Yours in sleep,
Tracie / Rest Well Baby
Developmental milestones can be motor, cognitive, or emotional. Some of the more common milestones include rolling over, sitting up, crawling, standing, walking, separation anxiety, language bursts and potty training. Milestones frequently affect sleep, but can also impact little ones socially, emotionally and in terms of feeding. Parents will often report a sudden regression in sleeping and/or eating right before a new milestone takes place (for example: right before a little one takes her first steps). For children these milestones can be exciting and cause new awareness that was not there before. During these developmental milestones children may be spending more time trying to master a new skill or need more reassurance from mom/dad, which can then impact normal routines, particularly sleep. While it can be challenging to know exactly when your little one is about to reach a developmental milestone, it’s best to stay flexible, but consistent with your child’s schedule. In addition, giving your child some extra support (if needed) and plenty of time to work on her new skill during the day is important. Generally, if you stay the course your child should adjust fairly quickly.
Yours in sleep, Tracie / Rest Well Baby The reason is because by that time of "night" your baby's sleep pressure (what helps us fall asleep and stay asleep) is significantly lower. By the early morning your little one is in lighter stages of sleep, has slept the bulk of his sleep, his natural melatonin level has decreased and birds may be chirping & the sun may be rising. So even though your little one may need more sleep, falling back to sleep during this time period tends to be more difficult.
If you have a baby or toddler who is having trouble falling back to sleep in the early morning hours, please do not hesitate to reach out to see how I can help your family. Yours in sleep, Tracie / Rest Well Baby MY LITTLE ONE THROWS HER LOVEY/PACIFIER OUT OF THE CRIB REPEATEDLY AT BEDTIME. WHAT DO I DO?6/19/2023
Toddlers learn very quickly that actions lead to reactions. A favorite game of many little ones is to throw comfort items (pacifiers, lovies, stuffed animals) out of their cribs at bedtime and then cry wanting mom/dad to pick it up and hand it back. This can quickly become a never ending game and one that prolongs the time it takes for your toddler to fall asleep. If your little one throws her comfort item out of the crib at bedtime you can retrieve it right away the first time, but after that let her know that if she throws it out again you will not get it. If she does throw it out of the crib again, do not return it right away. Instead, return it to her crib once she’s asleep. This way she will have the item during the night, but she will also learn that if she repeatedly throws the item out of the crib there is a consequence (not getting the item back right away). This should decrease the behavior.
If you have a baby, toddler or young child that is not getting the sleep he/she needs, I'm here to help! Let's connect (link below). https://restwellbaby.com/contact Yours in sleep, Tracie / Rest Well Baby Traveling with children can be a challenge, to say the least. I like to say that traveling with young children is not a vacation, but a relocation. Those of you that have traveled with babies or toddlers probably know what I'm talking about. While traveling can throw anyone off schedule, trying to help your little one get the best daytime and nighttime sleep possible while away from home is key. A well rested child = a happier child. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when traveling with your young family:
*Try to follow the same naptime and bedtime routine that you do at home. Bring along a nightlight, his/her favorite books, and quiet toys, especially those that he/she associates with napping and bedtime. *Invest in a good travel crib and bring along properly fitting crib sheets. If your child is older and sleeps in a bed, bring along his/her favorite small blanket and lovey. *Bring a source of soothing background noise for where your baby will be sleeping: a sleep sounds app for your mobile device or a sound machine. *Plan your daily activities around your baby/toddler's nap schedule. If possible, let him/her sleep at least once per day in the travel crib or bed where he/she will be sleeping at night. *Enjoy your visit/vacation. Even if it means your child gets off schedule somewhat (you can work on getting back on track when you get home), making memories with your little one is priceless. Yours in sleep, Tracie / Rest Well Baby Have you been told that in order to sleep train your baby you can no longer feed them at night?
Here's the deal... you CAN still offer nighttime feedings (if needed) AND successfully sleep train your baby. You just need to work with a Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant (such as myself) who is feeding friendly. I work with families all the time creating customized, supportive sleep solutions. Want to learn more about my supportive sleep services? Book a FREE 15 minute call today: https://restwellbaby.com/contact Yours in sleep, Tracie / Rest Well Baby It can!
I work with a lot of parents that are at the end of their ropes. They are burnt out, overwhelmed and not feeling connected. This is where hiring a Certified Sleep Coach comes in! As a Certified Gentle Sleep Coach with over 9 years of experience I provide proven methods, age-appropriate educational information and nonjudgmental support all tailored to your family's unique situation. The personalized assistance that I offer can help cut through the confusion and help you feel supported and empowered. I will give you the tools and we will work TOGETHER towards achieving your family's sleep goals. I find that when parents feel like a team and are once again getting the sleep they need, the feel connected. Want to learn more? Book a FREE 15 minute introductory phone call by emailing me directly at: [email protected] Yours in sleep, Tracie / Rest Well Baby Just because a baby is tired doesn't mean he/she will fall asleep. This definitely caught me off guard as a first time mom. Watch for what we call in the sleep world, "sleepy cues". These cues are really signs that your baby is getting tired. Some common sleepy cues are: yawning, getting fussy, getting red/pink around the eyes, loosing interest/looking away, getting a glazed look in their eyes, etc. By watching for sleepy cues and paying attention to wake windows you can help your little one fall asleep before he/she becomes overtired.
Yours in sleep, Tracie / Rest Well Baby Sleep training/sleep coaching does not just mean leaving your baby alone to cry-it-out. Yes, you read that right. There's more than one method to help your little one learn to sleep better. So if you'd prefer to use a more supportive (or gentle) sleep approach, you can! If you'd rather take things slowly and just work on your little one's sleep at bedtime, you can! If you need/want to keep a nighttime feeding while working on your baby's sleep habits, you can!
As a Certified Gentle Sleep Coach I specialize in more supportive sleep coaching/training methods. If you want to learn more about how I work and the different services that I offer, please email me directly at: [email protected] to book a FREE 15 minute introductory phone call. Yours in sleep, Tracie / Rest Well Baby |
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