No, they don't, but there are some useful tips to help those who seem to wake as soon as the early morning sun tickles the horizon...

In the summer months, many parents complain that their toddler wakes up too early and a child that used to sleep until 8am is now up and raring to go at 6am. Toddlers need at least eleven hours sleep a night. If there are getting much less than this, something needs to be done.

There are two types of children that wake up too early.

1. Those who wake before they have enough sleep
2. Those who simply need less sleep and get up when their parents deem it too early!

To find out which your toddler is, take a look at their behaviour during the day:-

• Are they particularly sleep?
• Are they grumpy?
• Do they need a mid morning nap only a few hours after having woken up in the morning?

If your toddler is waking becaue there's something specific that might be causing them to wake, then try to remedy the situation:-

• If light steams through the window then put up blackout blinds or blackout curtains
• If something like opening the garage door is making them wake up, park the car on the road
• If their nappy is leaking or really wet, get more absorbant nappies or change them as late as you can in the evening before going to bed

If they are waking and are not able to go back to sleep, then try to establish a way for them to get back to sleep without you needing to be there. Give them a special toy or teddy, give them a muslin or favourite cushion or something that is comforting.

If your toddler is up and raring to go at 6am and has been in bed since 7.30 the night before, you must remember that they only need so much sleep and cannot be forced to sleep once they have had their quota: around eleven hours of sleep.

You could try putting them down a little later at night, although surprisingly putting them down earlier will, for some children, make them sleep in later in the mornings. This is because if they are going to bed too late, and are sleep deprived, it will result in a less restful sleep.

Good luck! Sweet dreams!

A Dreamcatcher is a handmade object made up of a small wooden hoop with some woven thread or wool knotted around it and then decorated with little feathers and beads. The idea is that the dreamcatcher is tied above a child's bed at night and used to protect them from bad dreams.  Only good dreams are permitted to get through the woven web and bad dreams stay in the net and don't interrupt the sleep.  They simply fade away in day light.  However, good dreams trickle down the beaded, feathery strands that hang below onto the sleeping child.

The dreamcatcher originated in Ojibwa Nation in the 1960's and was adopted by other Native Americans over the years.  The idea of dreamcatchers to help children sleep has become more and more popular since then and now dreamcatchers come in all shapes and sizes.

If your child suffers from nightmares or wakes during the night after bad dreams, make them a dreamcatcher!  Get your child involved and maybe it will help with the night time wakes!

Making a dreamcatcher

1. Collect some bendy twigs and secure them safely into a circle using some wire or tightly wound string.
2. Cut some more lengths of string.  Secure one to the circle, stretch it across the other side of the circle and wrap a few times to secure.  Thread some beads onto some of the strands.  Do this with all the string until you have a spider's web effect.  Lots of crossed strands of string securely tied onto the wooden circle.
3. Tie a few more strands to hang down underneath the circle and thread more beads and a couple of feathers.
4. Hang above your child's bed.

"Sweet Dreams!"

Naps are vital for little ones for so many reasons, but they are also an essential time for Mums to have a break too. Keep you baby and toddler napping during the day for as long as you can, for their, and indeed your, benefit.  Make sure you take time out when your baby sleeps: no cleaning or tidying or cooking.  Just have a relax or a nap yourself!

Why do some babies not nap?

1. Over tired. This is the most common problem for disrupted napping during the day. Once babies get too tired, they have trouble relaxing enough to sleep and they fight it.
2. Change in routine or place of nap disrupts their familiarity with napping and causes them anxiety.
3. Over reliance on sleep aids or other sleeping techniques that you later withdraw.
4. Overstimulated prior to going to sleep or a nap.  It's important to "wind down" and go to be in a calm and relaxed state.  Overstimulated babies may wake fitfully because they were not relaxed on going to bed.
5. Lack of routine.  If a 9 month old knows that every day after lunch they have a nice cuddle, they will calmly go and find their teddy and snuggle up for a lovely nap, they wil get used to this idea and expect it.  After lunch comes nap.  This is very important indeed and can be an essential tool when dealing with sleep.
6. The moment has passed.  As soon as you see the signs that your baby is tired, get them to bed directly.  If you delay, you could lose that window of opportunity and find yourself with an over-tired baby instead of one that was ready to be put down to sleep.

The key is to get to know your baby and when they are tired get them straight into their cot for a good nap - all babies differ, but you will learn to spot sleep signs quite quickly!

Signs that a baby is tired:

1. They get fussy and moody.
2. They rub their eyes.
3. They yawn.
4. You feel they have been awake too long.

How long do babies stay awake before they need a sleep?

• 0-6 weeks: about 15-45 minutes! (Seems short, but it's true!)
• 6-12 weeks: 45-90 minutes.
• 3-4 months: 2 hours.
• 4-6 months: 2-3 hours.
• 6-12 months: 3-4 hours.
• 1-2 years: 3-5 hours.
• 2-3 years: 5-7 hours.
• 3-5 years: 5-12 hours.

Sleep tight!

Comforters come in all shapes and sizes: it could be a favourite teddy, a blanket or muslin, a soft toy or even a favourite sock or top!  Whatever it is, if it helps your baby to sleep, it's probably worth having.  Studies have shown that babies with comforters of some sort do sleep better than those that go to bed with nothing.  When children have a favourite item or toy, they are more able to self soothe if they do wake up in the night, and this is essential to getting back to sleep on their own.

Parents who rock, cuddle or feed their baby to sleep find in the most part that when they wake in the night, they have to go through the same rigmarole during the night.  This is the only way that the baby will go back to sleep.  When they have a comforter of some sort, they manage to get to sleep independent of you being there.

For many children a comforter is an effective way of dealing with anxiety or stressful situations.  It soothes them and is a comfort.  It helps them deal with the situation.

What to choose as a comforter?

You may find that your baby chooses their own comforter independent of your choice.  They may always reach for the muslin or ask for a particular teddy.  However, if you are trying to decide on something, try to follow these tips...

How to choose a comforter?

1. Choose something that is easily replaceable (ie teddy that is from a high street store or a muslin that is indistinguishable from others.)

2. Choose something specifically designed for babies to use at night time: i.e. not a wooden train or a hard toy that could hurt them.

3.  Choose something that is age appropriate i.e. soft toys designed for babies (with no loose eyes or buttons that could come off during the night and present a choking hazard).

4. Choose something that is soft and warm to touch; something that can be stroked or snuggled into.

5. Chose something pale in colour because bright, highly contrasting colours stimulate babies and do not help them sleep.

6.  Make sure it's washable!

When should a baby be given a comforter?

You can place a small soft toy in the cot from a very early age.  Try holding it close against your skin for a while before bed so it takes on your smell.  This can add to the comfort for babies, as well as being able to see it.

Children between 6 months and 2 years will begin to form a real attachment to objects and will be more keen to use a comforter.  They can have it at night or when they are somewhere new or in situations when they feel anxious.

By 3 years, they may only need it at night, but be led by them.

By age 5, most children have favourites, but the need to rely on one comforter tends to have passed.  Try not to feel pressure from other children or parents to give up the comforter.  If it's doing it's job, keeping your little one sleeping through the night or helping them cope with stressful situations, then keep it!

Babies should never be given a pillow before 12 months, and best advice is to wait until 2 years - even after that, if they sleep happily without one, then there's no reason why they shouldn't continue without one for longer.  You might want to place a pillow case under their head if they are prone to dribbling so that you can keep the top of their sheet clean.  Pillows present a danger to babies under 12 months with risk of suffocation.

If you do want to introduce a pillow for your toddler then there are a few considerations.  Although you don't have to buy a pillow sold specifically for toddlers, you should ensure that any pillow they use is firm but not thick because deep pillows can lead to bad posture.  If your baby suffers allergies, then an artificial  fibre presents the safest option.  You may also want to check that the whole pillow is washable so that you can clean it should the need arise.

Expectant mothers in the late stages of pregnancy may want to pamper themselves with a pregnancy pillow.  These come in various shapes (sausages, crescents and other patented shapes) and are designed to provide support for your back.  One of the more popular brands of nursing pillow is the Widgey!  Most pregnancy pillows double up as nursing pillows, helping you to cradle your newborn baby whilst breastfeeding, or helping Dad to support the baby while bottle feeding too.

According to research, about 70% of children under five have sleep problems; sleep is a vital part of our daily lives, both for children and their parents, so any problems in this are can have dreadful consequences.  The issues behind sleep problems are complicated and stressful because too little sleep at night can make the days even harder for both parents and children.

So, what can be done to improve sleeping?  Here are a few tips:

1. A day and night timetable

It is important to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day so you begin to "train" your child's biological clock.  This will mean that around 7 am each morning your child will begin to wake and at around 7 pm they will be ready for bed.

2. Routine

Children that follow a routine are more likely to have a more peaceful and calm bedtime.  They know that the same thing will happen each night: bath, wash teeth, pyjamas on, book in bed, cuddle then bed.  They will come to know what happens next and will expect it to be the same each night.

3. Daytime naps

Surprisingly, sleeps or naps during the day can effect how well a child sleeps at night.  You'd think not, but naps are important.  Children find it hard to go all day long without a break and it can make them more relaxed and focused.  The better the daytime sleep, the better the night sleep.

4. Help get them in the mood

Dim the lights, talk more quietly, turn off the TV or music and be calm during the last half hour of the day.  Put black out curtain in your child's bedroom so any sunlight is not making the room bright.   Similarly, the sunlight will encourage them to wake up so keep the binds down if you want them to increase the chances of them sleeping in later in the morning.

5. Bedroom

Try and make the bedroom a calm place in the evening.  Make it warm and comfortable.  Warm the pyjamas if its cold outside, make the bed look welcoming and just try to make it a nice place to be.

6. Hungry or hyper?

Try not to feed sugary foods in the evening that can make children too alert and awake.  Carbohydrates are more calming on the body so try and eat these in the evening.  And, make sure they have eaten well during the day.  A hungry tummy can make sleep very hard!

7.  Wear them out!

Make sure that you do lots of physical exercise with children during the day so they are worn out by bedtime!  It's good for them to enjoy the outdoors and healthy too, so take them out whenever you can so they are tired and drop off to sleep quickly.

8. Read a book

A great way to end the day is to share a book.  Snuggle up somewhere warm and chat about your day together.  Relax and make it a special time of day.

9. Take a teddy

Allow your child to take a favourite teddy to bed with them.  Its comforting and helps them sleep.  Just make sure it's safe with no loose buttons or ribbons they could swallow.

10. Separation anxiety

If they worry about being away from you and use it as as excuse not to sleep, comfort them, show you where you sleep and be firm about not letting them out of bed.

The number of babies being put to sleep on their backs - a sleep position considered the safest - has reached a plateau since 2001.  The Back To Sleep campaign launched in 1994 encouraged parents to place babies to sleep on their backs - rather than lying on their front.  It was discovered that this position resulted in less incidences of Infant Death Syndrome (commonly known as "cot death").

Cot Death is the sudden, unexpected death of a baby.  Even after a post mortem, the death remains unexplained.  It is referred to as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Do we know the causes?  Not really.  A single cause has not been named.  There could be various, even numerous factors that lead to the death, occurring when the babies are most vulnerable.

Are all babies at risk?  It seems so.  There is no evidence it happens to a certain race, or culture, or type of person.  It usually occurs when the baby is under 6 months and it can happen at any time - not just when the baby is in a cot.

Are baby boys or girls more prone?  It seems boys are slightly more at risk, as are premature babies and those of a low birth weight.

How can we reduce the risk?

• Put babies to sleep on their backs
• Do not smoke during pregnancy: you or your partner
• Don't allow anyone to smoke in the same room as your baby
• Consult your doctor if your baby shows any signs of illness
• Buy a new mattress for each baby, don't use second-hand mattresses
• Use a firm mattress but don't use a pillow
• Avoid cot bumpers - there is growing evidence that these interrupt the flow of oxygen and may be a contributory factor
• Lie your baby 'feet to foot' with their feet at the foot of the cot
• Breastfeed your baby as long as possible rather than using formula
• Keep your baby cool - don't allow overheating
• Place their feet at the foot of the cot so they can't wriggle under the covers and don't cover their heads
• Don't fall asleep with your baby in a chair and never sleep your baby in your bed
• Keep your baby's cot in your own room for the first six months
• Follow these guidelines for daytime naps too

Coming home with your first baby can be pretty bewildering, and the first few weeks can be difficult; aim to establish a routine as soon as you can.  Daily routine helps you as much as your baby, it lets you focus on where you are in the day, and prepare for what comes next.  Once you establish a routine, you'll find that your are more prepared and things are less manic!

You'll need to adapt your routine around your baby.  You'll soon see feeding and sleeping patterns - go with your baby's natural cycle (unless feed and playtime seem to fall in the middle of the night because then you'll want to wean them onto a daytime routine!).  Your routine might include sleep, feeds, trips outside (maybe around the park or to the shops), baby and toddler groups, activity time and interactive play.  Baby gyms are a good way to occupy your baby while you can be doing other chores that need doing in the home.  Make sure that you find time to spend with your baby playing peekaboo, doing massage or other touchy feely games.

Leaving the sanctuary of a cosy, familiar crib and sleeping in a huge, big kid's bed is something some toddlers relish. Others see it as an excuse to create havoc! No bars round the bed means freedom, surely?! How you handle the transition to a proper bed can impact how successful the move is. First, there is no right or wrong time to move a child to a big bed. If your little one has become a mountain goat and is climbing out of the crib, then it may be best to move them for safety's sake. If you are confident they sooth themselves back to sleep if they wake in the night, then this is a good sign they won't trouble you in the dead of night if they happen to wake up!

Roll up a spare duvet next to the bed if you are worried they might fall out. Or, invest in a rail. And, if you're concerned about night time wandering, perhaps put a guard across the bedroom door. Either way make the move exciting and fun! Choose a new duvet together, talk about how grown up it is to sleep in a big bed and give loads of praise each time you have a good night's sleep. You could print a ToucanLearn sticker chart and give stickers for good sleeping. Or, award a personalized certificate to celebrate a week of successful sleeping in a big bed. Good luck!

There are many benefits to undertaking baby massage with your new baby. The constant contact will help nurture the bond between you and your baby and will make your baby feel comforted and secure. Massage helps relax the nervous system, improving sleep and prolonging naps. Massage can also strengthen and regulate your baby's digestive, respiratory and circulatory systems and it can help reduce colic. Particularly for first time parents, massage helps grow your confidence in handling your baby, and helps to reasssure you that your baby isn't too fragile to handle! There are lots of books, and you should find plenty of local courses to ease you into baby massage. Seek out a course now, and help to nurture the bond with your baby! Don't forget to blog your experiences at ToucanLearn!