MSD Baby Sleep Coach

Everything you wanted to know about your baby and/or your toddler's day! When thinking of our babies sleeping, their nighttime sleep is usually where most parents emphasize. Research does tell us that difficulties with night sleep has the largest negative impact on your family. Day sleep however, is also important, as sleep begets sleep! But there is a lot to know. I hope the information below is helpful so you can make the most out of their day and of course their daytime sleep. Nap Averages Some babies sleep more and some less but they are pretty consistent based on their age and how much they will sleep during the day. You can use this information to plan your day and also know if their day sleep is on track. Newborn to 5 Months Don’t worry about having a rigid schedule at this stage. Some newborns need a lot of sleep, others are not so good at napping yet. What is most important at this age is to put them down for a nap frequently during the day (every 60-12...

I always ask these questions first when a client is thinking about moving their child to a big kid bed: Is your child over 2 1/2 years old (This is the typical age that most children have the cognitive ability to understand the rules such as "you must stay in bed all night"). Does your child fall asleep independently at bedtime from a relaxed but awake state and without assistance? Does your child sleep through the night or put himself back to sleep when he wakes during the night without needing any help? Does he want to move out of his crib? If the answer is YES, to all of the questions above then it is likely a good time to make the transition. As with most sleep transitions there are choices- Gradual Approach: If you can do it safely, remove the front rail from the crib so your child can get in and out of the crib on his own.    If the new bed will fit in the room along with the crib, during this stage have your child nap in the big bed and have your ...

I often get calls from parents in a panic as their toddler has discovered a new freedom … jumping out of their cribs!  Their first reaction is to immediately move the child to a toddler bed.  If there is a sleep issue already occurring the extra freedom of a toddler bed will likely make the sleep issue worse as now they can get out of bed and their room. If you are not ready to make the move to a bed, here are some tips I share with my clients to prevent a child from jumping out of their cribs and hopefully delay the transition to a bed for a bit longer. Dress appropriately Dress the child in clothing that limits or prevents lifting the leg up the railing.  A long t-shirt can work.  A sleep sack, put on backwards so the zipper is in the back, is very helpful.  You can also make pajamas to limit or restrict the legs just enough so that the child can’t lift it up the railing - very effective! Catch them in the act If you have a vide...

I come across these issues very often in my practice so thought I would share them with you.  Once you are ready to start sleeping coaching, following these top tips will help you achieve success and get the much needed sleep for you and your lil one. Top tip #1 – Bedtime is the easiest time to learn independent sleep. When you have a sleep plan in place and you are ready to begin teaching your lil one the skill of independent sleep – Start At Bedtime (the easiest time for your lil one to learn the new skill). I have had many parents tell me ‘we tried that awake thing at a nap once and it didn’t work’ or ‘I tried that in in the middle of the night and it didn’t work’.  These parents all started at the most difficult time to teach this lifelong skill. Bedtime is also the time when you will be able to make better decisions. If bedtime is all you can handle right now, it’s ok to focus your efforts at this time for now.  Once you get it right at bedtime, you will...

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...

Sleep Myth #6: Every time my baby wakes overnight, s/he must be hungry - FALSE! Babies who wake during the first few months are more likely waking from hunger, but older babies (over 4-6 months) who wake frequently (every 1-2 hours), may not be waking from hunger. Ask yourself whether your baby can be soothed in other ways. Also, ask yourself whether your baby is going to sleep from an awake state at bedtime (without being nursed or rocked).  This is the first step to longer stretches at night.  *Discuss with your baby's doctor how many night feeds they need in that 10-12 hour stretch at night.    Sleep Myth #7:  If your child wakes before 6:00 am, put him/her to bed later - FALSE!   Often, putting your child to bed later makes them rise earlier.   Review my blog on Early Rising , look at the four causes of early rising to see if you can identify why your child is waking so early in the morning. Sleep Myth #8:  If you keep y...

Sleep Myth #1:  Give your baby formula - s/he will sleep better - FALSE!! While formula does take longer to digest than breast milk, they have the same calories per ounce. When we feed our babies by bottle, there is a greater risk of over feeding as well, and sometimes that can make sleep worse for a baby accustomed to breastfeeding. Babies can sleep equally well on both breast milk and formula. Sleep Myth #2:  If your child is having difficulty going to sleep, keep them awake later - FALSE!! Children who have difficulty falling asleep often need to go to bed EARLIER. It seems counter-intuitive ... but when a child is over-tired, they catch a 'second wind' (actually cortisol as we have missed their sleep window) and that burst of energy often makes them seem NOT tired or makes them unable to lay still and fall asleep. Instead, try to get your child to bed earlier - before that 'second wind' takes over.  Sleep Myth #3:  Don't worry if your child ...

Q: My daughter is 15 weeks old. My husband and I stopped swaddling her at about four weeks, but when we moved her out of her bassinet to her crib at eight weeks, we realized that she still needed to be swaddled to sleep. Without it, she doesn't stay asleep because she flails her arms and pulls her hair. I'm using a velcro swaddler so she doesn't kick it off, so it's safe. But, how long is it okay to swaddle her? Am I doing any harm to her development by continuing to swaddle? She has plenty of tummy time during the day and can already hold her head up well and roll over from her tummy to her back, but my mom keeps insisting that my daughter needs to figure out how to sleep without the swaddle. A: Dr. Harvey Karp recommends swaddling as it mimics “the snugness of the womb” and limits the Moro reflex (startle reflux).   He recommends swaddling w/ flexion in the legs and abduction of the hips for safe development.  Swaddling is safe until they roll from back ...

Article Featured in: Parenting OC Magazine – Ask the Experts  October 2011 issue Q: My 6 month old resists or refuses to nap.  She sleeps great at night, but naps are a complete nightmare.  It feels as if trying to get her to nap has taken over my life.  What can I do to help the situation? A: I know from personal experience how incredibly frustrating it is to have a baby who doesn’t nap during the day – both of my children took catnaps until they were approximately 6 months old.   You are lucky she sleeps through the night as most children who take short or skipped naps usually have nightwakings.   I know it isn’t logical - but sleep, begets sleep! For babies who aren’t sleeping through the night, I would recommend you solve bedtime and nighttime issues first.  It is critical that your child be able to fall asleep on her own at bedtime. If you put your child down already asleep she misses the opportunity to learn the skill of putting her...