Lullaby of the blue

08/09/2022

Thank you Ma’am. Now rest in peace 🥲

29/07/2022

LONG POST ALERT🚨 😆
So I thought I’d do a post for all those families who may be travelling to a different time zone this holiday like we have.

We are 7 hours ahead in Malaysia currently and after 18 hours of travel and then my 7 year old waking for 2 hours in the night due to his UK body clock, I wanted to reassure other families that no matter what we try to do the biological body clock always wins!! 🙈

It didn’t matter how much I planned when to allow the boys to sleep on the plane so it didn’t impact their night time, or when they should get to bed to adjust to the new time zone. Because no matter what I did, I couldn’t control their biological body clock. All we can do though is support it to change but this takes patience and time.

So I think what I’m trying to suggest is don’t overthink their sleep too much when you’re away especially when in a new time zone. It is out of our immediate control. What we can control however is:

☀️Trying to stick to nap schedules if they’re still having them.

☀️Get stuck into the new time zone straight away as soon as you arrive.

☀️Get them into the daylight to keep them awake even if their body clock is telling them to sleep.

☀️If they no longer nap they may just need a tiny power nap to avoid overtiredness especially if they’re getting later bedtimes

☀️And DO expect a crankier child until their body clock adjusts.

And if they are wide awake in the middle of the night due to jet lag etc then just comfort them, empathise with them offer reassurance and acknowledgement of their frustration. When I did this last night my son did eventually relax and fall back to sleep. Remember, the jet lag will only last a few days and it WILL pass.

So as I say ‘just got with it’ and concentrate on making those holiday memories instead of stressing too much about how they sleep (I will also be taking on this advice )😜
Happy holidays!!☀️☀️☀️☀️

18/07/2022

Is everyone surviving this heat??! I’ve been asked a lot of questions on what to dress their babies in? How much water should we give our baby? Does my baby still need water if they are breast feeding?

So I thought I’d put a few tips on here to help answer any questions.

☀️ yes it is absolutely fine to offer cool boiled water as extra fluids whether they’re breast or bottle fed. Tap water is fine from 6months. Offer extra water. If old enough things like ice lollies can help with the fluid intake

☀️Dress them in light layers at night. In this heat a short sleeve vest or even just a nappy is fine depending on the temperature of your room

☀️ close blinds and curtains during the day and ventilate rooms during the day

☀️ giving them a luke warm bath, not cold can help regulate their body temperature

☀️ Expect them to take longer to settle at bedtime due to the heat. A fan with iced water in front can help circulate cooler air around the room

☀️ Stay out the sun in the day and don’t cover prams if they’re napping out and about. You’d be surprised how much their prams can heat up under a cover

Take care! Stay cool and soon it’ll be over 😄

07/06/2022

“Our little boy from around 5 months old was waking every 2 hours or so needing to be fed back to sleep each time so we were at an all time low by the time we spoke to Michelle. Axel was around 7 months old at this point and after looking at testimonials and chatting to a couple of friends who knew her we started our gentle sleep training journey! I would say Axel was a tough nut to crack, but Michelle supported us throughout, being super easy to contact on a group WhatsApp between her and my husband, regular phone calls, and a detailed sleep plan. Not only did she help sort his sleep, she also supported me, noticing I had been quiet and clearly upset messaged me privately to make sure I was doing ok. At that time I was feeling incredibly low and just being able to chat it out with her was so kind!

I totally recommend Michelle to anyone who needs support with getting their little one to have long peaceful sleeps! Axel sleeps through the night, and is easy to put down for his naps. We are forever grateful to Michelle. Thank you!!”

❤️ Another happy customer ❤️ I always make sure my clients can easily reach me throughout their support as good communication is so important. As a trained health visitor and a mum of 2 I fully understand how lack of sleep can impact your mental health. I tailor my support around what suits each individual family and I always make sure everyone is happy with their plan before I put it all into writing. If you are struggling with your little ones sleep please do not hesitate to email me on [email protected]

24/04/2022

👋🏽 I’m back after the Easter break, holiday and post covid 🙈 and generally just focusing on the important things that are my family and my 2 boys.
Hi to all my new followers and to my current ones too 😀

For those who don’t know me my name is Michelle and I’m a qualified paediatric nurse, health visitor and sleep coach.

Sleep can be a controversial subject to some, but it really doesn’t have to be. You don’t have to sit on one side of the fence or the other. There is always something out there that feels right for you to get a better night sleep with your little one.

I can offer that support and will always listen to your own needs and wants as well as your little one. I have helped many families reach their goals and I love the improvements and positives that come out from the support. Not only to the child but to the whole family.

Remember you’re not alone! If you are open minded and willing to make changes that suit you then please feel free to email me if you want to book in a free 20 minute telephone consultation

Thanks to those who continue to follow and support me. Us parents are all in this together❤️ [email protected]

08/04/2022

Never thought we’d make it but we did! After 3 long years of not going abroad we’ve made it to Spain! Flying with kids takes a lot of organising and preparation. Here’s some tips I’ve learnt along the way:

-Try to go with it. If they’re due a nap do whatever it takes for them to have it. If they don’t nap try not to panic

-if you can try to time travel during a nap time

-take along their comforter. Even if it’s a day flight, you just never know when you’ll need it

-leave plenty of time at the airport for those tantrums and wee stops 😅 we arrived 3.5 hours before our flight and I was the calmest I’ve ever been 😄

-try to eat before you get on the plane incase if delays

-if they’re old enough prep them for what’s going to happen at the airport. Role play if you and them like that sort of thing. It made it a lot less stressful through security because they had been prepped

-pack lots of snacks snacks and more snacks along with activities and charged up i pads

-Lastly, easier said than done, but try to stay calm. If you’re calm the kids will be calm

Happy holidays xx ☺️☀️ ✈️
❤️

27/03/2022

Sending hugs to those who find today difficult 💝. For this mummy I am feeling so grateful for being able to be with mine today and my two lively (and lovely) boys. The two of the them send me crazy, but also make me laugh and smile by just being themselves. Thank you for making me feel proud to be your mummy. And to all the mummies, step mums, nearly mums, one day to be mums and everything in between… you all rock! ❤️

23/03/2022

Clocks are springing forward on Sunday! Here are a few options for you to choose from:

1. Do nothing. If your little one is flexible and you know they’ll adjust fine

2. Move timings of naps, meal times and bedtimes 15 mins earlier each day from tomorrow (Thursday)

3. Split the difference. Don’t do anything until the day of the change. Then following new times adjust naps, meal times and bedtime half an hour later (new time) for 3 days. Then on the 4th day revert back to the original time.

Finally… don’t worry! They will eventually adjust to the new time. “Hello Spring” 💐🙂 ☀️

21/03/2022

“Hi Michelle. Just wanted to let you know that I have a self settling sleeping baby!!! 🥳🥳 he self settles to sleep every night and for all naps and is only waking once for a short feed in the night. I'm over the moon and wanted to thank you again for your help. Xx”

Love this 👆🏾👆🏾 Its always so daunting trying to change your little ones sleep but with support all you great mums can do it!!

My name is Michelle and I am a qualified health visitor of 11 years and paediatric nurse by background. I have completed an OCN sleep training course that has enabled me to extend my knowledge to support families with their little ones sleep.

I have 2 young boys and if they’ve taught me anything about becoming a mum it’s how emotionally in tune a mother and son can really be.

Sleepless nights are not fun!! And not sustainable!! If you’re anything like me you just can’t function without it 🥺

I love helping families and seeing results as we work together! So here’s to celebrating mum life. Relationships. Work and celebrating the wins as they come 🙌🏾 If you require any support please email me on [email protected]

17/03/2022

When thinking about your baby’s sleep there are a lot of recommendations to ensure your baby sleeps in the safest way possible.
Head to the lullaby trust webpage for further information and advice

230 babies a year die from SIDS in the UK – that’s 4 babies a week. Since the Back to Sleep Campaign in 1991 it has decreased by 82%. Ensure the parents you work with are aware of the safer sleep advice - together we can do this

08/03/2022

Happy international women’s day! Here are just some of my role models and inspirational women in my life! And here’s to all strong women! May we know them, may we respect them, may we be them!!