Sleep at Weleda

SLEEP

Is everyone getting what they need?

Sleep is your child’s chance not only to rest and grow but also the time when they learn. It’s during sleep that we all process what has happened during our waking hours. So, for babies and children who are experiencing so many new things every single day, it’s the time they can ‘process’ everything new they have encountered. It’s no surprise then that newborn babies will generally sleep 16 hours a day.

No matter how little or much sleep you have been used to getting before you had children, it’s fair to say that a succession of broken night’s sleep can eventually play havoc with your well-being. Of course, there’ll be good times and bad (for example when your child is teething or unwell), but aiming for uninterrupted hours of deep restful sleep is an attainable ideal.

Strange as it seems a newborn baby actually has to learn how to sleep, to find a rhythm in our 24hour days. However, there are a number of thing’s you can do from the very beginning that can help establish a healthy and soothing pattern of waking and sleeping for your baby and growing child – as well as for yourself.

• Your baby may be restless and find it hard to go to sleep

This is a common problem, as babies and children are less able to switch off from the stimulating world but there are things you can do to help.

Try swaddling your newborn

Wrap them tightly from their shoulders to their feet with a blanket or cloth. This can help calm your baby, helping them feel secure and has been proven to reduce crying and promote sleep.

Rest, rituals and rhythm

Developing a daily routine with simple rituals can help a child feel secure and create triggers for rest and sleep. Try singing a favourite lullaby, playing a gentle game, or reading a short story every evening as part of a wind down time in preparation for sleep. Regular massage can also help soothe and relax, just find a warm quiet space and use gentle, smooth strokes with a clockwise direction on the tummy and feet.

“Skin-to-skin contact can help to aid restful sleep in a newborn and can be enjoyed by anyone. Mothers, fathers, siblings, grandparents and friends can recreate the closeness and sound of the womb by placing a baby next to their heart. Within minutes, a baby’s temperature, respiration and heart rate will have stabilised. This will also aid restful sleep. ” Sharon Trotter, midwife and founder of TIPS limited.

Products that may help:

Calendula Bath – swirled in a warm bath is the perfect way to calm body and mind at the end of the day. The natural extracts from calendula flowers, wild thyme, lavender oil and blackthorn berries all help soothe, warm and protect.

Calendula Oil – a nourishing warming oil with extracts of calendula, sesame oil and chamomile, to care for your baby’s delicate skin whilst soothing restlessness in a gentle massage.

Lavender Relaxing Body Oil – is great for gentle massage of older babies and adults because lavender essential oil is one of nature’s most fragrant soothing remedies. Try rubbing the soles of his or her feet with a little oil warmed in your hands or maybe a small amount across his or her forehead and temples.

“We have a baby daughter who has been a problematic sleeper. We have been using calendula nappy cream & baby moisturiser since birth so whilst out shopping for a refill, I came across a bottle of calendula bath. I was astonished at just how much of an effect this had & how much more calm our daughter was when going to sleep. She is now 3years old & out of nappies, however we still use the nappy cream for the odd sore bottom & would not dream of baths without calendula. There is nothing a mum appreciates more than a peaceful bedtime & a good nights sleep!”.

M. Bruton, Welwyn Garden City

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