HOW TO ENSURE YOUR CHILD SLEEPS LIKE A BABY (at home and on Holidays)

An expert guide to a quiet night in hot weather

CHANGE in routine and location can adversely affect your baby’s sleep — but there are ways to ensure they get their shut-eye this summer As many of us try to escape the country to lap up the sun abroad, parents may overlook the impact this can have on their baby’s sleep.

According to research, travelling to new and unfamiliar places can significantly impact a baby’s sleep patterns. In particular, lighter evenings and earlier mornings can bring numerous sleep challenges to young babies, which can lead to much higher sleep temperatures as a result, says sleep expert Andrea Grace. She is working with Irish nursery brand ClevaMama to offer travel essentials, tips and advice for parents to help ensure their babies have better sleep while travelling.

When babies are hot, they can run the risk of overheating, and struggle with large discomfort as a result. As their body temperature dips at night — as it’s naturally inclined to do — this not only triggers the brain to get ready for sleep, but also results in deeper, better sleep. So, it’s essential to keep your baby’s little body as cool as possible, by keeping their room temperature between 16-20°C.

‘Sleep is hugely important, not only for babies’ health and growth, but also for their learning and development. Travelling with a young baby can significantly impact their sleep routine, so it’s essential to ensure your baby is getting optimal sleep when abroad. The most important thing is to keep your little one’s room shielded from the sun, so it doesn’t become too warm, and to prevent your baby overheating when sleeping,’ says Andrea.

Full coverage blinds, such as ClevaMama Black Out Blinds, are ideal to keep a room dark and help keep it cool when abroad or even on warmer days at home. ‘They are designed for safety, versatility and convenience,’ says Grace. ‘The unique light- and heat-reflective lining offers the perfect safeguard against overheating in your nursery during warmer days, while ensuring your baby has a peaceful, safe, and darkened sleeping environment. The large suction cups ensure the blind can be easily stuck to any window for ease when travelling, to reflect the light and heat, keeping your baby’s room cool and dark.’

Room temperature can be maintained by using only light cotton bedding for your child when sleeping. Made from natural fibres, cotton is light, breathable, sustainable and will help your little one stay cool. ‘Cotton pillowcases, sheets and cellular blankets provide optimal summer bedding for your baby, all of which are light and can be easily transported in a suitcase for ease when travelling,’ says Grace.

What a baby wears to bed during summer months can dictate how well they sleep also. ‘Choose a sleeveless sleep suit/vest or a lightweight, wellfitting baby sleep bag,’ she advises. ‘When staying in a warmer country, your baby will need a lot less clothing at night, so if they are used to swaddles or sleep bags, check the tog rating and make sure it’s 1.0/1.5 tog.

‘On warmer nights, they may only need a little vest underneath. This makes it comfortable and safe for your baby, to help your baby sleep well when travelling.’

If the air is particualy humid, a salt lamp can help provide some relief from stuffiness, helping baby to breathe more easily. ‘Moistening the air in your baby’s room will help to keep them cool in the warmer temperatures when on holiday. ClevaPure Salt Lamp, for example, has a reservoir which you can fill with water, which is gently diffused into the air to prevent dryness while emitting a warm glow,’ says Grace. ‘You can also add a few drops of essen tial oils to help your little one sleep

‘Infants as young as one month can be affected by light’

well at night and create a fragrant atmosphere.’

If you have a new baby, it can help to understand just why they have sleep issues when trying to establish a healthy sleep routine.

Even before we are born, our lives are governed by our internal circadian rhythm, says Professor Gaby Badre, who worked with ThisWorks CEO and mum-of-three Dr Anna Persuad on the brand’s new baby sleep collection.

‘A newborn instinctively mimics their mother’s sleep pattern learnt in the womb and generally will sleep during the night — albeit in shorter bursts,’ says Professor Badre.

‘But within months, babies start developing their own circadian rhythm and so without a proper sleep routine, they may become less inclined to follow their parents’ preferred sleep patterns. Little is known about exactly when or how a baby’s biological clock develops, but the general consensus is that it is best to try and establish a sleep routine between two and six months,’ she says.

‘But before you officially start sleep training, to maximise your newborn’s sleep you should make sure they are warm, well-fed and get them used to sleeping in the dark. Our circadian rhythm is entrained by day and night, light and dark. It is never too early to reinforce that pattern and there is evidence to show that infants as young as one-month-old can be affected by light, so try to avoid turning on bright lights, the TV or other devices when you are trying to get baby back to sleep at night-time.’

From around the three-month mark, parents should have some habits for their baby to reinforce the development of their circadian rhythm.

‘Try to keep your baby active during the day when they are not napping to help them start differentiating between day and night,’ recommends Professor Badre. ‘This is also the time to start positively reinforcing a bedtime routine to give your baby signals that it is time to sleep — such as bathing, massage or singing a lullaby.’

As well as the basics of the routine structure, there are ways that you can stimulate a baby’s senses in a way that relaxes the brain and signals that it is time to sleep.

‘The sense of smell has direct access to part of the brain that stores memories, so if a scent comes to be associated with something comforting, such as a parent, it can help induce calm,’ explains Professor Badre. ‘A natural fragrance such as lavender which is proven to promote sleep added to bath water or to scent near a baby’s cot can help establish a scent-memory which will soothe and comfort throughout childhood and beyond.’

THE ClevaMama range is available directly from clevamama.com. This Works Baby Sleep Collection is available from Dunnes Stores, Cloud10beauty.com and selected stockists nationwide