http://thebabysleeppractitioners.co.nz/

08/07/2023

I'm excited to announce that I'm officially Possums NDC Accredited as well as an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant.

Email amy@thebabysleeppractitioners.co.nz to book a consultation with me in-home or in the Milk and Honey Paediatrics private rooms.

27/11/2022

If parents don't perceive their child's sleep patterns as a problem, then it's not a problem. It really depends on how you choose to parent.

For example, my 3 year old has been recently experiencing night terrors and I occasionally find him in my bed, snuggled up, snoring next to me. He has woken up afraid and come to find comfort beside me. Here is how I perceive the current sleep challenge.
I'm grateful that he has not actually disturbed my sleep, rather he has independently made his way into my bed to have his needs met and I'm enjoying the closeness because I know that one day I'll pine for this.

Check out my post to figure out if your challenge at bedtime or during the night is due to your toddler being afraid of the dark or night terrors, plus some solutions and strategies to manage each.

22/09/2022

What to expect when you bring your baby home from hospital and how to manage life with a newborn.

20/09/2022

Why is Evidence Based Practice important?

We can't look at baby sleep in isolation. We need to be able to look at and critically consider the real evidence about a challenge rather than just using a personal subjective opinion or gut feel. Parents should expect to receive the most effective care for their baby based on the latest and best available evidence.

I work within a supportive team at Milk and Honey Paediatrics. This is a very important safety net for all health professionals because we can draw on each other's specialities and share and learn from one another's experience. This means clients receive a holistic care approach.

I work with many families that may be experiencing similar challenges but every care plan is individual because it incorporates their cultural beliefs and personal values.

I hold a Masters degree in child health and have worked clinically with families for the last 20 years which gives me the skill set to be able to incorporate EBP as a Baby Sleep Practitioner.

To summarise, it's about developing and fostering best outcomes for babies both in the short term and long term.

29/08/2022

Protecting your baby's sensory motor development.

Some babies get very frustrated with tummy time. This is because it's working against gravity and it can be a very difficult task to use these brand-spanking-new muscles.

Tummy time is important but you can be creative about how you offer it to your baby. It might be that every time you change a nappy you have your baby on its tummy for a little moment. Interacting with a parent on the chest lying down on a bed or holding your baby over your arm (both demonstrated above) are also forms of tummy time that your baby might prefer.

We certainly don't want tummy time to become associated with negative experience for your baby so offer it frequently but for short periods of time, just until your baby is cueing that they've had enough. You'll find that as your baby gets older that he or she is happy for longer periods of time on their tummy.

Holding your baby up close against your body, facing out offers spinal support and babies tend to enjoy the sensory experience of being able to see out, which keeps their sensory nervous system dialled down.

24/08/2022

The Brain Loop...

The problem with the 'new brain' is that it worries and often thinks of worse case scenarios. It picks up on something feeling difficult and develops a thought such as 'I should be happy?' 'Why am I not?' 'There must be something wrong with me.'

This triggers the 'old brain' which responds by feeling anxious which we all experience differently, it could be a racing heart or a squirmy tummy. This then loops back to our 'new brain' and feelings of guilt and anger emerge - 'I can't do this' or I'm a bad mum.'

When the 'old brain' kicks in where do you feel it?

17/08/2022

The first 1000 days of a child’s life (being from conception until 2 years of age) are so crucial for their development. During this time your baby will learn how to interact with their environment and the people in it. Research tells us that outcomes are not just determined by genetics; we are capable of shaping and molding a baby’s brain in the early years of its life.

Children learn to be resilient and deal with their emotions by observing a parent or primary caregiver and children who are empathised with, learn how to empathise. So the more one on one time your child receives with the person that is most in tune with your baby (usually the mum or stay at home dad) the better their outcomes will be. So, prioritise interacting with your baby rather than watching the clock and making lists of things that you need to get done. This is also why self-care is important and making sure you surround yourself with good people that support you and build you up to keep yourself as calm as possible so you can be in the moment with your baby. Remind yourself regularly that your baby is unique and human development is not a race; it's more about the process than how quickly it happens.

The key word for the first 1000 days is RESPONSIVENESS

14/08/2022

Swaddling:
Some babies love it and others really don't enjoy it at all. Therefore, it comes down to the individual preference of the parents and baby. There is a common myth that swaddling will teach your baby to link sleep cycles, when in fact the research doesn't support this.

Swaddling your baby might be enough to give him/her the feeling of security he/she needs to drift off. It's important that you swaddle your baby correctly to protect his/her hips. For healthy development of the hips your baby's legs need to be able to bend up and out so make sure it's not too restrictive. This means that a swaddle bag might be more preferable.

Additionally, if your baby is swaddled too tightly, he/she can overheat and this is why swaddling increases the risk for SUDI.

If your baby likes their arms free, then there's no need to bother with swaddling. Allowing your baby to put hands to his/her mouth will support breastfeeding and neurodevelopment.

Avoid swaddling your baby when breastfeeding as this can interfere with fit and hold. You'll need to stop swaddling once your baby learns to roll.

14/08/2022

Is REFLUX always a problem?

60% of term babies and 80% of premature babies spill. Did you know that there's no benefit from holding your baby upright after feeding or propping the head of the cot? These practices are very outdated and just create more work for parents who are already busy with a pile of washing.

We used to investigate reflux A LOT and pop cameras and probes down babies. Because of that we collected a heap of information that told us that most babies don't get acid reflux in the same way as adults. Those babies that do spill frequently need doctors to find the cause and not just treat the reflux.

If your baby is gaining weight then you don't need to worry about spilling or that your baby is experiencing pain from burning sensations because the gut pH is close to neutral for 2 hours post feed.

21/06/2022

A client shared this photo with me today. This demonstrates this mum's empowerment to experiment when her baby would not settle for a nap in his cot. She pulled the cot mattress out and laid it on the floor, fed her baby to sleep and then rolled away. He had the best snooze ever! Her baby isn't on the move yet so this was workable for this mum at this point in time.

So many parents feel that constantly changing from strategies is a failure but actually this is the way you get to know your baby. Empower yourself to experiment to see what does and doesn't work for your baby. The key to resilience is the capacity to experiment and be psychologically flexible.

Your baby is developing day by day, week by week. What is the case for your baby now may be quite different in 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks time because of the extraordinary human development that unfolds before your very eyes.

Amy Sherpa, Baby Sleep Practitioner

08/07/2023

27/11/2022

22/09/2022

20/09/2022

29/08/2022

24/08/2022

17/08/2022

14/08/2022

14/08/2022

21/06/2022

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