Beth Dewing RN, Continence & Sleep, IBCLC, Women's Health

Beth Dewing RN, Continence & Sleep, IBCLC, Women's Health Maternal & Child | NDIS | Women's Health
Little ones: feeding, sleep + toileting
Women's Health.

For all things Maternal &Child find me at [email protected]

Women's Health → holistic, wrap around peri/menopause clinic .restore.clinic 🌸🩺

24/08/2026

When is it time to drop a nap? 🤔

Nap transitions don’t happen overnight, they happen when sleep needs change.

Here are the most common ages:
• 4 → 3 naps: 3–5 months
• 3 → 2 naps: 6–9 months
• 2 → 1 nap: 12–18 months
• 1 → 0 naps: 2.5–4 years

Signs your child is ready:
✔ Fighting naps
✔ Taking a long time to fall asleep
✔ Bedtime getting later
✔ Split nights or night waking
✔ One nap consistently short
✔ Early rising after good nap days

Important:
Dropping a nap too early often causes overtiredness, not better sleep.

Transitions work best when:
• Awake windows stretch naturally
• One nap becomes consistently skipped
• Bedtime shifts earlier temporarily

Nap transitions are messy and that’s normal. Consistency helps them settle.

20/08/2026

Stem cells. This one is complicated. If you look into it you’ll find lots of fancy, scientific words like pluripotency genes, multilineage potential, hBSCs (human breastmilk stem cells) and mesenchymal stem cell markers…. 🧐

The long and the short of it is that we still don’t know a lot about it BUT what scientists have found is pretty awesome.

🌸 Stem cells are the most versatile cells

🌸 Stem cells found in breastmilk are similar to embryonic stem cells

🌸 Stem cells make it into your baby’s tummy. Originally they thought the stem cells wouldn’t survive the stomach but, in fact, they reach the tummy and are able to migrate into the bloodstream

🌸 Once a stem cell is in the bloodstream it can travel to lots of different vital organs like the brain, lungs, liver, bone marrow, spleen etc

🌸 Once it’s there it can become a functioning cell. That’s where the word ‘multilineage potential’ comes from

🌸 These stem cells have the potential to contribute to development, protect against illness and aid in immunity

There’s so many cool factors that make up breastmilk!

One thing I do want to point out is, if you aren’t able to provide your baby with breastmilk that’s ok! Fed is best! And mama’s mental health & ability to cope is priority. A well mama means well baby.

If you’re a mama who needs feeding support - either breastfeeding and bottle feeding - I’d be honoured to be part of your journey! Text, DM, email, stop me in the street to enquire.

Much love 🌸

These are some of the things I wish I’d known when I had a newborn 🌸As a neonatal nurse (and someone who loves a good ro...
17/08/2026

These are some of the things I wish I’d known when I had a newborn 🌸

As a neonatal nurse (and someone who loves a good routine!), I thought I had it all sorted.

Premmie babies I cared for slept more, and I was sure routine was the secret. So when I had Elise, I jumped straight in — bedtime set for 7pm from just two weeks old. I had all the “right” pieces: a dark room, white noise, a good feed, and lots of cuddles…

But here’s what I didn’t realise: newborn sleep doesn’t work like that.

Did you know? 👇

🌙 Newborns don’t have a circadian rhythm yet. Their bodies aren’t producing melatonin and cortisol in a day-night cycle, so aiming for a bedtime around 10pm-ish is ideal until around 3 months of age.

🤱 Snuggles are not a bad habit. Since bedtime is later, those evening hours are perfect for cuddles. Pop them in the carrier, watch your favourite show, or enjoy a quiet book. These days are fleeting.

🍼 Cluster feeding in the evening is normal. Lean into it, rather than fighting it.

🌸 If you’re breastfeeding, learn what an effective feed looks like. Unsure? Reach out to me! 🙋‍♀️

✨ Tag a mama with a newborn who needs to hear this today.

☀️ Morning light helps anchor your child’s body clock.Aim for plenty of bright, natural light within the first hour of w...
09/08/2026

☀️ Morning light helps anchor your child’s body clock.

Aim for plenty of bright, natural light within the first hour of waking. Morning light helps signal to the brain that the day has begun, supporting a healthy circadian rhythm and helping the body know when it’s time to be awake and, later, when it’s time for sleep.

An easy habit: open the blinds, eat breakfast near a bright window, or head outside for some morning light. 🌤️

07/08/2026

Did you know that when you pick up your baby (or someone else’s baby) to help settle them, you automatically hold them close, start to gently pat their bottom, do a little rock, and softly ‘sshhhhh’ them?

Some of you know exactly what I’m talking about and maybe some of you have done it so instinctively that you’ve never even noticed.

But studies have shown that the sound of the ‘sshh’ and the rhythm at which people naturally pat a baby closely mimic the sounds and sensations babies experience in the womb.

Your baby can hear from as early as 17 weeks gestation and while they’re tucked safely inside, your heartbeat is as loud as a vacuum cleaner!

So why am I sharing this with you?

Because I want to encourage you. Being a parent is hard and so often we’re left wondering if we’re doing a good job at all.

But don’t forget: your parent-heart, your instincts, already knew how to settle your baby. You already knew (even if you didn’t know the science) that a little ‘sshh’ and a little pat would be one of the best ways to calm your newborn.

How cool is that?! 🌸
References:
Little, E. E., Legare, C. H., & Spicer, P. (2024). Soothing touch matters: Patterns of everyday mother–infant physical contact and their real-time physiological effects. Developmental Psychobiology, 66(1), e23328.

Feldman, R. (2024). Biobehavioral synchrony between parent and infant. Psychology Today.

van Dijk, M., et al. (2011). The Newborn Infant Parasympathetic Evaluation Index (NIPE) for the assessment of analgesia and comfort in newborns. Clinical Journal of Pain, 27(9), 829–835.

If your kiddo is falling apart by 5.30 pm after daycare, an earlier bedtime is often the kindest option for everyone.Sho...
04/08/2026

If your kiddo is falling apart by 5.30 pm after daycare, an earlier bedtime is often the kindest option for everyone.

Shorter or lighter naps at care, new people, noise and routines all add up. Their nervous system has been “on” all day, so by the time you get home, they’re running on empty.

Sliding bedtime about 30 minutes earlier on daycare days can:
• reduce overtired big feelings
• make it easier for them to fall asleep
• improve overnight sleep over the week

It’s not missing out on time with them, it’s just helping their body reset so they can cope better tomorrow 🩷

02/08/2026

Need sleep help?

I got you.

DM, text, call, email, stop me in the street to enquire.

Address

Wodonga, VIC
3690

Telephone

+61490037625

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