Helping Your Older Child Sleep

I know we talk about baby sleep on a regular basis, but many parents experience sleep issues with their older child. Sleep is just as important for your growing child as it was when they were a baby.

There are many reasons why your child (and you!) might not be getting a good night’s sleep! Sometimes it starts from night terrors, or when they move out of their cot and into a regular bed – they discover a new found freedom. Kids also don’t know how to pull up the covers at 3am when they’ve kicked them off and so they can get cold and wake up way too early!

Getting Your Child to Self Settle

Teaching your child how to self settle if they wake during the night is extremely important. This can help with a myriad of sleep problems. Self settling should start at the beginning of the night, not only in the middle of the night!

If your child is having trouble separating from you at bedtime, then you need to try to teach them how to self settle. The Sleep Health Foundation recommends leaving your child in the room with the lights out. “You should do this before they are asleep.This gives them the chance to fall asleep with no help from you and when you’re not in the room with them. It usually takes 15-20 minutes for them to fully get to sleep”. If this method doesn’t work for you then trying revisiting your child’s room to reassure them that you are close by. It might take a few visits back and forth to reassure them but gradually you can space them out and spend less and less time in in the room. If you are consistent then this method should work for you.

It’s really important to encourage your child to remain in their bed. You definitely don’t want them wandering around at night time. Always praise your child for staying in their own bed. Try not to let them come into your bed. Depending on how old your child is, try to chat with them about how you need them to stay in their bed. That they will get a better night’s sleep!  I know that can be a really hard thing in the middle of the night when you are exhausted but you will be really glad down the track!

Bubbaroo Sleeping Bags for Older Children

A lot of parents ask us if their child should have legs in their sleep suit. We designed our Joey Swag sleeping bags to discourage wandering. This can occur when your child moves into their first bed, after having slept in a cot. Wearing a Sleeping Bag will help your child with the transition. You might be changing their bed but they will feel continued comfort in their regular Sleeping Bag. The sleeping bag will continue to act as a sleep cue for your child.

Sleeping bags have many benefits such as having plenty of room for your young child to move their legs, they will stay warm at night and they won’t need to muck around with their covers during the night. In fact the sleeping bag gives your child continuing security when there is change.

Our Joey Swag sleeping bags are available in size 18-36 months and are 114cm long, they’re the longest on the market and are designed to fit your child for the full age range.  As such a size 18-36 months will last a child until they’re over 4 years of age.

Most kids aren’t capable of keeping their covers on until they are about 6 years old. With Bubbaroo Joey Swag Sleeping Bags you don’t need to use blankets. However, you could try using a light cotton sheet over the top to help train your little one to pull the covers up. This will help them with their blankets and doonas/quilts in the future.

Tips to Help Your Child Sleep

Here are some tips to help improve the quality and ease of your child’s sleep:

• Exposure to natural daylight can help set up your child’s circadian rhythms. Exercise during the day can also help them to sleep well at night.
• Help your child to relax before bed. Make sure that you allow plenty of time for bath/shower and reading before the lights go out. This will help them to unwind and prepare them for sleep time.
• Making sure the room is sufficiently dark and that the room is not too hot or cold. This is not always adjustable so that is where you adjust the clothing and the TOG/warmth rating of the sleeping bag to get it just right!
• I’m sure you’ve heard this one before but waking up at the same time each day and going to bed at the same time each night will help children and adults alike to get a good night’s sleep. Sleep times often gets thrown out the window on weekends when your child might stay up late or you let them have a little sleep in. In the long run it’s better for everyone to try to keep the routine.

Things to Avoid for your Child’s Sleep

Here are some common issues that you can manage:

• Screens are an increasingly growing problem for kids and can greatly affect their sleep. Try to avoid screens after dinner time as the blue light emitted by the screen can interfere with the production of melatonin.
• Make sure your child is not overheating at night. Our Joey Swag sleeping bag come with a guide to help you dress your child appropriately for the overnight temperature. If your child is too hot, they can have nightmares. The best temperature for sleep is approx 19-21°C. Bubbaroo Baby Sleeping Bags are 100% natural and breathable made of organic 500TC cotton with the 1.5TOG and 2.5TOG padded with Australian wool.
• If your child walks around, plays, has dinner or watches TV in their sleeping bag it really is no longer a cue for sleep.  You don’t walk around with your doona wrapped around you, this is why a sleeping bag should be used for sleep.

Good Sleep for the Whole Family

All these tips apply to children and adults! So set up the whole family for a great night’s sleep and you will feel better for it! Our blog on bedtime routines will help you prepare the family for a good night’s sleep.