HERE ARE SOME HINTS AND TIPS BROUGHT TO YOU BY MYSELF AND MICHELLE GREEN, THE AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTOR OF LULLA DOLL.

For all our newcomers, here are some great tips on introducing your Lulla Doll to your little one

INTRODUCING LULLA - no set way is the right way, it is whatever works for you and baby but here are some tips that I have mostly learnt from other mums and myself.

0-3 MONTHS

From 0-10 months old, we need Lulla to become part of the bedtime routine. It is important for Lulla to be nice and mummy/daddy smelly, wear your Lulla to achieve this. Use your Lulla Doll at every nap time and overnight sleep remembering the safe sleep guidelines mentioned below.

FROM 10 MONTHS ON

From 10 months on, please encourage bonding with Lulla; dressing Lulla up, wrap and swaddle Lulla for bed, and cuddle Lulla. It is very important that mum and dad show how special Lulla is. Get really excited about Lulla's arrival. She is a very special doll and will be coming to look after her owner.

It sounds weird, but we all know that children want what the parent has right? So start wearing Lulla around the house yourself, again to get that mummy / daddy yummy smell on her. (Just remember to take her out before you head outside to go to work or do the groceries!). Your child will soon realise that YOU think Lulla is pretty darn special and this is where the magic begins.

Paying Lulla lots of attention will soon make your little one want their own baby like Lulla! When this happens agree to give them Lulla only if they promise to look after her. This gives them a sense of responsibility and they will bond so much better with their new friend. It is VERY important that Lulla is included (with sounds on) in your normal bedtime routine whether that be feeding, rocking, reading, wrapping, dummy, shushing or patting.

Most babies wake during their sleep cycles which occur every 20-50 minutes and quite often they are unable to resettle themselves as all the original cues that put them to sleep in the first place are now gone i.e. feeding, shushing, patting, rocking etc. Obviously older children will go into longer periods of sleep, and you may find your child waking every 2 hours and not being able to resettle themselves. This is where Lulla has helped so many families.

We need Lulla to become that cue so it is still there when your child wakes during their sleep cycle. If your child does not like Lulla being close then there are a couple of things you could try and this option is also great if your baby is under 12 months and the sleeping environment needs to be kept free of all soft toys etc.

Lulla can be attached to the cot on the outside of the sleeping environment with her velcro tabs. You can also place the sound box with the speaker facing towards the opening of Lulla rather than Lulla's tummy to make it slightly louder for baby to engage with the sounds and of course the other way if you think it is too loud for your little one.

You can wrap the sound box in something or tape it if the sounds are too loud. If you are patting, feeding rocking etc before you place your baby down, then have Lulla snuggled up between you and baby or as close as possible. Feet down first when transferring baby to their sleep environment, which seems to stop them flailing their arms which could wake them.

Remember SIDS stipulate nothing in your baby's sleeping environment for the first 12 months. Lulla has a safety strap for fastening to the outside of the cot or bassinet, so your little one can still engage with the heartbeat and breathing but its nice and safe, or pop her outside the sleeping environment with her new 'beanie bum'.  

Good luck

Purchase your Lulla Doll Clothing right here at Sleepytot NZ.