The 7 things you probably didn't know were impacting your baby's sleep.

It’s 2.46am. You’ve been asleep for three blissful hours (or maybe it was two). Then, you hear some movement through the monitor. 

"That’s just the baby turning over," you say to yourself, hopeful that maybe, just maybe tonight you’ll get four blissful hours of uninterrupted sleep. 

Hopeful indeed. Next thing you know, a wail wakes the household. 

Then the internal monologue begins:

"Is she hungry? When did she last eat?"

"Did I dress her in the right TOG sleeping bag?"

"Where did I put that temperature guide thing that came with my cocoon swaddle bag?"

"Do I need to put the fan on again?"

"Teeth? Again?"

"Wait, is it a leap? Should I check the app?"

"Is the white noise not loud enough? Is it too loud?"

"Or is she just awake now?"

Baby sleep is a lot. And chances are, once you have a child, you’ll be consumed by it for a very long time. But it’s okay, it’s all normal. If a little overwhelming. 

Before I became a parent 10 months ago, I had no idea how many things could impact my child's sleep. I also had no idea what a TOG was or what the helpful apps were. Because when you’re a brand new parent, there is so much to learn, and chances are, unless you're a baby expert, you're going to go through a lot of trial and error. 

But, over the past 10 months (I know, I’m practically an expert) I have done a bit of trialling, making errors and doing plenty of research for you. Here are seven things you probably didn’t realise were impacting your baby’s sleep… 

1. Temperature

In those early days of babyhood, there are so many new things going on. You’ve got to work out your little person. But you also have to work out all of the gadgets that come along with your little person. And one of those is finding out what a TOG is. I remember asking one of my mum friends to explain it to me multiple times during the newborn haze. 

After a while, she gave up and sent me an ergoPouch Cocoon Swaddle Bag that came with a What to Wear Guide, that also had a room temperature thermometer on it. 

And it changed my world. 

A parent once told me that there are two types of mothers. Those who are obsessed with their child being too hot, and those who are obsessed with their child being too cold. I was the too-cold mum until that zip-up swaddle arrived. It took the guesswork out of dressing my child safely for sleep, no matter the temperature.

All I had to do was consult the guide against the temperature of the room and I knew that my daughter would be as snug as a bug. Especially when paired with the right TOG-rated onesies and layers, too. 

I also didn't realise that some babies may need more than a swaddle for sleep, and love that additional firmness and security around their body. If this is your bub, there's a Baby Tuck Sheet for that — also TOG-rated, and a safer alternative to loose blankets. It's basically a firm-fitting mattress 'sleeve' that can be used straight from birth, designed to minimise your little one's startle reflex and maximise sleep (yes, please). 

I also, more importantly, knew she would be getting a safe night's sleep. All ergoPouch products are made from natural fibre, and their zip-up swaddle is designed to be both easy to use and difficult to escape from.

2. Developmental milestones 

Milestones are fun, but they can also really screw with your little ones' sleep. 

From learning to clap, to rolling, to crawl, to realising they can suck their hands or eat their feet, when your baby is learning a new skill (and let's be honest, once they're four months it's basically every week), sleep can get disrupted. 

Once your baby is ready to get out of being fully swaddled, which is also at this time, things can get tricky at night. Especially when you've transitioned them to an arms-out swaddle bag, and they poke themselves in the eye because they don’t realise that they control their hands yet. 

This is where things like a Butterfly cardi come in handy. I used this one at around four months when I took my daughter out of her Cocoon swaddle but didn't want her to have the full freedom of her arms out (because she would whack herself in the head and wake herself up when she startled). It also made it easier when she started rolling because I could give her one free hand, and keep the other in the butterfly cardi and know that she was safe. 

3. Teeth

When in doubt about what is going on with your baby, blame teething.

Because just remember, while you can’t see any little teeth poking through the gums, a lot is going on underneath. Teeth can come up and down through the gums numerous times before they pop through. So the best thing you can do for your little one is keep them comfy during this time. Make sure that they are fed, changed and wearing the right TOG — and cross your fingers that their teething experience is swift. 

4. Too quiet 

When I first had my daughter, I thought the whole 'white noise' thing was a myth. I wasn’t going to have a child who would rely on sounds to get her to sleep. I wanted a baby that could sleep through everything. 

Oh, how naïve I was. 

After around a month of limited sleep and the dog constantly waking our daughter up when he barked at people walking past our house, I jumped online and ordered the Drift Away portable white noise machine. I chose it specifically because it was light and portable, so I could keep it in the pram on walks out, but it also had a nightlight option, and seven clean and clear sleep sounds that are designed to promote deep sleep for babies. 

Now we're 10 months in, and I can't sleep without the white noise machine blaring, and nor can my daughter. 

5. Light, light, light

If your child is waking up during their day naps, one of the things that could be doing it is the sun creeping through their window. A great, simple solution is investing in some quality window blockouts that you can easily cut to size, and won't damage your windows. 

6. Those pesky birds

I know I've already touched on noise, but seriously, if you have a 5am waker, chances are it's because of birds outside their window. Every morning without fail a kookaburra goes off on our street and wakes up the baby. While I can’t do anything about the guy, what I can do is turn the white noise machine up a little to mask the laugh and create a better morning sleep environment. 

7. Starting solids

Solids can be great fun, extremely overwhelming and a little disruptive (and all of that is just for parents). But they can also have an impact on your little ones' tummies, which in turn can either help or hinder their sleep. And you never know which way it is going to go. 

While fuller bellies can lead to fuller sleep, certain foods, especially allergens may start disrupting your baby in their sleep, so make sure you keep an eye out for what is working and what isn't — and follow your child's cues.

Sleep is overwhelming for every household with a newborn in it. But don’t worry, you’ll slowly start to work things out together. But when in doubt, opt for things that are going to take the guesswork out for you. It’ll not only give you peace of mind, but it will also help you sleep.

Shop ergoPouch Newborn sleepwear for safe, warm and uncomplicated sleeping, and check out their What to Wear Guide for choosing the right TOG-rated sleepwear for your baby or toddler.

Feature Image: Supplied.