Disclaimer: Sleep Plan mentioned in this blog post was gifted by Baby 2 Sleep for the purposes of honest review. There has been no editorial control over this post and all opinions remain my own.
Anyone who knows us will know that I am constantly asking anyone and everyone for advice on getting my eleven month old baby to sleep more and better; why won’t my baby nap? why is he still waking four or five times a night? how can I cure baby FOMO?
I thought that because I was still breastfeeding, at eleven months, that this was why he was still not sleeping through the night. But as he is eating [alot of] solids through the day it didn’t make sense as to why he wouldn’t nap. Yes, our house isn’t always quiet because of his three-year-old brother, but even when RLT is at nursery, little one only goes down for such a short time. Why won’t my baby nap?
This lack of quality sleep, I was sure, must be affecting him cognitively. Although he doesn’t show any signs of ever being overtired as he smiles from the moment he wakes to when you try to get him to sleep (then all hell breaks loose). The lack of time for myself, for my other son and to basically do anything without a very inquisitive baby with me, was beginning to take its toll, so when I saw the opportunity to review a build your own sleep plan from Baby 2 Sleep, I contacted her asking for help in answering why won’t my baby nap? Why does he hate sleep?
Nicole, who owns Baby 2 Sleep is a sleep consultant who is one of the very few I’ve found that has actual qualifications. There are lots of accounts on Instagram from people who are not qualified and encourage you to let your baby cry to sleep, which is a terrifying concept to me. So I was grateful to find Nicole who practises gentle and reassuring sleep methods.
Nicole provided me with the tools in the form of videos which cover different topics related to sleep, which informs your knowledge of sleep (I clearly had none), which in turn helps you to help your baby. Because I’ve been single-handedly potty training a three-year-old at the same time as trying to watch these videos, I’ve had to dip in and out as it’s like trying to watch something in the middle of a rave when my kids are together!
I haven’t managed to watch all of the videos yet, but the ones I have I can honestly say have completely opened my eyes. I have made some small changes at naptimes, which have already started having a massive impact. Nicole explains sleep so magnificently, how bodies fight sleep, what we need to promote good sleep and advice for how to gently prepare our babies for sleep. The videos I have access to are for babies aged between 9-12 months so are spot-on for the needs of E. From only watching six videos so far, which are around five minutes in length, I already recognise that E was struggling with being over sensitised, over-tired and not being able to stitch his sleep cycles together without feeding and I never realised that before. I thought that he associated breastfeeding with sleep, but I never understood how much this was impacting on him moving through sleep cycles on his own.
We’ve made some minor adjustments in his nap routine, simple things that I had never thought of such as if he wakes earlier for the day, his nap needs to be earlier, the next nap needs to be a certain time after waking and longer than the one before. It sounds ridiculous even typing that because it seems so obvious but advice on how to support him to go to sleep without feeding from me and him drifting off to sleep on his own has seen overwhelming changes. Where a few days ago, I would have to feed him to sleep on the bed, he’s now having his naptimes in his cot. This is massive for us as I now have that naptime for one-to-one time with his brother, so it’s making a world of difference to our entire family.
I’m excited to update soon as I should finally get to watch all of the videos during naptimes today and I will update in a week or so, when I have been able to write up an entire plan which also looks at bedtime. As I’ve been solo parenting and on late train station runs, bedtime is still a little up in the air – but I have definitely identified the issues in that, thanks to Nicole’s videos, so I look forward to being able to implement some changes to help! Then I will just have the issue of the three-year-old who also doesn’t seem able to stitch his sleep cycles together and likes to bed hop during the night!
When your baby has a bunged up nose or is wheezy, it may be challenging to know whether to treat your child at home or if you need to take your child to the doctors or hospital. Tees Valley CCG, working with County Durham CCG (my local CCG hence my interest in amplifying their message!), has produced several Little Orange Book resources, designed to help the parents of babies and small children displaying cold symptoms and breathing problems. These are issues causing great concern to parents right now with Strep A causing serious issues, bronchiolitis and RSV cases being on the increase.
During the pandemic, children have mixed less, and some under-twos haven’t yet developed the usual immunity to everyday illnesses. The NHS expects more babies and toddlers to get common viruses like Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) during the winter months.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a common virus most children catch before they turn two. Whilst most cases are mild and can be treated at home, RSV can be more serious in tiny babies, premature babies, and those born with a heart condition or respiratory illness.
Is your child displaying any of these symptoms? Or others that may concern you?
Cold symptoms and a rattly chest/ dry cough
Rattles and wheezes that make it harder to feed
A high temperature
Pauses in breathing
A change in colour
Try consulting the materials linked below to ensure your child receives the proper medical attention:
You can also watch a short video (below) to find out more about the symptoms of RSV and what help you can access if you are concerned.
The entire Little Orange Book, which covers a wide range of ailments in children from common minor illnesses like teething, constipation and colds, through to more severe conditions, can be downloaded here.
Disclaimer: I was offered an affiliate code for this review, but I have decided against using the scheme to ensure this is an honest reflection of my experience.
I have tried to study for my masters so many times but found the schedules to be totally impractical around work and living in a remote area. I was accepted onto the executive masters in marketing at my local Russell Group university twice (once it never ran due to lack of interest and the second time my employer said they couldn’t afford it). So I ended up studying CIM qualifications via distance learning – I got through, but I found that I was provided with presentations from taught sessions which meant nothing without the narrative around them.
Thankfully things have progressed in the past ten years and with masters loans being generous, the power is in the learners’ hands more than ever. As I have shopped around, work in education and am currently procrastinating on the literature review I am supposed to be writing, I thought I would write my review of the course.
To give context, I was a marketing manager for ten years, when I was on my second maternity leave in 2018 we found out that our eldest son had some additional needs which meant that I stepped away from my full-time role in order to support my family. My job was a big part of my identity, I am exceptionally lucky to have a part-time strategic role that explores market insights, but my heart will always lie in engaging with customers. So when I have been quoted by the course to say that it has given me something other than being mum, I really mean it.
By the time I finished the course at the beginning of 2022, I will be in a position to persue my career once again and I feel that I have used my time productively for myself as well as for my family.
Try before you buy
I dipped my toe into the masters by studying the short course which was co-branded with Mediaworks during the first lockdown. I found the content to be extremely user-friendly and interesting. I got a certificate of completion, so felt I’d accomplished something during lockdown one. Importantly for me, I found the mix of academic theory with practical examples of application a godsend and the lecturers friendly and knowledgeable.
I did umm and arr for quite a while, but when it came to a few days before enrolment I asked myself if I would regret not doing it and I absolutely would have, so I went for it. The admissions team were great – as I’ve managed admissions myself – I know what stress those final days before enrolment can be, but they never showed their frustration with my many questions!
Time and Money
These are probably the two biggest challenges when deciding to study a postgraduate course. Thankfully these decisions have probably never been easier – the course is completely flexible (with the obvious exception of your coursework deadlines!). You have the opportunity to explore the course content in your own time, the tutorials are recorded if you can’t access them in real-time you can access them afterwards and you can chat with your tutors via MS Teams! If you were a big fan of Microsoft Messenger back in the day, it is ideal!
Fellow students
You do get the opportunity to be part of a cohort via chats and live lectures on Teams and get to know familiar faces. A few of us have followed each other on LinkedIn and support each others posts.
I have also been exceptionally lucky and have a chat on the side with one of my peers and we cheer each other on, as well as support each other through our assignments.
I also discovered that Carly from momoftwolittlegirls.com is a fellow student, via tweets from her on my timeline! She has recently started a full-time role after 10 years away from the workforce thanks to her studies and her blogging success, that is one example of the diversity of the employment of the students. Some have even started straight after their undergrad and use publicly available data to shape their assignments.
Would I do it all again if I knew what I know now?
The answer to this would be without a doubt. It has to be the most flexible and responsive to customer needs MSc on the market. The insight you gain from Mediaworks is fascinating and current. If you’ve been thinking about masters for a while and worried about fitting everything in, I don’t think there will ever be a better opportunity than this one.
The list of things to consider when you are expecting a long one. From choosing a pregnancy diet to selecting a car seat from Foryourlittleone, there are many things to consider. And one important thing that you cannot overlook: a birth plan. Even though most of it may go out of the window, when you are classed as a high-risk pregnancy it is even more important to research and understand the importance of having a plan.
Let’s look at some of the reasons below:
It Provides A Guide For Your Care
Your birth plan is a written document describing how you want your labour and birth to go. The report can be no more than a few sentences long, or it can be several pages long. By doing this, you can tell your doctor or midwife what you want during and after your birth. This way, you can outline how you wish birth to be. Having a birth plan lets your providers know what you want, so you can have the best experience possible during labour.
It Helps You Learn About What Is Ahead
Making decisions during labour isn’t the best move. Writing down your wishes beforehand allows you to be more involved in your care. In addition to clarifying your thoughts and anticipating different scenarios, the process of creating a birth plan can help you decide what support people you want in the room and what type of pain relief you prefer. The birth plan you choose can always be changed during labour, however, it’s best to have a birthing partner who can help you to make sensible decisions.
It Enables You To Have A Formal Conversation
It’s usually recommended to discuss your birth plan at your 36-week appointment, but looking at it earlier at home can pay off. If your provider is reviewing your birth plan, your preferences can be accommodated safely according to your unique history and the development of your pregnancy. You can discuss choices with your provider ahead of time if some choices are unavailable due to health reasons.
It Keeps Your Health Care Team In The Loop
There are usually several doctors and nurses involved in your care as you go through labour. Labour starts at any time, and there is no way for you to know which provider will be available. Making sure you are on the same page with your provider ahead of time is helpful.
If Things Don’t Go To Plan, It Provides You With More Options
Throughout labour, there is fluidity. You may need to make changes to your birth plan, and this is OK. Maybe you wanted the least amount of medical intervention but you change your mind. If something isn’t going to plan, your provider will recommend a continuous fetal monitor when a baby shows signs of distress. It is possible to have certain elements of your ideal labour with a birth plan, even if other components are too risky. Labour conditions can change rapidly, and every labour is different.
As you can see, it’s very important to have the birth plan in place, even if it doesn’t always go ahead. It can help you to feel more in control and informed.
Everyone that knows me personally knows that my fiancee works in local journalism, but many of you won’t know the details (to be honest, I find it hard to keep up!).
One of his current projects is a little closer to home than they usually are (and definitely closer than INews was!) in that he’s working with the team that has launched a new website which showcases the best of Newcastle called NewcastleWorld.
Like most people in the North East, we naturally gravitate to Newcastle in our downtime for the amazing nightlife, culture, food and football. Some people go up the road to Sun’lun, but I was one of the ones in the Gallowgate End with my Grandad at St James’, sorry! I also saw Tino score a hattrick against Barca!
NewcastleWorld is a source for a wealth of information ahead of visiting Newcastle, as well as for those who live, work and play in the City.
Written by a team of great journalists, whom Mark has worked with for years – I know that NewcastleWorld is going to be a valuable resource for people like me! I’ve already found out so much about bottomless brunches that I did not know about – now just to find a babysitter!
There is a daily newsletter that shares the top stories and happenings, as well as a curated selection of news stories on business and politics on how it affects the people of Newcastle.
I’ve already switched my football-mad family onto the insights on Newcastle United, with Liam Kennedy bringing exclusives, which have already got many fans talking and complementing the refreshing approach.
