It is also good to know that around the age of 10-12 weeks old, your babies internal body clock starts to
regulate itself. They will soon come to learn that difference between night and day, and if you have had that
important sleep environment sorted, then the rest will go a little more smoothly. Managing those awake times
will also help with that transition and make your bedtime routines easier to manage.

A little bit of science behind the sleep!

Ensuring your baby gets that natural daylight during your day, fresh air, these external factors help to build up
your baby’s melatonin levels as natural daylight prohibits that melatonin during the day and so when night-
time arrives and your baby is put to sleep in a darkened room, their pineal gland starts to release that build-up
of melatonin hormone which then helps them to feel relaxed, sleepy and gives them that ability to drift off to
sleep.

What we do want to limit in babies is their stress hormone which is called cortisol. Cortisol, which you may or
may not have heard of before, is known as the hormone which wakes baby or is released when your baby is
stressed or upset. Our cortisol levels are at their lowest during the night and start to rise around 4am onwards
which is why babies may start to stir, feed at that time or if they are in a bright room, or if the sun is creeping
in, your baby may be wide awake and ready to party at that time! Therefore, keeping your room nice and dark,
calm, block out those external noises and distractions is key in getting your baby back to sleep!
Speaking about awake times above and now knowing how long your baby may be capable of staying awake
between their feed and sleeps, this allows us to keep those naps on track and reduce the possibility of your
baby becoming overtired. Remember those overtired cues I mentioned?! It is at that point, when your baby is
crying, fractious and stressed, that their cortisol levels will rise, causing your baby to feel unsettled, struggle to
sleep, to feed, and it can feel like you are simply battling at every opportunity to settle your little one, all whilst
getting nowhere! This can leave you feeling upset, questioning your parenting, when in fact, it is all about the
science behind the sleep! Cortisol is like the equivalent of having a few red bulls before bed! So, imagine trying
to drift off with all that caffeine and sugar in your system! Impossible.

Sometimes just being aware of all the sleep science, making those Cheeky Tweaks to your routine can help to
improve your situation. There are obviously more complex cases, that require more work to be done, a sleep
plan to be sent and more guidance needed to improve your sleep and get the results you desperately seek.
Just know that babies from 4 weeks to 6 months and even beyond, no current situation is permanent, babies
go through so many changes, both developmentally and mentally as they grow. Phases do often pass and in
time can improve by themselves. Of course as baby becomes more aware and potentially also becomes used
to certain sleep associations, for example rocking, feeding or being held to sleep, you can reach a point maybe
when your baby is around 4-6 months, where you just want to try an alternative way. It is only when your
situation is no longer sustainable that changes can be made. That being said, if a certain method works for you
and you have read somewhere that it should be done in a different way, then you do not need to change
anything because the literature tells you so, if you are happy , your baby is happy then continue as you are.
Ultimately it is no one else’s business how you choose to get your baby to sleep, so do not listen to potential
negative comments. It is important to stress that it is your choice.

I can assure you that there are lots of gentle methods to choose from. If you feel that your current situation is
no longer working and if that lack of sleep starts to affect your mental health and your well-being, potentially
your close relationships too, which can happen, then reach out and get that support.
As a Gentle Baby Sleep Coach, my methods are varied, I offer choice, gentle and slow changes which I am able
to guide you through, step by step, until you can see that light at the end of the tunnel and you feel confident
enough and safe in knowledge that you have made that positive shift and can now get that sleep you deserve!