News Reader.info

THERE COULD BE ONE THING MISSING FROM YOUR CHILD'S BEDTIME ROUTINE THAT COULD MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE TO THEIR SLEEP, ACCORDING TO AN EXPERT 15:19, 03 Jun 2025Updated 15:20, 03 Jun 2025

It’s exhausting when your child is struggling to sleep. You’ve tweaked their daytime nap, you’ve given them an early tea and a relaxing bath and made sure they haven’t got colic or reflux.

And still they won’t sleep. Don’t despair! Sleep expert Heidi Skudder from Positively Parenthood has some great advice, including one tip that you might find surprising. READ MORE: THE ONE

PIECE OF PARENTING ADVICE THAT 'TRUMPS EVERYTHING YOU’VE EVER BEEN TOLD' READ NEXT: THE FOUR FIRST AID TECHNIQUES EVERY PARENT SHOULD KNOW We chatted to her on the Brummie Mummies

Podcast. Listen to what she had to say here: Article continues below "If your child is struggling to sleep and you’ve assessed whether something like colic or reflux might be wrong and

whether or not you need to adjust their daytime nap, it may be just that bedtime is often when a child is craving your attention," said mum-of-two Heidi. "Evenings can feel like a

bit of a conveyor belt, we all do it - dinner and we’re saying ‘eat up’, bath, wash hair, brush teeth, saying ‘come on get into your PJs’ whilst they’re running around. "It’s

understandable, you’re tired yourself whether you’ve been at work or looking after your child all day and you just want to sit down and watch TV or have a glass of wine or, like me, you need

to open your laptop because you work for yourself. "But, by rushing the process, we are not connecting with them or really being present." Heidi's suggestion was quite

surprising on the podcast because it was to give your child more play time just before bed, even rough and tumble play, if that is what they'd like to do. "By switching the

routine, we can take these moments with them," she explained. "If you have no more time, maybe shorten bath time by five or 10 minutes or maybe not do it every night. Instead give

them 20 minutes of your full attention with no phones or distractions. "Get on the floor with them in their bedroom and say ‘what do you want to play?’ "Let them lead the play.

They love this because they think ‘I get to be in charge’. "They may choose some rough and tumble play, or to potter around showing you their teddies. "We don’t always find time to

stop and be with them and that’s really all they want. Just stop and be with them. "Imagine your child as being like a cup that needs to be filled with love before sleep. "Give

them more stories, more cuddles." Find out more about Heidi's tips via the Positively Parenthood website and The Baby Show website. You can download or stream all our Brummie

Mummies episodes on all major podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple. Article continues below Please share this episode with anyone you think might find it useful, follow Brummie

Mummies on Facebook and Instagram and sign up to our free newsletter to keep updated on family news.