Importance of a Great Bedtime Routine
The Importance of a Great Bedtime Routine by Deb Hepplewhite, Infant and Child Sleep Consultant at Baby Slumberland My Name is Deb and I am a Certified Infant + Child Sleep Consultant and I am a Mum myself to two boys aged 3 and 4. I connected with Orly from Coastal Babysitters about writing a guest blog piece to provide some information to her followers on infant and child sleep. Now, the information that I could give you on this topic could keep you reading for some time, so I have chosen one of the most important elements to help with your child’s sleep, which is the importance of a great bedtime routine. I hope you enjoy reading the piece and that you are able to take this information and adapt it within your own household. Having a great consistent bedtime routine can help set the tone for great consolidated night-time sleep for your child. Each element within a bedtime routine will help relax your child for bed and gradually prepare them for sleep. In this post, I will go through each element of the bedtime routine, and why they are effective in each individual way. Timing is probably the most important part of a bedtime routine, the time in which your child goes to bed can make it so much easier for them to fall asleep or conversely if the timing isn’t quite right, it can make it quite difficult for them to settle. Naturally through our Circadian Rhythm babies and children have a melatonin rise which starts to happen at 6-7pm in the evening. Melatonin is the sleep hormone responsible for helping us get to sleep initially and then also get us into a restful and deep sleep. If we can aim to have our children in bed around 6-7pm you can catch this Melatonin ‘wave’ and it will make it so much easier for your babe to fall asleep. If we miss this melatonin wave and your child goes into the realm of overtiredness then several things happen that make it really difficult for them to fall asleep. Cortisol levels rise, their adrenals glads will be high functioning and their sensory system will be overloaded and they will seem very ‘hyper’. Once in this state, it makes it really difficult for them to switch off and get into a relaxed state for sleep to take over. There will be crying, they will seem unsettled, fidgety and they will often wake very upset between the hours of 6pm and 11pm. That is why timing is so important and if you can pop your child to bed before they have reached this overtired state, it will be much easier for them to settle initially and also get into a deep sleep. What time your child has dinner can help your timing or it can also make things a little harder. Making sure you give your child dinner at an appropriate time that also gives you plenty of space to have a nice relaxing bath is essential, ideally you don’t want that time to be rushed or hectic. The reason why we give a bath is to simulate the natural core body temperature drop that happens right before you go to sleep. This happens naturally within your body at the onset of sleep, so by giving a bath just before bedtime, this will help encourage this and simulate the effect it has at the onset of sleep. Once your child has had a lovely relaxing bath, taking them into their bedroom for the next part of the routine is really important. Keeping things calm and relaxed will help them wind down for sleep, so that means no tickle sessions Dad! I say Dad’s because they are usually the ones who decide to have a full on tickle fight and hype the kids up right before sleep. Or the well-meaning Grandparent, who at a family gathering decides to hype the kids up, right as they are saying goodnight. I love these interactions it really is so sweet, as long as it isn’t happening every night right before they go to sleep, keeping things calm and relaxed is key. Once you have changed your bub into some nice comfy Pyjamas, keep the lights dimmed and offer a feed (if this is age appropriate). Keeping this feed slightly separated from actually going to sleep will help babies understand that feeding isn’t directly related to the actual sleep onset, which will in turn help with any overnight re-settles. The next step can change to suit your child’s temperament and their age, if under 6 months some calming soft nursery rhymes can be great, or reading a story to older children. Reading is fantastic for a child’s development and is a great addition to your bedtime routine. I love listening to hubby read my boys a story before bed, Dr Suess is a favourite in our household and listening to my hubby get the tongue twisting Dr Suess tales out gives me a bit of a giggle. Also remembering to brush your child’s teeth around this time is quite crucial, whether that be whilst you read a story or in between books. Having milk sitting on a child’s teeth can be damaging to their developing mouth so brushing is always a must. For very small babies who don’t have teeth and aren’t brushing yet, you would obviously skip this step. For babies 6 months and up just letting them have a toothbrush to chew on while you read a story to instil that tooth brushing element (without toothpaste of course) is great too. Once the story is read and teeth are brushed, its time to sing a quiet song or say your sleepy phrase. Keeping this consistent is a great idea so that your child knows what is to come next. A simple “ok Harry it’s time for bed now” or Incy wincy spider is always a favourite. I’m
Whats on…. Australia Day on The Gold Coast and Northern NSW
Are you on the Gold Coast or Northern New South Wales and looking for something to do this Australia Day? We have compiled a list of celebrations below: Happy Australia Day! NORTHERN GOLD COAST The Gathering Feel Good Festival What: Inaugural music festival with 12 international DJs and Tee Pee Village. Licensed 18+ When & Where: From Midday to 10pm at Country Paradise Parklands on Beaudesert-Nerang Rd, Nerang Australia Day Golf Event at Links Hope Island What: Pie eating competition, sausage sizzle, thong throwing and a round of golf. Prizes for best dressed golf cart When & Where: 7.30am to 6pm at Hope Island Road, Hope Island. One Nation Broadwater Australia Day Barbecue What: Free sausage sizzle and open discussion with members of the party When & Where: 8.30am to 11.30am at Paradise Point Parklands Celebrate Aussie Day at the Boardwalk Tavern What: Mud crab racing from 2pm, food specials and live music When & Where: 10am to 10pm at 8 Santa Barbara Rd, Hope Island Guanaba Country Music Club Australia Day Party What: Come dressed in ‘Okker’ fashion, trivia quiz, other games, music, kid friendly When & Where: 11am to 4pm at The Fire station at Heritage Park — 193 Rifle Range Road, Pimpama Zumba What: Australia-themes dress up Zumba class When & Where: 6.30pm at Upper Coomera Community Centre, Abraham Rd Upper Coomera Runaway Bay Tavern Australia Day Event What: Pig racing with proceeds to Variety children’s charity, live music, cold drinks and a barbecue When & Where: 12pm to 10pm at 10-12 Lae Drive, Runaway Bay SOUTHERN GOLD COAST Burleigh Swim Run What: Community fitness event for kids to adults at Burleigh beach When & Where: 6am to 10am at Burleigh Heads Lifeguard Tower Currumbin RSL Australia Day Creekside What: Live music, face painting, trivia, totem tennis, and native tucker (kid friendly) When & Where: 10am onwards at 165 Duringan Street, Currumbin North Burleigh SLSC BBQ in the Park What: Free event with food stalls, music and games for the kids. When & Where: 11am — 3pm at Ed Hardy Park, The Esplanade, Miami. Dog and Parrot Tavern Australia Day What: Triple J’s Hottest 100, games for the kids, free sausage sizzle and comedy at 7.30pm When & Where: 11am to 10pm at 2 Scottsdale Drive, Robina Australia Day at the Coolangatta Hotel What: Live music, food and drink specials, giveaways and more When & Where: 9am to 11pm at Cnr Warner Street & Marine Parade, Coolangatta Burleigh Pro Surf Comp What: First day of four-day surfing event, part of the World Surf League and attracting some of Australia’s best surfers When & Where: 8am to 4pm at Goodwin Terrace, Burleigh Heads BBQ, Brews and Bites What: Live DJs, delicious Australia Day specialties from Fish Lab, Pure Meats and Coming Home Co and plenty of games for the kids. When & Where: 11am — 7pm, outside The Kitchens, Robina CENTRAL GOLD COAST Australia Day at the Broadwater Parklands What: Largest ever firework display on the Gold Coast, food trucks, live music and sporting zone When & Where: 4pm to 8pm at Southport Broadwater Parklands, Marine Pde at Southport on the Great Lawn Australia Day at Southport Sharks What: Face painting, dance show, reptile show and lunch at Frenzy Food Court When & Where: 1pm onwards at Cnr Musgrave and Olsen Ave, Southport Australia Day at Benowa Tavern What: Aussie-themed dishes on special as well as a barbecue, a thong throwing competition and a lamington eating event held after lunch. When & Where: 10am to 5pm at 117 Ashmore Road, Benowa Australia Day celebrations at RSL Club Southport What: Aussie tucker, Aussie trivia, face painting, music and giveaways When & Where: 10am to 1.30am at 36 Scarborough Street, Southport Australia Day by Nobby’s Beach Surf Lifesaving Club What: Thong pong, hermit crab racing and a pie eating competition When & Where: 10am to 6pm at 25 Albatross Avenue, Nobby Beach Cabana Bar & Lounge Presents Australia Day! What: Toad races, Triple J’s Hottest 100, sausage sizzle and Aussie-themed cocktails When & Where: 12pm to 11pm at Southport Sharks, Cnr Musgrave & Olsen aves, Southport Aussie Day BBQ At Hard Rock Cafe Surfers Paradise What: Drinks and barbecue on the deck, Aussie hot dogs. $24.95 per ticket When & Where: 12pm — 10pm at Cnr Cavill Ave & Surfers Bvd, Surfers Paradise Australia Day at Southport Yacht Club What: Raffles, prizes for best dressed and lunch looking over the water When & Where: 12pm — 4pm at 1 Macarthur Parade, Main Beach The Wallaby Hotel What: Live music, a pie eating competition, a thong throwing event and a free barbecue When & Where: From 10 at 45 Railway St, Mudgeeraba HINTERLAND Advancetown Tavern Aussie Day Event What: Face painting, balloon artist, jumping castles, pig races to raise money for the rural fire brigade and live music When: 10am — 10pm Where: 402 Nerang Murwillumbah Road, Advancetown The Grumpies Rock Australia Day What: Live music by The Grumpies, pig racing, jumping castle and more When: 11am — 11pm Where: Tamborine Mountain Memorial Sports Centre, 6-12 Beacon Rd, Tamborine North Bearded Dragon’s Australia Day Weekend What: Australian-themed activity tent, colouring competition, thong throwing, Aussie tucker, live music, reptile show, cane toad racing, lamington scoffing, prizes for best dressed and much more When & Where: From 11.30am at Cnr Tamborine Mountain Rd & Beenleigh-Beaudesert Rd Tamborine NORTHERN NSW Tweed Shire Awards and Citizenship Ceremony What: 50 new citizens pledging citizenship and the annual shire awards When & Where: 11am to 12.30pm Twin Towns Clubs and Resorts Tumbulgum Community Australia Day Celebration What: Free community barbecue breakfast, awards, music, craft workshops, cricket challenge When & Where: 8am to 4pm at Brian Breckenridge, Bawden St, Tumbulgum Kingscliff Lions Australia Day Breakfast What: Breakfast, flag-raising ceremony and Aussie games When & Where: From 7am at Lions Park, Marine Parade Kingscliff Australia Day Paddle What: Paddle from Wategos to Main Beach When & Where: 8am registration and 10am paddle Aussie Barbecue What: Free sausage sizzle,
