I want you to think for a minute about what you do when you’re tired. Do you yawn? Stretch? Find it hard to concentrate? These are all examples of what I call your ‘tired signs’. You might not consciously notice them in yourself, but they’re there, and they’re your body’s way of telling you that you need to sleep. And just like you, your baby or child has them too.

The advice given to a lot of parents whose little ones aren’t sleeping well is to follow a schedule based on their baby or child’s age. These guidelines say things like you need to keep your 3-month-old awake until their next scheduled nap, even if they’re yawning 30 minutes before it’s due. But this common advice is hugely problematic.

Let’s take away the pressure of trying to stick to a routine and think about it logically. When you force yourself to stay awake longer than you want to, it doesn’t feel good. In fact, if you keep on doing it, night after night, you start to feel it throughout your whole body. This is why pushing anyone – you or your little one – beyond their tiredness isn’t helpful. Instead, you need to learn about the tired signs.            

When your little one begins to get tired, they’ll start showing you their tired signs. This is your cue to get them ready and into their safe sleep space for some rest.

When your little one begins to get tired, they’ll start showing you their tired signs. This is your cue to get them ready and into their safe sleep space for some rest.

Some common early tired signs in newborns are burying their head into your shoulder, yawning, arching their back, and frowning. Older babies and children might show different tired signs – like becoming clingy and hyperactive or having meltdowns. Your little one is unique, so they may show some of these signs and some different ones too. If it ever feels like they’re not showing you any signs, or if you find it hard to identify them, take a step back and observe. Look for any changes to their usual behaviour when it’s getting close to the end of their awake time. These changes are them showing you they need you to facilitate sleep.

You might miss your baby or child’s tired signs sometimes and that’s OK. When you miss that perfect sleep window, your little one will become more irritable, fuss and cry to let you know they’re now overtired and will need more support to fall asleep. Learning to spot their early tired signs and responding by letting them sleep before any crying starts will make nap times and bedtimes easier on all of you. If you find yourself constantly missing your baby or child’s tired signs, my educational resources are available to help you get you on track so you can learn how to follow the best guide there is – your little one.

The information in this Blog Article relates to healthy babies and children with no undiagnosed, untreated medical issues or concerns. If you have any concerns about the health of the baby or child in your care, please see their GP or paediatrician.

For more sensible, straightforward, safe advice and resources on getting your family the sleep you all deserve, explore my website – sleepbysteph.com.au