As parents, ensuring our little ones get a good night's sleep is a top priority. From choosing the coziest crib to the softest blankets, creating a comfortable and safe sleep environment is essential for a baby's well-being.

I often speak to parents who are worried about their little one sucking their thumb or fingers, so I wanted to put a post together encompassing, why babies suck their thumbs, when it starts, how long it might last and if its something you should be worried about it. I also added some feed back from some of my clients who have children who are or were addicted to their thumb or digits.

I’ve been working with parents for years and over those years, the age that you should test out the higher allergen foods has changed. More recently, it has come back around to adding in the allergens early, where as for a while, it was not to add in higher allergies such as tree nuts, until the age of 2.

Personally, I think summer time is a great time to do potty training, but what is an even better time, is when your child is ready. Sometimes those ready signs can be subtle and missed. When toddlers are over ready, potty training can feel like a real battle of wills.

First things first, toddlers are prone to having overwhelming feelings that result in a big release that ‘we’ call a tantrum. How a tantrum is handled can also result in how long it will last, how many more will follow and allow you to feel more empowered in the moment, instead of overwhelmed too.

Many parents will resort to having a lovey in the crib with their little one, usually once they are at least 6 months old, or when the parent feels confident to do so. What is a lovey and how can I get my child to attach to one?

Having a baby changes your life in a way that you could never have imagined. It can truly be a juggling act, and if you have a few children, you are constantly balancing schedules and making mental notes of who has to be where and when (confession: I have dropped the ball on the kids schedules many times and turned up at the wrong place at the wrong time). As a former nanny, I was much more organized and was able to get the children out of the door with lunch kits in hand by 8am. As a new Mum, I couldn’t get out the house until 2 in the afternoon !!

So many parents have confessed to me that they CAN NOT imagine how they will cope adding another baby to the family. Having just one baby can be very overwhelming, so the thought of adding to the madness is enough to send you into a tizzy.

There is a plethora of information on the internet about infant sleep, with a big focus on awake windows and sleep cues, babies being overtired and under-tired. It can create a lot of anxiety resulting in parents counting the number of hours that their little one might have slept per 24 hrs and tracking every detail through various apps looking for a pattern.

This is such a common question, I get asked it all the time when consulting with clients about sleep changes and safe sleep environments. The crib bumper usage is confusing as they have been used for years previously. We are currently advised to NOT to use them, but they are still available for purchase and are often on show in stores, when looking to purchase your nursery set up. Let’s dive into this a little deeper -

Many children poop at nap-time or bedtime before falling to sleep or in some cases on waking. When potty training, this can cause a great deal of stress for parents.

I used to think that self-care meant spending an entire day lounging around the spa and fancy nights out on the town with girlfriends. Don't get me wrong; days like that are still amazing! But, these days they're few and far between.

Postpartum depression is a type of depression that a woman can develop after giving birth.

With my second child, had a bout of postpartum depression that was trigger by my environment: lack of support.

If you are a new parent you will likely start to hear common phrases around infant sleep - sleep regression - sleep association and awake window - but what does it mean?

So, you thought that you had nailed it – your baby has just mastered the art of sleeping through the night and bang – it’s all gone sideways because they have developed a new motor skill. 

Quiet time LOL .. with a toddler, yeah right!

Coming off the back of one of my last posts, around the 2 to 1 Nap transition, I wanted to follow it up with the 0-1 Nap transition and what quiet time should look like.

Sleep training refers to supporting your infant in learning how to fall asleep on their own. How do I mentally prepare for sleep training?

Whether your child is 3 months or 3 years old, one thing that comes up time and time again, is how to maintain good sleep once you have it.

If you are co-sleeping don't take offence to this image that I am choosing to use under the title of 'When sleep training doesn't work'.