<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>Blog | Essential Parenting</title>
	<atom:link href="https://essentialparenting.co.uk/category/blog/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>https://essentialparenting.co.uk</link>
	<description>Sleep Coach and Parenting expert</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2026 09:28:03 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en-GB</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>
	hourly	</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>
	1	</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.4</generator>

<image>
	<url>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/cropped-essential-parenting-site-icon-32x32.webp</url>
	<title>Blog | Essential Parenting</title>
	<link>https://essentialparenting.co.uk</link>
	<width>32</width>
	<height>32</height>
</image> 
	<item>
		<title>Why Toddlers Say No: What Your Child’s Behaviour Is Really Telling You (And What Helps)</title>
		<link>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/why-toddlers-say-no-what-helps-and-what-doesnt/</link>
					<comments>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/why-toddlers-say-no-what-helps-and-what-doesnt/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Helen Davies]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2026 09:28:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://essentialparenting.co.uk/?p=251392</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[If your toddler or young child has suddenly started saying no to everything, refusing everyday requests or melting down over small moments, you are far from alone. This is one of the most common concerns parents raise, and it can feel incredibly draining when you are living it day after day. The reassuring truth is [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
					<wfw:commentRss>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/why-toddlers-say-no-what-helps-and-what-doesnt/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Is Sleeping Through Really the Goal. A Realistic Guide to Night Waking in Babies and Toddlers.</title>
		<link>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/baby-not-sleeping-through/</link>
					<comments>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/baby-not-sleeping-through/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Helen Davies]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2026 09:10:56 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://essentialparenting.co.uk/?p=251385</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[If you have ever found yourself awake at 2 am Googling whether your baby “should” be sleeping through by now, you are far from alone. In my work as a Private Health Visitor, one of the most common worries I hear from parents is quiet but heavy. Their baby or toddler is still waking overnight, [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
					<wfw:commentRss>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/baby-not-sleeping-through/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Normal Night Waking Explained: What’s Typical for Babies and Toddlers</title>
		<link>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/normal-night-waking/</link>
					<comments>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/normal-night-waking/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Helen Davies]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Feb 2026 10:28:35 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://essentialparenting.co.uk/?p=251378</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[If your baby or toddler wakes during the night, you are not alone.Normal night waking is one of the most common worries parents share, and one of the biggest sources of self-doubt and exhaustion in the early years. Many parents come to me believing their child’s sleep is broken, that they have created bad habits, [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
					<wfw:commentRss>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/normal-night-waking/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Why You’re Still Exhausted Even When Your Child Sleeps</title>
		<link>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/why-youre-still-exhausted-even-when-your-child-sleeps/</link>
					<comments>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/why-youre-still-exhausted-even-when-your-child-sleeps/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Helen Davies]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 19 Jan 2026 11:54:28 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://essentialparenting.co.uk/?p=251372</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[If your child is sleeping better but you are still exhausted, you are not alone. This is one of the most common things parents say, often quietly and with a sense of guilt attached. Many expect that once nights improve, energy should return too. When it does not, parents often assume they are doing something [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
					<wfw:commentRss>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/why-youre-still-exhausted-even-when-your-child-sleeps/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Call To Make Learning Through Play and Continuous Provision Statutory in KS1</title>
		<link>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/call-to-make-learning-through-play-and-continuous-provision-statutory-in-ks1/</link>
					<comments>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/call-to-make-learning-through-play-and-continuous-provision-statutory-in-ks1/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Helen Davies]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Jan 2026 11:08:39 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://essentialparenting.co.uk/?p=251370</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A petition launched by play-based learning consultant Ruth Lue-Quee is urging the UK Government to make play and continuous provision statutory for children aged 5 to 7 in Key Stage 1 (KS1). With over 100,000 signatures secured, the campaign has secured a Parliamentary debate on Monday 26th January, and now the focus is on maintaining momentum [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
					<wfw:commentRss>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/call-to-make-learning-through-play-and-continuous-provision-statutory-in-ks1/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Why Baby Sleep Feels Worse in Winter (And Why It’s Not a Regression)</title>
		<link>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/baby-sleep-feels-worse-in-winter/</link>
					<comments>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/baby-sleep-feels-worse-in-winter/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Helen Davies]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 12 Jan 2026 09:39:11 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://essentialparenting.co.uk/?p=251364</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Winter sleep can feel relentless for many families.Not because routines disappear, but because capacity does. By January, many parents are already running on empty. Illness has often moved through the household more than once. Daylight is limited. Outdoor time is reduced. Everyone is carrying a level of tiredness that quietly builds week after week. When [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
					<wfw:commentRss>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/baby-sleep-feels-worse-in-winter/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>How To Protect Sleep At Christmas</title>
		<link>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/protect-sleep-at-christmas/</link>
					<comments>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/protect-sleep-at-christmas/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Helen Davies]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Dec 2025 14:28:07 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://essentialparenting.co.uk/?p=251360</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The weeks leading up to Christmas are full of magic. The lights, the excitement, the school nativities, the visits to see family, the treats and the late nights all create a feeling of anticipation that children absolutely thrive on. But while their hearts may be full, their nervous systems are often completely overloaded. For many [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
					<wfw:commentRss>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/protect-sleep-at-christmas/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Understanding Postnatal Anxiety: Why It Happens, What It Feels Like, and How to Get Help</title>
		<link>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/postnatal-anxiety/</link>
					<comments>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/postnatal-anxiety/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Helen Davies]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 04 Nov 2025 10:52:24 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://essentialparenting.co.uk/?p=251349</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Becoming a parent is one of the biggest emotional shifts a person can experience.Your body changes, your hormones fluctuate, your sleep disappears, and suddenly, the weight of caring for a tiny human falls entirely on your shoulders. Most parents expect tiredness and mood swings in the early days, but what often takes them by surprise [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
					<wfw:commentRss>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/postnatal-anxiety/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>3 Day Sleep Reset</title>
		<link>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/3-day-sleep-reset/</link>
					<comments>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/3-day-sleep-reset/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Helen Davies]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 27 Oct 2025 10:08:25 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://essentialparenting.co.uk/?p=251333</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Early starts after the clock change? Here is a gentle, evidence-based 3 day sleep reset plan to help your baby or toddler’s body clock rebalance calmly, kindly, and without stress.]]></description>
		
					<wfw:commentRss>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/3-day-sleep-reset/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Ultimate Guide to the Autumn Clock Change and  Sleep</title>
		<link>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/autumn-clock-change-and-sleep-guide/</link>
					<comments>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/autumn-clock-change-and-sleep-guide/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Helen Davies]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 19 Oct 2025 08:51:34 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[baby sleep]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[clock change]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[toddler sleep]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://essentialparenting.co.uk/?p=251327</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[How to handle earlier mornings, tired evenings and nap chaos with calm, gentle strategies. Getting stressed about the autumn clock change and sleep seems to go hand in hand! When the clocks go back each autumn, most adults enjoy the idea of an extra hour in bed. But babies and toddlers do not get the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
					<wfw:commentRss>https://essentialparenting.co.uk/autumn-clock-change-and-sleep-guide/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
	</channel>
</rss>
