Teaching your baby healthy sleep associations is a good way to help with settling just before sleep.

Babies love repetition and will thrive when you implement a routine following certain cues so that she knows what to expect at each time of the day. You may introduce sleep cues or associations at any age. Newborns quickly learn to associate the use of white noise and being swaddled with sleeping, as toddlers can rely on sleeping bags or dummies as their sleep cues.

Choosing ‘Sleep Cues’ can sometimes be tricky as they may be helpful in the beginning but in the long run, they can turn out to be more of a pain than any help! For instance, if you choose to rock your baby to sleep, though it is magical to see your baby drift off to sleep in your arms, it can start to take its toll when you are still rocking 6 or 8 months down the track…at each waking mind you. Most babies love being held and rocked to sleep but it might not be sustainable for parents as a long-term solution, so steer away from this association  Choose a cue that will trigger your little one to feel happy and secure without having to rely on you all of the time, if at all.

Good examples of healthy sleep cues: loveys, comfort toys, white noise, lullabies, swaddling, sleeping bags, dummies, a special blanket or even a piece of clothing! They remove you from the equation allowing more freedom and stress-free napping and bedtimes. Just make sure they are age appropriate.

I love the Sleepytot and recommend it to families who are not ready to wean off the dummy and looking for a comforter, the Sleepytot will tick both these boxes.

No more dummy runs in the night. The Sleepytot will help your little ones find their own dummies. I have worked with them with numerous families and all have had success with improved overnight sleep! Tried, tested and it works!

If you answer yes to any of these and the Sleepytot is a definite choice for you:

• If you constantly find yourself on hands and knees searching under the cot or around the mattress in the darkness for the elusive dummies
• If you need your baby to sleep safely through the night but fear to throw a dozen spare dummies in the cot!
• If you constantly have to get out of bed at night to replace the dummy as your baby screams uncontrollably waking the whole neighbourhood,
• If you find your baby keeps losing their dummy when you are out, how many more dummies can you buy?!
• If you simply are not ready to give up the dummy but desperately need to stay in your own bed and sleep through the night yourself.

**Please note image is for photography purposes only – please ensure comforter is not left unattended with your baby. Please secure comforter to the outside of the sleeping environment using the Velcro tabs, until baby can safely manoeuvre around and cuddle Sleepytot.