Baby Sleep Problem: Help, I Feel Like A Human Pacifier at Bedtime!
Weekly Baby Sleep Problem for The Sleep Lady: “My son is now 15 months old and still nursing at morning and night. In everything I read, it always says put your baby in the crib “drowsy but awake.” Is it just me, or is that way harder than it sounds?! Whenever I try and stop […]
Consistency is Your Key to Baby and Toddler Sleep Coaching Success!
We all know it is important to be consistent in parenting but it’s hard to be 100% consistent- especially in the middle of the night when we are tired and not thinking clearly (and you’re in the middle of sleep coaching). Parents need to begin by talking about their goals, making sure they agree on […]
Baby Sleep: A Drowsy Baby is a Baby Ready For Bed
People always ask how they can help their baby sleep. Often in my book, “Good Night, Sleep Tight”, I will instruct you to put your baby down to sleep when she is “drowsy but awake” so she can learn to do that last part of falling asleep on her own. If you have trouble visualizing […]
A Guide to Getting Baby To Nap at Daycare
In my work with parents, I constantly stress the need to be consistent. But consistency isn’t always possible if babysitters, nannies, child care centers or grandmas are also involved with your child’s sleep. To the extent possible, work with these other caretakers to develop consistent or at least not wildly incompatible, sleep rules and schedules. […]
How to End Night Feedings After Six Months Old
The most common problem by far that I have encountered with children and behavioral sleep disorders is that most children who experience problems falling asleep have never learned to fall asleep without a breast or bottle in their mouths. This problem of needing this sleep crutch compounds as they get older and no longer physically […]
Why Does My Baby Fight Sleep? – Sleep Coaching the Super Alert Child
Sometimes I hear parents who haven’t tried my system, predict that it could not possibly work for their child. They believe it will only work for “easy” or “mellow” babies. It can work for all children, including some babies, toddlers, and preschoolers with special emotional needs or physical challenges. Patience and consistency are important for […]
Baby Sleep Aids and Negative Sleep Associations – Break The Habit!
Baby Sleep Aids and Negative Sleep Associations – Break The Habit! What are baby sleep aids, or negative baby sleep associations? It is a connection a child makes with an action made by an adult to facilitate sleep (a sleep aid). It is referred to as “negative” because it will require the continued re-creation of […]
Sleep is a Learned Skill
Research shows it takes the average person 15-20 minutes to fall asleep. What do YOU do during this time? Some parents read, take a both, meditate, or watch TV. Children, too, need to find something to help put themselves to sleep – playing with stuffed animals, sucking their thumb, looking at books, twirling their hair, […]
“My Baby Will Not Sleep” Is All About Quantity AND Quality Sleep
First, let’s begin by addressing four of the most coveted words in parenting – “sleeping through the night” – a term most parents long to understand, experience, and feel! Throughout our sleep time, we are constantly transitioning and cycling between light and deep sleep (known as REM and non-REM). During these transition periods, we experience […]