If your baby or child is not sleeping well it can take a toll on the whole family. Anxiety, stress, frustration, and anger can arise because the whole family isn’t sleeping well. If this is the case for you and your family, then you need The Happy Sleep Plan! But what is The Happy Sleep Plan?
The Happy Sleep Plan is a customized ten-day, five component plan for your child and family to learn healthy, happy routines for successful nights and naps. This plan gives you the means to develop healthy sleep habits for your child. This isn’t just a solution for their childhood; it is providing them healthy sleep habits for life. This process also provides you with more knowledge about your child and how to be a better parent. By answering a questionnaire about your child’s sleep habits and daytime activities, I will design an ideal schedule and bedtime routine that we will adjust along the journey to happy sleep. In the Personalized Happy Sleep Plan we will develop a custom schedule, have a 90 minute discussion about the plan and answer questions, you will receive one-on-one support through the first evening of the program, follow-up email support, phone support, a private parent group if you have questions following the program, and most importantly you will receive personalized encouragement and guidance throughout the program to ensure results. This plan works because I provide the guidance and answer questions for you when you are unsure about what to do! Everyone can read a book about sleep, but it’s receiving the guidance that makes the changes successful and saves you time and energy with figuring out how to implement the strategy and if you are doing it correctly. The best part about The Happy Sleep Plan is the experience and knowledge you gain with helping your child sleep better! This isn’t a ten-day program and then it’s over. This is a skill set for life that you are developing for your child! They will be happier, healthier children from getting the proper amount of sleep each day and night. Once your child is rested they will have less irritability and mood swings. They will be a happier child and you will be a happier parent! Make sleep a priority for your family because it is vital to growth, development, and our moods! Then we can all feel this happy! Every year around Taylor’s birthday I always think back to her birth day. She is nearing five years old and her birth still feels like yesterday. Even though it’s still fresh in my mind, I thought I’d share our story before it becomes lost in the memory bank since every year is filled with new experiences and memories.
Finding out I was pregnant right before my 33rd birthday came as a surprise. I just moved to Stockholm, Sweden six months prior and having a baby was, just barely, on my radar. I did have this funny thing about having a baby born in 2013 though. You see, 13 is my lucky number from competing at the Olympics and it’s sort of stuck with me since. I know, the weird things we hold on to, right!? Anyway, although the year 2013 was approaching, the timing of having a baby just wasn’t right. I was starting to learn Swedish (and still am….), I was trying to find a job after uprooting my life, adjusting to life in a new country, and oh, so much more that I could tell you about. Moving to a new country comes with many challenges you just can’t prepare for. Learning that I was pregnant was exciting, shocking, scary, and serendipitous all at the same time and I’m sure many of you can relate. I wanted to have a calm pregnancy, timed just right, but the cards were not lined up for that; when are they ever? Overall, my pregnancy was great. I did have many days of feeling nauseous, wondering if I was going to make it into work, then getting to work and feeling like I needed a nap already, and there was one incident of throwing up in a trash can on a side street in Stockholm. But I also had some great days too. I was able to exercise throughout most of the pregnancy, bike to work on most days, and overall felt ok. My pregnancy progressed normally and by the final month I began having more regular checks as my doctor thought I was too small. I did not feel small, that’s for sure! Luckily, I didn’t feel too stressed about these extra checks, in fact they brought me calm since most women don’t get as many check-ups during their pregnancy. The check-ups were all fine, I felt fine, and having exercised through my pregnancy I may not have gained extra weight that is considered normal. My birth prep was probably considered abnormal. Since I was new in Sweden, figuring out where to find birth info was a bit tricky but, luckily, for the Internet and a few English library books, my own version of birth prep had to do. I read a hypnobirthing book, which was a really great guide on how to listen to your body. I found it interesting and after many years as a high-level athlete, I knew how much mental preparation was important and envisioning the birth was just as good as going through it. Your body can prepare without actually going through the actual event. My due day came and went, by ten days. I carried on as normal as I could and the day before Taylor was born I was working from home. I had taken a walk at lunch time and I remember feeling so tired afterwards. Like a tired that you can’t fight. I ended up lying down for a little bit because I couldn’t keep myself awake. In hind sight, my body knew. I went to bed that night and around 4 am I got out of bed needing to go to the bathroom. My body didn’t feel right and I had some pains. Nothing crazy but I didn’t feel right. About an hour later I got out of bed and went to the couch because I was starting to have pain and I didn’t want to wake Daniel up. He did wake up though and came out to find me sitting on the couch, as I started to have pains that were not possible to stay quiet about any longer. Obviously, it was finally time! Daniel called the hospital and they told us to wait a little longer. My labor had just started they said, so deal with the pain at home for a while and call back in a couple of hours. Around 6 am I started throwing up and needing to go to the bathroom. My body wanted EVERYTHING out. We called again around 7 am and said it might be time for us to come in but they said, ‘take a shower to deal with the pain.’ I did that but at this point I think I was past “take a shower to deal with the pain” and was throwing up in the shower. Water did not soothe anything that was happening! I remember texting my mom a little earlier and she had said, “go in sooner than later. It can go quick.” I told Daniel to get the car because I was so nauseous that I didn’t want to be in the car feeling any worse than I was. I held on to a bucket the entire drive to Huddinge Sjukhus (Hospital). We arrived around 8 am, they took me into a room and I was 4 cm dilated. A bit to still go. :/ My birthing plan was to do this naturally, no pain meds so we started with acupuncture. Not long afterwards we were escorted to a room and the pain was crazy. I felt like my insides were trying to come out and basically they were. They gave me some oxygen but that made me feel claustrophobic. I couldn’t even stand anyone too close to me so, forget about soothing backrubs! Instead, I basically started going into a zone which, was weird at the time but really cool too. I was there but I wasn’t all at the same time. The pain became so bad that I gave in and asked for the epidural. Just as I was about to get it, I waved the doctor off because a contraction was coming. It was a big one and my water just broke at that time. It turned out to be too late to get the epidural. I am so grateful for that though! The pain was crazy and I remember making the loudest noises due to the pain but, being able to feel a baby come out of your body is a wild experience. Taylor was born just a short while later at 10:54 am on October 3, 2013. Giving birth is an experience like no other and such an incredible bonding process with the baby. Although we celebrate the kids on their birth days, I think us mamas deserve a bit of a head nod for the whole process! Want to read more about how I became a sleep coach? Read more here! We have just gotten back from a month long trip to visit family and friends in Colorado and it was fun, but it definitely had some tough moments. One of the things I enjoy about being a sleep consultant is that I really can understand my kiddo. It doesn’t mean that it makes parenting any easier at times but, at least I can understand or begin to understand why some meltdowns happen. And we seemed to have a lot of meltdowns on our trip. Not all meltdowns were sleep related but being a sleep consultant made me dive into learning about child development, temperament, parenting styles, and mental health. I saw how connected all of these were to sleep. A month trip can be a long time for a kiddo, especially for a sensitive kiddo who, like my daughter, loves her routines and being in her own space. If you are unfamiliar with the term ‘sensitive child‘, or ‘spirited child’, (I would encourage you take a look at the links attached to those terms). Seeing early on that she is reactive to her environment and very sensitive to sounds lead me to read more about is the topic. Being a sensitive person myself, I really can understand what my daughter needs. It took me a long time to understand myself as a sensitive person and hopefully I can help her understand herself much earlier in life. Back to our trip and those meltdowns We seemed to have many meltdowns and arguments with her on our trip. That’s not saying we don’t deal with more than our fair share at home but, it was more than normal. Now, I know she’s only four and meltdowns happen but, I hate meltdowns. One of the hardest parts of parenting is the emotional rollercoaster of being happy one minute and then dealing with a meltdown the next. It has taken me close to five years to get used to her crying and being really upset to not have it spread over into my own mood. I’m not always successful but I’m working on it! Every meltdown made me think about what could be causing her to act the way she was acting. I would try and help her or make adjustments but it wasn’t always possible. As I reflect on our trip, it’s easy to see why we had so many meltdowns when she is dealing with a list of changes, and these are just a few!
Reflecting back on our trip it amazes me how much we do and go through without giving ourselves more credit when we handle all that we do, especially kids. It would have been easy to give in and just make her happy when she was having a meltdown but being away for one month just didn’t make that possible. It would have been even harder on us coming back to our normal routines. There’s never an easy route and just because you try a method and it doesn’t go well, it doesn’t mean you should give up (same advice goes for sleep!). I realize that dealing with meltdowns is a skill and it’s a constant work in progress, whether on a trip or not. Here are my general guidelines to try and reduce meltdowns:
So, what do you do when meltdowns happen both for the kiddo and the adult, cause let’s be honest here, it happens. Give each other time to cool down and then come back to the talk it out. Talk about what happened, say you are sorry, talk about a game plan for the next time it happens. In the past when I’ve read help articles I used to think, ‘great, now I know exactly what to do and we’ll never have a problem again!’ But then the situation occurred again and we were right back to how it was even with trying the techniques. Keep in mind that with any changes you make there will be some trial and error and mistakes but, you must try and try again! Since being home I can see how much my daughter just needed some calm time to play on her own and process everything she experienced. It’s hard to provide this all the time but at least I can recognize this and help her find ways to manage it in the future. What did you see in your kiddos this summer? Each year they grow and develop and it can be so much fun to see this! Thanks for reading and I hope you had a wonderful summer! 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/ Here are a few of the newest Happy Sleep Testimonials right here! Just think, you too could be enjoying better sleep!
“Courtney was my guide to back to sleep. As a new mom I didn’t know anything about the right sleep patterns of an infant. With her knowledge and schedule the whole house, including the dog, is sleeping better. Thanks for being so patient and helping find the right solution for my baby’s sleeping problem. ” – Tristan Geisler 2002 Olympic Gold Medalist, Skeleton “Courtney worked with my wife and me to determine a course of action when our son was waking in the night. He’s now a sound sleeper!”– Eric and Rachel “I just have to say to all who are considering asking Courtney to help you and your child with The Happy Sleep Plan – she is amazing! We are in the middle of our program and it is not easy with our son and Courtney is there every step of the way! It is a great support and I encourage everybody to get help like this for the benefit of their child!” – R. L. Continue reading more testimonials here! 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. Your baby is asleep, now what? You could do dishes or laundry but… you could also do something for yourself. Exercise is one of the most beneficial, natural, and easy elements that you can use to increase your health and wellness, especially after having your baby. That’s why I’ve created this 12 minute workout for you to do any time and any place that suits you. And if you want more than 12 minutes, just double (or triple) the workout! **When exercising after having a baby, keep in mind that your core endurance and strength will be your main focus during each exercise. Be sure to gently engage your whole core (gently contract from the top, sides and your pelvic floor muscles) before each movement.** Here’s how you get started: Set your phone timer (or use an interval timer app), put on some music and begin. The short list Get started: Set your phone timer (or use an interval timer app), put on some music and begin. Workout: perform each exercise for 30 seconds Bring it to the next level: perform each exercise for 45 seconds to 60 seconds.
Exercise Instructions: Warm up for 2 minutes. Ideas for warming up:
modified jumping jacks jump rope Star pose Burpee: start standing, put your hands on the floor, step or jump back with your feet to a plank position, do a push up, step your feet back to your hands, come back to standing, and then jump (if you want to). Begin standing Come down into a plank position, push up Come back to standing Jump Wall sit: come down into a sitting position with your legs in a 90° position. Keep your wieght on the middle to the back of your foot, not your toes. Bring it to the next level: raise one leg at a time for 5 to 10 seconds, or as long as you can hold. Keep most of your weight on the middle to back part of your feet, not your toes! Push ups Choose either to begin on your knees or your toes. You can use your fists if the exercise is hard on your wrists. Remember to keep your core tight while you perform push ups. Lunges – 15 seconds each side Static lunges: start in a lunge position and bend both knees to come closer to the ground. Bring it to the next level by starting in a standing position and then stepping forward and then coming back to the standing position. *For both exercises keep most of your weight on the middle to back part of your feet, not your toes!* Static lunge Moving lunge starting position Triceps Start in a reverse quadraped position, making sure that your hands are in a comfortable position behind your body. Try to keep your hands closer to your body as having them out farther will put strain on your shoulders. Then push the hips up by squeezing the bum. Dip down by bending the elbows straight back and then come back up and push the hips up by squeezing the bum. If your elbows bow out to the sides you’ll lose contact with the triceps muscle so try to keep you elbows bending straight back behind you and not bending out to the sides. Hip press Lay on your back with your feet at a comfortable distance from your body. Squeeze the bum muscles and push up with your hips. There’s no need to push the hips up and over extend your back. Try to keep a neutral spine and only push up as high as is comfortable for your body. Be sure to push with your heels and squeeze your bum muscles as your come up. Shoulder push up You can use your fists if the exercise is hard on your wrists. Start in a downward facing dog position or the beginning of a handstand position. Bend your elbows and bring the top of your head down as close to the ground as possible. Push back up to the starting position. Calf raises – 10 seconds on each side Look at the toe positions below. Preform 10 seconds in each position. Core – 2 mins Crunch: Feet on the floor or legs at 90°. Bring your shoulders up, hold, and come back down. Repeat. Keep your chin in a neutral position and envision an apple under your chin and on your chest. Side to sides: come up into a crunch position and then rotate side to side by touching your hands to your heels. Bring it to the next level: repeat the workout by using the two minute warm up time as two minute cardio. Or finish your workout with stretching. Stretch Sit in a wide leg position, toes pointing up, keep your back straight and bend forward as far as it’s comfortable for you. Next, come back up to a straight back and bend over to the side by first reaching your hand up in the air and then stretching over to the side. Next, cross one leg over the other and hug your kneed into your chest. Hold and repeat on the other side.
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)
Month 2 (weeks 5-8)
Month 3 (weeks 9-13)
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)
Month 5 (weeks 18-21)
Month 6 (weeks 22-26)
The third trimester (Months 7-9) Month 7 (weeks 27-30)
Month 8 (weeks 31-35)
Month 9 (weeks 36-40+)
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:
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. I met Bodil, the creator of Magpodden and professional photographer, at UnderBara Barn, Sweden’s largest child fair. Her booth was beautiful and filled with pictures of sleeping babies. She stopped by my booth and we started talking about several different topics from sleeping baby pictures to our commonalities, such as her husband being American! We really seemed to hit it off and soon after the fair we got together for lunch.
Along with many of Bodil’s talents is her passion to connect with people and it shows in her podcast, Magpodden ( Not exactly sure how to translate this but it’s ‘The Belly Podcast’). In our interview (which starts in Swedish but then goes to English!) we talk about becoming a mom and particularly how I became a child sleep specialist. It’s a journey that I’m sure you’ll find some similarities with having a newborn and becoming a first time mom. Click here to hear the podcast and happy listening! Learn more about Bodil’s photography and The Exclusive Baby Shower event that she has arranged for mamas! From the moment our babies are born they begin working on skills for life. These include grabbing objects, rolling over, making sounds, walking, eating, and even sleeping. Just as a baby must learn how to crawl and then walk, they also must learn how to sleep because sleeping is a skill too!
Think about it this way, if we help our kids walk all of the time they never learn, right? It’s the same with sleep. We can assist them and give the the proper tools they need but we can’t do it for them. As with any skill it takes time to learn and some learn faster than others. And learning to sleep is the most important skill because this is when their brains and bodies grow and absorb the other skills! In a recent study, researchers at University of Minnesota and University of Montreal followed 60 infants from 12 to 24 months old and found that the children who sleep better at night “do better on tests of executive functioning, including impulse control, mental flexibility and working memory, compared with kids who sleep less at night.” (Reference link) Sure, we can survive on less sleep but just because you don’t see the immediate effects that lack of sleep has on you and your child doesn’t mean it’s not happening. Learning to walk doesn’t happen overnight and neither does learning how to sleep. The term “sleep training” sounds harsh so, let’s call it sleep learning since we are talking about a skill. The best way to work on a skill is to give assistance and then reduce the time using the assistance. To help you child sleep, you can develop a good night time routine to transition into a calmer state and then slowly reduce the time you spend assisting your child with falling asleep. It sounds easy but I know that it’s not and that’s why I work with parents to figure out what and why a certain method will work. That’s why books work for some but not others because the information is general and what works for one may not work for the next. To help end your sleepless nights, visit the Parent Resources page for sample routines, a baby sleep chart, and much more! You aren’t alone with your struggle to get a good night of sleep and you don’t have to continue it alone either! Ok, I run the risk of sounding naive when I say this but, I’ll take the chance anyway. I always knew that babies had personalities but what I didn’t expect was how early they truly develop their own personality. My daughter’s personality has changed only a little bit since she was born. She still is to this day, very determined, knows what she wants, doesn’t give in easily (if at all), and it requires work to hear her sweet laugh!
Knowing and understanding your child’s temperament can help them in different situations and also help you be a more understanding parent. To recognize your child’s temperament you’ll need to assess your child’s activity level, how predictable they are (eating, sleeping, adapting to new situations), sensory threshold (how sensitive is your baby to lights or loud noises), how loud or quite they are, and their general mood. These clues will give you an idea as to their general temperament. Here are some examples of common baby temperaments: Unicorn or angel baby: This is the easiest going baby e.v.e.r. On average this baby is calm, easy to feed, put to sleep, and doesn’t fuss much. On the occasions she does become upset, she is easily distracted and calms down fairly easily. These parents pat themselves on the back and carry on with life as if not much changed when their baby joined the family. By the book baby: This baby develops right on time, experiences leaps and milestones precisely when he should, and all calming techniques work like a charm when he gets upset. This is a very predictable baby who can easy join along on a trip as long as food and sleep are taken care of for him! These parents know how to help calm and soothe him and he responds appropriately. They are able to set a schedule for the day based on his predictable body clock. Sensitive baby: This kiddo is sensitive to light, sound, and touch. It doesn’t take much for her to become uncomfortable and then tell everyone about it with wails! Everything must to just right and it’s hard not being able to communicate needs with more than cries. She most likely will be sensitive to food textures and tastes. She will also need a dark, quiet room for sleeping; otherwise sounds and light will distract her. It is shown that sensitive babies have an over-active sympathetic nervous system that increases the experiences of touch and sound. Parents of sensitive babies know it because they will be standing on their left foot, feeding their baby with the spoon tilted at a 45° angle, and singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star because that’s how Baby Sara will eat her sweet potatoes. Spirited baby: A spirited baby has a strong personality right from the beginning. Spirited babies are described as being…..more. More of everything. More intensity, personality, wants, high-energy, and intense reactions. Parents of spirited babies often feel worn out from the amount of energy their child has. As they get older they are able to remember small details of events or point out little changes from before. I often recommend the book, Raising Your Spirited Child by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka, for parents with spirited children. Although sometimes exhausting, spirited children can offer parents a lesson in understanding people at a new level. Your baby will fit into more than one category and probably is a combination of more than one temperament. Our baby’s personality also shapes how we are as parents so understanding your child’s needs can help you develop your parenting technique too. Now, look at your own temperament! Do you recognize any of the same traits in yourself? Resources: Hogg, T. (2005). The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems. New York: Atria Books. Kurcinka, M.S. (2006). Raising Your Spirited Child, Rev. ed. New York: Harper. Kutner, L. (Ph.D). (2016). What’s Your Baby’s Temperament? Retrieved from http://psychcentral.com/lib/whats-your-babys-temperament/ Attachment Parenting and Sleep Consulting go hand-in-hand
I’m an “attachment parent” and a sleep consultant. I nursed my daughter until she was over 2 years old and I’m responsive to her needs but, she also sleeps through the night in her own room. So, what is attachment parenting exactly? Let’s talk about what this means because many people would read this and not understand how being a sleep consultant would allow me to be an attachment parent and nurse for an extended period of time. I was actually an attachment parent before I even knew what the term meant because that’s just what seemed right to me! Attachment parenting is based on the principles that children build strong bonds with the people who take care of them, which results in well-developed socio-emotional growth and well-being for the child. In the early months and years of your child’s life it is important to learn your baby’s signs for their needs. Barry Lester from the Infant Development Center at Brown University explains that, “mothers who were able to perceive what their baby needed helped the baby develop more words by 18 months of age.” I fully agree, support, and practice this thinking! What attachment parenting isn’t is abiding by your child’s rules, every whim, and not having structure. Obviously the first several months will be doing just that but after some time, attachment parenting still relies on parents to set limits, rules, and expectations because not setting structure for your child will overwhelm them. I admit am a very structured person but it’s funny because when I had my daughter I was committed to baby-led everything and following her needs. It didn’t work for us, but boy did I try. I tried for 8 long months in fact! Our situation was thrown off due to several factors that I realized later, one of which was a food allergy and resulted in an extremely unhappy baby (and mama). None the less, I tried and looking back, I realized that I did need more structure at that time for us to thrive. This is where I come in for parents in need of less chaos at home! Sleep is a 24-hour process and not having the right routines in place for your child’s age can lead to sleepless nights. Not having the right bedtime routine can leave you trying to help your child get to sleep late into the night. Many parents will rely on co-sleeping and co-sleeping can be great IF it works for your family! If you aren’t sleeping well and your child isn’t sleeping well then that doesn’t sound like it’s working, but that’s just me. On several attachment parenting sites there are questions about how to get children to sleep because the parents just can’t keep waking up at night or that co-sleeping isn’t working for their family and they don’t know what to do. You see, attachment parenting doesn’t mean being literally attached to your child. What it does mean is having a strong bond with your child and they know you are there for them. Being sleep deprived does not allow you to be fully there for your child! The sites also advise letting the baby nurse without waking you. Um, you shouldn’t be co-sleeping if you can sleep through that. It means you are extremely sleep deprived and could sleep through a dangerous situation, such as rolling on to your baby. Your baby should at least be in a baby nest in your bed or a bassinet next to the bed to avoid a dangerous situation. I fully support attachment parenting but I also support healthy sleep for you and your baby. And that’s why I do what I do because I want families to be their best and that means having a healthy attachment and happy sleep. If you are curious about how I help families, schedule a 15 minute free call with me to chat. I’m happy to talk about how I can help you and your family sleep better! It can be extremely frustrating when you spend a longer amount of time putting your baby to sleep than they actually spend asleep, especially for naps.
Here are some common reasons for short naps:
View baby sleep chart
How do you solve the short nap nightmare??
Remember that sleep is a 24 hour process and when a baby isn’t sleeping enough, they will have a hard time to stay asleep which results in naps that last around 30 minutes. Use these simple tips to get your baby to start sleeping long and as always, contact me for a free 15 minute consultation if you are still having issues! |