A family in Brighton recently contacted me because their baby needed to be held until completely asleep. Every nap involved being held or rocked to sleep, and transferring their baby into the cot was becoming increasingly difficult.
Sometimes the transferworked, but other times their baby woke almost immediately. Naps were also very short, which meant the parents felt as though much of their day revolved around trying to get their baby to sleep.
As a baby sleep consultant in Brighton, I started by asking the family to track their baby’s sleep for a week. Rather than immediately trying to stop them holding their baby to sleep, I wanted to understand why settling had become so difficult in the first place.
When we started working together, the family was dealing with:
The parents wanted their baby to become more comfortable sleeping in the cot, but they didn’t want to suddenly remove all their support.
One of the most useful parts of working together was the sleep data. By looking at a full week rather than one difficult day or night, I could see patterns that weren’t immediately obvious. We looked at total sleep across 24 hours, nap timings, how long their baby was awake between sleeps, bedtime, morning wake time and how long settling was taking.
This helped me understand their baby’s individual sleep needs and where we could adjust the schedule to create better sleep pressure before naps and bedtime. Because if a baby isn’t ready for sleep, changing how you settle them can become much harder than it needs to be.
Once we understood the sleep pattern, I created a plan specifically for their baby. We focused on:
The parents were still there reassuring and responding to their baby. We were simply changing the way sleep happened gradually and consistently.
Over the following days, settling became much easier. Their baby started falling asleep in the cot rather than needing to be completely asleep in their parent’s arms first. Naps became more predictable and the parents were no longer spending so much of the day holding, rocking and repeatedly attempting cot transfers.
Night sleep also became more settled as we found a better balance between daytime sleep and the amount of sleep their baby needed overnight.
Most importantly, the parents understood why we had made each change and felt confident continuing without me.
If you’re looking for a baby sleep consultant in Brighton because your baby needs to be held or rocked to sleep, takes short naps or wakes as soon as you put them into the cot, I can help. I work with families across Brighton and Hove and surrounding areas, including Hove, Portslade, Shoreham-by-Sea, Southwick and nearby parts of Sussex.
My approach isn’t about taking away all of your baby’s comfort or expecting them to suddenly work everything out alone. I look at the whole picture, including your baby’s individual sleep needs, daytime sleep, sleep pressure, bedtime and current settling habits, before putting together a personalised plan. I also support families throughout the UK through telephone consultations.
Why does my baby wake as soon as I put them in the cot?
There can be several reasons. Sometimes a baby has become used to falling asleep in a parent’s arms and notices the change when they’re transferred. Timing can also matter. If there isn’t enough sleep pressure when you’re trying to settle them, getting them to sleep and keeping them asleep can be more difficult.
How can I stop holding my baby to sleep?
You don’t necessarily need to stop suddenly. Depending on your baby’s age and temperament, you can gradually change the amount of support they need while continuing to reassure them.
Why does my baby only take short naps?
Short naps can happen for lots of reasons, particularly during the first year. Sleep pressure, nap timing, total daytime sleep, the sleep environment and how your baby settles can all be relevant. I look at the full sleep pattern rather than treating every short nap in the same way.
Can I teach my baby to settle in the cot gently?
Yes. Learning to settle differently doesn’t have to mean leaving your baby without reassurance. I use responsive approaches where parents can remain involved and support their baby while they become more comfortable falling asleep in their cot.
Do you provide baby sleep support in Brighton?
Yes. I work with families across Brighton and Hove and surrounding areas. I also provide telephone consultations and in-home support for families throughout the UK.
Could I Help With Your Baby’s Sleep?
If you’re spending every nap holding or rocking your baby to sleep, struggling with short naps or finding that your baby wakes every time you attempt a cot transfer, I can help you understand what’s happening.
As a baby sleep consultant in Brighton, I’ll look at your baby’s sleep across the full 24 hours before recommending changes, so the plan is based around your baby’s individual sleep needs rather than a generic schedule.
Get in touch to arrange a free discovery call.
