Beth Dewing, RN, IBCLC, Paediatric Continence & Sleep

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Beth Dewing, RN, IBCLC, Paediatric Continence & Sleep

Maternal & Child | Women's Health
Little ones: feeding, sleep + toileting
Women's Health Coordination.
🌸 🩺
Holistic care. Evidence-based solutions.

01/10/2025

✨ The clocks are changing, but your toddler’s body clock doesn’t shift that quickly. 🕑🌙

Melatonin (our natural sleep hormone) needs darkness + consistency to flow, so instead of jumping bedtime by a full hour, try moving it in 10–15 min steps. Pair it with a calm bedtime routine, dim lights, and a dark room for smoother sleep. 💤

☀️ Extra tip: bright morning light helps reset your child’s circadian rhythm too!

How does your little one usually handle daylight savings?

30/09/2025

🌸 At GROW Foundations, we’re proud to support NDIS participants of all ages — from children through to adults.

We are a groups of AHPRA-registered nurses providing:
✨ Wound care & general nursing
✨ NDIS Continence Reports
✨ Continence, Sleep + Medication Education + Support
✨ Tailored training for carers & support workers
✨ Accredited First Aid & CPR
✨ Holistic health assessments

Every service is aligned with the NDIS Price Guide 2025/26, and every plan is tailored to the unique needs of each participant.

Together, we build safer, more confident care 💛

👉 Swipe through to see how we can support you or your participants.

🩺 Get in touch today for a tailored quote.

29/09/2025

Big feelings, busy brains… and blocked sleep.

Lots of kiddos diagnosed with ADHD also live with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) like obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).

Emerging data suggest around a quarter of children with ADHD have OSA - meaning behaviour, attention, and learning may improve when we treat sleep first.

What to watch for:
• Loud or frequent snoring (not just with colds)
• Pauses in breathing / gasping
• Mouth breathing, dry mouth on waking
• Restless sleep, night sweats, bedwetting
• Morning crankiness or daytime inattention

Why it matters:
Sleep fragmentation can mimic or worsen ADHD-type symptoms. Identifying SDB/OSA can open up targeted treatment (like ENT review, adenotonsillectomy when indicated, CPAP in select cases, dental/airway strategies) alongside any ADHD supports.

What you can do:

🩺 Start with GROW BaseLine - an RN-led, evidence-based first step that checks the basics (sleep, nutrition, toileting, regulation), clarifies next actions, and triages referrals so you know what to do now.

🩺 Ask your GP/paediatrician for a sleep screen (snoring, witnessed apnoeas, daytime impact).

🩺 Keep a 1–2-week sleep + snoring diary or short videos.

You’re doing a great job advocating for your child. Evidence-based sleep care is child-centred care. 💙
References:
• AAP News summary: OSA affects ~1–4% of all children but about 25% of children with ADHD.

• Peer-reviewed data point: Cross-sectional study of 629 children with ADHD found OSA prevalence 23.4% using ICSD-3 criteria.

28/09/2025

During deep, slow-wave sleep, our brains do some pretty amazing housekeeping. Cerebrospinal fluid moves through, helping clear away waste products and supporting healthy brain function. This process is vital for everyone — from babies and children learning and growing, to adults protecting their brain health across the lifespan.

That’s why quality sleep matters at every age. For little ones, it supports development, behaviour, and emotional regulation. For women, it plays a powerful role in hormonal balance, mood, and long-term wellbeing.

As a paediatric sleep consultant and certified women’s health practitioner, I love helping families understand sleep not just as rest, but as repair, renewal, and resilience. 🌙💙

💛 How is sleep feeling in your home right now?

27/09/2025

Let’s talk about pelvic organ prolapse (POP).

If you’ve ever felt a heaviness in your va**na, a bulge, or pressure that worsens through the day - especially after standing, lifting, or walking - you’re not alone. This might be a sign of POP.

It happens when the pelvic organs (like the uterus, bladder, or bowel) start to shift downward due to weakened muscles and connective tissue. Think of it like the hammock holding everything up getting stretched or torn over time.

It’s super common. Age, va**nal births, menopause, chronic constipation, and even genetics can all play a role.

Here’s the thing:
💛 Lots of women have some degree of prolapse and don’t even know it.
💛 Some notice bothersome symptoms that impact how they move, exercise, or have s*x.
💛 It’s not just a post-baby or aging issue. It’s a pelvic floor health issue - and there are ways to manage it.

There are effective options - from pelvic floor physio to pessaries to surgery (when needed).

But first? Awareness. Because POP isn’t something we should just “put up with.”

Let’s change the conversation around pelvic floor health.

Here are some amazing pelvic floor physios that we are lucky to have local to Albury Wodonga:
Kelli @ Prime Pelvic Healh
Hayley Lord at

26/09/2025

Hot flushes aren’t “just” annoying - they can affect the brain.

Research shows:
🩺 The more frequent the hot flushes, the worse performance on memory tasks.
🩺 Brain circuits that support memory can be altered when vasomotor symptoms (VMS) are intense.
🩺 Treating hot flushes - whether with hormone therapy or non-hormone options - may improve memory and brain function.

✨ One randomised trial even showed that a non-hormonal treatment (stellate ganglion block) improved both hot flushes and memory performance - the decline in hot flushes and improvement in memory were directly linked.

🔑 What this means:
• Treating hot flushes is not only about comfort — it may support cognitive health.
• Hormone therapy is the most effective treatment for VMS, but it’s not for everyone. Contraindications, health history, and personal preference matter.
• Fortunately, evidence-based nonhormone options exist - including SSRIs/SNRIs, gabapentin, fezolinetant, and stellate ganglion block.

💬 Bottom line: Managing hot flushes is individual. The right approach depends on your health history, risks, and goals — and should always be guided by an informed discussion with your clinician.

24/09/2025

Understanding Premature & Early Menopause

🌸 The average age of menopause is 51 years.
🌸 Menopause before 40 = premature menopause (often due to primary ovarian insufficiency, POI).
🌸 Menopause ages 40–45 = early menopause.

Why does it happen? 🤷‍♀️

🌟 Cause isn’t always clear (possibly undetected genetic factors).
🌟 Can be caused by surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation.

How it might show up:

🩷 Irregular or absent periods (secondary amenorrhea).
🩷 Symptoms of low oestrogen: hot flushes, night sweats, mood changes.
🩷 Symptoms may feel more intense in younger women.
🩷 Lots of women see multiple providers before getting answers.

Emotional impact can be huge. Support for women through this time is essential.

Common investigations:

🩺 Rule out pregnancy, check thyroid (TSH) & prolactin.
🩺 FSH > 40 IU/L on repeat testing may indicate POI.
🩺Estradiol testing isn’t always helpful.

Remember: ovarian activity can be intermittent - which means that contraception is still needed if pregnancy isn’t desired.

Management:

💛 ALWAYS multidisciplinary.
💛 Hormone therapy should be strongly considered (unless contraindicated) - not just for symptoms, but also to protect bone, heart, and s*xual health.
💛 Psychological support is vital.

Premature menopause doesn’t mean the end of your health or fertility journey. With the right support and treatment, you can feel better and protect long-term health.

23/09/2025

A Sleep Case Study and Why Being a Baseline Nurse Matters 🌙

I worked with a toddler whose parents were beside themselves with constant night wakings, restless sleep, and cranky mornings. On the surface, this could look like a “sleep training” issue, which is exactly why they came to me: for a sleep consultation. But with a deeper, whole-body assessment, we uncovered a much bigger picture: airway concerns, bowel difficulties and food sensitivities.

As a sleep consultant and GROW BaseLine nurse, this is where my training really matters.

Sleep isn’t just about bedtime routines - it’s connected to breathing, digestion, allergies, development, and regulation. Knowing what to look for, when to reassure, and when to refer on is vital in making sure families get the right support at the right time.

This case highlights why I don’t just offer one-size-fits-all strategies. Instead, I bring a whole-body, whole-child approach that is:
✨ Evidence-based
✨ Person-centred
✨ Grounded in medical and developmental knowledge
✨ Compassionate for both child and family

Sometimes the best step forward isn’t a new settling method - it’s treating constipation, checking for sleep disordered breathing, or supporting gut health. Once those foundations are in place, gentle sleep strategies can finally work.

What is my superpower? I can connect the dots, bring the pieces of the puzzle together, provide holistic care, and walk alongside families in the way that best supports their child’s health and overall wellbeing.

22/09/2025

40-60% of women report cognitive changes at midlife — trouble with focus, memory slips, or feeling mentally “slower.” Many wonder: Is this just aging? Is it because I’m not sleeping? Or… is this menopause?

The science says: yes, menopause itself can play a role.

Longitudinal research has shown measurable changes in cognitive performance during the menopause transition.

For example:

In the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN), women in late perimenopause showed slower improvement in processing speed compared to premenopause. Learning ability returned to baseline after the transition.

In the Penn Ovarian Aging Study, verbal memory declined significantly from premenopause to postmenopause.

Brain imaging studies also show hypometabolism in memory-related regions (hippocampus, temporal lobe, medial prefrontal cortex) during the transition.

👉 So what does this mean?
Cognitive complaints at midlife are real, common, and validated by research. They are usually temporary, not a sign of dementia, and may be influenced by hormone changes, sleep, stress, and mood.

💡 To treat or not to treat?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Decisions about hormone therapy or nonhormone approaches are best made individually, based on your symptoms, health profile, and preferences.

You are not “just getting old.” Your experience is valid — and you’re not alone. 💛

21/09/2025

What’s a GROW BaseLine? It’s Not Just an Assessment - It’s the Whole Package.

When we say “you’re getting the whole picture,” we mean it. A GROW BaseLine isn’t just a toileting plan or a sleep consult - it’s a person-centred, whole-body, evidence-based deep dive into your child’s needs.

🩺 Delivered by a GROW BaseLine trained paediatric nurse with expertise in early intervention, continence, sleep, and emotional wellbeing
💛 Grounded in compassion and zero judgement—because every behaviour tells a story
🌱 Focused on vital human needs, including:

Sleep
Toileting
Nutrition
Hydration
Sensory processing
Emotional and social wellbeing

Because here’s the truth: everything is connected.

You can’t work on toileting if sleep is out of whack. You can’t build emotional regulation without first addressing underlying constipation.

When you get a GROW BaseLine, you get a plan that sees the whole child - not just the symptom.

We don’t do cookie-cutter solutions. We collaborate, we listen, and we build from your child’s strengths, values, and lived experiences.

✨ When things feel overwhelming, this is where we start.
✨ Because when you meet every need with empathy and clarity - everything else begins to shift.

08/09/2025

🌸 Understanding ‘Over-Tired’ 🌸

Life happens, mama — and not every nap or bedtime will go to plan. Please don’t let this info make you feel overwhelmed or discouraged.

My goal is to educate and empower — not pressure. Knowing the why behind your baby’s sleep can help you feel more confident, especially when things feel a bit chaotic.

Understanding the science of sleep gives you a toolkit. It won’t make sleep magically perfect forever (if only!), but it does help you make informed, responsive choices that work for your family.

You’ve got this. And I’m here if you need support. 💛

07/09/2025

Is Your Baby Under-Tired? 🌸💤

Ever noticed your little one resisting sleep - even though it seems like naptime? 😩🚫😴
It might be because they’re actually under-tired.

When a baby hasn’t been awake long enough to build up sleep pressure (aka sleep drive), their body simply isn’t ready to rest. 🕒✨

This can lead to:

😫 Bedtime resistance
😠 A grumpy baby
😣 A frustrated mama

Understanding your child’s sleep needs - and what’s appropriate for their age and stage - can make a huge difference.

Address

Wodonga, VIC
3690

Telephone

+61490037625

Website

https://growfoundations.com.au/beth-dewing-rn/

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