Sleep by @thegentlenanny_

We all need sleep; it is an essential need for everyone! During sleep our mind and body can restore, repair cells, keep us healthy, help fight off illnesses and conserve energy.

In theory we should be getting 7 or more hours sleep every night* but I’m sure most of us don’t due to several reasons!

Having children or looking after them can be amazing, it is hard work but very rewarding! The down side of all this is a lack of sleep! People say newborns don’t sleep and you have this period of feeling like a zombie when you are so sleep deprived, but you actually don’t realise this feeling till you have a newborn that doesn’t sleep and takes a while to feed! This does generally pass but you can be met with other sleep challenges. This could be a range of factors: age, development, teething, illness, allergies, holidays or change in routine. Some of that list can affect us grownups too, as children get older you can also add anxiety, stress, bad dreams, parasomnias as reasons for them not sleeping properly.

When our sleep is deprived, it can affect our ability to carry out daily tasks, maintain relationships, jobs and our concentration levels.

It can also be mentally, physically and emotionally draining for those involved in sleep deprivation!

There are several things we can do to help us through the sleep crisis.

*Do you have a village to help you, this could be a partner, family, friends or a neighbour. If possible, you can hire a maternity nurse or a night nanny. Sleep coaching isn’t recommended in babies under 6 months, they are designed to not sleep through the night. Night wake ups are common in young babies and even in some toddlers. But you can try sleep coaching once they turn 6 months with a qualified sleep coach if needed.

• Can you ask someone to meal prep for you or just run the hoover around your house, these small jobs can take away stress for some people.

• Make sure you go to bed early yourself if you get a chance, most of us stay up late catching up on TV series, chores or social media. We are getting time to ourselves when we do that but sleep is more important to help you function the next day.

• You have heard the term, sleep when baby sleeps. Sometimes this isn’t possible, you aren’t tired, need a shower or to wash up. Sometimes just try to have a lay down and take a shower later.

I have experienced a lack of sleep myself, having two children! My eldest son didn’t sleep properly for months as he had colic and silent reflux as a newborn, then got two teeth very early! My youngest son didn’t sleep through for five years, he was restless, woke up crying and suffered from night terrors. My children sleep so much better now that they are older, and decided it was time to help other parents get more sleep. I’m a qualified nursery nurse and now a certified OCN Gentle sleep coach, with over 24 year’s experience in looking after children from newborn to 12 years! This was gained in day nurseries running rooms, nannying and having two children of my own!

I started The Gentle Nanny as a business to help parents gain the knowledge and confidence to help their children sleep better. I can also advise with weaning, meal planning, fussy eating and potty training.

Thank you so much for writing a blog for our website please head over to Instagram and give her a follow @thegentlenanny_