I’m Elaine Harvey, wife, mum and the founder of Lullababy SOS. I’m an Early Childhood Educator, Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant and the Australiasia Regional Director of The International Association of Professional Sleep Consultants.
Since establishing Lullababy SOS, I have worked with over 10,000 families, both in Australia and globally, to help them with all things baby and Toddler related with a particular focus on sleep, settling, and routine.
My journey as a Sleep Consultant didn’t start as a sleep-deprived parent seeking solace. I actually put off starting my one family a little while to build my business. My goal was and still is to help parents who are struggling with knowing how to help their babies and toddlers with their sleep and routine while maintaining trust, maternal bond and emotional integrity. My approach is not based on standard settling methods.
Still, the foundations for my methods has ALWAYS been focused on understanding your journey so far, understanding the science behind sleep, development and routine and helping parents understand and gain confidence in how they can help their baby thrive, grow, sleep better with confidence and ultimately help parents find confidence in their own parenting power.
Since establishing Lullababy SOS, I have seen how parenting has changed.
Parents now have access to more information and resources about Early Childhood development than ever before, but sadly they seem to be more confused and doubt themselves more than ever.
Every day parents are searching the internet for that little nugget that will finally help them. They are putting pressure on themselves and feel the pressure externally to have all the answers and ultimately feeling less of themselves, and this is where I come in to help you get there.
Are you feeling stressed?
Exhausted?
Confused?
Tired?
So damn tired that you’re simply tired of being tired?
Just wanting a good nights sleep for you and your baby?
Let me show you how easy it can be to help your baby learn positive sleep associations while being sensitive to your child’s emotional, social and cognitive development.
For 20 years, I have worked with parents and babies, sharing techniques that empower you to lovingly support your baby to learn self-settling skills and onto a positive routine that supports you, them, your relationship and leads to a happy, secure, confident baby and parent bond.
Lullababy SOS sleep programs are not your traditional controlled crying, comfort settling, gradual extinction methods of sleep training
Aim to start your day at around the same time every day and finish your day at around the same time every day. Remember, ‘AROUND’ doesn’t need to be the exact time every day but try to keep to with a 1/2 hour window. I recommend between 6/7 am start and 6.30/7.30pm end but later or earlier might work better for your family.
Aim to always feed soon after waking in the morning and after naps. If a top-up feed is required before a nap, make sure that it’s just a small top-up before a sleep and not part of the nap time routine. I recommend that you aim to offer the feed at least 10 minutes before the nap time routine begins
A consistent bedtime routine repeated both day and night will create consistency and familiarity in these transitions from awake activities to sleep time. By having a strong bedtime routine for your little one, you help them learn that when mum/dad or anyone else does “XYZ”, that sleep is coming, and they will find it easier to fall asleep (see below for my sleep routines)
Notice that I have recommended here that falling asleep in their cot is important -not self-settling. Although self-settling is our goal, initially we want your baby to become familiar with the routine and the environment feeling loved and supported. Aim to support your baby as much as necessary BUT as little as possible. Try to do less – gradually.
Eat, sleep, rave, repeat – The more you do something, the more familiar it becomes and the more confident both you and your baby will be about your sleep routine.
Top- up feeds before naps are fine so long as your not feeding your baby to sleep. Aim to do any top-up feeds in the lounge room and about 15-20 minutes before the nap time routine
Try to create a similarity between daytime nap routines and night-time sleep routine. Instead of a bath and a feed- Try a story or two in their room before their nap.
Always change their nappy or pretend to change their nappy before their nap and put their sleepsuit on (you may want a lighter one in the day). These associations help your baby understand that sleep time is near.
Just like at night, babies like to sleep in a darkened room, so close the curtains, turn off lights, turn on white noise and make their room relaxing.
A good snuggle before their nap will help trigger their tired cues, aim to cuddle to calm not to drowsy- Aim for 1-2 minutes max. Then place your baby in their cot for sleep.
if your little one is falling asleep on their feed in the evening I recommend that you give your little one most of their feed before their bath time and then a top-up after the bath this will help prevent them from falling asleep on the final feed of the day.
I know that from many people doing a bath at the end of the day when your day is already pretty full-on part of the dayresearch shows that children who are bathed in the evening tend to sleep longer and deeper than children who bathe at other times of the day
After the feed burp then place your baby in their swaddle or sleepsuit. cuddle them while you are prepping the room, cuddle turn out the lights, turn on white noise final cuddle and place them in the cot calm but awake.
Eat sleep rave repeat – The more you do something the more familiar it becomes and the more confident both you and your baby will be about your routine.
