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At First Five Years we know that parents share many of the same struggles. We would like to offer a helping hand by giving you the opportunity to air your questions, issues or concerns about parenting, early learning or childhood behavioural issues with our panel of early learning and parenting professionals.

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Your questions

Questions about Sleep. Showing results 1-10 of 10

Premmie sleep issues

Hi, I have a premmie bub who is 8 months old, corrected age only 6 months. She has never really slept long stretches during her day sleeps, usually only about 45mins. But lately her day sleeps have gone from 45mins to just only 20/30 min max. And I don't know why as I haven't changed her routine or anything. Please help. It's driving me crazy.

Sleeping bag to bed sheets

My 2.3 year old sleeps in a sleeping bag. I’m wondering what age would be appropriate to start using bed sheets instead and if there is any robust research discussing disadvantages of keeping him in a sleeping bag for the time being. Thanks!

Sleep

Is it ok for my baby to sleep in his pram?

Is it ok for my baby to sleep in his pram (not the bassinet) as he wakes as soon as I try and move him to his cot.

My baby is not getting enough sleep

I’m worried my baby is not getting enough sleep, or proper awake time. Night time sleep is going ok. Not so much in daylight hours though. We spend hours trying to go to sleep, then have to get up for the next feed without having slept at all. He doesn’t really cry when put in bed, mostly grizzles. I try patting, rocking, white noise, dim lights, wrapping. Then he gets over tired and sometimes frustrated. Help!

3-week-old is very unsettled

My 3 weeks old is very unsettled. He can only fall asleep in our arms. As soon as we put him in his cot he wakes up even in deep sleep. He cries so loud as if something is wrong. The only thing that settles him is breastfeeding.

Day time naps and sleep patterns

Hello. My 5 almost 6 month old was only waking up once a night. But now she is waking up at 10.30 and will not go back to sleep. She then wakes more times throughout the night. She is sleeping well in the day, sleeping for two long naps, morning and afternoon and then one at about 4.30 and then bed at 7. But it’s just not working and I don’t know what to do anymore.

Toddler sleep issues

Hi, My 4th child is 16 months old and every night he wakes on average 10 times a night. It can be every 45mins. He sleeps very well during the day for approx 3 hours 10-1. He self settles both at nap time and night time sleep. He is still having a bottle at around midnight just to try and get a longer sleep in the early hours for me. We have always had a good night routine but this sleep pattern has now been going on over 12 months and I am tired of not getting a good block of sleep. Help?

7-week-old rarely sleeps

7-week-old rarely sleeps for several hours. After lots of rocking/walking in carrier baby looks like she is asleep then her eyes just open and she is looking around for a while then cries because she is so tired. This goes on for hours and hours. Sometimes she does seem to stay asleep after being placed in the bassinet and wakes up after half an hour. Then the cycle starts again. She doesn’t like pram. Very hard on my back. Weighs about 4.7 kg now. Was 9lb 4oz at birth.

Trouble self settling

My 19 month old is waking through the night and demanding Mum to go back to sleep. I always patted her in the cot and shhhh and it worked. It is not working. She is expecting it. If I don't she will scream standing up in her cot. Tresillian gave some advice about not touching her and having dad do it, just talking positivity and walking in and out every couple of minutes. Obviously I can not do that. Was a great baby often self settled until she started teething. She has a dummy. We are expecting a second child any day.

How to get a toddler to stay in bed

Any ideas how to get a toddler to stay in bed? We transferred her from cot to bed about 3 months ago and have gone from a 7.30 bed time to now 10pm bedtime. She just keeps getting up. It sometimes takes hours to get her down.