Hey gorgeous,
Before I share this mum’s sleeping issue with her baby, let me introduce the Expert…
Sheyne Rowley! You may have spotted Sheyne making guest appearances on T.V. She has been dubbed the “Australian Baby Whisperer” and for a great reason! She is also the author of the ‘Dream Baby Guide’ book. The book is credited with changing the lives of many struggling parents and has largely contributed to her celebrity status. So when Sheyne was available to speak with a newborn photographer from little beautiful Camperdown (Umm.. Me!)… I jumped around the house cutting laps with excitement!
“Sheyne’s daughter is the survivor of naturally conceived quads!”
Let’s quickly cover Sheyne’s experience of becoming a mum…
We both agreed nothing could prepare you for parenting. It turns your life upside down and you will never be truly ready. Sheyne’s own daughter was a very unwell baby. She stayed a long time in hospital 
and they had never seen a baby as unwell as her. At the age of two, she was diagnosed with cancer, which she had had since birth. It was in her epidural space.
Sheyne is one of the rare blessed families who have great prospects for a future with their little girl who is now three. Her daughter is the survivor of naturally conceived quads! Even the Baby Whisperer had a journey as a parent. You are about to weather a storm in your life, your relationship will change, the way you function will change. It changes everything.
No. 1 TIP: “Even if you have never wrapped your baby and if they aren’t sleeping well Sheyne suggests starting now!”
“How do you get a baby (4 mths +) to sleep through more than one sleep cycle? It’s exhausting!”
This question came from a South West Victorian mum
Here’s Sheyne’s response:
The 1st reason is your babies sleeping patterns are changing because their biological clock kicks in from 4-6mths. It is natural your babies sleep needs change and decrease.
They become more mobile and wriggle out of wraps. People think as your baby gets out of wraps they don’t like wraps anymore. But in fact, at this transitional window, this is the worst time to stop wrapping. When your baby starts doing this they need to be swaddled better with bigger pieces of material and more securely. Even if you have never wrapped your baby, if they aren’t sleeping well Sheyne suggests starting now! Sheyne starting wrapping one of her client’s babies at 10mths just this week!
Expect from 4 months onwards, they don’t need as much sleep. If they maintain great day naps they often don’t maintain sleeps at night. If the day naps aren’t as good during the day, the nights become better. Sheyne is a great advocate for the Product “Safe T sleep”. Ensure they don’t roll over onto their tummies etc keeping them safe from SIDS.
A big problem we have in this country is recognising that there is not only one solid sleep requirement for children. We are told 2hrs up, 2hrs down, 2hr up, 2 hours down, a catnap in the afternoon and then down for the night. This will work for about 20% of the nation’s children. The other 80% don’t fall into this pattern.
Recognising your child’s sleep needs to be low to average is really important as it changes the way you sleep them. You can expect less sleep from them, therefore, you reduce their naps or have extended awake periods during the day. When you stop expecting so much in the morning you start getting better periods of sleep later in the day and you get better sleep-ins the next day.
Sheyne explains your baby starts to require iron at this age. Breast milk naturally drops in iron and babies do not source iron as well from substitute forms e.g. iron-enriched rice cereal etc. It’s important not to be frightened of when to feed them. After working with 25,000 sets of families, it is very apparent to Shyene that most babies are ready to start solids at 6 months. Some need it at 5 months and some at 7 months, but generally, it is 6 months.
As soon as you’re looking at a piece of paper instead of your child you stop using your instincts. You stop catering to your child’s needs and you start catering to a philosophy which has been proven over time to never be accurate. Parents have to trust that they know what their babies need.
If you feel your baby is hungry, you just can’t seem to fill them. They went from 1-night feed to needing 4 per night. This is a solid indication they are not getting what they need. If your instincts tell you your child needs food, don’t ask yourself ’do I have permission to feed my hungry baby? ’ Think instead – “My baby needs food – how do I best do this?”.
I stopped the interview here because it covers SO MUCH incredible content. I don’ think I’ve ever been so infatuated with someone as much as Sheyne.
I’m offering the full guest post in the form of an ebook so it’s easier reading. If you loved this tiny snippet you’ll be completely enthralled by the book. It’s worth your time, I promise! A MUST read for any parent or parent to be.
I warn you, this ebook has content which may be disturbing to some viewers. It’s real, confronting and gives hope to so many!
GET the full guest post HERE!
It includes;
- The massive misunderstanding about children’s sleep
- How the current system is failing mums, families are so desperate they are ready to adopt their child out
- Sheyne’s quest to parliament house due to support agencies failing parents.
- Wrapping/Swaddling
- Introducing foods and your babies sleep cycles
- A little on co-sleeping
- And much, much more!