Motherness - Expert: Sleep Consultant, Lucy Burns of The Sleep Scout / newborn cycles, dummies, swaddle transition, 4-month regression, sleeping through

Expert: Sleep Consultant, Lucy Burns of The Sleep Scout / newborn cycles, dummies, swaddle transition, 4-month regression, sleeping through

02/27/20 • 44 min

In this episode, I speak with qualified sleep consultant and mother of one, Lucy Burns of The Sleep Scout.
Known as a 'gentle' sleep consultant, I quiz Lucy on the science of newborn sleep and what normal sleep patterns look like for babies in the Fourth Trimester. We cover what it means to have a gentle approach, and when she believes it is a good time is to consider sleep training. The thing I love about Lucy is that she's firm in her opinion that there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to sleep and is completely supportive of families doing what is right for them and their babies. She's not your stereotypical cry-it-out sleep consultant by any means, and this episode is not intended to encourage sleep training with your newborn. I think you'll find it's quite the opposite!
We talk about why she likes dummies, as well as other positive and negative sleep associations - and she offers great insight into how to best ditch dummies and transition out of swaddles. We discuss the dreaded four-month sleep regression, how this is a progression of a baby's sleep cycles, and cover the difference between self-settling and re-settling.
Whether your baby self-settles, is fed to sleep, rocked to sleep, worn to sleep, patted to sleep, shushed to sleep, cuddled to sleep, or you co-sleeping, you do you mama. I hope everyone who listens finds this episode both comforting and practical.
This episode is not sponsored, I reached out to Lucy myself. But I do use Lucy's guides for my daughter, Albie's routine and when we started following them she began sleeping through the night. Coincidence? I think not! If you'd like to book in for one of Lucy's sleep consultations, visit www.thesleepscout.com and use the code motherness10 for 10% off both standard and express consults until March 12, 2020. You can also email Lucy to purchase her guide and mention this episode for 10% off this as well!
Thanks so much, Lucy!
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Previous Episode

Jess Britten / bed sharing, postpartum emotions, positive breastfeeding journey, physical recovery

This episode is proudly sponsored by Little Bambinos, a lovingly curated online store for minis and their mamas. Use code MOTHERNESS at checkout to receive 10% off storewide. Visit littlebambinos.co.nz to shop.
In this episode, I speak with Jess Britten, mum to 15-month old daughter Stevie. Jess shares her positive birth experience, where she had Stevie in the water at Parnell Birthcare. She then goes on to detail the first days with her newborn and how she recovered physically from birth - nothing is left unsaid in this episode, we chat about easing the pain of tearing when peeing and the anxiety of the first post-birth poo. Yes, really! Spoiler alert: it's not as scary as you think.
We also talk at length about her intense emotional journey during the Fourth Trimester and her desire to stay quiet and insular with her little family as they got to know each other. I was also excited to speak to Jess about her and her partner, Warren's choice to bedshare with Stevie from day one at home. We cover safe sleeping practices as well as where she finds her confidence to make intuitive decisions that are right for her baby and her family, despite concepts like bedsharing not being supported by organisations such as Plunket and regardless of the constant questioning she faced about Stevie's sleep from early on. She maintains how important it is to find sources of support that align with your own parenting approach so you don't feel isolated in your choices as a mother.
Jess is, in my opinion, a shining example of motherness – self-assured, positive, dedicated and unapologetic in her parenting choices yet incredibly open about the challenges, flaws and doubts we all face. I know you'll love her episode.
Thank you so much again to Little Bambinos for supporting this episode of Motherness.
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Meg Raynor / premature twins, NICU, c-section recovery, breastfeeding holiday, bonding, matrescence

In this episode, I speak with Meg Raynor, mum to twin boys Cooper and Theo. Meg openly details her experience with having an emergency c-section when her waters unexpectedly broke at her chiropractor appointment at 31 weeks pregnant. Due to her gestation, she was sent by ambulance to Waikato hospital as she couldn't birth at Tauranga Hospital for the boys were too early.
She shares what it was like having her babies spend two weeks in NICU at Waikato hospital and another six weeks at SCBU in Tauranga Hospital, including what it was like day-in and day-out of having babies in care, being discharged from hospital for the first time without her babies going with her, hand expressing and pumping for her babies for weeks on end, the nerves she felt around breastfeeding for the first time and the milestones the boys needed to reach to go home.
We cover what life was like when they got home in terms of sleep and feeding, and how Meg had a 'breastfeeding holiday' to mimic cluster feeding in order to get the boys breastfeeding from her exclusively and eliminating bottles for top-up feeds of her pumped milk. She speaks candidly about her gradual bonding experience with the boys and how having twins has been for her relationship. Meg also touches on how she feels about her postpartum body, especially in light of her difficulties with restrictive eating and over-exercising in the past, and how she recovered physically from her c-section after consulting a postpartum physio.
When listening to Meg, you’ll hear that despite her considerate, gentle demeanor, when it comes to her babies she’s always been fiercely protective, but in the same sense, I really appreciate her honesty about how she feels when reflecting on her Fourth Trimester. I won’t spoil it for you but I think many of us will echo Meg’s sentiments even if your journey looks different to hers.
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