Archive for the ‘Sleep Quick Tips’ Category

How do you know if your baby is sleepy or exhausted? Some babies are easier to read than others and some babies get crankier than others without enough sleep. It highly depends on your baby’s temperament. So, what are the signs to look for?

A baby is sleepy if she is:
•   Yawning
•   Less active
•   Staring off in space (or has glassy eyes)

A baby is exhausted if he is:
•   Rubbing his eyes
•   Fussy or cranky
•   Overly hyper (strange, but true)
•   Looking like he has bags under his eyes
•   Falling asleep mid-activity

Just in case there is any doubt, I thought I’d show this video which is either very funny illustrating what I would call a “sleep fighter” like my son is/was or sad that this baby is not in his crib happily sleeping. I’ll let you decide. He’s a cutie either way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ew7GL2QXvp4

In general, if your baby is THIS sleepy, you are waiting WAY too late to put him down to sleep. Of course, even when you do usually put your baby down for sleep before this point, even the biggest sleep fighter can surprise you. My son has fallen asleep in his highchair once or twice, too, which shocked me to say the least. Here is another video of a baby who fell asleep in his highchair. Do you consider this cry it out?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dx-u5E-nTtk

Ideally, you want to put your baby down to sleep when she is sleepy, but not after she’s over-tired or exhausted. Overtired babies will fight sleep more, wake more frequently, and possibly wake too early in the morning. Of course, you can wait until your baby is exhausted and falls asleep where she lays like the babies above, but of course that is unreliable, not promoting healthy sleep habits, and could make problems worse. Hopefully, reading this site will help your baby sleep through the night and your baby nap better, so you don’t have to wait until she crashes in a high chair, on the sofa, or in the stroller.

Note: These are mostly just humorous videos I thought were both cute and funny at the same time, yet important to remind us to promote healthy sleep habits in our children. I, in no way, pass judgment on these parents because no one knows whether this was the first time or the hundredth time the kids have fallen asleep this way and I know one mom whose ONE video of her son singing an (adult) song that circulated the internet had a lot of negative comments that were really unfair to her. I don’t want those moms feeling that I’m saying that in any way. Thank you for sharing your cuties with us!

Where’s the funniest place your baby has fallen asleep?

A common question is what toys, if any, you should have in the crib with your baby. This article will go over some pros and cons to having baby toys in the crib when it comes to your baby’s sleep.

Baby Toys in Crib – Newborns

To keep SIDS risks low, you should refrain from putting any soft objects in your baby’s crib, and that includes soft plush toys, blankets, pillows, etc. Make sure you read all information to reduce SIDS risks.

A mobile is a good toy to put above the baby’s crib, away from her face. A mobile provides visual stimulation and promotes brain development. Keep in mind that some mobiles are meant to stimulate baby and others are meant to soothe baby to sleep. Make sure you use it at appropriate times. If your baby gets too excited by the mobile, he might take longer to fall asleep or have trouble settling down.

Baby Toys in Crib – 8 to 12 Months

As your baby gets older, you may start to feel more comfortable adding more toys to your baby’s crib. You might consider introducing a baby lovey for comfort and adding a crib toy he can interact with such as this Ocean Wonders Musical Aquarium. The nice thing about a toy like this is that a) The music is soothing for sleep, b) It gives him something to play with if he isn’t quite ready for sleep, rather than cry, and c) once he is old enough, he can turn it back on himself in the middle of the night.

Baby Toys in Crib – Toddlers

There is one drawback to the crib toy mentioned above once a baby becomes a toddler (or sooner), depending on your baby’s perceptiveness. Too much to play with and it can get in the way of your baby or toddler going to sleep. At one point my son started playing with his aquarium (above) for up to an hour before falling asleep. He loved that toy, though, and he’d often turn it on in the middle of the night to help himself go back to sleep (bonus!), so I hated to remove it. One thing we did do, though, is make sure the light was off on the toy (there are 3 settings) because too much light made him stay up too long at night and stimulated him too much and we kept the volume low. We kept the aquarium until he went to a toddler bed around the age of 2 and I phased it out to avoid that “play factor”. We later got him a Cloud b Twilight Constellation Night Light along with a music CD to “keep him company” while he falls asleep (it stays on for 45 minutes with stars on the ceiling). It’s nice to cuddle at night “under the stars”, but thankfully there is nothing for him to “play” with, just his imagination.

The bottom line with baby toys in the crib is to find a good balance that is not too stimulating, but keeps her happy while falling asleep or when she wakes up in the morning or from a nap. Amazingly, there was a phase in my first son’s life where I actually would go in *too soon* in the morning while he hung out and relaxed. Coming from a time when he was a 4 month old baby who hated to be alone EVER in his crib, I was shocked to say the least!

What baby toys do you have in the crib?

This post is not about baby sleep per se, but I do think it’s relevant. I am writing this post from my friend’s house while I “babysit” her 2 boys. One thing we both have struggled with are challenging sleepers and thus, it makes it hard for us to feel comfortable going on a date with our husbands because we worry about the babysitter (whether it’s grandma or a babysitter we pay) putting the kids down for bed. After all, we don’t want anything to get in the way of our kids’ precious sleep! Add to that, we don’t want to put grandma out (esp. when they live 20-30 minutes away) every time we just want to go out to eat dinner. And, well, paying a sitter costs almost as much as the date!

So, one day I had an idea. What about a babysitting swap? Now, maybe this is well known to many out there, I don’t know, but I sure hadn’t heard of anything like it, so I figured I’d share it with you, too! My friend and I decide on one date night a month for each of us. One night a week, we go over the other person’s house and make sure the kids stay safe while the other enjoys a night out with her husband while the other husband stays home with our kids (I’d say even the husband at home with time to relax wins, too!).

The great part is that it is very little “work” to do because we make sure to go over after the kids are in bed…which is why I can type this brilliant article up right now. The best part is, it doesn’t cost us anything but time which makes dating much more affordable! And, we don’t have to worry if the kids went to bed okay or not, which lets us enjoy our date that much more.

If we have to call each other home because something goes awry (hasn’t happened yet knock on wood), we would know the other person would understand. Of course, the only way this works is that we trust each other and have become great friends, but it doesn’t mean you can’t find a friend with a young child that you can do this with, too! Since there is no true work involved, it doesn’t really matter if you have 1 kid and the other has 4 or vice versa. We happen to live 3 doors down, making it even more convenient, but as soon as my other good friend (who lives 15 minutes away) gets her son sleeping better, I plan to add a 2nd date a month babysit swapping with her, too!

Any questions? Now, get your baby sleeping through the night and go out on a night on the town with your spouse/partner/friend!

Any dating tips you want to share? (Rated G please!)

Obviously, babies wake up crying to eat, because they are wet or dirty (sometimes), or to have their sleep association recreated (such as replacing a pacifier), but this Sleep Quick Tip is to discuss what it possibly means when your baby wakes up crying from a nap or in the morning when they are “done sleeping” (at least you think so).

From my reading, I have not found any definitive reason as to why babies cry when they wake up, but it is normal for them to cry between sleep cycles. With my first-born, if he woke up crying, it 90% of the time meant that he was not done sleeping. He may have awakened in between sleep cycles and had trouble going into the next one. My 2nd son had a much easier time going into the next sleep cycle, most of the time, but he still whimpered a bit, sometimes, between sleep cycles.

This tip is to encourage you not to run in at the slightest whimper because crying between sleep cycles is normal and expected. Babies might not do it every sleep cycle, but they do some. I am not saying you need to allow your baby to cry-it-out, but any amount of crying feels a lot longer than it is. My 2nd son did not have as much of a luxury to be attended to at the slightest whimper because I had my older son to take care of, too. I remember when my 2nd son was around 2 months old, I was fixing my first son lunch and #2 (his name is Nicholas, btw) woke up from his nap. I couldn’t get to him right away, but was walking to his room by the 3 or 4 minute mark and my hand was on the doorknob and he went back to sleep!! I would have disturbed his nap had I been in there any sooner. Of course, at 2 a.m. 3 or 4 minutes feels more like 30, but just keep it in mind and look at the clock.

As I said before, when my eldest son woke up from his nap, crying, it usually meant he was not done sleeping (whether he went back to sleep or not was hit or miss), so if he did wake up crying at least I knew whether to run in there or not. At the very least, I gave him 5 minutes to try to fall back to sleep…that is until I nap trained him. Having said that, I know one woman whose baby, 90% of the time, woke up crying and that’s just how he came out of his sleep cycles, so it didn’t have the same meaning for her.

Does your baby wakes up crying?

Introducing a lovey to your baby or toddler can sometimes help him feel cozy and secure in his crib or bed. The lovey should ideally not be larger than his head nor have things that can fall off that he can choke on (such as eyes on a stuffed animal). A small baby blanket is a wonderful choice. My son took to sucking on his blanket for a few months (never took a pacifier or sucked his thumb, so I was lucky there were no habits to break in that regard).

Baby Lovey Introduction

To introduce the lovey to your baby, simply start holding it during your bedtime and nap routines, particularly if you are nursing. Hold it close to your child and he will start to associate it with comfort while you are soothing him down for sleep.

Some people are worried their child will be carrying around a ratty blanket for years to come. You can make it a rule the lovey remains in your baby’s room / crib and only use it for sleep. I did this and it worked very well and we never had a problem.

Note: To guard against the risk of SIDS, you need to be careful about how early you introduce a lovey / blanket. Please read the 10 ways to reduce the risk of SIDS.

When you feel comfortable, you can place the lovey in the crib or bed with your baby or toddler and she will be able to seek comfort in the lovey during nighttime arousals or through sleep cycles.

Baby Lovey Backup

Word to the wise. You will need to clean the lovey and there is always the potential of loss (through wear and tear or just leaving it somewhere), so you may want to buy a “double” (or triple) that you can rotate, so your child will never notice if something should happen to the lovey.

Does your baby use a lovey?

Many people wonder when they can put their baby on a schedule. Today’s sleep quick tip is that babies will vary, but the average age that I recommend to start trying a sleep schedule is around 6 months old. Depending on how consistent they are, how sensitive they are to becoming overtired and how over-tiredness affects their napping will drive when a schedule is comfortably achievable. Of course, many people try schedules sooner and some will succeed, but if pushing them to be awake too long makes them nap worse, you aren’t helping you or him get enough sleep. The main obstacle in short-napping in babies under 9-10 months old is over-tiredness. When they are over-tired, they have more trouble settling down to sleep. This is usually done by keeping them up too long between naps. Strange, but true!

Would you like to learn more about baby schedules?

If you’re looking for ways to get your baby or toddler into a healthy sleeping routine during the day, I encourage you to explore Mastering Naps and Schedules, a comprehensive guide to napping routines, nap transitions, and all the other important “how-tos” of good baby sleep. With over 40 sample sleep schedules and planning worksheets, Mastering Naps and Schedules is a hands-on tool ideal for any parenting style. For those persistent nighttime struggles, check out Help Your Child Sleep, a Step-by-Step Guide. Using the same unique approach and practical tools for success, this e-book helps you and your baby sleep through the night. For those looking for a more customized solution for your unique situation with support along the way, please consider one-on-one baby and toddler sleep consultations.

When did you put your baby on a schedule?

I get the question “Do you think I need to sleep train again?” a lot. My advice is not to think of sleep training as a quick-one-time-fix. It really begins to boil down to a parenting method related to sleep. More often than not, teething, traveling, illness, developmental milestones or simply the knowledge your baby gains (eventually) that crying gets him what he wants can throw a wrench in even the most peaceful sleepers. Once my first son was “sleep trained”, we had to revisit over and over because of his spirited personality. Then, we’d have a string of great times and then fall back, again. It was sooo frustrating! But, necessary.

So, my advice is that you need to tend to your baby when she is sick, teething, etc. but once she is well again, you may need to go back to your sleep training method of choice to get things back on track. Many times it’s more about setting limits and deciding what you will and won’t do all night long, and how much sleep you decide is too much for your child to lose.

Today’s sleep tip is brought to you by Parent Hacks, a useful site with all kinds of parent tips.

When you are breastfeeding, it’s easy to forget which breast is next in the middle of the night. Most of us know about the safety pin idea, but that could hurt in the middle of the night. Here are some other things you can do to remind yourself which breast is next:

• Lie baby down facing the direction she last nursed, so next feeding you can switch sides.
• Put a hair band around the wrist of the side you last nursed.
• If you wear a ring besides a wedding band, switch the ring to the side you last nursed.

I usually just feel which side is fuller, but sometimes that is hard to tell.

Do you have any middle-of-the-night breastfeeding tips?

My husband is finished with school this week, which means summer is upon us. This usually means family vacations. How fun! But, what to do about your baby / child’s sleep? We have been on numerous trips with our eldest son and it gets easier every time. I thought today I’d give some tips for traveling this summer with baby:

• Depending on age, prepare a “fun” pack for the car or plane trip. Have snacks (special occasion snacks became a hit like fruit snacks when he got older), books, new toys, crayons, TaDoodles First Markers, some sort of travel drawing toy like the Aquadoodle Travel N Doodle, and a book of photos to remind him/her of home. If you are not opposed to them watching TV, a portable DVD player is a lifesaver, at times, especially for very long trips or layovers. I recommend this player, the Sony DVP-FX820 8″ Portable DVD Player. I really like the Brainy Baby DVD seriesand love the Leapfrog Learning DVDs.
• Of all the things in your “fun pack”, take one thing out at a time and drag it out as long as possible. (Like I had to tell you that!)
• Try to plan your snacks around take-off and landing, if possible. At least offer milk or water to help with the ears popping. My son never had any problems, but you just never know.
• Plan your travel time accordingly with nap or bedtime. If your baby / toddler sleeps in the car, plan to be on the plane or in the car during the naptime. But, if your child is like mine and won’t sleep in the car, prepare to leave right after his first nap of the day. That first nap is usually the most restorative and the most needed in terms of overtiredness for the rest of the day.
• Unless you are co-sleeping, you can bring a Graco Pack ‘n Play or travel crib. Even if you have somewhere for baby to sleep at your destination, bring along any sheets, familiar stuffed animals, or loveys to make a “foreign” place as much like home as possible, for sleeping.
• Call ahead to make sure your flight is on-time, if you are flying.
• Decide whether to bring your car seat. If you are leaving the country, you might check to make sure the car seat will even work. When my son was about 9 months old, we went to Mexico and wouldn’t you know the back seatbelts didn’t “lock” like they do here in the U.S. I later found out you are supposed to bring something to “lock” the seatbelt with the carseat. Plan ahead for that, unlike me.
• Board early or not on an airplane? If you have a carseat, you probably want to board early to get it installed. But, at the same time, that is just longer you need to entertain your baby on board while everyone else gets seated and the plane takes off. Keep it in mind, depending on the age of your baby / toddler and energy level.
• Sleep train or not during vacation? It depends on where you are going and for how long. If you are going to grandma’s for a month, it is unlikely you want to undo all your hard work and risk overtiredness for a whole month. If you are going camping in the woods for 4 days, it is unlikely you won’t do anything you have to in order to make sure your baby does not wake the neighboring campers. Overall, I’d say you try to stick to routine as much as humanly possible, but also have fun!! The good news is a previously sleep trained baby will bounce back after vacation fairly quickly.
• Here is a packing checklist for babies and for toddlers.

My #1 tip is to relax and have fun! Most of the time your child will surprise you just like mine did. And, even if you have a rough trip, you will never see those people again, so don’t worry too much about it and just focus on you and your family. You deserve a nice vacation, so try not to stress out too much about it.

Do you have any travel tips you’d like to share?

Today’s quick tip is to keep a log of your baby’s sleep for one or two weeks. Log wake times, nap times, nap lengths, and bedtime. Add up the total time baby actually slept (if you are unsure, as long as baby is quiet, count as sleeping). The amount of sleep a child gets in 24 hours stays relatively constant and they will shift sleep from day to night and vice versa (within reason). Once you have your log, you can take the average amount of sleep in 24 hours and use that as a guide when adjusting schedules and setting your expectations on wake-times. For example, if you know your baby gets an average of 13.5 hours in 24 hours and naps 3 hours that day, you can guesstimate (s)he will sleep about 10.5 hours that night. You will likely need to log 1-2 weeks every few months to get an accurate average, as babies change a lot in the first 2-3 years!

Disclaimer: Some babies are more consistent than others. Inconsistent babies might have a large range of the amount of sleep in 24 hours. At least if you keep a log, you know whether this is true or not.

Disclaimer 2: During growth spurts, teething and illnesses, the amount of sleep might be unusually higher or lower. Try to time your logging during a “normal” time. (as much as a baby is “normal”)

For online tracking, you can use Babble Soft. Babble Soft helps you and other caregivers keep track of activities like breastfeeding or bottle feeding schedules, baby sleep patterns, diapers, baby immunization or medicine doses, and baby’s first year photo album. This helps you really get to know your child’s schedule or to show you whether she has one (in the case of inconsistent babies, there just might not be one without your intervention!). Or, you can use good old pencil and paper or track using something like Excel where you can let it calculate the average for you. But, Babble Soft is very affordable and lets you run reports and has charts so you can see information at-a-glance! It’s very easy to use and has a FREE Trial.

Share your baby sleep logging tips