Once you become a parent sleep is definitely the most talked about topic. How much you’re getting, when you’re getting it, how on earth you’re getting it. Who’s getting the most, who’s getting the least, and how can you get more. Do your children sleep through the night, do they nap during the day, do they sleep in the car, in the pram, in your arms? We become obsessed with it, mostly because none of us are getting enough.
Mattress Next Day are launching a new campaign looking into the affect sound has on our sleep and it’s definitely made me think more about how we use noise to get more sleep around here.
Dilan has always been a great sleeper, and I don’t necessarily believe that’s down to any thing other than luck. I believe that sleeping through the night is a developmental stage that all children will reach in their own time. I also believe that sleep deprivation is one of the most evil forms of torture, and a lack of sleep is enough to break even the strongest of people, so it’s only natural for us to look (sometimes a little desperately) for any ideas that might help us get some more.
I’m not one for strict routines, bedtimes always look different here, we don’t have any special smells or magic lights or life changing tips. What we do have though, what we have always used and what really seems to work for us, is sound.
While I was pregnant we visited the Baby and Toddler Show and came across Ewan the Dream Sheep, a soft toy which plays 4 different calming sounds together with a comforting heartbeat. I’ve always slept with a fan on because I found the quiet sound helps me sleep better, so the idea that noise could help a baby to sleep didn’t seem strange to me. Once Dilan was here Ewan quickly became an essential part of our kit and came every where with us, as the soothing white noise would help keep Dil asleep if we were in the car or out shopping. At night I would have it playing in bed and it would send us both into a deep sleep.
Now that he’s older we have moved on to a white noise app on my phone. At bedtime we read three books together, then turn on the “Shhh” setting on my app. The noise helps to create a constant ambient sound, helping us both to drift of to sleep peacefully. It also masks background noises coming from elsewhere in the house meaning Dil gets off to sleep uninterrupted by the washing machine or noisy neighbours.
I definitely think that sleeping with sounds on has had a positive effect for us, and helped us to get as much sleep as we do. Do you sleep with any sounds on, or are you someone that can only sleep in total silence? Have you tried white noise with your little one? Let me know in the comments!
*This is a collaborative post*
