Sleep Foundations .

Sleep foundations are the building block that form the

base of your little one’s sleep. They are the set of
practices and habits that promote healthy and restful
sleep.

Strong foundations often lead to more solid,

predictable sleep. They also help your little one
bounce back after encountering any hurdles.

Weak foundations can see things crumble with the

slightest disruptions and can make it feel like you
need to start from scratch again and again.

Before embarking on your sleep training journey, go

right back to basics and check your foundations.

Often with a few little tweaks at base level some

sleep problems improve or resolve before you even
make any changes around settling.

So, what are the foundations of sleep?

Health
Sleep Environment
Feeding and Nutrition
Timing and Routines
Pre-Sleep Rituals

Get these in check and you’ll be setting your little one

up for sleep success and settling becomes a while lot
easier!

Sleep Foundations © Mind Body Sleep 2023 - All Rights Reserved. Page 1
Health.

There are many underlying health concerns which can have a

direct negative impact on sleep. Such as reflux, poor latch, oral
ties, allergies/intolerances, OSA, to name a few.

Often these are identified in the early months, however, they can
sometimes go undiagnosed or be brushed off as minor concerns
that bub will “grow out of“.

If you are unsure, talk to your GP or paediatrician for peace of

mind or to help uncover any medical issues if they are present.

If your gut is telling you something is wrong and you feel

your concerns are being ignored, don’t hesitate to seek a
second (or third) opinion.

Sleep Foundations © Mind Body Sleep 2023 - All Rights Reserved. Page 2
Sleep Environment.
To be able to successfully settle independently your little one will
need a safe, familiar sleep space that is free from distractions.

The ideal sleep space is cool (about 18-22°C/64-71°F), dark (not

necessarily pitch black but as dark as possible), and quiet with no
distractions like night lights* or interactive toys.

White noise can be helpful during the sleep training process, but
it’s not essential. General household noise is fine, but we want to
be respectful and courteous of minimising noise as we would if
anyone else were sleeping close by.

Not all naps will need to be done at home in their sleep space. Your
baby can learn to settle independently but still have flexibility in
their routine to accommodate naps on the go.

Toddler (2yrs+) who express a fear of the dark may

benefit from a dim red night light in their room. But,
they are often more of a distraction for younger
babies.

Sleep Foundations © Mind Body Sleep 2023 - All Rights Reserved. Page 3
Feeding & Nutrition.
A hungry or under-nourished child won’t sleep well.

For newborns, feeding quality can directly impact sleep quality, so

any feeding or growth concerns should be addressed as a priority
with your paediatrician or an IBCLC (Internationally Board
Certified Lactation Consultant).

Learn your baby’s hunger cues and ensure they are feeding well
throughout the day.

For older babies and toddlers on solids, a lack of nutrients or an

unbalanced diet can also negatively impact sleep.

Your little one’s nutritional needs will evolve rapidly over the first
few years, so be conscious of keeping up with changing their
feeding schedule and diet as necessary depending on their age
and stage.

Sleep Foundations © Mind Body Sleep 2023 - All Rights Reserved. Page 4
Timing & Routines .
Timing is an essential factor to consider for independent settling.

Your baby needs a certain amount of homeostatic sleep drive to

fall asleep. If put down too soon they will simply not be tired
enough to go to sleep or sleep for long regardless of what you do.

If allowed to stay awake too long your baby’s body can undergo a
stress response leading to the release of cortisol and adrenalin
which can make your baby more alert and less able to relax and
fall asleep.

Benefits of routine;

Babies are creatures of habit and thrive on predictability.

Help you to understand your baby’s cues so you’re not trying to settle
a hungry baby or feed a tired baby.
You can plan ahead because you know roughly what time your baby
will need a nap or a feed.
Other care givers can easily take over if you need some time out.
Routines help to regulate your baby’s internal biorhythms like sleep,
mood and appetite, so battles over meal and sleep time are greatly
reduced.
MBS routines allow you to get out of the house every day if needed,
so you can still run errands and catch up for coffee. Not every nap
needs to be done at home. You don’t need to sacrifice your social life!
Having the familiarity of a routine helps babies bounce back after
regressions or illness.
Routines can be adaptable! We know babies aren’t robots, but in
most cases a solid routine will lead to more consistent sleep overall.

Mind Body Sleep’s ROUTINE ROADMAP is a fantastic resource for routines that
grow with your baby that are based on age appropriate awake times.

Sleep Foundations © Mind Body Sleep 2023 - All Rights Reserved. Page 5
Pre-Sleep Rituals .
Pre-sleep rituals or “bedtime routines” are proven to improve sleep
quality and duration.

They are the events that occur in the 5-10 minutes before nap or
bedtime that signal and prepare your baby for sleep time.

Pre-sleep rituals should be a simple series of relaxing and calming

activities that help your baby relax and transition from play to
sleep.

Choose some ideas from this list that both you and baby enjoy...

Bath (can be done at bedtime and not for naps)

Baby massage
Going into baby’s room
Dimming lights
Turning on white noise
Nappy change and/or getting dressed
Sleeping bag on
Book
Cuddle and a song
Using a sleep time phrase “mummy loves you, time for sleep”.
Turning lights off

Sleep Foundations © Mind Body Sleep 2023 - All Rights Reserved. Page 6
Notes.

Sleep Foundations © Mind Body Sleep 2023 - All Rights Reserved. Page 7