Parents who have taught their babies great sleep skills from an early age are often surprised when their toddler suddenly starts waking in the night or refusing to follow their bedtime schedule. It’s common for toddlers to start testing their boundaries, and this week I’ve got some tips to help you deal accordingly. If your baby, infant or toddler … Read More
The Truth About Gas and Sleep
There are two major scapegoats I find people using to blame their babies’ sleep problems on. One is teething; the other is gas. Gas makes for a great fall guy when your baby gets fussy at bedtime, since there’s no way to rule it out as the culprit. You hold your baby on your knee, pat him on the back … Read More
Is Your Baby a Light Sleeper?
I remember when I was still battling with my first baby’s sleep problems, it seemed like he would wake up if he heard a butterfly passing by his crib. “He must be a light sleeper,” my friends told me. I assumed that was the fact, and went to great lengths to keep all noise out of his nursery. I wouldn’t … Read More
How Much Sleep Does my Newborn Need?
This may sound like a “Thanks for the revelation, oh wise one,” kind of statement, but newborn babies need a lot of sleep. Seriously. A boatload. The reason I tell you this is because, although parents are aware of that fact, a lot of them are not aware of just how much we mean by “a lot.” In fact, many … Read More
Getting Your Partner on Board
“My husband doesn’t like the idea…” We’re living in a different world from the one our parents grew up in, and the traditional gender roles that permeated society in their generation are becoming more and more obsolete every day. However, as moms, we’re still very much expected to take the driver’s seat when it comes to our babies. That means, … Read More
Ten Things to Try Tonight
I’ll be honest with you, getting your baby to sleep through the night doesn’t always require weeks of effort, outside help, or even purchasing my program. I realize it probably sounds like bad business to tell a whole group of prospective customers that they might not need to buy my product, by I do have some hidden motivation here. I’m … Read More
You Let Your Child do What!?
How would you react if I told you about a group of people who were leaving their newborn babies to sleep in cardboard boxes? Or even more shocking, what if I told you that there were a group of moms leaving their newborns outdoors to sleep in freezing cold temperatures while the mothers sit indoors drinking coffee? I’m sure your … Read More
Response to a Sleep-Deprived Mom
“It’s so tough, but it’s worth it.” I find myself growing very concerned with the number of people who have adopted the “No pain, no gain,” principle of bodybuilding and have applied it to parenthood. Last month, Wendy Wisner, a mother, writer and lactation consultant, posted a photo of herself on Facebook, looking like she hadn’t seen a wink of … Read More
What Would it Take to Change Your Mind?
An article in last week’s New York Times, entitled “Parents Shouldn’t Feel Guilty About Training Babies to Sleep,” refers to a new study published in Pediatrics that researchers say confirms the safety and effectiveness of sleep training. The study was conducted by eight researchers from Flinders University in Australia, and appears to support the findings from a 2012 study, led … Read More
Toddler Stall Tactics
Whether it’s a request for one more drink of water, a lost blankie, or a half-hour tooth-brushing session, toddlers are the masters of bedtime stall tactics. Their creativity and persistence are really pretty amazing at times, and would be adorable if they weren’t so frustrating. With that in mind, here are a few helpful hints to keep the peace and … Read More