MSD Baby Sleep Coach

Sunday, March 10th we “spring forward”!  Turn your clocks ahead 1 hour, before bed on Saturday night March 9th. If you/your child(ren) typically wake at 6am, then they will likely wake 7am.  If you like this change then YAY!  This is a great fix for an early riser. Keep naps and bedtime on the new schedule (1hr later). To protect this new schedule and time make sure you use continuous white noise for all sleep periods and keep the room really, really dark. If the new time doesn’t work for you, below are some options to help your family adjust: Gradually adjust: This is ideal for children under 2 or those who don’t do well with big changes.  Go to bed 15 minutes earlier every night this week.  Each day, wake up your child 15 minutes earlier in the morning.  If napping, put her down 15 minutes earlier for each nap the following day. Continue to adjust the schedule earlier in 15-minute increments (wake up, naptime...

Summer is officially over and we are in the midst of the fall time change. Sunday, Nov 4th at 2:00 AM clock fall back by one hour. Spring forward...Fall back.... I love fall! Cooler weather, leaves changing colors, holidays around the corner and I get an extra hour of sleep. As a parent, I dread my kids waking up too early and having to adjust their sleep patterns. Do you? If so, here are some options to help you and your family through the transition when we set our clocks backwards one hour on Sunday November 4th. Gradual Approach:  The gradual approach is usually recommended for younger children (3 and under) or those who do not adjust well to rapid changes in their schedules. Start the week before the time change and slowly shift your baby's sleep schedule later.  For example: move bedtime, morning wake up time and nap times later by 10-15 minutes. Keep moving the entire schedule later every few days but ensure your child doesn't get overtired.  By...

As we start a New Year, let's look back at the top blogs of 2017. #3 - Is my toddler ready to drop to one nap Knowing when it’s time for your baby to make a change and drop a nap is no easy task.  Not to mention most Mom's tell me: "I'm not not ready for less day sleep!"  Read through this blog for tips on how to keep the two nap schedule for longer and if it really is the best time to drop a nap. #2 - Early Rising Not surprising early rising is on this list as it is the second most common question I get, next to night wakings.  Early rising is also the last stage of sleep to be learned so it's more difficult to fix, especially if independent sleep at bedtime hasn't been established. #1 - Schedules, Naps and Awake Windows This blog was the all time most viewed MSD Baby Sleep blog!  Not surprising as a child's sleep changes every few months.  Staying on top of how much sleep your baby or child needs is a daunting tasks.  This blog also i...

Article featured in: VoyageLA Magazine – LA's Most Inspiring Stories Orginal Article Link:  http://voyagela.com/interview/meet-michelle-s-donaghy-msd-baby-sleep-coach-southwest-la-area/ Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle S. Donaghy. So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story. I live in Orange County with my husband of 18 years, my two girls, ages 13 and 9 and our three large dogs. My formal education is in psychology and social work, specializing in families and children. At that time, I didn’t know that a sleep coach existed nor what was an essential oil. After graduate school I worked for a small to medium size software company and during the 10 years I was employed in the corporate world, I was fortunate to work in marketing, recruitment, special projects and right hand to the company CEO. It was a wonderful learning experience to work alongside the head of the compan...

Is sleep a priority in your home? "Is my child getting enough sleep"?  A common question my clients ask me.  To be honest it's a question I ask myself often, as sleep is a very big priority in our home.  Not just for my children, but for all of us.  How much sleep everyone in the family is getting, is important for the health and well-being of every member of your family. The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) has recently updated their recommendations on how much sleep each age should be getting.  But before we look at those I would like you to think about these questions to know if your child is truly getting enough sleep. Does your child fall asleep every time you are in the car? Does your child seem fussy, whining, extra clingy or have more emotional meltdowns during the day? Does your child seem ready for bed much earlier then usual bedtime, most days? Does your child often wake before 6:00 a.m. and wake up crying? If your answer was yes, then your...

How to End Night Feeds Your baby is over 6 months, growing well and you have received the go ahead from your child’s doctor that they do not need to eat during the night – great!  But now that you and your baby are ready, how do go about this daunting task? It is helpful to create a nighttime weaning plan so that you know exactly what to do and you’re not trying to make decisions at 2:00 am when your not thinking clearly. If your plan is to stop feeding altogether at night, you may want to consider these options below depending on if you are bottle or breast feeding. “Cold turkey” Which means that you do not feed at all during the night.  You may respond to your child’s night awakenings but not with feedings.  This is typically the hardest for baby’s as they still wake hungry until their body adapts.  So not my first choice unless we are talking about a toddler or pre-schooler. “Reduction Bottles” With this method you have two options....

We are parents, not perfect - I love that saying from a TV network.  I wanted to share with you four common sleep mistakes many parents make that will definitely affect your child's sleep and their ability to sleep through the night.  I see these mistakes over and over when I work with families one on one, so I thought I would share them with you along with tips on how to avoid them so that your child is set up for a better nights sleep. Four common sleep mistakes and how to avoid them: 1. Putting children to bed too late! Set a regular bedtime (and, if appropriate, nap times) that you stick to.  Don't wait until your child is rubbing his eyes, yawning, or whining — that's probably too late. Put him to bed earlier. Even 15 to 20 minutes of extra sleep can make a difference.   NOTE: If you need help with finding appropriate nap times and creating an age appropriate schedule  click here. While every child is different, the National Sleep Fou...

This month I had the pleasure of contributing to an article written by Dawn Antis.  Dawn is a writer and founder of Mom & Tot OC.  I regularly speak to Dawn's mommy & me group  on "Healthy Sleep Habit"s for babies and toddlers. What you need to know about potty training - Southern California Family Life | OCFamily.com Toddlers are typically ready to learn to use the toilet between 2 and 4 years of age. Just like crawling, walking or sleeping through the night, potty training is a learned skill that can’t be taught in one day. Rather than focusing on a specific age, you should begin potty training when your child shows multiple signs that they’re ready. Signs of readiness include waking up in the morning with a dry diaper, telling you when they’ve soiled their diaper, removing their soiled diaper and clothing, showing curiosity about your potty behavior, understanding potty-related words and showing interest in using a potty chair or toil...

As we celebrate a New Year, I always reflect on successes and struggles of the previous year.  For successes, I am so grateful that so many families trust me with their little ones and allow me into their inner circle. That they trust me to guide their family on the path toward precious sleep.  So many families now enjoy the amazing benefits of more sleep in their home for everyone. Here is a recap of MSD Baby Sleep Coach's most popular sleep blogs of 2016. #5 Is It Time To Move From The Crib To The Bed? There are lots of questions around when is the best time to move your child out of their crib as there are many important factors to consider.  This blog will help you answer the important questions so you can decide if now is the right time to make the move to a big girl/boy bed. #4  Early Rising Not surprising early rising is on this list as it is the second most common question I get, next to night wakings.  Early rising is also the last stage of sl...

Traveling with small children is sure to cause roadblocks in your child's sleep patterns.   In order to navigate these obstacles, create a road map around them so that you don’t bring all your good sleep habits to complete halt. Having a plan will aid you and your family so you can enjoy your holiday travels without loosing precious sleep. The key to a successful plan is to have some flexibility when traveling with young children. When you're flexible you can adjust your plans to adapt to your children’s sleep needs so you all stay well rested.   Extra support is normal You can also expect that your child will need more assistance at sleep times, even if they don’t need it at home.  It is normal for children to need extra help to fall asleep in a new environment, so add that into your plan.  Take extra time with your bedtime routine and allow your child time to get used to the new sleeping space before bedtime arrives.   At sleep times, if ne...