Emily DeJeu | The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants

Sleep Positioners and Sleep Devices: Are Dock-A-Tots Safe For Your Baby’s Sleep?

Sleep_Positioners_Safe_Baby_Sleep

Over the years, as we’ve worked with tens of thousands of families on their children’s sleep, we’ve seen countless baby sleep products come and go. But here’s one that stuck around (one for which we’ve seen many, many iterations): the baby sleep positioner.

You know what I’m talking about, right? Those products that go in the crib or bed, and that promise to keep your baby safely positioned for sleep. Many of them claim to be great for newborns, as they keep baby cozy and snug. Others claim to be ideal for babies with reflux, as they slightly elevate baby’s head and upper torso.

But are these products really all that they claim to be? And, most importantly, are they safe?

Sleep Positioners and Sleep Devices

Sleep positioners and sleep devices like crib wedges, head-shaping baby pillows, baby “nests” (like the popular Dock-a-Tot), and head-and-neck supporters are usually used inside your baby’s crib. Other stand-alone sleep devices (like the dexBaby Day Dreamer) are designed to rest directly on a floor. All of these sleep positioners and sleep devices generally promise to do the same things: to keep your baby positioned properly, to elevate your baby’s head, to mitigate the worst of your baby’s reflux symptoms, to solve any flat-head problems your baby might have from spending so much of her snooze time on her back, and/or to improve your baby’s overall quality of sleep.

Do they work? Well, if Amazon reviews are any indication, parents seem to love these products! Many have glowing reviews, with parents boasting that their babies sleep for hours in them.

But are these products safe? Regardless of whether or not they work, should you be using them in your baby’s crib?

Sleep Positioners and Sleep Devices: Not Safe For Unsupervised Sleep

We cannot say this enough: sleep positioners are not safe for unsupervised sleep. While some of our U.K. clients have told us that sleep positioners are approved for overnight crib-use in the U.K., this is not the case in the U.S. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has released several warnings in the past 6 years urging parents not to use sleep positioners or in-the-crib sleep devices to improve baby sleep. Babies can (and have) rolled in these devices or become wedged between the sleep positioner and the floor or crib mattress. No matter how foolproof and safe these sleep devices claim to be, there are so often stories of babies being injured or killed in them. You should never allow your baby to sleep unsupervised in anything but a crib containing firm mattress covered in a tight-fitting crib sheet and nothing else.

Now, to their credit, the makers of these sleep positioners and devices seem (technically) to be following these guidelines. The makers of the Dock-a-Tot, for instance, do not expressly state on their website that the Dock-a-Tot is to be used for sleeping; instead, they claim it’s great for tummy time, for diaper changes, for “lounging”, and for “resting”. Similarly, the dexBaby Day Dreamer manufacturers claim that the Day Dreamer allows mom to get “a few moments to herself”, and pictures on their website all show the Day Dreamer being used for supervised sleep.

But here’s the issue – browse Amazon reviews or customer testimonials of any sleep positioner or sleep device, and you’ll find that parents are using these products in their babies’ cribs at night, all night long, with no supervision. And, as stated, this is not safe.

Sleep Positioners and Sleep Devices: Should I Avoid Them At All Costs?

Here’s some good news: while sleep positioners and sleep devices should never be used in your baby’s crib and/or during unsupervised sleep, you can certainly use them while your baby is supervised. Many positioners and devices are great to use for tummy time, or when your baby is resting next to you. They can provide an easy way to ensure your baby is content, which in turn gives you some much-needed free time.

Sleep Positioners and Sleep Devices: What’s an Exhausted Parent To Do?

It’s no wonder, really, that tired parents turn to sleep positioners and sleep devices to get their babies sleeping. What else are exhausted parents and overtired babies to do? As tired parents yourselves, you probably know a thing or two about the siren song of a “miracle” product that promises to give you a happily-sleeping baby, right? Or even if a product doesn’t expressly promise to help your baby sleep all night, but all the parent testimonials tell you that said product will do just that – how can you resist?

But no matter how desperate you become, it is so, so, SO important to put your baby’s safety first, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, along with the FDA, have told parents (repeatedly) that these sleep positioners just not safe to use for unsupervised sleep.

This does not mean, however, that you have to reconcile yourself to endless sleep deprivation and chronic exhaustion. Not at all! You can help your baby learn to sleep peacefully in a way that is 100% safe: you can gently help your baby learn to sleep through sleep coaching. When you sleep coach, you help your baby gradually overcome any sleep associations and learn to fall asleep more independently. This, in turn, assures that your baby can fall back to sleep after any night wakings or early-nap wakings. Best of all, when you sleep coach, you don’t have to rely on expensive products to put your baby to sleep; your baby will be able to fall asleep naturally, in her crib. Sleep training is a process you can try at home, on your own (our free guides are a great place to start); it’s also something that our team of expert consultants can help you with.

Have you tried sleep positioners or sleep devices? What are your thoughts on using these kinds of products? Scroll down to share your story, to ask questions, and to hear from other parents just like you!

Need Newborn Sleep Help? We Have the Resources You Need!

If you are tired of wading through stacks of baby sleep books that just aren't working, if you are beyond exhausted and just can't solve your newborn's sleep problems on your own...than personalized sleep consulting is for you. Our team of expert consultants will create a Personalized Sleep Plan^® just for your family and then support you through every step of implementing your plan. We encourage you to consider our personalized, one-on-one baby and toddler sleep consultation packages if you want to see real, meaningful results now. Your consultation package also includes ample follow-up help, designed to help you troubleshoot problems and tweak your plan as needed.

For even more help getting your newborn baby to sleep, check out our e-Book, Essential Keys to Your Newborn's Sleep . At over 90 pages long (and containing a variety of sample schedules for breastfed and formula-fed babies from birth - 16 weeks), this e-Book truly is a one-stop resource designed to help your newborn establish healthy sleep habits, right from birth. Whether you're a brand new parent or an experienced parents who needs to brush up newborn sleep basics, Essential Keys To Your Newborn's Sleep is a comprehensive and budget-friendly resource that will provide the information you need to work towards excellent sleep for your whole family, from day one. Grab your copy today!

Or, join our Members Area that will grow with your family. It's packed with exclusive content and resources: e-Books, assessments, detailed case studies, expert advice, peer support, and more and actually costs less to join than buying products separately! As a member, you'll also enjoy a weekly chat with an expert sleep consultant. And the best part - members receive 20% off all sleep consultation services! This is a resource that will truly grow with your child: it'll help you through the newborn phase and prepare you for the months ahead.

Can't decide which product or service is right for you? Visit our Getting Started Page for help.

Quick Tip: Best Foods To Promote Better Baby and Toddler Sleep

By Emily DeJeu Leave a Comment

We talk a lot here at The Baby Sleep Site® about how to promote better sleep for your baby. From sleep training for better nighttime sleep to nap coaching for better naps, we have so many tips to offer for getting your baby to sleep.

But here’s a tip that may surprise you: did you know that the food you offer your baby can have a direct impact on his sleep? It’s true! Read on for details.

Sleep-Promoting Foods To Feed Your Baby or Toddler

You probably know that foods containing caffeine and sugar are stimulating; for that reason, you definitely want to avoid feeding those kinds of foods to your child as a general rule, and certainly before naptime or bedtime. However, there are other types of foods that actually have a sedating effect on the brain. They produce chemicals that promote sleepiness and relaxation. These foods that help sleep contain a substance called tryptophan.

What is tryptophan? Glad you asked! Tryptophan is an amino acid that our bodies use to synthesize proteins. Tryptophan also produces a brain chemical called serotonin from which melatonin (which is so essential for sleep that it’s named the ‘sleep hormone’) is manufactured.

Foods that contain high levels of tryptophan include the following:

Dairy products (Cheddar, gruyere, and Swiss cheeses have particularly high amounts of tryptophan)
Nuts
Tofu and soy products
Wheat and oats
Bananas
Green leafy vegetables
Eggs
Poultry (especially turkey)

But here’s the thing: in order for the tryptophan to help your child feel sleepy, your kiddo needs to eat tryptophan-containing foods alongside foods that contain healthy, complex carbohydrate foods. Why? Because carbohydrates cause the release of insulin, which helps tryptophan reach the brain and cause sleepiness.

Good examples of meals that provide the proper combination of complex carbs and tryptophan include:

Turkey with sautéed greens
Whole-wheat pasta with some cheddar cheese grated on top
An egg sandwich on whole wheat bread, topped with Swiss cheese
Tofu with stir-fried vegetables
Tuna* with brown rice

*Please talk to your doctor about appropriate amount due to mercury levels

You don’t need to whip up an entire meal, however, in order to feed your child some sleep-promoting food. Great sleep-inducing snacks could include:

Whole-wheat toast with peanut butter
Whole-grain cereal with milk
Low-sugar oatmeal cookie with milk
Squares of cheese on whole-wheat crackers

Please Note: Be sure to talk with your pediatrician about how to introduce solids to your baby or toddler, since some food leads to food allergies, which can actually cause sleep to WORSEN (and who wants that?!).

Of course, sleep-inducing foods like these won’t necessarily solve all your sleep problems! If persistent nighttime waking and short (or non-existent) naps are problems in your home, you may need to troubleshoot other causes of sleep problems. No amount of sleep-inducing food will help solve persistent night-waking and early-nap waking. But offering your child sleep-promoting foods is one great way among many to help ensure that you have a peaceful sleeper in your home!

What sleep-promoting foods work well for your child? Any favorite bedtime or pre-nap snacks to recommend? Scroll down to ask questions, to share tips and suggestions, and to hear from other parents just like you!

Struggling with your baby’s sleep? We can help. We have helped thousands of families around the world with their babies' sleep problems, and we can help you, too! Take a look at our consultation packages, and see which one looks like a good fit for you.

Click here to see all our personalized consultation packages.

Once you purchase, you will immediately receive access to the Helpdesk, and you can set up your account, fill out your family's sleep history survey, submit it to a consultant, and get started on the journey to better sleep!

Want more information about how personalized help works? Check out our FAQ page here, and get answers. Or, read parent stories and reviews here.

Need Baby and Toddler Sleep Help? We Have the Resources You Need!

For those persistent nighttime struggles, check out The 3 Step System to Help Your Baby Sleep. Using the same unique approach and practical tools for success, this e-book helps you and your baby sleep through the night.

Or, join our Members Area packed with exclusive content and resources: e-Books, assessments, detailed case studies, expert advice, peer support, and more. It actually costs less to join than buying products separately! As a member, you’ll also enjoy a weekly chat with an expert sleep consultant. And the best part – members receive 20% off all sleep consultation services!

Can't decide which product or service is right for you? Visit our Getting Started Page for help.

Will Sleep Training Damage Your Relationship With Your Baby?

By Emily DeJeu 4 Comments

Will Sleep Training Damage Your Relationship With Your Baby?

Sleep training your baby can produce lots of emotions: frustration at the pace of sleep coaching, elation at the prospect of a full-night’s sleep, anxiety over the sleep training method…it’s an emotional roller coaster, man!

Recently, we turned to some of our valued clients who have recently finished sleep coaching their little ones, and we asked them to share their reflections about the sleep coaching process. Some interesting things emerged:

59% felt unable to function at home and/or at work before sleep coaching, due to sleep deprivation
58% worried their relationship with their baby would be damaged by sleep training
75% were afraid sleep coaching wouldn’t work, and that all their effort would be for nothing.

Fear and anxiety can certainly paralyze us and prevent us from taking the action necessary to reclaim our sleep; as these moms demonstrate, anxiety over the sleep coaching process can be significant. Look at that middle statistic in particular: 58% of moms worried that sleep coaching would damage their relationship with their babies. That is a serious concern! But so is the first statistic – more than half of moms were so exhausted by sleep deprivation that they could not function in their daily lives.

So how does a tired parent address these very real concerns? How can you overcome these fears and sleep coach in a way that preserves your bond with your baby and that actually works? Keep reading for answers!

Bonding With Your Baby: What You Need To Know

First, let’s make it very clear: sleep training will not damage your bond with your baby. Why? Because your bond with your baby isn’t something that can be “broken” by a few specific actions on your part. For instance, let’s say your baby monitor is broken but you don’t know it, and only later do you realize that your baby has been crying for 45 minutes. Will that damage your bond with your baby? No. Or let’s say that you have a night of heavy sleep, and only in the morning do you realize that your baby slept in a dirty diaper for a few hours and was up fussing about it in the night. Will that damage your bond with your baby? No.

Here’s what’s important to remember: bonding with your baby is an ongoing process that occurs over time. It’s the byproduct of all the love and care you provide to your baby on a daily basis. Bonding is not something that happens quickly, or within a specific time period after birth. And because your bond with your baby is complex and is formed over time, it can’t be damaged or broken by a specific action like sleep coaching, which usually happens over a period of weeks. Yes, there might be fussing and crying involved with sleep training, and that will naturally make a loving, concerned parent worried. But think about this- does it really sound reasonable to assume that some crying, broken up over the course of the day, can effectively cancel out all the feedings and diaper changes and cuddling and rocking and reading and singing that you give to your baby during that same day? Not likely, right? Intentional sleep coaching just is not powerful enough to have a real impact on your bond with your baby, since that bond is made up of all the care giving you provide to your child over time.

4 Tips for Gentle But Effective Sleep Training

That said, if you are concerned about how crying during sleep training will affect your child, we get that; we work with parents all the time who want to minimize crying (and being parents ourselves, we totally get it!) These tips can help:

Start slow, but take that first step. The hardest step to take in sleep training is the first step. That’s why we recommend setting reasonable expectations and starting slow. You can start, for instance, by creating a strong bedtime or nap time routine – that’s an easy, gentle first step to take, and it’s also a key component to successful sleep training.
Try a gentle sleep coaching method, if you are concerned about how crying will affect your baby. There are many gentle methods you can try that are very effective. Fading, substitution, and pick-up-put-down are all gentle methods that minimize crying but can also be very effective.
Adjust your pace as necessary – but keep going! If you’re worried about crying, it’s generally a good idea to move slowly. You can adjust the pace as necessary. If your baby is doing really well, no harm in speeding this up a little, but if your baby is crying more than you’d like, you can slow down, too. But do remember to keep going – that is key!
Gather a network of supporters (like us!). Sleep training always works best if you have a support network around you. And, of course, we’re here too: our team of expert consultants specializes in being sleep coaching “cheerleaders”! Our sleep consultation packages come with an unlimited supply of encouragement and compassion.

Remember that survey I mentioned at the beginning of this article? Well, you may be wondering how those anxious, exhausted moms fared after they finished sleep coaching. Here’s your answer: 78% of our surveyed clients said that sleep coaching was easier than they’d expected, that it was tough but worth it, and that they’d do it again!

Remember, your ability to function on a daily basis and to care for your baby is important. Ultimately, well-rested parents are better able to care for their babies and to enjoy all those bonding moments along the way. You CAN reclaim sleep for yourself and your baby, and you can start today!

Have you tried sleep training with your baby? Was sleep training worth it? Scroll down to share your story and to hear from other parents just like you!

Save

Need Baby and Toddler Sleep Help? We Have the Resources You Need!

If you are tired of wading through stacks of baby sleep books that just aren't working, if you are beyond exhausted and just can't solve your child's sleep problems on your own...than personalized sleep consulting is for you. Our team of expert consultants will create a Personalized Sleep Plan^® just for your family and then support you through every step of implementing your plan. We encourage you to consider our personalized, one-on-one baby and toddler sleep consultation packages if you want to see real, meaningful results now. Your consultation package also includes ample follow-up help, designed to help you troubleshoot problems and tweak your plan as needed.

For those persistent nighttime struggles, check out The 3 Step System to Help Your Baby Sleep. Using the same unique approach and practical tools for success, this e-book helps you and your baby sleep through the night.

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 45 sample sleep schedules and planning worksheets, Mastering Naps and Schedules is a hands-on tool ideal for any parenting style.

For those persistent toddler sleep struggles, check out The 5 Step System to Help Your Toddler Sleep. Using the same unique approach and practical tools for success, this e-book helps you and your toddler sleep through the night and enjoy a better daytime schedule.

Or, join our Members Area packed with exclusive content and resources: e-Books, assessments, detailed case studies, expert advice, peer support, and more. It actually costs less to join than buying products separately! As a member, you'll also enjoy a weekly chat with an expert sleep consultant. And the best part - members receive 20% off all sleep consultation services!

Can't decide which product or service is right for you? Visit our Getting Started Page for help.

7 Tips To Finding The Right Baby or Toddler Sleep Consultant

By Emily DeJeu Leave a Comment

7 Tips To Finding The Right Baby Sleep Consultant

Here’s a familiar scenario: It’s 2 a.m. and you hear your little one crying out for you… again. You’re out of bed and in her room, soothing her back to sleep. This is the 15th night in a row. You’ve tried everything, but nothing you do is earning you or your baby a full night of rest. How are you ever going to get through yet another day of work on just a few hours of sleep??

Sound familiar? If so, then it might finally be time to hire a baby/toddler sleep consultant to make your life easier. Now, don’t get me wrong; as parents, we are smart, we know our kids, and we are certainly capable of solving many of our children’s problems on our own. But there are plenty of baby-related challenges that we don’t handle ourselves. You take your child to a doctor when she’s sick, you likely send your child to school when it’s time to learn…and, in many cases, it’s a good idea to bring in an expert when it’s time to help your child sleep better. After all, with all that’s on your plate at work and at home, there is simply little time left to read another baby sleep book that contradicts the last. Why not hire a person who has already done the reading and research, has worked with tons of parents and can give you the sleep solutions you need? Just call her your CliffsNotes for your baby or toddler’s sleep!

What Should You Expect When You Hire A Baby or Toddler Sleep Consultant?

There are a lot of sleep consultants out there, and many of them offer different kinds of products and services. That said, at minimum, you should expect the following when you hire a sleep consultant.

You should receive a plan that’s truly personalized to meet your family’s unique needs. Any unique challenges your family faces, or any unique factors pertaining to your baby’s health and overall development, should be reflected in the plan. And, will the plan be thorough like a Personalized Sleep Plan® from The Baby Sleep Site®? Not all “sleep plans” are created equal. Ask for a sample!
Your consultant should work with you for a pre-determined period of time to implement the plan and to make changes to it as needed. Your plan will be far more effective if your consultant helps you implement it; a good consultant will not only give you a plan, she’ll also tell you how to put it into practice at home and work you through it.
Your consultant should be available for follow-up questions and concerns that may arise both during and after sleep training. Even after your consulting session has expired, you should be able to follow-up with your consultant later for additional help as needed.
Your consultant should provide you with the motivation and encouragement necessary to keep you going when the going gets tough. Sleep training can be hard; your consultant should help you stay positive and motivated and focused on your end goals.

7 Tips to Help You Find the Right Baby or Toddler Sleep Consultant

Listen to word-of-mouth recommendations. Chances are you aren’t as alone as you think. With over 12,000 babies born each day in the U.S., at least half or more will have a sleep issue of some sort. You can ask one of your friends, neighbors, or co-workers to see if they have already reached out for help and can make a recommendation.
Listen to testimonials. On a related note, pay attention to what others are saying about this particular sleep consultant. Does the sleep consultant have others to vouch for him or her? Make sure at least some seem like realistic testimonials – not all should be something that anyone could make up, such as, “She was great! My baby slept 12 hours straight with only five minutes of crying.”
Look for a match in philosophy and background. Would you rather talk to a person with a medical or clinical degree? Or, would you prefer to talk to another mom who has similar experiences and is also a consultant? Or someone in between? Some pediatricians have focused a lot on baby sleep, but most haven’t and receive just a few hours of training. And, many doctors are quick to prescribe the cry-it-out method, which may go against your philosophy or not fit with your baby’s personality or temperament. Another mom might understand more what you are going through. Before you hire your sleep consultant, make sure your philosophy matches their process.
Does this consultant seem caring and compassionate? Your sleep consultant should care about you and your baby, not just in the results. If they simply want to bark orders at you without offering a listening ear, you might end up feeling like they aren’t truly in tune with your family’s needs.
Is this consultant realistic about outcomes? Does he or she say your baby will sleep all night in just three days, no matter what? Does that sound too good to be true? Sure, some babies will, but many won’t. Make sure the sleep consultant sets realistic expectations.
Does your sleep consultant have a solid team behind her? Deciding who will be a part of your village is an important decision. If your sleep consultant isn’t very experienced, it’s important she has a senior sleep consultant with which to consult on more difficult cases. In addition, if she’s sick or goes out of town, you want to know you will still have someone to call upon. Furthermore, some sleep consultants have varied backgrounds such as lactation consultant, special needs, etc. At The Baby Sleep Site®, for example, our sleep consulting team is made up of lactation consultants, licensed social workers and professionals with medical, nutrition, psychological and early intervention experiences, to name a few, so we all often collaborate on more complicated or challenging family situations and are able to help each other’s clients in case one of us is sick or on vacation.
And, finally, does your sleep consultant have enough experience? There are many sleep consultants out there now, which wasn’t the case several years ago. Some sleep consultants are training brand new sleep consultants as part of their business model. This is great in terms of families getting more sleep, however, it is our strong belief that without more than a few hundred hours of training, all sleep consultants are not ready to take on all types of sleep problems. When we (The Baby Sleep Site®) train a new sleep consultant, for example, they undergo months of training, ongoing oversight, regular quality and performance checks, and continuing education. With having helped over 30,000 families worldwide, this allows each of us the ability to pick up on red flags or know how to solve more complicated situations due to our experience and that’s extremely important.

In a time of outsourcing, it only makes sense to save your precious time by having someone help you develop a sleep plan that can work for your unique family. Rather than let another month go by while you read the books and make a plan, why not sleep that much more over the next month and give your baby the mom (or dad!) she deserves?

What do you look for in a baby or toddler sleep consultant? Have you worked with a baby sleep coach before? Scroll down to share your story and to hear from other parents just like you!

Need Baby and Toddler Sleep Help? We Have the Resources You Need!

Quick Tip: How To Tell If A Nap Transition Is Approaching

By Emily DeJeu 5 Comments

3 Signs a Nap Transition is Approaching for your baby or toddler.

Picture this. You’ve just gotten a nice, predictable daytime sleep schedule, you’re feeling good about life, and then, before you know it, your baby gets a little older and blows your perfectly-crafted routine to pieces.

I’m positive a lot of you know exactly what I’m talking about (even those of you who’ve never been able to establish a nap schedule.) The first few years of a child’s life are full of changes, and those changes add up to mean ever-shifting sleep patterns and schedules.

This is really apparent when you consider a child’s typical nap schedule from birth to toddlerhood. Newborn babies take 5 or more naps each day; by 18 months, toddlers are taking one nap. That’s a lot of change! And transitioning between all those nap schedules can be a huge headache for little ones and for their parents.

Read on to learn more about how to spot a coming nap transition!

Common Nap Transitions: When They Happen

There’s no blueprint, of course, that’ll let you know exactly when your baby or toddler is due for a nap transition. However, here’s a general timeline that most babies and toddlers follow:

From 1-4 months, the number of naps your baby takes will be variable, but will hover around 4-5 naps per day, depending on how long his naps are and how long he can stay up between naps.
By 3 or 4 months old, she will lean towards just 4 naps, rather than 5.
From 5-8 months, most babies will have three naps per day. They will start to resist the fourth nap, no matter how tired they are. There are a few babies who will only have two naps at a very young age, but those naps are usually long.
From 9-15 or 18 months, on average, your baby will nap two times a day. Although many people believe most babies can transition to one nap at 12 months, the average age is actually 15 to 18 months.
From 18 months to 4 years, toddlers nap once a day. The age to transition away from all napping varies a lot, from 2 to 5+ years old, but the average age is between 3 and 4 years old.

The early nap transitions (from five, to four, to three) usually happen quickly and aren’t as problematic. It’s the other nap transitions (from three, to two, to one, to none) that tend to frustrate parents. Those nap transitions take longer, for one thing (my middle son has been transitioning from one nap to none for the past YEAR), and they seem to affect children more noticeably.

Common Nap Transitions: How To Tell If One’s On The Way

How will your baby or toddler let you know that a nap transition is coming? Here are a few signs to look for:

The timing of your baby’s or toddler’s naps begins to change: Before a nap transition, the schedule generally goes crazy. Nap time goes from being predictable to being all over the place. This can interfere with nighttime sleep, too — if the afternoon nap doesn’t happen until late afternoon or early evening, for example, it can interfere with bedtime.
Your baby or toddler begins consistently refusing a nap: Most parents find that their little one suddenly starts refusing a nap (usually an afternoon one) that, just yesterday, they agreed to without a problem.
The length of your baby’s or toddler’s naps begins to change. You may notice that one or more of your little one’s naps are suddenly much shorter than normal. This can be a sign that your baby or toddler is getting ready to drop a nap.

Can You Make Nap Transitions Easier?

For some babies and toddlers (especially those who are highly adaptable), nap transitions are a piece of cake — they only take a few days. If that’s the case in your home, then a sort of “cold turkey” approach to nap transitions might work well. Simply cut out a nap, re-vamp the schedule, and endure a few fussy days.

For others, though, nap transitions are difficult and loooong. If your baby or toddler is in that second category, you’d probably appreciate some suggestions as to how to make those transitions a bit easier, right?

We hear you. That’s why we’ve included so many nap-focused resources in our Members Area. Check them out below!

Special Members-Only Nap Resources

Mastering Naps & Schedules — For starters, all Baby Sleep Site^® members receive unlimited access to all our e-Books. That’s right – for the price of your membership, you can read all our e-Books at no additional cost! That includes Mastering Naps & Schedules. With over 45 sample schedules (all available for you to view in the Members Area), Mastering Naps & Schedules is THE e-Book for tired parents of non-napping kiddos! We tackle all your top napping issues, including how to get your baby or toddler to take longer naps, how to get your child’s naps to be more consistent and predictable, how to manage nap transitions, how to encourage good napping while traveling – and more! Become a member today, and access the e-Book instantly – no download necessary!

Nap Tele-Seminars — Another great members-only resource? Our tele-seminars. Hosted by Nicole Johnson herself, these 30-minute tele-seminars offer you insider-information and our trademark sleep coaching methods and techniques. And guess what? We have a special tele-seminar that’s completely focused on managing nap transitions. That’s right – as a member, you will have access to a 30 – 45-minute coaching session with Nicole herself! She’ll walk you through the basics of navigating nap transitions without destroying your existing daytime schedule, or ruining night sleep.

Members-Only Nap Articles — And now, we’ve recently added a special members-only article on this very topic: 5 Practical, Hands-On Tips For Managing Common Nap Transitions. Learn our 5 top secrets for how to gently and painlessly navigate nap transitions, and help them happen in a way that preserves your child’s sleep while also preserving your own sanity! 😉

For more details about all our member benefits (including weekly chats with a trained sleep consultant and 20% off ALL sleep consulting packages), visit our membership page, and consider becoming a member today!

No matter how you decide to handle a nap transition, the first step is to be aware of any nap transitions that are coming your way. Once you know the signs of a nap transition, and are prepared for the schedule-chaos they can create, you’ll be able to plan for how you’re going to get through the transition itself.

How have you handled nap transitions with your baby or toddler? Scroll down to share tips, to ask your questions, and to hear from other parents just like you!

Sleep Positioners and Sleep Devices: Are Dock-A-Tots Safe For Your Baby’s Sleep?

Sleep Positioners and Sleep Devices

Sleep Positioners and Sleep Devices: Not Safe For Unsupervised Sleep

Sleep Positioners and Sleep Devices: Should I Avoid Them At All Costs?

Sleep Positioners and Sleep Devices: What’s an Exhausted Parent To Do?

Have you tried sleep positioners or sleep devices? What are your thoughts on using these kinds of products? Scroll down to share your story, to ask questions, and to hear from other parents just like you!

Need Newborn Sleep Help? We Have the Resources You Need!

Quick Tip: Best Foods To Promote Better Baby and Toddler Sleep

Sleep-Promoting Foods To Feed Your Baby or Toddler

What sleep-promoting foods work well for your child? Any favorite bedtime or pre-nap snacks to recommend? Scroll down to ask questions, to share tips and suggestions, and to hear from other parents just like you!

Need Baby and Toddler Sleep Help? We Have the Resources You Need!

Will Sleep Training Damage Your Relationship With Your Baby?

Bonding With Your Baby: What You Need To Know

4 Tips for Gentle But Effective Sleep Training

Have you tried sleep training with your baby? Was sleep training worth it? Scroll down to share your story and to hear from other parents just like you!

Need Baby and Toddler Sleep Help? We Have the Resources You Need!

7 Tips To Finding The Right Baby or Toddler Sleep Consultant

What Should You Expect When You Hire A Baby or Toddler Sleep Consultant?

7 Tips to Help You Find the Right Baby or Toddler Sleep Consultant

What do you look for in a baby or toddler sleep consultant? Have you worked with a baby sleep coach before? Scroll down to share your story and to hear from other parents just like you!

Need Baby and Toddler Sleep Help? We Have the Resources You Need!

Quick Tip: How To Tell If A Nap Transition Is Approaching

Common Nap Transitions: When They Happen

Common Nap Transitions: How To Tell If One’s On The Way

Can You Make Nap Transitions Easier?

Special Members-Only Nap Resources

How have you handled nap transitions with your baby or toddler? Scroll down to share tips, to ask your questions, and to hear from other parents just like you!

Baby and Toddler Sleep Resources That Work – Guaranteed!

As Seen In: