When Annie’s mum reached out to me as a Child Sleep Consultant, she was struggling with her 9-month-old’s sleep patterns. Although Annie settled relatively well at nap time and bedtime, she was waking frequently throughout the night, leaving both her and her parents exhausted. Here's a closer look at the situation and the steps we took to help Annie achieve the restful sleep she needed.
The Situation: Annie’s sleep schedule wasn’t quite right for her age. Her lunchtime nap was happening too late, which didn’t align with her natural sleep rhythms. Babies have specific windows during the day when they’re naturally more inclined to sleep, and missing these “sleepy windows” can lead to poor quality sleep. As a result, even though Annie was able to fall asleep easily, she wasn’t getting the deep, restorative sleep she needed.
Additionally, Annie had developed a habit of nursing to sleep, creating a strong sleep association. She relied on being nursed to settle back down if she woke during the night. Although she no longer needed night feeds for nutritional reasons, this association caused her to wake more frequently, seeking the comfort of nursing to help her fall back to sleep.
The Plan: To address these issues, we implemented the following strategies:
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Establishing an Age-Appropriate Schedule: We adjusted Annie’s daily routine, setting a consistent wake-up time between 6 AM and 7 AM. This helped regulate her body clock and established a more suitable nap schedule for her age. Naps were moved to a quieter, distraction-free environment to ensure better quality rest.
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Introducing an Early Bedtime and Routine: We set Annie’s bedtime for no later than 7 PM, paired with a consistent 30-minute bedtime routine in her room. This ensured she started the night with deep, restorative sleep, which helped reduce her nighttime awakenings. We also moved her last feed to at least 40 minutes before bedtime and kept it outside her bedroom to prevent reinforcing the association between feeding and sleep.
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Distinguishing Between Real and Comfort Feeds: At Annie’s age, she could sleep through the night without needing to feed. We decided to eliminate nighttime feeds, recognizing that her nutritional needs were met during the day and that any remaining feeds were likely for comfort. If a feed was necessary, it was scheduled between 12 AM and 5 AM to avoid disrupting her deep sleep phases.
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Encouraging Independent Sleep: The ultimate goal was to teach Annie to fall asleep on her own. This meant gently encouraging her to self-soothe at nap time, bedtime, and during any nighttime wake-ups. By fostering this ability, she could fall asleep and stay asleep without relying on her mum’s presence or the comfort of a breastfeed.
The Outcome: By making these adjustments, Annie began to experience more consistent and restorative sleep. Her nighttime awakenings decreased, and she gradually learned to settle herself back to sleep without nursing. This not only improved Annie’s sleep quality but also allowed her mum to get the rest she needed, leading to a happier and healthier household overall.
This case study highlights the importance of an age-appropriate sleep schedule, the power of consistent routines, and the benefits of teaching self-soothing techniques to help babies develop healthy sleep habits. If you’re struggling with your little one’s sleep, why not book a free 15-minute sleep discovery call with me to see how I can help you?
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