Struggling to get your baby to sleep? Ask MAM’s expert Midwife, Zoe Watson

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Having a newborn can be really challenging as you navigate feeding, sleeping, and understanding what your baby needs at any given time. We’ve invited MAM’s Midwife, Zoe Watson, to answer any questions you might have around night feeds, sleeping, or establishing a routine with your baby.

• Everyone who shares a question on the thread below will be entered into a prize draw.
• One lucky Mumsnet user will win a £200 voucher.

Zoe will be online on the following dates to answer your questions*:

• 5th May
• 18th May

About Midwife Zoe Watson: Zoe is a Registered Nurse and Midwife with over ten years of experience working in the NHS caring for patients and their families. Zoe qualified as a Midwife in 2012 and has since worked in various settings, from a specialist home birth team to a high-risk delivery suite, and most recently at a community birth centre. Zoe is passionate about maintaining her professional development to enhance the advice and support she gives to new and expectant parents. Zoe has two young daughters, Edith and Dorothy. As a Mum, she has direct experience of water birth, home birth, breastfeeding, breastfeeding through pregnancy, tandem nursing, and weaning.

About Health Visitor Claire Bailey:
A dual-qualified nurse, midwife & health visitor with three beautiful children of her own. Currently working as a health visitor, Claire loves working with families.
Supporting them and their babies through the good and the hard times.

Here’s what MAM has to say:
“We’re MAM and we love babies. We believe that only the best is good enough for them! That’s why for over 45 years we’ve been developing extra-safe baby products that combine attractive, innovative design with proven medical benefits. So, parents can feel confident, and babies feel good.”

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!
MNHQ

Mumsnet Insight T&Cs apply

*Please note, if your question is urgent, contact your regular GP or call 111.

Hi @DinkyDaffodil, thank you for your question. Thinking about routines early will support you and your family’s bedtime. It’s suggested a bedtime routine for babies can be from around 3 months old. You can try putting them both down at the same time and have a bedtime routine that includes a bath and a story. It may be trial and error at first but making the effort to synchronise bedtime will help long term. If you prefer to have bedtime with your toddler on their own then this is also possible. Try finding a time when someone can support you to implement this routine. Please contact your local family centre for more support around this. Thank you. Claire.

Hello @HobNobAddict, NHS guidelines state that between 6-12 months a baby can go through the night without feeds. This is the recommended time when you can introduce solid food to your baby, and they will require less nutrition from milk from this time onwards. UNICEF states that it is both normal and essential for your baby to feed during the night. Your baby will grow quickly in the early weeks and months of their lives and have very small stomachs. Therefore, they need to feed around the clock to meet their needs. Your baby will be 6 months soon and hopefully, when solid food is introduced, this will decrease the need to feed during the night. Please see your health visitor for further support with this. Thank you for your question. Claire.

Our 9m DS seems to sleep better in the travel cot at GPs than his real cot at home, should we switch to a travel cot at home. I think it's the soft sides of the travel cot he likes as he bounces round alot in the night.

How can I get my 4 month old to sleep in his crib in the day? He will happily fall asleep in the car/pram/in my arms or carrier but not in the crib. He also only has 5/10 minute naps at the moment so is awake most of the day then gets super grumpy.

We're currently sleep training our 11 month old and he's already sleeping through the night, but cries hysterically for 40 minutes beforehand due to separation anxiety. We try and calm him in the cot but it doesn't work and he cries himself to sleep. Will this improve with sleep training or do we need to try something else?

Do you have any tips on doing the night feeds after a caesarean? I will be having one and hopefully breast feeding.

Hi @PregnantQuestions, here are my top tips to help make breastfeeding following a caesarean smoother. These apply to both day and night! Firstly, be gentle with yourself. Remember that your body has been through a major operation, and may take a while to adjust to the new demands of breastfeeding. So take your time and rest whenever you can, eat and drink well. Secondly, it's essential to be aware of any pain or discomfort you may feel; this can be a normal part of the healing process, but if it's severe or persists, contact your midwife or GP for advice. Third, make sure you get plenty of support. Whether it's from your midwife, a breastfeeding specialist, or other mothers in the same situation, it's important to have a support system to help you through this challenging time. Chatting about any difficulties you may be facing will make things much more manageable. Fourth, get to grips with different breastfeeding positions. Your tummy may feel sore whilst you recover. Therefore, the more traditional cradle hold may not suit you. Instead, look at the underarm/rugby ball hold or feed while lying down. Finally, remember to say 'yes' to any offers of help. Having a fresh home-cooked meal or the laundry put on will lighten the mental load. Most importantly, if you're struggling or need further support, contact your midwife immediately. Good luck! Zoe x

Hello, @skywalkersweetie. Every stage of a child’s development sometimes just needs a little tweaking to help family life. Sometimes children are champion sleepers but getting them off can sometimes be challenging. Having a bedtime routine can help the child prepare for what is next and start to understand what bedtime is for. Create a consistent bedtime routine and stick to it as much as possible. Introducing a comforter like a teddy whenever he feels worried can help him learn to self-soothe. Changing his sleep environment may also help, from night lights to a new bed, to make sleeping more comforting and exciting. Try and avoid putting him down when he is feeling overtired, or not sleepy enough, come bedtime. Make sure he is full and not hungry. You can try white noise in the background. Remember to speak quietly at night and try to soothe him without using words. Some babies find comfort in sucking, so you could try introducing a soother as part of your routine. There are many ways to help with sleep training and it is just working out what works best for your son. The chair sleep technique is very popular. Generally, children will grow out of these stages but seek support from a health visitor if you need further support. Thanks Claire.

Hello, @BekiP, thank you for your question. Your baby might like the movement, warmth, and sound of your heartbeat which can be comforting. You can start getting your baby used to going to sleep without you comforting them by putting them down before they fall asleep or when they have just finished a feed. You can try to put a hot water bottle in the crib to warm the area before you lay them down, remove it. You could try white noise in the room. Consistency is key and trying to keep to a routine as best you can, will help your baby to understand the different times of day. I also would suggest you see a GP or health visitor to rule out the possibility of reflux. Babies should be able to relax and sleep for at least 1.5 hours at a time. Babies that prefer to be upright and sleep more soundly this way may be suffering from reflux symptoms. If you are bottle feeding, make sure you have chosen a bottle that has an anti-colic feature. I hope this helps. Claire

Hello, @Ukrainebaby23. The same safe-sleep rules apply to travel cots as to regular cot beds. Advice from The Lullaby Trust states that the cot you use needs to have a firm, flat mattress covered in waterproof material. The mattresses in travel cots can be thinner and harder than those in regular cots, but this is normal. Never add any blankets over the top of the mattress to make it more comfortable to sleep on, as this can risk injury or your baby overheating. Travel cots are great for short stints away from home or for daytime naps, but they’re not intended for frequent use over a long period of time. Try warming your cot up before use with a hot water bottle, always remove this before your baby sleeps in the cot. Remember teething discomfort or hunger may wake some babies during the night at this age. Try to keep to a good bedtime routine and always seek support from a health professional if you need more advice. Thank you for your question, Claire

Thanks to everyone who took part in the Q&A. The winner of the prize draw is @ButterOllocks - congrats!

Thank you so much!

Are doula /night nanny’s /maternity nurses on this