Getting a baby to sleep can be tricky, can't it? Contrary to what many first-time parents-to-be assume, most babies do not simply fall asleep when they are tired and wake when they are rested. In fact, lots of babies go from sleepy to fussy to exhausted to overly tired to flat out screaming (sometimes, in a matter of minutes!)! There is just no "falling asleep naturally" at any point in that sequence. Similarly, not all babies wake up when they are rested and refreshed. By contrast, far more
how to get baby to sleep through the night
10 Tough Baby Sleep Problems, and How To Solve Them
Solving your baby's sleep problems can be tough enough, but finding the solution to YOUR specific problem can be even tougher. After all, the sleep training plan we would recommend for parents who want to transition away from cosleeping would be very different than the sleep training plan we would recommend for parents who want to stop rocking their baby to sleep. So how can you solve YOUR unique sleep challenge? Well, I can't give you personalized advice here on the blog (you'll need to
Sleep Training Boot Camp, Part Two: Making Feeding & Schedule Changes (Plus An Optional Bonus Step!)
New to Sleep Training Bootcamp? Check out our overview page to find out what Sleep Training Boot Camp is all about, and to catch up on past Boot Camp articles. BOOT CAMP, PART TWO: Making Feeding and Schedule Changes (Plus an Optional Bonus Step) A few days ago, we talked about how important it is to prepare before sleep training. Today's boot camp article offers another preparation tip - now that you have (hopefully!) done the 5 things you need to do before
When Do Babies Sleep Through the Night? How to Get Your Baby to Sleep Longer
New parents long for the first time their baby will sleep through the night. After all, it is often a parent's #1 sleep goal. Babies need 14 to 17 hours of sleep each day so you would think it would be easy. Unfortunately, it can often seem impossible! In this post, learn when babies sleep through the night naturally and how to help your baby sleep better based on my experience as a sleep consultant of over 10 years. What Is Sleeping Through The Night? Medically speaking, a baby is
Has Your Baby or Toddler Stopped Sleeping Through The Night? Here are 7 Reasons Why.
You know what one of the worst sleep through the night myths out there is, in my opinion? The myth that once a baby starts sleeping through the night, that's it - night waking over! Forever! And they all slept happily ever after. Except no, that's not how it works. Yes, teaching your baby to sleep through the night, or teaching your toddler to sleep through the night, is a huge milestone. And once your little one is capable of sleeping through the night, you can look forward to lots of
Baby Night Feedings: How To Know When They Are Necessary [VIDEO]
Water is wet. The sky is blue. Babies eat at night. These are basic facts of life. Except that last one isn't quite so straight-forward, is it? I mean, yes, newborns eat at night (a lot), and even as they grow, babies need to eat at night for awhile - night feedings help to ensure proper growth and development. But what about unnecessary night feedings? You know - those 'feedings' that are actually just nursing or bottle-drinking for comfort? Those 'feedings' that last 2.2 seconds before
5 Myths About Babies Sleeping Through The Night
Remember when you were a brand-new parent? You had this precious, beautiful new miracle at home. This precious, beautiful, sleepless little miracle. (Of course, some of you won't have to think back very far -- I may be describing the stage you're in right now!) Remember the kinds of advice and "helpful tips" you would get about sleep from well-meaning friends and family members? And how much of that advice centered around the concept of 'baby sleeping through the night'? So many of our
How My First 5K and Baby Steps Can Help You Sleep Train Your Baby
When you're a sleep coach, many other things in your life tend to remind you about babies or sleep training or sleep training babies. On November 5th, I ran my first 5K race. It was a race where a portion of the proceeds would be donated to The Honor Flight for World War II veterans to fly to Washington D.C. I can thank my son (who inspired this site) for the inspiration (I guess he inspires me a lot!). He ran his first 1K over a year ago and wanted to run in another race. Back then, I was out
The 10-point Checklist You and Your Baby Are Ready For Sleep Training
My team and I do quite a few Personalized Sleep Plans® every week, but we can give you the best of plans and it doesn't mean anything if you and your baby are not ready for it. Here is a 10-point checklist to determine if you and your baby or toddler are ready for sleep training. 1. Your baby has preferences. Babies will learn early that some things feel good (e.g. being in mommy or daddy's arms) and what doesn't (e.g. dirty diaper). They instinctively learn to cry to get a clean diaper