Babies need naps. Let's be clear about that. Naps are not optional, naps are not "bonus" sleep sessions....naps are necessary for proper infant growth and development. That said - try telling that to your baby! Even the best nighttime sleeper can be a prizewinning "nap fighter". Knowing your child needs naps, and doing all in your power to ensure that she gets them, doesn't always mean that your child really WILL nap. So why does your baby fight naps, and what can you do about it? Read on
my baby wont sleep
Why Consistency Is So Important During Sleep Training
Based on lots and lots of experience in working with parents over the years, we here at The Baby Sleep Site™ have found something to be true: when used with consistency, the right sleep training method can work wonders for a baby's nighttime sleep problems, or a toddler's persistent sleep issues. The two key words in that statement? 'Consistency' and 'Right'. Finding the Right Sleep Training Method It's important that you find a sleep training method that works for both you and your baby.
Handling Daylight Saving Time: 3 Ways To Prevent “Springing Forward” From Ruining Your Baby or Toddler’s Sleep Schedule
Happy March, Baby Sleep Site® readers! If you're anything like me, you're eager to put February behind you. All that snow and ice and biting cold make the shortest month of the year feel like the longest, in my opinion. (Of course, if you're reading this from a tropical location right now, and freezing cold wasn't part of your February, then I have only one thing to say to you: invite me over next February? ;) ) Now that we've entered the month of March, we have something besides ice
When Is It Too Late To Sleep Train?
Often, exhausted parents contact the Baby Sleep Site® and share some variation of this story: “My son/daughter has always been a terrible sleeper. I kept hoping he/she would grow out of it, and that the sleep issues would resolve on their own. Now, he/she is getting older, and the problems are only getting worse. But he/she isn’t a baby anymore; is it too late to sleep train?” And that’s the question we’re tackling today, readers: When Is It Too Late to Sleep Train? Is It Ever Too
Should Your Baby Nap in the Infant Swing?
If you have a baby at home, then you know a thing or two about baby gear, don't you? ;) The crib, the changing table, the toys...how can such a little person need so much stuff?! Here's a piece of gear most parents are very familiar with: the infant swing. Do you have one of these? If so, then you know first-hand how nice it can be to settle your baby snugly into his swing, turn it on, and then walk away as your little one is gently rocked to sleep. Win! Of course, your baby may
Can the “Wake to Sleep” Method Help Lengthen Your Baby’s Short Naps?
An older, wiser friend once told me, “Baby naps are God’s way of saying to parents, ‘I love you. Now go take a shower.’” Pretty accurate, right? Most parents look forward to naptimes, those brief interludes when you can actually pause for breath, do the never-ending chores, or have a little "me" time. Of course, when it comes to naps, not all babies are created equal, are they? Some of you may have babies who are marathon nappers, providing you with several hours of uninterrupted time
Will Your Baby Be Spoiled If You Don’t Sleep Train?
A client e-mailed me not too long ago concerned about what a co-worker told her about her baby. Her co-worker told her that if she didn't sleep train and let her baby cry it out, her baby would grow up to be spoiled. She alluded to the fact that by the time he was 7 or 8 years old, he'd be "running the show." This particular client has experience with two very different cultures, one being in the West and one in the East. In the West (where she lives now) she feels tremendous pressure to let
How Sleep Training Progress Looks
When parents update me on their sleep training progress, sometimes it is a little frustrating for them if their baby has a good night one night, then a bad night and some back and forth. I thought it would be a good idea to talk about that in today's post and why it happens. If nothing else, I know it helps to have realistic expectations while sleep training. One of the biggest lessons I learned when I was struggling with my own son's sleep problems is that when the books implied all of our
Your Baby Won’t Sleep and It’s Your Fault!
A common theme when I read the first e-mail in a one-on-one consultation or when I first talk on the phone with a new client is that the parent feels somehow responsible for the fact their baby won't sleep and the sleep trouble they're in. Either they were first time parents and didn't know what they were or weren't "supposed" to do or they knew they weren't supposed to do it, but didn't know what else to do. The bottom line is their baby won't sleep and they feel it's their fault. This is