Eastside Midwives Collective

19/02/2026

Want better sleep tonight?
Start this morning ☀️

For pre-schoolers, daytime habits are one of the biggest predictors of night sleep — as powerful as your bedtime routines.

Here’s why:
🌞 Morning daylight helps set your child’s body clock for the entire day
🏃‍♂️ Active play builds sleep pressure (the drive to sleep)
🌿 Outdoor movement supports emotional regulation and nervous system calm

When kids don’t move enough or don’t get enough natural light, their bodies may simply not be “ready” for sleep — no matter how calm bedtime is.

This doesn’t have to mean structured exercise.
It can mean:
• free play
• climbing, running, digging
• just getting outside (even briefly!)

Sometimes the most effective sleep strategy isn’t another bedtime tweak - it’s permission to let your child move more during the day.

👉🏻 Save this as a gentle reminder for tomorrow.
👉🏻 Follow for a deeper dive into sleep and nutrition with sarahmegens Sleep OT and kerrieanne.crosby.naturopath

13/02/2026

Over-tired doesn’t always look sleepy.

In pre-schoolers, it often looks like:
• hyperactivity
• emotional meltdowns
• clinginess or constant demands
• destructive or chaotic play
• “I’m NOT tired!” energy at bedtime

And yes — it can be incredibly hard to live with.

Many parents assume these behaviours mean their child needs less sleep, when often it’s the opposite. An overtired nervous system struggles to switch off, even when the body desperately needs rest.

If evenings feel like a battle in your house, please hear this:

💜 This is partly biological
💜 It doesn’t have to stay this way
💜 Bedtime will get easier

The first step is understanding why sleep feels so hard right now.

Knowledge around the biology of sleep will put you in the best place to implement changes that make the biggest difference.

Next week: how sleep starts in the brain, and on the plate.

Follow for more sleep tips!
sarahmegens Sleep OT

10/02/2026

Ever had a child who is exhausted… but absolutely will not sleep? 😵‍💫

You’re not imagining it — and you’re not doing anything wrong.
For pre-schoolers (and the rest of us!), sleepiness comes from two biological systems working together:

🕰 Circadian rhythm – their internal body clock that responds to light and dark
🔋 Sleep pressure – the “tired tank” that fills up the longer they’re awake

When one (or both) of these are out of sync, kids can look wired, hyperactive, emotional, or suddenly full of bedtime energy — even though they desperately need sleep.

This is why:
• Late naps can delay bedtime
• Too much evening light (screens) can make sleep harder
• Busy days often lead to better nights

Sleep isn’t just about routines — it’s about biology. And once you understand that, things start to make a lot more sense 💛

👉 Save this if bedtime feels confusing right now. Follow for more sleep tips this month!

kerrieanne.crosby.naturopath
sarahmegens Sleep OT

22/01/2026

We are running another nutrition and sleep workshop!!!

This time we are heading to Kilsyth to Japara Living and Learning Centre

Come along for an interactive workshop where all your questions about children's nutrition and sleep will be answered.

You are very welcome to bring kids along to the session

23/12/2025

On my way into my last Lactation appointment for 2025 !! It’s been a fabulous year for ESM ! Lots a divine babies. 👶. Even one of our own little ESM Grand babies recently born in the USA. Darling little Amelia. ❤️.

29/11/2025

One spot left in our Hypnobirthing class for next Sunday 7th Dec

28/11/2025

Preparing for a day of talking all things birth tomorrow ❤️. ™️

27/11/2025

📢🎉 We are really excited about this 🎉📢

We have started to trial sensory and movement groups 👏👏

Currently we are offering 1 trial group for 0-12month olds in Kilsyth on a Monday morning.

The plan is to extend to more locations and include a wider age range to watch this space.

If you are interested in registering or looking for more information, reach out to Sarah via email sarah@eastsidemidwives.com

If you have an older bub, please reach out if you are interested in hearing more so we can keep you updated

01/11/2025

Next Hypnobirthing class 29th Nov. ❤️ call Helen 0425 770 316. One spot left. ™️ www.eastsidemidwives.com

30/10/2025

How lovely are the longer days when Melbourne turns on the sunshine ☀️😍

We got in some Vitamin D and exercise while searching for 'ingredients' to make a 'special and rare potion', love the mind of a 6 year old 😊

Hope you all had a lovely day

19/10/2025

19/10/2025

Hypnobirthing Australia