Soothers in the bin!
Soothers can be a very useful source of comfort for a child, but they can also contribute to disrupted sleep. Often, by the time parents come to me, they are popping the soother in 4-9 times at night.
If the soother is given to baby to go to sleep this means baby needs it to go back to sleep for most sleep cycles which causes broken sleep baby and parent. I always recommend helping baby in to a good routine and introducing another source of comfort, e.g. a Snuggie teddy in preparation for binning the soother. Ones such as Jellycat comforters are ideal, (they wash a million times and don’t thread). A comforter is a lot easier to find in the dark than a soother!
Some babies have soothers until they are toddlers and never have any issues finding them … but I don’t hear from their parents. This pic is from a mom of a six month old baby girl who slept through the night after two weeks routine and one night sleep training.
Every child needs a source of comfort.
Before I work with parents I like to give some advice that will help in advance. I always request that you introduce a source of comfort to your little one.
For Babies:-
A snuggie teddy / comforter such as the Marks & Spencer’s brand or the Jellycat Brand – the teddies with the little blankets attached to them are ideal. I’ve used these brands for years and they wash well.
With very young babies please don’t leave snuggie teddy in the cot when they are unsupervised, you can settle them with it and remove it once they are asleep.
For children 15 months plus:-
A soft stuffed teddy can become their little friend – the Jellycat brand have a great selection.
How to implement a snuggie teddy:-
For all ages overuse it to implement it and once they are sleeping well it can be limited to naps and night time. Play peek-a boo, tickle time, bring it in the stroller or car seat. Use it every time your little one is offered the soother, breast or bottle to help create a positive association with it. If they only have it when they go to the cot – after they have been helped to sleep – they are not going to have time to bond with it. This source of comfort can really help your little one at night.
I always recommend that you get a minimum of three of the same teddies. If your little one has a vomiting bug, you will have some spare clean ones to offer. Also, if your little one attends Day Care you can bring it with them on a Monday and bring it home on a Friday for a wash.
If you decide to get one blue monkey, one green and one grey, you’re asking for trouble with a toddler down the line … “I don’t want blue monkey … I want grey monkey … grey monkey is in Nana’s house, have blue … NO.” You see where this can lead?
Keep your snuggie teddy “fresh”. Babies can get attached to the texture and smells of a snuggie so it’s advisable that you ensure that smell is a clean one rather than a grubby one that they don’t want to be washed.
If your child already has a snuggie teddy / blankie try to grow the positive association with it in advance of us working together if you are waiting for an appointment.
