Your baby's room plays an important role in sleep. Now, I don't actually think the picture is a good representation of a good sleeping environment, but it looks nicer than a completely black picture!
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Your child's room environment for sleep is a positive sleep prop to help promote sleep.  When your baby wakes up at night, these factors help calm the mind and body to help go back to sleep. These tips not only help babies sleep, but also us as adults too!  To encourage the best sleep for any age, an ideal room should:

• Be dark  - so dark, in fact, that you can barely see your own hand in front of your face!  Use blackout curtains or double up your curtains to block out any light from outside.  If you need to use a light at night, it's best to use a red or yellow tinted light.

• Be cool - 16 to 20 degrees Celsius / 65 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit depending on the season.  Our body temperature drops naturally at night, which helps set the stage for our bodies.

• Have white noise - a dull sound that helps drown out any other noises.  Use a sound machine or a fan. Fans can serve two purposes: they produce a dull sound and also keep the room cool.  I really like Relaxing White Noise Sounds for Baby Sleep (click to be taken to the album).

• Have a sleeping buddy - once your baby can hold an object, give them a blanket or stuffed animal (I love the combo blanket with a stuffed animal head).  Make sure to put this next to your baby every time s/he sleeps (naps and nights), but don't use this as a toy.  At first, the sleeping buddy should only be associated with sleep!  Once your child associates this with sleep, then they can use it during the day as well.

If some of this sounds strange, remember that your baby came from inside the womb where it was dark, the perfect temperature, and had a constant whooshing sound.  Re-make your baby's room to be as womb-like as possible and you'll have more success with sleep. This theory even applies to adults! If you have trouble sleeping, try out this room environment too.

​Visit the Parent Resources page for more tips to help your kiddo sleep!  Or get in touch if you have more questions.

This post is taken from my book, Happy Sleeping Baby ~ Your Guide for Sleep Success, !  Want to order the book?  Use the form below:

​Photo by Bastien Jaillot on Unsplash

 

This post was written by a former client who reached out about creating this white noise album.  I use the playlist often when I'm trying to work or relax! Give it a try via the link below in the post.  ~Courtney


​ Guest post written by: Kaveh Akaber
 
I’m a filmmaker and composer and have professionally experimented with sound all my adult life and nighttime has always been a creative playground for me. But after our first child, I was struggling to fix my random sleep, take care of my child and try to be creative all at the same time. After years of insomnia, I collapsed. My body said stop. Not even music could calm my senses and make me go to sleep. Doctors advised me to take heavy sleeping pills, but after several weeks I stopped. Before I went to bed, I had a feeling of panic and couldn’t calm myself. This reminded me also of my newborn baby that didn’t have the right tools to calm down before sleep. 

I have tried various methods to deal with this issue for many years.  At one point I was reading an article about different sound therapies. How sound and music could redeem Alzheimer’s patients to start remember again and other sounds that can make you sleep easier. It was during this time I started to look for different methods of white noise sound therapy to deal with my burnt-out state of mind. 
 
Sounds are actually ancient life hacks to make you go to sleep. People have used their vacuum cleaner to make noise and get their babies to go to sleep, driving cars for hours, or listening to static on old radios through the whole night. In all of these sounds, you have white noise. Actually, everywhere you go there is noise. Different noise can also be described in various colors depending on which frequency they have. Light waterfalls can be described as pink noise, and heavy waves on sea can be described as brown noise and so on. In my opinion the problem is our surrounding is based on artificial environments with too many sounds that interfere with our senses. We start looking for total silence instead of relaxing or going into deep meditation. But if you think about it, total silence is an even more unnatural state of mind. In our evolution, our minds have developed in light sounds in surroundings. For example, sleeping under the stars, listening to the wind, or sleeping near the sea. White noise can be discovered in all of these natural environments. 

According to professor Göran Söderlund at Lund´s University, if your body is too tired before sleep you can have a sense of panic stress instead and to fall asleep can take a longer time. Especially babies who don’t have the tool to deal with this issue. White Noise can instead increase the state of alertness and make you more awake and then make you tired quicker and put you to sleep.

So, what noise works for you? There are loads of poor recordings and sounds out there, so therefore I started to make my own noises. I created this Relaxing White Noise Sounds for Baby Sleep album inspired by these events and my friend encouraged me to produce one album especially for his baby. I calibrated the white noise with sound recording pulses from other space, the seaside from south Sweden, winds from the mountains in north Scandinavia, and a hairdryer at home. In my studio I almost fell asleep during experimenting with these sounds! So, I thought this might work! This will definitely not solve all your issues with sleeping and a troubled mind, but maybe a good way to make it easier. A strange mind is a strange mind. The only thing you can do is deal with it.
 
 
/Kaveh Akaber
 

Link to the album Relaxing White Noise Sounds for Baby Sleep: 
https://open.spotify.com/album/4zdA0jutWM8NmHmOhLFcSE?si=7m3tRtUlT5GSVzNcGIZOvg

White noise can be a great part to a perfect bedroom environment.  Read more about a great room environment for sleep here.

If you start seeing that your baby is struggling to take a nap, here are a few things to keep in mind.
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First, make sure that you have worked on your baby’s awake window, have set up their room for sleep, and have a good nap time routine in place. If your baby still isn’t sleeping well for their nap, next think if they are going through a developmental stage or regression time. When babies are learning a new skill, it can often interfere with sleep. Also, make sure your baby doesn’t have any sleep props to help fall asleep as these will often result in short naps. If the above aren’t causing short or no naps, here are a few cues that it might be time to drop a nap.

• Your baby doesn’t seem tired at nap time and begins to have trouble falling asleep or it takes a very long time to fall asleep
• Your baby begins to consistently have short naps (if longer naps were the norm before)
• The last nap is too close to bedtime and there isn’t enough awake time
• Your baby starts to wake earlier (especially if this wasn’t an issue before)
• Your baby starts to wake more during the night
• Your baby skips a nap here and there

Generally, your baby will drop a nap around these ages:
4 to 5 months – 4 naps to 3 naps
6 to 7 months – 3 naps to 2 naps
13 to 17 months – 2 naps to 1 nap
24 to 36 months – 1 nap to 0 naps
If your baby starts showing some of these signs and they are within the age range of dropping a nap, then it’s probably time to adjust nap times!
You can find example age schedules at the bottom of this page!

Here’s how to drop a nap
There are three options that I find work best when dropping a nap time. The first is to let it happen naturally. On some days your baby may take a nap and on other days they may not. This works well for easy-going babies and also easy-going parents. You can read more about temperament here. This option can take a month to adjust to the new nap times.

Option two is to keep your baby awake by 15 to 30 minutes longer to help adjust to the change. You will keep them awake with extra play, daylight, or a snack. Limit anything that can trigger sleepiness, such as breast or bottle feeding, car or stroller rides. This option helps your child to adjust to the new nap times, but remember that your baby may be a little cranky when stretching their awake time and this will take anywhere from a week to a month to get on to the new nap times. Crankiness will be normal! Bedtime may be a little earlier to help adjust to the change.

Option three is to make the change to the new nap times. Similar to option two, you will keep them awake with extra play, daylight, or a snack. Limit anything that can trigger sleepiness, such as breast or bottle feeding, car or stroller rides. Your child will adjust fairly quickly (quickly can mean anywhere between three days to two weeks to make the change) but may be crankier while making this change. Bedtime may be a little earlier to help adjust to the change.

Remember, any change is like a mini jet lag and your baby’s body needs time to adjust, which can take about two weeks. Stay consistent and your baby will adjust before you know!

Want more information about helping your baby sleep?  Use my sleep book which has everything you need to know about sleep! Learn more here.

Visit the Parent Resources page for sample schedules and more tips to help your kiddo sleep!  Or get in touch if you have more questions.
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Just like adults, babies have different temperaments. Some are laid back and happy most of the time; others can be prone to frequent tantrums. Some babies enjoy a peaceful environment; others feel more comfortable when there is noise around. You may not realize, but the type of temperament that your little one has can affect their sleep, as well as having an effect on any sleep training that you provide.

When you are making changes to your child’s sleep, they may respond easily and go with the flow or they may protest for a while about it. This is where knowing your child’s temperament will help you when making changes and what to expect.

Do you have a dandelion baby or an orchid baby?

Dandelion baby

Now first off, if you have a dandelion baby I’m not calling your child a weed!    All I mean is that some babies are able to thrive no matter where they are and others need very specific conditions.  Just like a dandelion they can adapt and thrive no matter what kind of environment they are in, like this dandelion, for example.  It’s not in an ideal place for water, probably gets extremely hot in the bricks and the conditions are not ideal, but it’s growing and thriving without any problem.  Before becoming a parent I thought this is how all babies were.  Oh, how wrong I was!

Orchid Baby

Now take and orchid.  An orchid needs conditions that are just right.  Not too much water, not too much sun light, not too hot, not too cold, juuuuuuust right.  If the conditions aren’t good then the orchid doesn’t thrive.  I know because I had orchids living in Colorado and never had success with growing them but in Sweden they are like the easiest plant!     If you have a child that needs very specific conditions, you know what I’m talking about.  You’ll need to be very aware of their awake windows, naps times, routines, and room environment for sleeping.

If your baby is an easy going dandelion

If you have an easy going baby, the task of getting them to sleep through the night should be fairly simple. In fact, you may find that they do all of the work themselves. This type of baby is often a self-soother. This means that If they do wake up in the night they will usually fall asleep again in a few minutes.

If this sounds like your baby, you should simply stick to a regular routine each night, so that they get to know that it’s time to sleep. If you do hear any crying during the night, you should use a technique that is a gradual way to help guide them to sleep but they will be able to start doing it more on their own fairly soon.  Your little one may have been startled by waking up and just need a few minutes to settle, so leave them for about ten minutes before you investigate. However, self-soothers and easy going babies do not usually carry on crying. If the upset continues, it’s a good idea to check if there is a problem.

If your baby is an orchid

Every parent thinks their own child is special; even if their little one is difficult. However, some babies can be hard work; even if their parents will not admit it in public. If this sounds like your baby, the good news is that temperaments can change. Just because your baby is tantrum prone and attention seeking does not mean they will be a difficult toddler or teen.

However, babies that are difficult still present a problem in the here and now. They are easily disturbed and upset and they want you to be there when they are. This results in frequent loud crying during the night. One thing you should never do if you have a child with this type of temperament is adopt the ‘cry it out’ technique. Some babies will just keep crying for hours, until they get attention. This is not good for the baby, or anyone else in the household. This does not mean you should let your baby rule your nights either. Here are some tips that you may find useful.

• Stick to the same routine before bedtime.
• Stick to the same sleep time.
• Do not over stimulate your child with lots of new activities, especially in the couple of hours before the night time sleep starts.
• Make sure the sleep environment is suited to your child. If they like a little sound while they sleep, provide it or use white noise.
• Adopt a technique that is not completely ‘no cry’. Let the crying continue for a few minutes. Try not to pick your baby up but stay close to the crib and speak soothingly.
• As your baby gets older, try to distance yourself more; stay by the bedroom door instead of going up to the crib.

Orchid babies will let you know if they are not happy and they are usually a bit loud about it.  Be ready for this when making changes to sleep, or well, anything!

The fact is that many babies veer from being easy going to demanding, at a moment’s notice. There can be many reasons for this such as:

• Changes to the home environment
• Changes to routine
• Eating different foods
• Upset in the home

Some children have a temperament which means that they do not handle change or unrest very well. Others just love mischief and enjoy being playful in the middle of the night. These babies are often signalers at night. They wake up and they want you to know about it.
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The best way to deal with this may be to use a gradual approach to not answering their signals at night.  You can start by popping your head into your baby’s room to check on them, and then get them gradually used to you not coming straight away when they cry. If they wake up at night, you first wait only a minute or two.  Then the next night you start increasing the time by another one to two minutes until you are up to ten minutes. If they just want to grab your attention, and you do not provide it, they will often get bored and go back to sleep. However, all babies are different, so be prepared to be flexible. Some will be more persistent than others when it comes to this!

By the time you are ready to make changes to your baby’s to sleep, you should have a good idea of their personality. Use this knowledge to help you find a sleep training technique that works best for you and your child.

​Want more information about helping your baby sleep?  Use my sleep book which has everything you need to know about sleep! Learn more here.

Visit the Parent Resources page for sample schedules and more tips to help your kiddo sleep!  Or get in touch if you have more questions.

As you know, I am absolutely passionate about the science behind sleep and helping you and your family finding your way to the sleep you need and deserve. What I’ve found along the way is that it’s not only sleep that weighs in. Nutrition and child development is as important and also goes hand in hand with sleep.

I think most of us have heard or read about the importance of talking to our children to help them with their speech and language development. But did you also know that this will help your kiddo later on in life with things like math, reading and social abilities?

So no matter no matter what their age, it is important to talk to children. I always tell parents to tell their kids what they are doing so that they begin to understand but also because it’s great to hear so many words.

“Children learn best from speech directed to them by their caregivers creating conversations that build on children’s interests.”

And for those of you who are thinking that they can give their child the same benefits by having adult conversations when your child is with them I have to tell you that unfortunately ambient speech will not have the same results. Children thrive when being addressed and engaged in a conversation.

This all sounds good but how do you do it without feeling foolish talking to yourself?

Here are my top 5 tips on how to talk more with your kiddo to make it feel more natural:

1. Narrate your day. 
When I was on maternity leave I talked to baby T about what I was doing, what was around us, describing colors and shapes or talking about how things work. It could be things like, “Mama’s going to wipe your little bottom now and change your diaper so you don’t get a rash” or when out grocery shopping “We are going to need an apple, some carrots and broccoli for our salad today. What color apples do you think we should get? Red or green?”.

2. Sing and talk when playing with your kid. 
Play peek-a-boo and other games where you practice taking turns, talk about what                you are playing and what is happening in your games. This also helps them understand how a conversation works. Sing songs where you use your body to describe what is going on, like “Itsy Bitsy Spider” or “Wheels On The Bus”. Describe the colors and sounds of toys you’re playing with, i.e. “The zebra is black with white stripes” or “What sound does the duck make?”

3. Talk about what is going to happen throughout the day. 
Like “Today we are going to go on a play date with your friend Oliver and in the afternoon we have a check up at BVC (healthcare center for children in Sweden) to weigh and measure you.”I’ve found  that as your child grows it is actually quite good to talk to them about what activities you have planned for the day. It gives them a sense of control knowing what’s up next. And even if they don’t remember, you can remind them throughout the day of what the plans were, i.e. “We’ve met your friend and after lunch we’re off to BVC”. It doesn’t eliminate tantrums entirely but it helps your child feel more included in what’s going on and not be ambushed by new things.

4. Encourage others to talk to your child! 
Grandma’s, grandpa’s, friends who also interact with your kiddo, ask them to engage in            conversation with them and let them know of the benefits of doing this.

5. Read to your child.
Books stimulate your child’s imagination and you can also pause and ask them questions while reading. For              example “What do you think will happen next?”
Let me know what tips and advice you have for talking more with your children in the comments below!

Resources:

Talking with children matters: Defending the 30 million word gap

Roberta Michnick Golinkoff, Erika Hoff, Meredith Rowe, Catherine Tamis-LeMonda, and Kathy Hirsh-PasekMonday, May 21, 2018

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/education-plus-development/2018/05/21/defending-the-30-million-word-gap-disadvantaged-children-dont-hear-enough-child-directed-words/

Barns språkutveckling

19 Apr 2018, kl 08:11

http://www.babyhjalp.se/barns-sprakutveckling/

From the time you find out you are pregnant until the day the baby arrives is a time filled with changes and preparations.  Here is a (short) list of must-know highlights of what to expect!

The first trimester  (Months 1-3)

Month 1  (weeks 1-4)

• Your body will begin to change from day 1 starting with breast tenderness, possible light spotting, cramping, fatigue, food cravings, and many emotions! You won’t look pregnant but it might be the only thing you can think about!
• Now it’s time to avoid alcohol, deli meats, uncured meats (as may contain listeria), uncooked or raw fish and meat (yes, that means sushi that can cause toxoplasmosis), smoked fish (listeria, see above), raw eggs (salmonella), soft cheeses (brie, Camembert, Roquefort, feta, Gorgonzola as these may contain listeria) and wash all fruits and vegetables (again, toxoplasmosis).
• Look for pasteurized cheeses, milk products and juice.  Fresh juice can be unpasteurized so look at the label.
• Limit caffeine to less than 200 mg a day.  Generally one coffee per day is fine.
• Take a prenatal vitamin with folic acid.  Folic acid helps to prevent neural tube defects.
• If you aren’t exercising, now is the time to start.  Begin with walks or light workouts.
• Think about how much stress you experience and then reduce it!
• Log in some extra sleep!  It’s hard work growing a baby!

Month 2  (weeks 5-8)

• Again, breast tenderness, possible light spotting, cramping, fatigue, food cravings, and many emotions!
• Your breasts may start to enlarge at this time.
• See the food list above and memorize it!
• You might start to feel more bloated.
• Nausea might start to kick in.

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Month 3  (weeks 9-13)

• You could be feeling a bit more dizzy or light headed now.  Be sure to take it easy and sit down if you feel this way.
• Your appetite may be increasing!  Or decreasing if you are having nausea or “morning sickness” that can last all day. Try pressing on the insides of your wrists if you feel nauseous or use motion sickness bands.
• Constipation.  Use fiber.  ‘Nuff said.
• Headaches are common.  There are so many changes in your body taking place!
• You might be getting used to the fact that you are pregnant!​

Follow your growing baby with this fascinating week-by-week picture timeline!

The second trimester  (Months 4-6)

During the second trimester you’ll most likely have the most energy but, everyone is different.  Now you’ll start to look pregnant and really start to feel pregnant too!  But you still may be wearing your normal clothes; they are just getting a bit tight!

Month 4  (weeks 14-17)

• Swelling of the ankles, feet, hands and face are common.
• Nasal congestion is also quite common.
• You still might experience some nausea and dizziness.
• Headaches, indigestion, farts, and bloating are all part of the joys of pregnancy!
• Bleeding gums might occur when brushing your teeth, it’s ok.
• Same with occasional nose bleeds.  This is due to the increased blood flow in your body.  It’s also the cause of the pregnancy glow you have!
• You could be having a swing of happiness and then sadness all within a few minutes.  You aren’t going crazy, those are just your hormones going crazy.
• Everything in regards to eating, exercise, stress, caffeine, and sleep all still apply.
• Your baby is the size of a small apple!  Its lungs are breathing amniotic fluid, blood is pumping through its circulatory system, and the kidneys are filtering urine.

Follow your baby’s growth with these cool week-by-week pictures!

Month 5 (weeks 18-21)

• Your body is continuing to grow and things pretty much stay the same other than an increased appetite. Watch that you don’t start “eating for two.”  Most women only need to increase  their calorie intake by 300-500 calories.  Maintain a healthy diet with some indulgences, of course!  Keeping a healthy weight is important for you and baby in regards to diabetes, blood pressure, and overall health.
• You may experience backaches and trying to find a comfortable sleeping position.  A body pillow is a good support option.  Try to sleep on your left side as it helps circulation.
• You may experience your eyes becoming blurry.  This typically goes away after the baby is born.
• When wearing a seat belt, be sure the belt is across your lap and not over your belly.  For a shoulder harness, be sure the belt is between the breasts and at the top of the belly.
• Changes in your baby include tiny tooth buds that are popping up in your baby’s mouth!

Month 6 (weeks 22-26)

• Drink lots of water to keep up with the increased blood volume in your body, process nutrients, develop new cells, and regulate body temperature.
• If you have swelling in your legs, be sure to elevate them as much as possible when sitting.
• All rules in regards to eating and exercise still apply!
• You might only be able to fit through tight spaces walking forward instead of sideways now, if you haven’t already reached this point!
• Talk with your partner about how life will change.  Share excitement and worries about the changes ahead.
• Move that mama body!  Exercise helps prepare your body for birth, reduce stress, and keep those happy hormones flowing!
• If you haven’t already, you might be feeling the baby or babies moving!
• You might experience aches in your lower back and abdomen from your ligaments stretching and losing in preparation for birth.
• Inside your belly your baby’s eyes are able to open and fingers and toes have prints on them!
• Eating too much in general and before bedtime can increase heartburn.  Have five or six small meals during the day to help reduce heartburn.
• Start looking into attending a birthing class or types of birth methods now!
• Don’t forget to take some time with your partner!  Go to dinner or  take a short baby-moon trip!  Some airlines allow women to fly up to 36 weeks but others may restrict travel at 28 weeks.

The third trimester  (Months 7-9)

Month 7 (weeks 27-30)

• Congrats!  You are in the home stretch!
• You’re probably feeling quite pregnant now with cramps, swelling, shortness of breath, difficulty sleeping, backache, nasal congestion, clumsiness, constipation, headaches, and indigestion.  Sounds awesome, huh?!
• But it’s all worth it because inside of you is a beautiful baby who is becoming more aware of light, sound, and touch!
• Watch your step as your balance may be off a bit.  Your center of gravity is much different now so take it a little slower!
• Remember to work on any breathing techniques you plan to use during birth.

Month 8 (weeks 31-35)

• The final stretch!  So close but so far away still!
• Rest, rest, and get more rest.  Take this time to get a facial, massage, or extra sleep.  Trust me and a billion other mom’s when we say to just do it!  You are busy but taking care of yourself is extremely important right now.
• Your baby and uterus fills most of your torso right now.  Your size may be completely different that other mom who is 8 months pregnant.  Don’t compare as each person and pregnancy is different!
• Swelling and pain in your wrists (carpal tunnel syndrome) is very common.  Try not to cross your legs (if you can still)! The extra fluid in your body causes pressure on nerves which results in tingling sensations in your body.
• Your baby can hear distinct sounds now so say hi often!
• You’ll continue to put on weight but by this point it will be more because the baby is gaining weight and preparing for birth.
• Continue to eat an extra 300-500 calories and drink plenty of water.

Month 9 (weeks 36-40+)

• This is it, the final weeks!  It can feel like an eternity at this point so do your best to get outside for walks, hit the gym if you can, put your feet up, read a book, or watch some movies!  You won’t be doing these things for a while after the baby is born!
• Your baby may start to feel as if it’s getting lower in your abdomen.  This is due to your baby dropping lower into the birth canal as it prepares for entering the world soon!
• Braxton-Hicks contractions are very common and your belly may tighten for 30 seconds and then relax.  Your muscles are preparing your birth too!
• If you haven’t thought about how to contact your partner when the time comes, then you might want to consider having a plan in place…..just a thought……
• Get all final preparations done, such as washing baby’s clothes, washing sheets, stocking up on diapers, preparing some meals to put in the freezer, and having plenty of clean clothes for you too!
• Your baby has toe and finger nails now and her reflexes are developed to be able to blink, grasp an object and respond to sound and lights!
• Although it’s difficult, try hard to not count the minutes and seconds during this time.  Meet with friends and chat with other moms-to-be to take your mind off of your due date!

What’s next!

Now is the time to prepare yourself for the first several weeks with your newborn.  A Happy Sleep Plan will give you the knowledge to get you and your baby sleeping and feeling great in no time!  A Happy Sleep Plan includes:

• 60-minute consult to explain sleep cycles, stages, routines, and answer questions
• Ideal routine for your newborn
• Four follow-up e-mails, no expiration
• Happy Sleep group on Facebook for parents​

​Want more information about helping your baby sleep?  Use my sleep book which has everything you need to know about sleep! Learn more here.

Visit the Parent Resources page for sample schedules and more tips to help your kiddo sleep!  Or get in touch if you have more questions.