The Gentle Sleep Nurse

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The Gentle Sleep Nurse 👶OCN Registered Infant Sleep Consultant🏥 NHS Paediatric Nurse ✨ Mummy to my own special gang ✨Supporting & Empowering families

It’s normal for babies to move, twitch and make grunting noises during sleep.Light sleep stages are why babies often wak...
24/02/2026

It’s normal for babies to move, twitch and make grunting noises during sleep.

Light sleep stages are why babies often wake easily-this is normal and part of their development!

Understanding your baby’s sleep can make all the difference in navigating those early months!

Reach out with any questions regarding newborn sleep ....pop them in the comments below ⬇️

😂😂😂Follow for responsive and realistic sleep support that actually works
20/02/2026

😂😂😂

Follow for responsive and realistic sleep support that actually works

Teething is a pain… (pun totally intended 😅)But unless your baby is cutting a whole mouthful of teeth back to back (whic...
16/02/2026

Teething is a pain… (pun totally intended 😅)

But unless your baby is cutting a whole mouthful of teeth back to back (which can sometimes happen) the discomfort usually only lasts a few days around each new tooth breaking through.

If your baby is waking multiple times a night every night, or struggling to settle consistently, there’s likely more going on and it’s not just teething.

And the good news?
That means there’s also more you can do to help.

Yes, teething can cause a few rough nights. But ongoing sleep struggles often point to something else that’s worth digging into.

Bedtime battles don’t automatically mean your baby is overtired.I know that’s what the internet says.I know that’s what ...
14/02/2026

Bedtime battles don’t automatically mean your baby is overtired.

I know that’s what the internet says.

I know that’s what Google says.

But in practice? I see more undertired babies at bedtime than overtired ones.

When a baby hasn’t built enough sleep pressure, bedtime can look like:

– Playing in the crib
– On/off protesting
– Taking 45+ minutes to fall asleep
– Split nights

And the instinct is often: They’re overtired.

So bedtime gets moved earlier…

Which can make the battle even longer.

Overtiredness absolutely exists.

But it’s been over-sensationalised in the sleep world.
Sleep isn’t just about being tired.

It’s about enough awake time, balanced naps, and aligned sleep pressure.

If bedtime is a fight most nights, the answer might not be earlier.

It might be a small schedule shift.

Save this for later and tell me in the comments:

How long is bedtime taking in your house right now? 💛

Messy, imperfect & full of love ❤️Follow
05/02/2026

Messy, imperfect & full of love ❤️

Follow

Are you rocking your baby to sleep every night? Sometimes for an hour or more…only for their eyes to ping open the momen...
03/02/2026

Are you rocking your baby to sleep every night?

Sometimes for an hour or more…only for their eyes to ping open the moment you attempt the transfer?

And then it all starts again... on repeat... through the night.

You’re exhausted.

You don’t want to co-sleep.

You’re dreaming of lying flat in your own bed, no sore back, no half sleep…your nervous system constantly on high alert.

This is the reality for so many families I’ve worked with.

And here’s the truth: change is possible when this no longer works for you.

Most families tell me afterwards they wish they hadn’t waited so long.

Block out the noise on social media.

Hi, I’m Shanaz, a paediatric nurse, infant sleep consultant, and mummy.

I understand when babies are developmentally ready to begin settling with less hands on support from a caregiver.

Newborns need support to settle, that’s normal and appropriate. But as babies grow, many are capable of learning independent sleep skills if this is something you want.

This isn’t about leaving babies alone to cry.

It’s not about “bad habits.”

It’s about finding sleep habits that actually work and are sustainable for the whole family.

If rocking, feeding, or staying close works for you, that’s okay.

If it no longer feels sustainable, there are gentle, responsive ways to make changes.

Comment SUPPORT below or send me a DM and let’s start a plan that makes sleep work for everyone.

Rest and connection can coexist.

Behind the scenes in January…Supporting families, soaking up small moments and waiting patiently for warmer weather 🥰Fol...
02/02/2026

Behind the scenes in January…

Supporting families, soaking up small moments and waiting patiently for warmer weather 🥰

Follow for all things baby, toddler & sleep support ❤️

Mother: The most proudest title ❤️
31/01/2026

Mother: The most proudest title ❤️

Yes! A consistent morning wake time each day helps support sleep 🤍Your baby’s body runs on a circadian rhythm (their in...
28/01/2026

Yes! A consistent morning wake time each day helps support sleep 🤍

Your baby’s body runs on a circadian rhythm (their internal clock), and that clock is set primarily by light exposure and the morning wake-up time ☀️

When wake ups vary a lot from day to day, that clock can drift… which often shows up as short naps, early mornings, or bedtime battles.

✨ Anchoring the morning rise time (within ~30 minutes most days) helps:

• Regulate melatonin + cortisol release
• Improve nap predictability
• Support longer, more restorative nights
• Make bedtimes feel easier and more natural

This doesn’t mean forcing a baby awake at dawn or ignoring rough nights. It means choosing a realistic, consistent “start of day” and using light, feeding, and activity to cue the body clock, even if the night wasn’t perfect.

Consistency is key!

A steady morning sets the rhythm for the entire day (and night) 🌙

Save this for later + share with any friends who might need to read this

Follow along for more tips on all things baby sleep 💛

‘’If I could give you one million stars I would…’’ 🥰Sleep struggles can feel so heavy when you’re in them…If your readin...
27/01/2026

‘’If I could give you one million stars I would…’’ 🥰

Sleep struggles can feel so heavy when you’re in them…

If your reading this and feeling stuck, please know you’re not doing anything wrong ❤️

Support can make things feel lighter…change is possible ❤️

27/01/2026

"He was waking every 2 hours for feeds."

Baby O was 12 months old and waking every 2 hours, every single night.

Day naps were just 30 minutes.
Mornings started at 4:45am.

Mum was exhausted, beyond tired...just surviving.

She had completely resigned herself to the idea that this was just her life now.

Permanent sleep deprivation.
Pushing through work on empty.

Counting down the hours until bedtime, knowing the night would be brutal.

If you're reading this and nodding... you're not alone.

This was one of my lovely families before we worked together.

We decided to keep one night feed, no pressure, no forcing, just a clear and supportive plan.

By night 3...
Baby O dropped the feed himself and slept 7:30pm-6:30am

No more night feeds.
No more early wakes.
Solid food intake improved.

Longer, restorative day naps of 2 hours that he had to be woken up from.

And mum?

She could finally focus at work again.
Life felt lighter.

Everything felt better.

Her message to me said it all:
"Shanaz, you have changed my life!!"

And the truth is...this wasn't luck.
It wasn't a "magic" baby.

It wasn't because Baby O was somehow different.

This is what I see week after week and can happen when you have:
• a clear, age-appropriate plan
• consistency day to day
• confidence in what you're doing

No second guessing yourself at 3am.
No changing tactics every night.
No information overload from 20 different Instagram accounts.

Just a calm, supportive plan...followed consistently.

I love helping families make this change, because this is NOT something you just have to live with.
If night feeds are running your life and your baby is developmentally ready for things to change...

Comment NIGHT FEEDS below and I'll walk you through the exact steps to wean back feeds.

I thought l’d re-introduce myself as there have been quite a few new faces here recently.And moving into 2026 feels like...
24/01/2026

I thought l’d re-introduce myself as there have been quite a few new faces here recently.

And moving into 2026 feels like the right time.

Especially when corners of Instagram can feel so loud…full of opinions about motherhood, what’s right and what’s wrong, and what you should be doing.

Please don’t ever let anyone tell you that what you’re doing is wrong.

If your baby is safe, there is no right or wrong…only what works for you, and what doesn’t.

It’s okay to parent differently to the next mum.
It’s okay to want some routine in your life once baby is old enough for this.

You’ll never find me saying feeding to sleep is wrong.
Or co-sleeping is wrong.

As a mum who’s done it all - I support you when you want to make changes, not because someone else has told you that you should.

Sleep looks different for every baby.
It’s influenced by temperament, genetics, schedules and habits and none of these are bad.

There is a middle ground…
Between feeling like you’re hanging on by a thread and leaving your baby to cry it out.

There are responsive ways to support sleep without leaving your baby alone or worrying about connection.

Most of the parents I work with don’t even leave their baby’s cot side.

Welcome to The Gentle Sleep Nurse 🥰

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