Bedding

11 Responses

1. Hi Tizzie,
   I have a 9 week old little girl and we’ve been following your routine’s for a couple of weeks now (your book is my bible). She is doing really well until after her 2am feed, after this she wakes every half hour. I’m wondering if she is cold. During the day she has on a onesie, a cotton wrap, a cotton sheet folded in half and two cotton blankets folded in half. At night I have been adding an extra blanket. I’m in Sydney and the temperature has dropped and our house is quite cold at night but it seems like so many layers to add yet another blanket.

   I suppose I am after some reassurance that another blanket will not be too much or should I add a sleeping bag under her wrap instead.

   Thank you for your help.

   Emma

2. Dear Tizzie,

   Thank you for your book and all your information on the website. For a first time Mum, even some of the more straight forward advice, such as how long a newborn should sleep for, it really helpful. There is a real gap in post natal care, where a lot of people say things like “you’ll know when they’re tired” and the reality is, you just don’t!

   I have read your books and followed your routines since my little one was 2 weeks old (having coming out of hospital on a 3 hour feeding routine for weigh gain) and she has always been a great sleeper, however, I too have fallen into the trap of many others with regards to swaddling until “they can roll over” (on her play mat not in her swaddle and obviously taking her out too early) and sleeping bags without blankets. I now have a nearly 11 month old who is taking longer and longer to get to sleep as she crawls around her cot and is pulling up on her bars getting more and more tired (and usually distressed) until she eventually falls asleep usually on her tummy. I have been unable to get her to lay down in her cot with blankets over her but am starting by putting blankets on when she is asleep in the hope that she’ll get used to them and then accept being on her back with blankets to go to sleep. I feel like it might be a long road though….is there anything else you would suggest about getting her to go to sleep on her back with blankets at this stage?? She has always been great at going to sleep on her own without any aids but it is taking longer and longer and longer for her to sleep and I wondered if using your “lay down” approach would be useful?

   In addition, she has also started throwing her comforters out of the cot and becoming distressed at that. I have resisted going in to get them as it just seems to upset her more – but putting them back in when she goes to sleep, along with the blankets. Is this the correct thing?

   Thanks again for all you common sense advice

   Melissa

3. I have the safe bedding guide and I live in Queensland and I was just wondering with the number of blankets is that unfolded blankets? If you fold a blanket in half is that considered 2 blankets? My baby is 5 months and I’ve been following the routine since 3.5 months and she sleeps great at night but cat naps all day. Is there any further advice you can give for cat nappers or any further info you can recommend?

4. Hi Tizzie,

   Our 11 week old baby sleeps from 7-7 with a dream feed at 10pm, as you recommend. He has just started rolling over (front to back and back to front) and I’m wondering whether this means we need to stop swaddling him?

   We tried to leave his arms out but he took much much longer to get to sleep and then kept waking up screaming.

   Thanks.

5. Hi Tizzie,
   thanks for all the great information and website. I have read through you SOS book, the SOS bedding guide and SIDS guide – all very helpful. The only things I am still confused about is use of waterproof mattress protectors – some mums tell me this is a necessary but otherwise you hear this could increase SIDS risk. Just wondering your opinion on this.
   Thank you.
   Helena

6. Hi Helena :

   Thank you for your post. Tizzie does not recommend the use of waterproof mattress protectors as she has found they will cause baby to sweat. Here is Tizzie’s information on mattress protectors from the Safe Bedding Guide (page 9) –

   I do not recommend using most mattress protectors in your baby’s cot or bassinet. I have found most protectors make babies sweat and in return makes the baby look too hot so parents do not use enough blankets over their baby and their baby is then cold from too little bedding and sweat. I have only found one mattress protector that is suitable for use in a baby’s cot. It is the 100% cotton mattress protector that I recommend on my website. I have tried and tested many mattress protectors on the market that claim to be 100% cotton and this is the only one that I have found to not cause a baby to sweat. If your baby is sweating and you do not have my recommended mattress protector I suggest you replace it with a 100% cotton towel or my recommended mattress protector.

   Kind Regards
   Kate
   Save Our Sleep

7. Hi tizzie,

   My second child is 7 months and an absolute delight. As with my first she has been on your routines since birth. I am still breastfeeding and she is still having a dream feed and a 3am feed. I am using a sleeping bag and six layers. She is also eating a lot of solids. She follows the routine perfectly during the day, is easy to settle and seems to self settle well. How can I get her to sleep through.

   Thank you!

   Sally.

8. THANK YOU TIZZY! I saw you on the today show just when my 3.5month 7.3kg son started to wake up every 1to2 hours. I own and have read your book, but your advice about the underlay, clothing and 6 blankets fixed it. He slept for 5 hours, then only woke up every 3 hours last night. I feel refreshed.
   I have a question though, am I able to add more cotton blankets, as I think he’s still cold. Even though we have the heater on, it still seems to get down to 15degrees Celsius at 4am.

9. Hi Tizzie, I am reading your book at the moment regarding my 5month old Ólann’s sleep habits, he wakes every night between 3-5am and is restless until resettling again by 6am. I am in Perth and my room has been between 18-21degrees and I’ve dressed him in a short sleeve cotton baby grow,a long sleeve cotton baby grow with legs(all from penneys????) and a 3.5tog ergo sleep suit with no blankets as reccomeneded on the ergo website, I now think maybe he’s been cold. The temp has dropped this week and going to bed the room temp was 17degrees but dropped to 13/14 by 7am. I’m really unsure as to what I should dress him in tonight. I found it difficult this morning having to resettle him when he woke at 4am and after 2mins I comforted him before putting him back down to sleep. Any help would be great, thank you so much.

10. HI Tizzie, I’m reading your book and am struggling with the safe sleeping, I have a 5 week old am leaving in Perth, at moment the room drops to 15 degrees at night, my little man wears a vest, babygro, swaddled in a summer swaddle me, covered in a doubled over cotton muslin, cellular blanket from pennies, a knitted mamas and papas blanket and another Knitted blanket from target, these are all doubled over, it seems like a lot but I think he may still be cold but I’m afraid to overload him with covers, as an Irish girl used to freezing winters it’s hard to get past the thought that 15 degrees is just not cold

11. Hi Eve,

    Thank you for your comment. Here is a link to where you can download Tizzie’s Safe Bedding Guide – http://www.saveoursleep.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/save-our-sleep-article-safe-bedding-guide.pdf. This guide will explain for you all of Tizzie’s bedding advice in great detail and hopefully reassure you about the bedding and room temperature you need to keep your baby warm enough to sleep well. You will also see that Tizzie recommends in your region that the room baby sleeps in should be heated to 20 degrees, as below this will just be too cold for your baby to sleep well. Many parents contact us unsure about following the guide but are always amazed at how much difference it does make to their baby’s sleep when they follow it, so we would encourage you to have a read and follow the guide.

    If you feel that you need further support from then we would recommend considering the Online Advice, so that our members there can look at your situation in detail and guide and support you with any questions you may have – AUD $79.95 http://shop.saveoursleep.com.au/product/1805/49457/

    Kind Regards
    Kate
    Save Our Sleep