Riff Raff Ramblings — Sleep Guides

Here at Riff Raff we recommend the use of a consistent routine for best sleep results. And by that we mean napping in the same place each time so the use of the bassinet or cot is recommended.  So why talk about pram sleeping??  Because um..  SANITY. That's why.

For many of us, our older babies returned to school this week - cue the mumma tears!! Finding a routine that works well around your little one’s school drop off and pick up is hard enough, even more so if you have a younger babe who is still requiring naps though. So how do you manage to keep bub’s naps on track whilst still ensuring your older child’s school needs...

It is well known that quality sleep is undoubtably a fundamental element in an infant’s healthy development. From their busy brain to their tiny tummy, there are incredible amounts of growth and development that happens when your baby gets good quality sleep. Therefore, it absolutely makes sense to create healthy sleep habits for your little one from the very beginning. After all, our babies only know what we teach them...

Choose your timing wisely. The most common reason I see cot to bed transitions fail is because the move to the bed has been done when your little one is too young. I recommend making the transition when your little ones are 2 ½ years old and over. In fact, the closer to 3 years the better. This is for a few reasons. Firstly, we want your little one to...

It’s really important to make sure your little one isn’t taking opportunities in their awake period to doze, lull or wind down. The reason is that this can absolutely cause them to gain a second wind and resist sleep time ahead. So if your little one is getting even remotely drowsy or really lulling on a feed, it’s likely that once they finish that they are likely to ‘reboot’, and...

Firstly I typically don’t recommend winding little ones down before bed. I find this can often lead to a problematic second wind. Have you ever noticed after a feed or TV your little one springs back up as if they have recharged, yet we are thinking its bedtime.  The other problem with winding little ones down too much is it may mean you are playing a large role in getting...

I get this question all of the time. “My 3 year old keeps coming out of their bed, how can I keep them in there”, or “ I have to sit with my little one until they fall asleep but this can take hours”. It can be a really frustrating process so here are my top tips to help tackle this issue.

As the seasons begin to turn, you may start to see a change in your little ones sleep habits. Are random wake ups starting to occur somewhere between 3-5 am? Is your little one starting their day at 5 or 5.30 instead of 6.30? Illnesses keeping them up? Believe it or not, this IS normal. 

These time changes don’t only affect our children’s sleep patterns but our adult sleep patterns too, as you all know it can take a couple of weeks to adjust but here are some tips to help the transition.  

Overtired baby? Let’s be honest, we’ve all been there and often, it’s not pleasant!! Have you heard yourself saying that your little one ‘just isn’t tired’ or they’re always ‘fighting sleep’? Instead, it’s very likely that your child is overtired!

It’s hands down one of the most common questions and complaints I get about little ones’ sleep:  How do I navigate those dreaded sleep regressions? So I wanted to put together a piece for you on some of the ways you can best manage regressions, and in some cases avoid them all together.

Daylight saving changes strike fear into many a mother's hearts so if you are a little worried about how these changes might affect your little ones sleep don't worry - you are not alone!