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Foods To Help Baby Sleep Through The Night

by Baby Sleep Coach | Apr 6, 2022 | Food and sleep

Any parent of a baby or toddler longs for their baby to be a sleepy angel and sleep through the night. Frantic google searches in the small hours ask, “how can I help my baby settle to sleep” or “sleep tips for toddlers”. In this article, we take a close look at foods that can help your baby sleep through the night. We’ll look at tips that can support quality sleep for your baby and for you, and we’ll be discussing tasty mealtime options that are a win-win when it comes to helping your baby to sleep through the night.

So What Foods Will Help My Toddler Sleep?

Generally speaking, look for foods that are high in melatonin which helps to control the body’s circadian rhythm, vitamin B6 which helps brain produce melatonin, tryptophan and vitamin C which helps to produce serotonin and melatonin. Also foods rich in potassium and magnesium.

List Of Sleep Inducing Foods To Help Your Child Sleep:

Tart cherries and tart cherry juice
Banana, Pineapple, Kiwi, Figs, Oranges
Avocado, tomatoes
Broccoli, carrots, sweetcorn
Kale, spinach, lettuce
Soybeans (edamame)
Milk, Natural unsweetened yoghurt
Eggs
Poultry
fatty fish
Walnuts, pistachios and. cashews
Oats and wheat
Rice, beans, lentils
sweet potatoes, butternut squash

What Should Breastfeeding Mum Eat To Help Baby Sleep?

Many Mums choose to breastfeed their baby, and in doing so, you can ensure your breast milk is rich in sleep supporting foods. Nutrients in foods that Mum’s eat pass through into breastmilk. Breastfeeding Mums should avoid excess stimulants in their diet, such as caffeine, artificial additives and sugar if they are serious about foods to help baby sleep through the night. Likewise, eating foods that are rich in the amino acid, tryptophan, can be a smart choice for breastfeeding Mums who want to support their baby’s sleep. So what should breastfeeding mum eat? Tryptophan is found in a range of foods such as turkey, eggs, wheat and oats, soy products, bananas and green leafy vegetables. All these foods contain tryptophan which supports the production of the hormone melatonin to regulate sleep.

Weaning And Foods To Help Baby Sleep Well

As your baby begins to wean at about 6-months of age, you can introduce foods that help baby to sleep through the night. Aim for foods that are nutritious and easy to digest, and steer clear of stimulants such as caffeine and artificial additives. Many parents don’t realise that chocolate can contain caffeine, so it’s wise to limit your baby or toddler’s consumption of this sweet treat.

Foods that support sleep for babies and toddlers include those rich in tryptophan as listed above. You can get creative and introduce shredded turkey into soups and broths for your baby. Scrambled eggs with small amounts of Spanish wilted down makes a great sleep supporting dinner and its easy to bake simple oat-based cookies sweetened with mashed banana.

In addition, consider slower burning carbohydrates as a smart choice so that nutrients are absorbed at a slower rate. Oats, sweet potatoes, rice and butternut squash all contain complex carbs. Foods rich in B-vitamins also support sleep. Beans, lentils, broccoli, avocados and bananas help your child to produce the calming and relaxing hormones of serotonin and magnesium.

Leading children’s food expert, Annabel Karmel, has some fantastic sleep supporting recipes that you and your baby can enjoy as part of a healthy diet. The BBC Good Food website lists a range of healthy recipes that include many of the foods listed above, including meal ideas that are suited for baby-led weaning and toddlers. Aim to cook up a storm for you and your baby in order to make the most of foods that help baby sleep through the night.

A bedtime milk feed for babies and toddlers continues to be an important source of nutrition for your child. A small warm bottle of milk, or a breastfeed prior to sleep night can have a soothing effect that helps baby sleep through the night.

Mealtimes That Help Baby Sleep Through The Night, What Is The Suggested Time To Eat Dinner?

You’ll know yourself that trying to settle to sleep on a full stomach after a large meal is uncomfortable and unlikely to result in settled sleep. You baby will benefit from well-timed meals to support them sleep through the night. A large meal immediately before bed raises your baby’s metabolic rate and body temperature. This can make it harder to settle to sleep. Aim that the evening meal for babies that are weaning is given around 1 ½ hours before bedtime. That leaves enough time for awake activity and bath time, and then a final milk feed which will all help with your baby’s sleep.

In Summary:

So, to help your baby sleep through the night, aim to build the following tips into your baby’s routine today

Avoid foods that will ruin your child’s sleep. If you are breastfeeding, avoid caffeine and artificial additives.

Eat foods rich in tryptophan

Avoid giving babies that are weaning caffeine and artificial additives.

Sleep supporting foods for babies that are weaning include foods rich in tryptophan, B-vitamins and complex carbohydrates.

Allow time for your baby to digest their evening meal before bed.

A warm milk drink or breastfeed immediately before bed can help your baby to sleep well.

references:

Friedman M. (2018). Analysis, Nutrition, and Health Benefits of Tryptophan. International journal of tryptophan research: IJTR, 11, 1178646918802282. https://doi.org/10.1177/1178646918802282

Tardy, A. L., Pouteau, E., Marquez, D., Yilmaz, C., & Scholey, A. (2020). Vitamins and Minerals for Energy, Fatigue and Cognition: A Narrative Review of the Biochemical and Clinical Evidence. Nutrients, 12(1), 228. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12010228

Have you downloaded your freebie yet? Top 10 Baby Sleep Coach Tips To Help Your Baby Sleep Better Guide! If not, then make sure to click here.

For more advice on how to help your baby sleep and find a baby sleep solution that works for you and your family, you can check out our 1 : 1 consultation services or our new baby sleep guides which come with free access to my Sleepy Village Facebook community for easy access to get your questions answered.

Tailored Sleep Plans with 1:1 support

Gentle Sleep Solution Guides for Instant Download

Frequently Asked Questions On How Can I Make My Child Sleep Better:

Can vitamin D help my baby sleep better?

What foods will help baby sleep better?

How to make kids room sleep friendly?

How does blue light affect your child’s sleep?

How to make going back to work after maternity leave easier?

How to adjust child’s routine when the clocks go back?

Advice and guidance of safer sleep for babies.

How to get babies and children to sleep when traveling?

Top 10 tips for traveling with a baby, toddler or a child.

How to help baby sleep in the heat?

How to adjust child’s routine when the clocks go forward?

Is it a good idea to give baby a dummy?

Breast pumping and sleep, when is best to breast pump.

Will my baby sleep better if I give them a bottle?

Will my baby sleep better if I feed them every 4 hours?

Will my nursery/ childcare provider support my child’s sleep?

How can I enjoy the first Christmas with my baby?

Halloween sleepy food recipes and ideas to get your children sleeping well.

How Do I Make My Kids Room Sleep-Friendly?

by Baby Sleep Coach | Apr 5, 2022 | Children's room

Arranging your child’s bedroom in a way that supports sleep can not only promote a more relaxing environment to fall asleep in but also an environment that supports resettling, should your child wake during the night. You are aiming for the bedroom to be a calm, inviting space that your child associates with sleep.

Let’s consider a range of strategies that can help you to create that for your child:

mum and dad reading story to their child at bedtime

Make The Children’s Bedroom A Screen Free Zone

Aim to make the bedroom, and especially the bed, a no-screen zone, even during the day. Research shows that TV watching in the bedroom impacts young children’s sleep. The artificial blue light emitted by screens of televisions, smartphones, tablets, computers and gaming systems promotes alertness and impacts our sleep-wake cycle or circadian rhythm.
Many parents find that using a nightlight emitting a red-light wavelength can support sleep by stimulating the production of the sleepy hormone, melatonin. If your child is scared of the dark we recommend using a red night light, a lot of parents use soft glow room thermometers which have a gentle orange glow when the room is the right temperature. Try to avoid leaving the door open as this can be a fire hazard. Avoid being able to see blue lights as discussed here.

How Do I Make My Child’s Room Sleep Friendly?

Set the thermostat to a slightly cooler temperature to support your toddler to feel sleepy. Aim for between 16 – 18 degrees. Breathable cotton clothing can also help with keeping cool at night.
Top Tip – put socks on your baby, under their sleep clothes and the sleeping bag. Room temperature normally drops at around 5 am, this can wake your child as their feet suddenly get cold. Often the extra pair of socks can help with early rising.
Keep the bedroom quiet or consider using a white noise machine to mask outside sounds – particularly if your child has been used to this as a baby. Use dark curtains to block out light.

little girl happy sleeping in her sleep friendly bedroom

What To Watch Out For In Older Child’s Bedroom?

Attend to any objects that cast potentially frightening shadows at night. This could leave a child frightened. You can ask your child if there is anything they want to take out of their bedroom to get a sense of what may potentially scare them.
If your child plays in their bedroom, involve them in tidying away toys before bed, so there is a clear separation between “play time” and “sleep time”.
If your child shares their room with a sibling, ensure each child has a separate space to call their own.

family with a newborn baby in the moses basket

Bedroom Set Up For A Newborn To 1 Year Old

In the room you should have cot or Moses or travel cot or carry cot. Use a good quality, firm, flat and waterproof mattress covered with cotton sheet. You will need a sleeping bag for a baby and light cellular blankets (remember to tuck those in, never have them loose in the cot with a baby).
Avoid using sleep pods or nests, sleepyhead, sleep positioners, hammocks, cot bumpers, pillows, duvets, loose heavy, non-breathable blankets, comforters or soft toys for children under 1 year old. Make sure to always follow Lullaby trust safety recommendations! to prevent your baby from SIDS.

children's bedroom shelves with soft toys

Bedroom Set Up For Older Child

Use comfortable bedding and pillows that are appropriate for the temperature of the room – don’t forget to let your child help select their bedding or make it relevant to their likes and interests.
The Lullaby Trust recommends no bedding until after 12 months and ideally not until the child is using a toddler bed as opposed to a cot with raised sides. In these sleep guides you will find great techniques that will help you with transitioning from co-sleeping, transitioning to the cot or how to transition to a toddler bed.

How To Avoid Any Bedroom Anxieties:

You can leave an item or an object that reminds your child of you to support your child to manage any sense of separation anxiety. For example, they could place one of your pyjama tops under their pillow as a reminder that you are never far away. A photo could serve a similar purpose.
Many children have a transitional object: a particular favourite teddy or blanket that helps them to feel secure when you are not there. This can be a great support to a child. If your child has a transitional object, encourage them to take this into the bedroom at sleep time. You can use “teddy” as a means of talking about sleep needs. For example, “teddy has had a busy day, and wants to be quiet and calm now. Can you keep teddy company and help him drop to sleep?”

Have you downloaded your freebie yet? Top 10 Baby Sleep Coach Tips To Help Your Baby Sleep Better Guide! If not, then make sure to click here.

For more advice on how to help your baby sleep and find a baby sleep solution that works for you and your family, you can check out our 1 : 1 consultation services or our new baby sleep guides which come with free access to my Sleepy Village Facebook community for easy access to get your questions answered.

Tailored Sleep Plans with 1:1 support

Gentle Sleep Solution Guides for Instant Download

Frequently Asked Questions On How Can I Make My Child Sleep Better:

Can vitamin D help my baby sleep better?

What foods will help baby sleep better?

How to make kids room sleep friendly?

How does blue light affect your child’s sleep?

How to make going back to work after maternity leave easier?

How to adjust child’s routine when the clocks go back?

Advice and guidance of safer sleep for babies.

How to get babies and children to sleep when traveling?

Top 10 tips for traveling with a baby, toddler or a child.

How to help baby sleep in the heat?

How to adjust child’s routine when the clocks go forward?

Is it a good idea to give baby a dummy?

Breast pumping and sleep, when is best to breast pump.

Will my baby sleep better if I give them a bottle?

Will my baby sleep better if I feed them every 4 hours?

Will my nursery/ childcare provider support my child’s sleep?

How can I enjoy the first Christmas with my baby?

Halloween sleepy food recipes and ideas to get your children sleeping well.

How To Get Baby To Sleep When Travelling?

by Baby Sleep Coach | Apr 1, 2022 | Traveling with a baby and sleep

As travel begins to slowly reappear you might suddenly be faced with stress around how to travel with your baby, how to help your baby sleep on vacation and of course where your baby can sleep when travelling.
Fear not, combining years of baby and child experience your Baby Sleep Coach has come up with the answers to new parents five most asked questions about baby sleep whilst on holiday:

Will Travel Ruin Baby’s Sleep Routine?

This is likely the most asked question relating to travel and holidays that I get asked. The answer is no, a week or two of a slightly altered routine won’t put your efforts to waste and, if they do throw your baby off their usual sleep schedule, it shouldn’t be too hard to get them back on track. When you return from your holiday ensure you begin your ‘pre-holiday’ sleep routine the first night back, this helps to show that when you are at home it’s business as usual. The best way to help baby sleep when travelling is to create a ‘home from home’ environment wherever you are staying.

Here Are A Few Top Tips:

Use your own travel cot where possible and practise beforehand – if you can’t take your own travel cot (such as if you’re taking your baby on a plane) then check with the hotel the size of the travel cot they will be providing and take your own sheets. If you can use sheets that have already been in the baby’s cot then they will smell of home and be more comforting. If their cot mattress is a different size to yours it’s definitely worth purchasing new sheets that will fit to be able to provide your baby with this home comfort.

Don’t forget the favourite features of their bedtime routine! Whether your baby has a favourite soft toy, baby comforter, bedtime story, their top baby bath toy, a white noise machine or even a favourite pair of pyjama’s make sure to pack it! If you wear their pyjama under your top for few days, your baby will find your scent very calming, relaxing and soothing.

Travel black-out blinds – these can be a lifesaver when staying somewhere other than home. If your baby is accustomed to a dark room then you will want to purchase one of these before staying away.

An Air BnB is a great way to create that ‘home from home’ environment as they tend to have more home comforts and features than a hotel room.

Where Does Baby Nap When On Holiday?

Every baby is different, especially when it comes to their sleeping habits. By now you will know if your baby is likely to sleep on the move or whether they absolutely need their beds. If you want to be out and about during your travels then practise with on-the-move naps prior to your trip.

Our Suggestions For On The Move Napping For Active Parents Include:

Pram or Buggy – if you’re going somewhere warm ensure you have a form of shade available either from a parasol or an extended pram hood. Avoid hanging a muslin or blanket over the front of the pram in order to create shade, it can get very hot very quickly under there.

A baby carrier – There are baby carriers available for a wider range of baby sizes on the current market. If you’re going to try a baby carrier for the first time, ensure you do a trial run to check the settings are comfortable – you definitely don’t want to injure your back halfway through a hike and still have a baby to carry around!

In a car seat whilst travelling – the gentle vibrations of a moving car are often ideal sleep promoters for babies and if you are transporting yourselves by car it might be a good idea to do so at nap time so they don’t get restless. Please remember to never leave your baby in a hot car as the temperature can rise very quickly once the air conditioning is turned off. Make sure to take frequent breaks and get your baby out of the car seat, if you doing long journeys

In the hotel/room – don’t be afraid to sacrifice some of your usual exploration time for a nap in the hotel room. Some babies will only sleep in a cot but if you are travelling in a warm environment the break from the heat might do you both good.

How Can I Help Baby Sleep in Travel Cot?

Travel cots aren’t the most luxurious of items, you can buy additional mattresses for most but if you are travelling abroad taking a mattress, even a fold-up one, is likely not an option. In the absence of an extra mattress – and don’t be afraid to ask the hotel for one – we recommended padding the bottom of the cot with a couple of flat bath towels and putting the sheet over the top. This should help baby to sleep better, don’t be tempted to use soft duvets or thick blankets as baby’s sleep surface should be flat and firm – but the towel should just ensure the base of the bottom of the cot isn’t poking into babies back.

If your little one is a toddler then consider whether a mattress on the floor would be more comfortable for them as the travel cots can be quite flimsy and a determined toddler could knock one over. If your toddler isn’t used to sleeping without the sides of a cot then ensure you line the floor next to them with a duvet or towels as hotel floors tend to be much firmer than bedroom carpets!

Do You Keep To Baby’s Bed-Time Routine When Away From Home?

Where possible, try to keep the night-time routine similar such as bath, book and bed. If you do need to adjust bedtimes to make the most of your time away then don’t panic too much – it shouldn’t harm your usual routine when you return! Just make sure that on your return home you go straight back to the usual bedtime or baby sleep schedule. This will help differentiate between ‘holiday bedtime’ and ‘home bedtime’. I have fond memories of the excitement of staying up past bedtime when on holiday as a child.

It is also common to find that holiday excitement, activities and sunshine tire your children out quicker. After all, Vitamin D can help your baby sleep so as you’re more likely to be outside, they are more likely to tire out – we’ll let you decide whether that is a help or hindrance to your time away!

You know your child and how they will cope best however, we would recommend if you are staying up later to try and be near to your hotel. That way should the signs of over-tiredness begin to creep up you can quickly get them to bed, don’t forget that they can start the night sleeping in the pram whilst you’re out and when you get them back to your room you can just transfer them in their bed. There’s nothing wrong with letting baby snooze in the buggy whilst the adults enjoy a nice meal on their holiday.

What Should My Baby Wear To Bed On Holiday?

What to dress your baby in for bed can be a minefield of questions for any new parent as the weather changes, so what to dress baby in for bed when travelling can be a really stressful packing question!

To practise baby safe sleeping guidelines, I always recommend that once they are big enough (check your sleeping bag manufacturer but most are from 8lbs) they sleep in a baby sleeping bag or baby gro bag. You can get lower tog sleeping bags up to even 0.5 tog, which is very thin. Alternatively, you can let baby just sleep in a vest or nappy if they will, my baby would never go to sleep without some covering so we would get the lowest tog possible and keep baby in nappy underneath if it was still warm.

If you’re worried about it being warm, taking a room thermometer is a good idea. You can take small ones that are just a piece of card that will give you a good enough estimate to make a decision. You can use a fan in the baby’s room but make sure it’s not pointed at them and, as usual, keep them away from heat sources and direct sunlight. The Lullaby Trust has a some great advice on keeping baby safe during the summer.

Let us know if this has helped you or if you have any further questions about getting your baby to sleep when travelling, in the comments section below.

Have you downloaded your freebie yet? Top 10 Baby Sleep Coach Tips To Help Your Baby Sleep Better Guide! If not, then make sure to click here.

For more advice on how to help your baby sleep and find a baby sleep solution that works for you and your family, you can check out our 1 : 1 consultation services or our new baby sleep guides which come with free access to my Sleepy Village Facebook community for easy access to get your questions answered.

Tailored Sleep Plans with 1:1 support

Gentle Sleep Solution Guides for Instant Download

Frequently Asked Questions On How Can I Make My Child Sleep Better:

Can vitamin D help my baby sleep better?

What foods will help baby sleep better?

How to make kids room sleep friendly?

How does blue light affect your child’s sleep?

How to make going back to work after maternity leave easier?

How to adjust child’s routine when the clocks go back?

Advice and guidance of safer sleep for babies.

How to get babies and children to sleep when traveling?

Top 10 tips for traveling with a baby, toddler or a child.

How to help baby sleep in the heat?

How to adjust child’s routine when the clocks go forward?

Is it a good idea to give baby a dummy?

Breast pumping and sleep, when is best to breast pump.

Will my baby sleep better if I give them a bottle?

Will my baby sleep better if I feed them every 4 hours?

Will my nursery/ childcare provider support my child’s sleep?

How can I enjoy the first Christmas with my baby?

Halloween sleepy food recipes and ideas to get your children sleeping well.

How To Help Baby Sleep In The Heat?

by Baby Sleep Coach | Mar 29, 2022 | Traveling with a baby and sleep

As summer arrives, your baby may have trouble sleeping in the heat – which is perfectly normal! Many parents worry about the temperature of their baby or toddler on a hot day and, whilst it is definitely something to pay attention to, it doesn’t mean all past baby sleep solutions need to be disregarded.

To help parents help their baby sleep when it’s hot, our baby sleep coach has gathered some of our best summer sleep solutions for your baby or toddler!

toddler sleeping in the nappy in the heat

How To Dress Baby For Sleep In The Heat?

Dressing your Baby for bed when it’s hot is not as complicated as it may feel. We have a simple Pinterest pin you can save to reference in the future or you can check out our breakdown below:

Under 16 Degrees Celcius – Vest (long sleeve if possible), Sleepsuit, 2.5 tog or higher sleeping bag and socks

17 – 19 Degrees Celcius – Vest (short), sleepsuit, 2.5 tog sleeping bag.

20 – 22 Degrees Celcius – Vest (short or long) and 1 or 1.5 tog sleeping bag

23 – 25 Degrees Celcius – Nappy and a 1 tog sleeping bag

25 Degrees Celcius or higher – Just a Nappy if your baby will or the lightest sleeping bag you can find. Tommee Tippee do 0.2 tog sleeping bags or 0.5 togs are widely available online.

fan keeping childrens room cool at in the heat

How To Keep Baby’s Room Cool In Hot Weather?

It can be a real struggle for parents to keep their baby’s room at the ideal temperature during the summer months. There are many factors at play – how can you keep your baby cool at night in summer without having them wake up cold if the temperature drops?

Luckily we have gathered top tips to help you out:

Buy a Room Thermometer – if there is one essential item for a baby’s nursery after a cot, let it be your room thermometer. Being able to monitor your baby or toddler’s room temperature will enable you to make informed decisions about how to dress the baby for sleep in all weathers. Bonus Tip: A lot of modern baby monitors have thermometers included, ensure you check this with an alternative thermometer before relying on it as these tend to be at a higher temperature. Remember, heat rises so you want the thermometer as close to level with where baby is sleeping as possible.

Keep the blinds and curtains closed and the door open for the babies room during the day. Whilst you may feel like to help baby sleep better in the heat you should have the curtains wide open to let in as much air as possible, sunlight coming into the room will make it warmer. Keep the windows open but the curtains closed to avoid this sunny side-effect, as recommended by the lullaby trust site.

Use a fan to circulate air around the room but ensure it is not pointing at the baby. A lot of babies actually enjoy the white noise that a fan emits so you may find that it helps soothe the baby to sleep. Great tip – use a bowl of ice or freeze a large bottle of water and place it in front of the fan, this will make the air circulating cold.

Use air conditioning if available, there are many portable air conditioning units you can buy. If using an air conditioning unit, cool the room before you put your baby to sleep. Use it for the duration of their sleep, set the temperature for 16 – 18 degrees and make sure the unit is in a suitable position so it’s not blowing cold air directly at the baby. If the room is cooled to lower temperatures, remember to dress your baby accordingly.

Some babies won’t settle in the cot with distractions going on, so if you need to close the door of the baby’s room to get to sleep, wait 5 or 10 minutes after they have dropped off and open it up to let air from the rest of the house flow through.

If you are having doors and windows open whilst your baby is asleep, don’t forget to use a doorstop or heavy item so that a wind-induced door slam doesn’t wake up your baby!

You can also hang a wet towel over the chair, the evaporating water will cool the air

Fill a hot water bottle with ice and place it in their cot if they are over 1 year old.

How To Check If A Baby Is Too Hot Whilst Sleeping?

The best way to check your baby isn’t overheating when it’s hot at night is to go in and gently place a hand on their chest and their back. A lot of babies’ backs of their heads will get warm – this is completely normal and common in both children and adults alike! So if you focus on the chest you should get an idea of how hot they are.

What To Do If Baby Is Hot Whilst Sleeping?

If you do find that your child is too hot at night, whilst you will want to avoid waking them up if you have finally settled baby to sleep, it’s worth working to make the room cooler. If you want to introduce a fan that is particularly noisy, we would recommend starting the fan off in a different room a bit further away but pointing in the direction of the baby’s room and then after 5 minutes bringing it closer whilst ensuring it isn’t pointing at the baby. This will gradually introduce the fan-noise to them without starting them. If you place a frozen water bottle or bowl of ice in front of the fan it will keep the circulating air cooler.

Try to keep them on their back, whilst this is a normal safety issue a lot of parents find that when older their baby likes to sleep on their stomach. This is still okay to do but ensure that their cot sheet is tight-fitting and will not go over their face. Similarly, try to avoid using blankets that may end up covering their face. If your child requires a blanket and won’t use a gro bag or sleep without covering, then ensure it is a cellular blanket as these have breathable holes in them.

Whilst you will be keeping your baby’s blinds closed (but window open in the heat) you may feel this doesn’t allow for much of a draft. Try propping open the doors in multiple rooms with the windows open in order to create a cooler house overall and a gentle draft of fresh air.

How To Settle Baby To Sleep In Heat?

You will likely find that the heat will either wipe your baby out so they sleep easier, or make them hot and bothered so they take longer to fall asleep. Check out these 3 tips:

Return to baby every 20 minutes if they are struggling to sleep in order to offer them a drink of cold water if they are weaned. Try not to engage in conversation during this time for the risk of waking them. If your baby isn’t weaned then try to have a bottle (or breast) handy to top them up with fluid every half an hour.

Give baby a cooler bath close to bedtime, this will help to lower their body temperature before bed.

Try not to have a baby in an overly cold room for their bedtime routine. If they have been downstairs in a room with a cooling fan, in just a nappy then when they go to bed they are going to feel warmer instantly!

Whilst it may feel uncomfortable and warm for you, try not to be sleeveless if holding them for a feed before bed. Having the skin on skin on the back of the neck when it is hot outside is just going to contribute to them feeling sweaty and clammy.

Try to be patient! It can be frustrating when your baby won’t go to sleep, but it is natural for it to be a more difficult sleep process when the weather is warmer.

child wearing a sunhat in the hot summer day

What Else Can I Do To Help My Baby In The Summer?

Aside from sleep, the day to day challenges of having a baby or toddler in the summer months can be quite daunting. If you want to read about the best ways to help baby when travelling check out our blog for helping baby to sleep whilst travelling here.

Otherwise, remember these important tips:

Don’t leave your little one anywhere it can get hot fast. This includes; the car, covered in a pram, or just sat out in the sun. Covering prams with a muslin will heat them up like a greenhouse. Cover them with safety checked cooling pram covers made for purpose if you have to. Use pram parasols.

Sunhats are your baby’s best friend! What can you do if your baby or toddler won’t wear a hat? Keep them in the shade! It’s an unfortunate consequence when we want to enjoy the sun ourselves, but keeping their heads out of the sun is very important. There are several reasonably priced parasols available on the market if your toddler refuses to wear a sunhat.

Keep them hydrated! If you are breastfeeding, your milk will naturally adjust to the hot temperature and provide more hydrating milk for your little one, so there is no need to top them up with water if they are under 6 months. Just make sure to offer breast more often. If your baby is on formula, you can offer them sips of cooled boiled water (under 6 months). If your little one is older and isn’t drinking enough water, whilst you may be resistant to offering them a flavoured substitute, very lightly diluted cordial or fresh juice watered down a lot may be necessary if they aren’t drinking. Alternatively, you can make a smoothie using fresh or frozen fruit and even turn that smoothie into ice lollies by freezing it in a suitable container.

Paddling pools (in the shade or with hats) are a great way to have fun whilst maintaining a good temperature.

Let us know if this has helped you or if you have any further questions about getting your baby to sleep when in the heat, in the comments section below.

Have you downloaded your freebie yet? Top 10 Baby Sleep Coach Tips To Help Your Baby Sleep Better Guide! If not, then make sure to click here.

For more advice on how to help your baby sleep and find a baby sleep solution that works for you and your family, you can check out our 1 : 1 consultation services or our new baby sleep guides which come with free access to my Sleepy Village Facebook community for easy access to get your questions answered.

Tailored Sleep Plans with 1:1 support

Gentle Sleep Solution Guides for Instant Download

Frequently Asked Questions On How Can I Make My Child Sleep Better:

Can vitamin D help my baby sleep better?

What foods will help baby sleep better?

How to make kids room sleep friendly?

How does blue light affect your child’s sleep?

How to make going back to work after maternity leave easier?

How to adjust child’s routine when the clocks go back?

Advice and guidance of safer sleep for babies.

How to get babies and children to sleep when traveling?

Top 10 tips for traveling with a baby, toddler or a child.

How to help baby sleep in the heat?

How to adjust child’s routine when the clocks go forward?

Is it a good idea to give baby a dummy?

Breast pumping and sleep, when is best to breast pump.

Will my baby sleep better if I give them a bottle?

Will my baby sleep better if I feed them every 4 hours?

Will my nursery/ childcare provider support my child’s sleep?

How can I enjoy the first Christmas with my baby?

Halloween sleepy food recipes and ideas to get your children sleeping well.

Will My Nursery / Child-Care Provider Support My Little Ones Sleep?

by Baby Sleep Coach | Mar 3, 2022 | Working parents

When you have worked hard to improve your child’s sleep routine, especially if your child has had difficulty sleeping in the past, the idea of sending them to a Nursery or a Child-minder where their sleep routine may not be supported can be daunting to parents.

When selecting a child-care facility, I always recommend looking around at least twice and at different times of the day if you’re able to as this will give you more of an idea of their routine. However, you should always speak to your child-care provider about your child’s sleep routines and your concerns. Maybe you have a special phrase that means it’s sleep-time, or perhaps a comforter that needs to be removed once they fall asleep? All these little things can affect your child’s sleep and it’s perfectly acceptable to ask them about it!

Recently, I was asked by Purple Jay Nurseries to go to their Lambeth, London site (they also have lovely facilities in both Peckham Rye and East Dulwich) and do a presentation and question and answer style interview for the parents there all about Supporting Sleep and talking them through my gentle, holistic methods. I was so pleased not only to be asked and able to help this group of parents in person (which thanks to Covid were a novelty) but to be able to answer individual questions.

It was also refreshing to have a nursery wanting to support their parents and little ones through what can be one of the biggest challenges of parenting. Having passed on my methods to both staff and parents, I’m confident it will help everyone get some improved sleep and more communication regarding sleep behaviours between the nursery and parents. They were so accommodating and I hope to return at some stage as I felt it not only really benefitted everyone but also built the parents confidence that the Nursery is looking after their little one’s best interests. Something every parent wants in their child-care provider!

How Can I Communicate Our Sleep Routine To Nursery / Child-Care?

Absolutely make sure you communicate your sleep routine! Child-care providers will be actively looking for all the methods to help support your little one to sleep. Remember they also WANT them to sleep and be in their best mood possible for the day.

If, like myself, you’re against the cry-it-out method, or have other ‘no no’s’ when it comes to naptime then make sure you make that clear within your handover instructions. If you’re new to your child attending child-care because of going back to work then I’d recommend looking at my Back To Work Guide, shorter than my sleep guide. This guide focuses on returning to work and how to ease this transition. Even if you aren’t returning to work there is a lot of useful information on how to start your child with a child-care provider and a handy handover template/guide.

The best way to communicate your wishes around your child’s care is to write it down (maybe even laminate it!) and put it within your child’s belongings so that whenever the nursery are changing a nappy or in your child’s bag they will be reminded of your care instructions.

Can You Speak To My Child’s Child-Care Provider?

Similarly to the presentation, I did at Purple Jay Nurseries, I’m available to speak to parents and/or staff regarding sleep methods that follow my gentle, holistic and family centred ethos. If your nursery would like me to do a presentation then they can contact me directly here where I can happily talk through the options with them directly.
My sleep presentations build the confidence of parents not only with their home sleep-time routines but also with the ability of their nursery to accommodate their gentle sleep preferences to the highest standard. Discussing these strategies together can bring a new clarification on what may or may not work for a child – and also where the discrepancies might be!

Have you downloaded your freebie yet? Top 10 Baby Sleep Coach Tips To Help Your Baby Sleep Better Guide! If not, then make sure to click here.

For more advice on how to help your baby sleep and find a baby sleep solution that works for you and your family, you can check out our 1 : 1 consultation services or our new baby sleep guides which come with free access to my Sleepy Village Facebook community for easy access to get your questions answered.

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