How do you manage your family's sleep struggles? Share your tips and stories below - £200 voucher to be won

[MaddyMumsnet]

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Sleep struggles are a common challenge for many families, whether it's getting little ones to settle, or dealing with night wakings. From establishing bedtime routines to soothing techniques, we want to hear what has helped you and your family get a better night's sleep. Whether you've tried gentle sleep training methods, incorporated white noise, or discovered the magic of a bedtime story, your insights could make all the difference to another Mumsnet user.

• Post your stories/items/challenges/tips in the thread below to be entered into a prize draw
• One lucky MNer will win a £200 voucher for a store of their choice.

Here’s what Boots has to say:

Our Baby Sleep Event is here to guide you through the sweet dreams and restless nights. Discover an array of essential products and expert advice tailored to help your little one drift into peaceful slumber. From cosy sleepwear to bedtime feeding, Boots is your trusted partner in creating the perfect sleep routine. Navigate the journey of parenthood with confidence, knowing that we're here for every sleep-deprived moment. You can also enjoy 8 Advantage Card points for every £1 spent on Baby when you join Boots Parenting Club.

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ

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When our little one was still a newborn, we always felt so tired because of not sleeping enough. We attempted all kinds of things to help them relax, like wrapping them up and letting a sound that is like a steady hiss play through the whole night. Ultimately, creating a consistent sleep schedule made the change for us. We would lower the light brightness, have a bedtime story session, and follow this plan every night without fail. After a while, our child began to connect those signs with time to sleep and it made things go more easily. Also, using calming methods we know well, such as softly swinging or taking a warm bath before sleeping, assisted in relaxing them when they were too active. It's amazing how those little rituals can make such a big difference!

A gentle routine and very limited screen time helps.

We're still getting a few wakes during the night as little one is just over 2, but we just take in turn to put him back to sleep (and fall asleep with him!).

White noise has helped massively from a young age.

Consistent bedtime routine & winding down at least 90 mins before bedtime - this works for us.
No tv beforehand, bath, dh brushes the teeth, we pick a couple of stories to read, then just chat in the dark , I lay in bed with dd (she’s 4) and we talk about all sorts. She eventually drifts off after about 15/20 mins. Sometimes sooner. She sleeps through the night.

Ds is 14 months old, he tends to go to sleep about half an hour after dd, but the routine is the same except the chatting part! If I start talking too much, ds wants to get up & play, so I put the white noise machine on low and lay with him/cuddle him, keeping things quiet and calm. He eventually drifts off too, then I sneak off downstairs 🤭
He doesn’t sleep through the night , he’s only a baby and we are breastfeeding (& co sleeping) but overall he’s a good sleeper, only waking for feeds 2/3 times in the night .

A white noise machine which links to my phone really seemed to help distract my DS with womb audio, and white noise. I ended up getting one for my own room as it helped with my tinnitus. As others have said a wind down hour of low voices darkened rooms and sound proof curtains in the nursery.

The key for us was finding a routine that helped DS which was never what I'd read or others advised. We tried quiet times, winding down etc, but it never worked: he's either operating at 100mph or he's asleep, and as he's always been a good night sleeper and falls asleep within a couple of minutes, we've gone with it as it obviously works for him!

Bed time stories were key for us. They were a special part of the day that helped everyone to wind down, snuggle up and look forward to relaxing together in a bedtime context. As the children got older the stories were serialised with a couple of chapters every night. You can’t beat a good book at bedtime!

Routine, routine, routine. As soon as possible once the crazy newborn phase is over. I'm not talking Gina Ford type strictness but just doing the same things in the same order at roughly the same time every night. Allowing some wind down time with reading or playing a calm game/having a bath in the hour before bed time. Even using the same words to say goodnight.

My tips would be to get a regular daily routine - even weekends, with wind down times, reassuring them that they will have wonderful dreams, I found after adding black out blinds (mainly to hide the security light from next door) and a night light, Settling DOES take patience when you are dog tired, but if you are consistent with soothing, they will fall off.

It's all about routine and getting fresh air every day. Even if only a quick walk

I plan a routine around bedtime that incorporates no screen time one hour before bed

When mine were young I felt consistency was key and always put them back to their own bed when they woke during the night. Now as teens I'd love for one last cuddle in bed from them.

If we can't get out for a walk in the pram, we go for a drive in the car when he is overtired, after around 10 minutes is he is in a deep sleep. Routine, a dark bedroom and being quiet after 7 helps.

The winner of the £200 voucher is @ohdannyboy - Congrats!