleep on you.

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Kostas,

It is so good to hear the settling pyramid method is working for Helen and suits her temperament.

In regards to when you stop sss and patting it depends on Helen. If you place her in the crib and she is content then there is no need to sss or pat. Just leave her to fall asleep. The idea is that in the not-too-distant future, you will just need to complete the nap or bedtime routine and then place Helen in the crib and she will fall asleep all on her own.

Does that make sense?

Emma

[Emma H]

Hey Sharne,

2 a.m. party time doesn’t sound like a lot of fun. And I agree that taking her for a drive at this time is not sustainable for anyone!

From what you’ve said, there are two possible reasons for this sudden waking at 2am.

The first one is the “hybrid crawl”. Studies have shown that when babies learn new motor skills, particularly crawling, they can wake overnight to ‘practice this skill’. If this is the reason, it should settle down over time. Just make sure you give her lots of opportunities to practice this new crawling technique during daytime hours and maintain those healthy sleep habits (so keeping the lights off if it isn’t feeding time or time to change the nappy, keeping interactions to a minimum, don’t feeding her if it isn’t time for a feed etc.). If you start doing things you typically wouldn’t try to get her to fall asleep, like feeding her, rocking her, etc., it can encourage her to keep waking up at this time.

The second reason might be with that last nap of the day. I noticed that you mentioned she is now having a 2 hours nap at the end of the day. This is great because it indicates that she is learning to link sleep cycles. But the issue might be that it’s finishing too close to bedtime. At 5 months, she might need 2 1/2 hours of awake time before bed to ensure her sleep pressure is high when she goes to bed. So if the nap finishes at 5.30pm and her bedtime is at 6:30/ 7/ 7:30, she might not have enough wake time. For the next few days, try waking her up from that last nap of the day at 5pm if she hasn’t already woken up and make bedtime 7:30 pm and see if this stops the 2am wake.

While trying this over the next few days, when she wakes up at 2am, if she is happy, I just let her play. By not interacting you’re reinforcing that overnight isn’t playtime and hopefully this means she will settle back to sleep quicker. Sometimes, interacting and trying to settle them back to sleep can just cause them to wake up more and stay awake for longer. So if she is happy in her crib and not calling out to you, I would just leave her be.

Hopefully, she isn’t a loud pterodactyl!

Let me know if any of these help!

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Vivian,

This week started off a bit rough with all three kids sick, but thankfully, everyone’s back to their usual selves now, so things are looking up 😂

Hopefully, you’ve had a great week with your little one!

It sounds like he’s naturally spacing out his feedings during the day, which is fantastic.

Regarding your question about awake times – “awake times” means the period from when your baby wakes up from a nap until they fall asleep again. If they seem drowsy but aren’t fully asleep, that’s still counted as awake time.

I would try not to stress if his daytime naps seem shorter than what’s typical for his age. Each baby is unique in how much sleep they need. As long as he’s sleeping well at night and not constantly fussy or restless during the day, it’s likely he’s getting the right amount of sleep for him. If he seems content and happy while awake, then he’s probably just fine with the amount of daytime sleep he’s getting.

If you notice he’s starting to fight the last nap of the day and it’s been over 20 minutes, you have a few options. If bedtime isn’t too far off, you might skip the nap. Another option, if you use a baby carrier, is to go for a quick contact nap. Or, you could try for a nap again after a little break. However, if he does end up napping later, you might want to keep it short so he’s ready to sleep at bedtime.

Tired cues are often the same cues babies use to say they’re tired, bored or hungry. So it’s always better to combine your baby’s tired cues with wake windows and your baby’s general pattern to figure out when they really need sleep.

I hope this makes things a bit clearer!

Emma

• This reply was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by  Emma H.

[Emma H]

Hi Monique,

It can take babies up to 20 minutes to fall asleep. But since your little one is happily playing for over an hour before falling asleep, I wonder if she is tired at bedtime.

To help you figure this out, I suggest you record what time she falls asleep (and stays asleep) each night for the next few days or the next week. This will help you identify if there is a time that she is consistently falling asleep and if this differs from her current bedtime. If it does, you would change her bedtime to the time she is falling asleep at night.

If your little one is over 4 months old, it would also be good to watch when she wakes up from her last nap. She will likely resist if it is too close to bedtime because she isn’t tired.

I hope this helps!

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Christine,

It’s great that you have been able to start using the settling pyramid. Hopefully, you’re both finding it helpful!

Before I talk about how you can encourage your little one to drop the 2-4 am feed, I just want to quickly mention that waking for a feed overnight is very normal under 6 months of age. As a rough guide, formula-fed babies can generally start having their night feeds phased out from around 6 months of age.

So, if you would like to phase it out sooner than this, please talk to your baby’s doctor to make sure that your little one would be ok to go through the night without a feeding.

If your doctor gives you the go-ahead, you can begin to phase out the 2-4 am feed by slowly decreasing the amount of formula you offer your little one by ½ to 1 ounce each night. You would continue to reduce the formula amount until it’s less than 2 ounces. At this point, when your baby wakes up at 2 – 4 am instead of feeding him, you would use the strategies from the ‘Settling Pyramid’ to help him fall back to sleep. Eventually, he will stop waking at this time and sleep through.

I hope that helps!

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Vivian,

In a separate post, I mentioned trialling 2 feeds – one when he wakes at 4:30pm from his last nap of the day and another at 6:30 pm an hour before his bedtime at 7:30pm. How did that go?

Determining whether your baby is resisting a nap due to being over-tired or not tired enough can be challenging. To better understand this, I’d need to know about his daily routine, such as his wake-up time, the timing of his first nap, how long he sleeps during this nap, when his second nap is, how long he sleeps then, and so on, until bedtime.

Based on what you’ve shared, I also suspect that his early nighttime awakenings might be due to “false starts,” and adjusting his bedtime to a later time, like 7:30 pm or 8 pm, might help eliminate these early disruptions. However, without knowing more about his daily schedule, it’s difficult to be certain.

Regarding the total amount of daytime sleep for a 4-month-old, it can vary from 3 to 4 1/2 hours, depending on his overall sleep needs. For instance, if he needs 15 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period and is sleeping more than 12 hours at night, his daytime naps might total slightly less than 3 hours.

I hope that helps!

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Christine,

It’s great to hear that you loved the course and have been able to implement things that you have learned already!

I have answered your questions below.

1. At what age do you suggest to stop using the white noise machine?

There’s no set age for when you should stop using a white noise machine for your baby. Many people, including adults, use white noise to sleep better. So, if you notice it helps your baby sleep, feel free to keep using it.

As your child gets to be 2 or 3 years old, though, they might start feeling scared of the dark and prefer to be more aware of their surroundings during the night. They might ask to have the door open and the white noise off so they can see and listen to what’s going on around them. If this happens, you can simply turn the white noise machine off.

2. At what age should I stop using the sleeping bag? Should I use the same sleeping bag for winter and summer?

I recommend you continue using a sleeping bag for your little one until they are about 3 to 4 years old and have transitioned to a big bed. The reasoning behind this is toddlers tend to be quite active in their sleep, often kicking off their blankets. But it isn’t until they’re around 3 – 4 years of age that they develop the skills required to cover themselves again. This can lead to disrupted sleep for you and your child, as they call out to you to come and pull up their blankets. In saying that, if you live in a warmer part of the world, where your child won’t need to use a blanket, then you can stop using a sleeping bag whenever you prefer. Ultimately, the decision on when to stop using a sleeping bag depends on your personal preference and your child’s needs.

As for whether you should use the same sleeping bag for both winter and summer, this largely depends on the temperature of your baby’s room. If the room is kept at a constant temperature, such as 21 degrees Celsius year-round, then the same sleeping bag may be suitable for all seasons. However, if the room temperature drops significantly during the winter months, a sleeping bag with a higher TOG rating may be necessary to ensure your baby stays warm.

3. Why should I place my baby with their feet at the bottom of the crib rather than their head at the top? (lesson 12)

Placing your baby with their feet at the bottom of the crib is primarily advised to minimise the risk of the baby wiggling downwards and accidentally covering their face with blankets, which can increase the risk of suffocation. This positioning is particularly important for parents who use blankets in the crib. It ensures that the baby stays at the bottom of the crib and the blanket can be tucked in securely under the mattress, preventing it from covering the baby’s head.

However, if you’re using a sleeping bag that snugly fits your baby’s shoulders and neck, preventing them from wriggling down inside it, then the specific placement of your baby in the crib becomes less critical. In this case, you can position your baby anywhere within the crib safely. The key is ensuring the sleeping bag is the correct size and design to prevent it from moving over your baby’s head or allowing them to slide down inside it.

4. My baby boy always wakes up from his sleep and gets directly into crying, he never opens his eyes quietly and escalates the “I’m awake” signs gradually, like you’ve shown in the video of lesson 14. What might be the reason for that?

Babies waking up and immediately crying rather than gradually showing signs of wakefulness, can be due to a variety of factors. One significant reason could be the baby’s innate temperament. Some babies are naturally more sensitive or prone to immediate distress upon waking, which can cause them to cry right away. This immediate crying upon waking can be their way of signaling a need for comfort, hunger, a diaper change, or simply the need to transition from sleep to wakefulness with the assistance of a caregiver. Each baby is unique, and their responses to waking up can vary widely based on their temperament and needs at the moment.

5. Our local ministry of health recommends that babies should be put to sleep on their back up to one year of age. I’ve seen that your daughter at the age of 5 months was sleeping on her tummy. is that ok? My baby boy has started rolling and the minute I place him on his back in the crib he rolls over and falls asleep on his tummy.

The recommendation to place babies on their backs to sleep, especially up to one year of age, is a widely endorsed guideline aimed at reducing the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

However, the American Academy of Pediatrics and Red Nose Australia also state that while babies should initially be placed on their backs for all sleep times, once they achieve the developmental milestone of being able to roll over independently, they can be allowed to find and settle into their own preferred sleeping positions. This includes sleeping on their tummy if they naturally roll into this position.

It’s crucial, however, that the sleep environment remains safe: the baby should sleep on a firm, flat surface, and the crib should only have a fitted sheet with no loose bedding, pillows, or soft toys that could increase the risk of suffocation or SIDS.

It’s always a good idea to check with your Local Ministry of Health to see if they align with these recommendations.

I hope that helps!

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Elen,

Sorry I have some more questions.

1. When you leave the bedroom do you shut the bedroom door?

2. When you say that it takes 30 – 60 minutes for her to fall asleep, is she mostly happily playing in her crib? Is she content or upset? You just mentioned that she doesn’t cry much, so I’m wondering if she is just playing during this time.

3. When you say she doesn’t sleep, is she going the whole day without having a nap? Or does she fall asleep later?

4. How many days of the week does she have a nap?

5. Last week, I mentioned recording the time she falls asleep for each nap. Did you have time to do this?

6. Do you have a video baby monitor in her bedroom? I’m just wondering if there’s a way you could see if she is awake without needing to go into her room.

Also not sure if this is helpful, but a bowel reflex occurs 20 – 30 minutes after eating. So if she’s pooping during naptime, it might be worth looking at the timing of her lunch or morning tea. If it happens 20 – 30 minutes before nap time, then it increases the chances that she may poop. The options to address this are to move naptime an hour after the meal or move the meal earlier in the morning.

Thanks,

Emma

[Emma H]

That’s amazing news Amanda. Honestly, the reason for the change is all you! Well done!

[Emma H]

Hi Kostas,

It sounds like Helen has learnt to fall asleep for daytime naps with movement. So if the settling pyramid isn’t working for you both, you can take a gentler approach that incorporates movement. But instead of rocking her in a pram, you will rock her in your arms. So it would look a bit like this:

– When it’s nap time, do Helen’s nap routine. Make sure the last activity is a calming one which ends in her bedroom and the lights are turned off.

– After completing the nap routine, hold Helen in your arms and gently rock her, as you pat her bottom and ‘shush’.

– If she is calm, stop rocking her (so that you’re standing still) but continue patting her bottom and shushing.

– If she continues to remain calm, stop patting her but continue shushing.

– Then stop shushing, so that she falls asleep in your arms, while you’re standing still and quiet.

– Then, place her in the crib.

By stopping the rocking and patting before she falls asleep, you’re helping her become comfortable with falling asleep without movement (so she is not reliant on movement to fall asleep). This will make it easier to move to using the pyramid technique when you’re both ready.

Does this make sense?

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Elen,

How have the last few days gone?

I can understand why you might be feeling a bit confused.

I am wondering if there are any small tweaks that can be made to make this process a little easier for your little one and you. So when you have some time can you answer the following question:

– With your naps do you have a clear schedule with your little one?

– What exactly does it look like and once you put her down to sleep what do you do?

– Does she sleep in a dark bedroom that is free from sudden loud noises? If not what is her bedroom like?

– When you put her down to nap how long does it take her to fall asleep?

Thanks

Emma

[Emma H]

Hey Sharne,

This message cracked me up. I can only imagine how freaked out our partner would be if he woke up to you watching him sleep! 😂

It’s made my night!

[Emma H]

Hi Vivian,

Wow 4 months – Time goes so quickly!

I’m glad to hear he’s settling into a better routine.

When it comes to adjusting his schedule, a larger shift might be okay—it really depends on what he’s comfortable with. A 30-minute change could be just fine for some babies, but others might need a more gradual approach.

If he wakes up an hour earlier than usual because of a soiled diaper, you could try changing him with minimal light and interaction, then put him back to bed. However, it’s likely he won’t go back to sleep due to low sleep pressure and his natural circadian rhythm signaling it’s time to wake up. On such occasions, it may be simpler to just start the day, especially if this doesn’t happen often.

Regarding your question about returning to a 7-to-7 schedule, I assume this is concerning daylight saving time changes. The steps outlined in the video I shared should assist in this transition.

In regards to when you should put on the thicker sleep sack, if he needs a feed during the night, that would be the time to switch his sleep sack. If he’s not waking for nighttime feeds, I suggest starting with the thicker sleep sack and, if you use central heating, turning it off in his room a few hours before his bedtime to ensure the room is cool.

I hope this helps!

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Christine,

Sorry I completely misunderstood!

Before I answer this are you able to answer the following questions:

1. How does your baby fall asleep for naps and bedtime.

2. Where does your baby sleep overnight?

3. Is your little one breastfed or formula-fed?

4. When you say he is waking up for a comfort feed, what makes you think that? For example, if you’re breastfeeding how long is the overnight feed or if you’re bottle feeding how much milk does he drink?

Thanks

Emma