HOW MY BABY SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT

How My Baby Finally Slept Through the Night- Thanks to MyBaby Sleepology!

Written by: Brooke, “Bump to Busy Mom” Blogger

As a mama of two, I know how difficult sleep regressions are. But the 4 month sleep regression really threw us for a loop. For a combination of reasons! My first baby has always been a great sleeper. My son is a completely different story. 

Since day one we had to pull out all the tricks. Putting him to sleep has been an uphill battle from the very beginning. Then he turned 4 months old and life became even harder for our whole family. 

At this point, he was still sleeping in our room. So my husband, son, and I were ALL sleep deprived. I dreaded bedtime because I knew it was going to take me at least two hours before I could leave the bedroom. 

I couldn’t be present. Instead, I was anxious about all the other things I needed to do, but couldn’t. I craved balance.

Even after leaving the room, I couldn’t relax because I was anticipating when he was going to wake up, realize I was gone, and scream his head off. 

He woke up SEVERAL times throughout the night demanding to be breastfed for comfort. It was clear he relied on me to nurse him to sleep.

I was drowning and was desperate for a solution after endless sleepless nights. I knew I wanted to begin sleep training but needed help.

Xan came into my life at the best time. She has been such a gift to our family. She taught me how to put my son to sleep without the fuss.

Our Sleep Struggles Before Sleep Training

I was seriously struggling to manage two kids. Between the constant night wakings, unpredictable naps, and frustration, I knew I needed to figure this out. 

While I understood the significance of routine and schedules, I had so many burning questions surrounding how our day should look to set my son up for success.

As a type A person, I also needed more structure. Full disclosure…I was losing my marbles just a little bit.

I am a mom blogger so I am always researching topics that help simplify motherhood. I read up on all the “sleep tips” online, but I had much more to learn and needed an expert. Having a sleep consultant on my team was life-changing.

How MyBaby Sleepology Helped

Xan called me for a 15 minute consultation. She listened to our struggles, goals, and shared which program would best fit our family. 

To kick off the program, Xan educated me on my son’s sleep needs and gave me a wealth of knowledge. Information, tips, and tricks beyond what you find online. 

There are a variety of sleep training methods. I chose to go with a slightly modified Ferber sleep training and it has been magical.

Her gentle structured approach helped us successfully sleep train our son within a week. I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly my son got the hang of sleep training.

His temperament improved on day 1. My husband and I were amazed at how quickly we saw a change.

We were all sleeping better AND we were so much happier. 

The Results & My Advice

Sleep is possible! Thanks to Xan and MyBaby Sleepology, we have predictable naps and full nights of rest. 

If you’re struggling, don’t hesitate to reach out to MyBaby Sleepology. It was one of the best decisions I made as a new mom.

Interested to read all the details on our sleep training journey? I wrote a blog post detailing our experience. Read it here!

SLEEP TRAINING MULTIPLES

Having twins was always something I dreamed of. Truthfully, it was something I expected – I did marry one! But, did you know that the likelihood of having twins actually comes from the mother’s side? The multiples on my side, coupled with my husband’s twin gene made me destined for them! Destined maybe, but was I prepared? I don’t think so! Fortunately, I had such a positive experience sleep training my twins with MyBaby Sleepology, that I decided to become a sleep consultant myself so that I could share the love with as many mamas as possible. As a mama of twins, I feel fortunate to have personal experience going through the sleep training process myself as I guide my clients through theirs.

If you are planning on sleep training your twins/multiples, here are some tips:

Sleep Environment: When it comes to multiples, a nursery can be instrumental in the success of their sleep! Of course, all the same sleep environment tips for a single baby apply (i.e. flat fitted sheet, blackout room, etc.). But, when it comes to more than one baby, there are a few additional things to keep in mind!

• Position their cribs as far apart as possible.

• Add a 2nd sound machine. By each baby having their own sound machine, it can help drown out the noise if one of them wakes while the other is still sleeping.

• Put the more sensitive sleeper closer to the door so that when you go to tend to them, the chances of waking the other baby are lessened.

Sleep Training: The art of sleep training multiples is a practice of timing. Not only are you managing a sleep schedule, but you are doing it for two babies at the same time. It is important to try and keep the twins on the same schedule so that they are napping and going down for bedtime at the same time. Doing so will also help you to maintain your sanity! Here are some tips;

• You’ll want to wake them within 20 minutes of each other to keep them on track with one another.

• You can sleep train them together or separate. If your home can accommodate an extra bedroom or creative sleep space, go ahead and take advantage of it! You can sleep train multiples in separate rooms (or do naps separately and nights together), and eventually put them back in the same room when they have a stronger sleep foundation. This can help reduce the chances of them waking each other during the process. Remember, you can be creative with where you sleep train! You can utilize a bathroom or a walk-in closet, too!

Overall, you’d be surprised what your multiples can sleep through! Afterall, they did share a womb together. Try not to rush in if one of them wakes. The sound machine and separation in the room should help keep the noise disruption to a minimum and provide the extra space for them to figure out self-soothing on their own will help their independent sleep confidence come together faster!

Why Sleep Training Is So Important For Multiples:

Being a mama is hard work and being a mama of multiples is even harder. Usually, having multiples means all hands-on deck, and for some families, that can be really straining. Sleep deprivation has so many implications on postpartum depression and it’s important to underline that there are ways to help alleviate some of the stress that comes with sleep deprivation and inconsistent sleep schedules. Sleep training not only helps give parents the confidence and predictability in their children’s sleep, but it also gives parents back their independence with their evenings! They can plan for dinners, plan for time together, and plan for self-care time, all while knowing that when they put their babies down for sleep, they will sleep through the night!

If you’re struggling with your multiples’ sleep schedules or are looking to get a little bit of your life back, feel free to schedule a complimentary 15 minute phone consultation!

Written By: Danielle Rabidou, MyBaby Sleepology

WHY ISN'T MY BABY SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT?

We've all been there... it's 3am and your little one is up for the second time since they went down for bedtime. You're sleep deprived and you decide to take it to Google: "Why isn't my baby sleeping through the night?" In order to really understand why our babies aren't sleeping through the night, we should dig into a couple things...

1. What is "sleeping through the night"?

2. What causes overnight wakings?

What is "sleeping through the night":

Sleeping through the night is technically 8 hours of consolidated sleep. However, we are striving for closer to 11-12 hours of overnight sleep, but it can take some time to get there. It's also important to factor in that your little one may require an overnight feeding during those 11-12 hours.

Another thing we want to consider is that we all naturally wake up through the night. Have you ever looked at your baby monitor to discover that your little one is in a completely different location than when you looked at it last? That's because we all wake up throughout the night and put ourselves back to sleep. Teaching a baby the skills needed to put themselves back to sleep is how we get to that 11-12 hours. So your baby likely WILL wake in the middle of the night a couple times, but you won’t know those wakings are happening because they are skilled enough to seamlessly get themself back to sleep.

What causes overnight wakings:

1. Not placing your baby down awake: If your baby falls asleep in your arms and then wakes overnight and you're not there, it can be startling to them. They will also naturally look for the same assistance that got them to sleep at bedtime. Teaching independently sleep at bedtime will translate over through the rest of the night.

2. Sleep Crutches: Some examples are: Feeding to sleep, rocking to sleep, holding to sleep, constantly reinserting a pacifier overnight.

3. Developmental Milestones & Regressions: Children go through several regressions over the first 3 years of life. While it may be a sleep regression, it's also a developmental PROgression. Your little one is learning so many new things, which can be frustrating and exciting for them!

4. Timing: Making sure we put our babies down at the right time is crucial. If they go down too late, they may be overtired heading into the night and have more frequent wakings. If they do not have enough sleep pressure going into the night, they will let off steam throughout the night.

5. Consistency : Choose a method you can be consistent with when your little one wakes up overnight. If we are using a sleep crutch from above, they may rely on this every time they wake overnight.

6. Environment: The ideal room is room pitch black with continuous white noise. If any sort of light peaks in overnight, it may send a signal to your little one's brain saying it's time to wake up!

One note: If your little one is younger than 16-weeks adjusted, it's still very normal to not be "sleeping through the night." Once our baby's sleep cycles have matured we can be confident that they will grasp the skills needed to sleep through the night.

As always, reach out to us if you are struggling with getting your little one to sleep through the night. We offer complimentary 15-minute discovery calls to find out more about your little one and talk about how we might be able to help!

Written By: Rachel Donovan, MyBaby Sleepology

NIGHT LIGHTS & SLEEP

We've all been there, you tuck your little one in only to hear "Mommy, it's dark!" When your child is 2+ years old they may begin to express a fear of the dark. This would be an okay time to add a small night light to their room, if you think that it will help calm them at bedtime. You’d still want to tuck it behind a dresser or night stand so that it is emitting as little light as possible. The ideal color for a night light at this age is red, as this is the least disruptive to deep REM sleep and is not a stimulant.

Why is a Pitch Black Room so Important?:

The reason that a dark sleep environment is so important (at any age, from newborn through toddlerhood) is that the darkness increases your child's natural production of melatonin! This is a sleepy hormone that helps them to fall asleep faster and not wake up with the sun! If there is a stream of line coming through the side, it can send a signal to their brain that it is time to wake up and that’s the last thing we want!

Here are Some Facts on "Fear of the Dark":

• They don't develop fears until earliest being 2 years old: Babies are actually developmentally incapable of understanding "fear." A strong and consistent routine is the best thing you can do for your baby! Helping to cue baby for sleep looks like: dark sleep environment with white noise going continuously for both night and naps.

• You're worried that you child will always need a super dark sleep environment in order to sleep: Your child will not be dependent on darkness, as it is more of a sleep aid than a crutch! The dark truly helps children of any age sleep better because it helps to increase levels of melatonin! In general, it is better to have darkness as the “rule” and it not being as dark as the “exception” (due to travel).

If you’re struggling to get your child’s room pitch black, here are some simple solutions:

• Black trash bags

• Travel blinds that suction cup to the window

• Black construction paper

So get those blackout shades going, tape over any power lights and ramp up that natural melatonin! Creating the optimal sleep environment will only aid in your goals of a super well rested family :)

Written By: Sacha Jarrell, MyBaby Sleepology

SICK CHILDREN & SLEEP

How do we maintain independent sleep with a sick child?

Is your perfect sleeper all of a sudden start waking in the middle of night because they aren't feeling well?

I know we have all been there. Those middle of the night wakings and cries can be so tough! There are a few things that you can do to provide comfort and still help your child remain the independent sleeper that they are and help them to get the most restorative rest possible!

What to do?!

• For sick babies from 4 months to 1 year, you will want to make sure that you are giving them as much rest as you can throughout the day. A good rule of thumb is still cut off all daytime sleep by a certain time and length, so we can ensure there will be sleep pressure going into the evening.

  • On 3 Naps: Cap at 4.5 Hours

  • On 2 Naps: Cap at 3.5 Hours

  • On 1 Nap: Cap at 2-2.5 Hours

• You should absolutely comfort your sick baby when needed! Always trust your gut. If your child wakes in the middle of night and your gut is telling you to intervene, give them a sweet cuddle, back rub, wipe their nose, or give them a drink of milk or water (age depending). Then you will ideally want to put them back down in their crib so they can fall asleep on their own. If it requires you to rub their back until they fall asleep, that is okay! Once they are feeling better, you will want to dig right back in with your plan to help them bounce back quickly.

• Always practice safe sleep and make sure that their nap(s) are in the crib or bassinet.

For Toddlers:

• You will want to give them as much wind down time as possible. Reading a book and turning off screens 60 minutes before bedtime can help your child relax and fall asleep more easily.

• Always remember the rule of two. If we go off of routine for two nights we need to jump back into our normal response as soon as possible so that we do not create any bad habits. If you are concerned, and want to watch/tend to your child through the night, it is always better to go to them vs. bringing them to you as doing so can open a can of worms!

• Once they are feeling better, dig right back in and your child should be back on track within a few days!

Above all, sickness is short lived. With a sleep trained baby or toddler, they are able to get the beneficial sleep they need to fight the illness or infection. Don't worry if you have an off nap day or two with a sick child! Nighttime is the most restorative and beneficial sleep. Lean on an earlier bedtime when needed. Caring for sick kids isn't easy, so make sure you get as much rest as you can as well.

Written By: Megan Duffy, MyBaby Sleepology

WHAT IS A SLEEP CRUTCH?

When your baby is a newborn, you may find yourself singing your baby to sleep while rocking in their nursery chair. You may feed them or pop that pacifier in their mouth and stroke their face until they fall asleep. Don’t stress this the first few months of your baby’s life! The most important thing at this time is that they are getting as much sleep as possible and are feeling loved and nurtured.

However, as your baby gets older, they will start to rely on these “sleep crutches” to fall asleep at bedtime and for any night wakings. Baby snuggles are the best at bedtime, I’m sure we can all agree! But what happens when they expect to be rocked and fed back to sleep at 1am, 2am, and so on? 

What is a sleep crutch?

A sleep crutch can be anything that a baby or toddler relies on in order to fall asleep. Rocking, feeding, singing, bouncing and pacifiers are often referred to as sleep crutches.

Why is it important to not rely on a sleep crutch?

Everyone - even adults - wake throughout the night. What we are doing in teaching babies independent sleep is giving them the skills and confidence to seamlessly get themselves back to sleep for any night wakings, which will result in better quality sleep for both baby and parents! When your baby wakes in the night after being helped to sleep at bedtime, they are most likely looking for that same help that got them to sleep in the first place: Where is mom to nurse me to sleep? Where is the pacifier to soothe me in the night? The most important thing you can do to avoid your child becoming attached to a sleep crutch is teaching them independent sleep. We recommend doing this at 16 weeks +. At 16 weeks from a baby’s estimated due date is when they have hit the 4 month sleep regression and are developmentally ready to be sleep trained.

Sounds great! How do we do this?!

• Place your child down fully awake at bedtime. Remember, the way they get themself to sleep at bedtime, they will expect in the middle of the night or after a short nap! Have a smile on your face and remain positive when placing them down.

• Ask their pediatrician how many middle of the night feedings are nutritionally necessary. It is okay for you to feed your baby in the middle of the night if it is nutritionally necessary (or if it makes you feel more comfortable).

• Choose a sleep training method that you are comfortable with and apply it for all wakings outside of the designated feed(s), if any.

When they wake at night, they will know it’s okay to settle themselves back to sleep without you stepping in. Transitioning away from a sleep crutch will take time and consistency, but your child can without a doubt do it! And if you need help tackling this, the team at MyBaby Sleepology can help!

There are many positive sleep associations that we can foster, including: a solid bedtime routine to set the stage for sleep, sleep sack, white noise (silence for babies is uncomfortable) and a darkened room (helps stimulate the production of melatonin, a sleepy hormone!).

However, if you enjoy nursing your baby to sleep, or going in at night to rock them back to sleep, you do not have to change your routine. It only becomes an unhelpful sleep crutch when it becomes a problem for you!  Just make sure that you and your baby are getting the quality sleep that you both need!

Written By: Ashley Barie, MyBaby Sleepology

HAVE A GASSY NEWBORN?

Are you dealing with a gassy newborn in the middle of the night? We’ve been there, too! Almost all babies will have trouble with trapped gas at some point the first few months. 

Here are some common causes of your baby’s gas: 

• Swallowing air when feeding

• Digestive problems such as constipation or reflux

• Immature gastrointestinal tract (still learning how to digest food)

• Baby’s diet (exposure to certain foods from mother’s breastmilk or bubbles in formula)

Symptoms of a gassy baby:

• Fussiness

• Arching of the back

• Lifting legs

• Hardened belly

How to help? Follow some of these techniques throughout the day to help your gassy baby sleep more comfortably:

1.) Warm bath: A warm, soothing bath can provide the calming opportunity to relax the muscles needed to relieve gas.

2.) Baby massage: Giving an infant massage helps the trapped air move from the belly. Speak with your pediatrician or health expert on the best techniques to try at home.

3.) Bicycle legs: Get those legs pumping left and right a few minutes at a time throughout the day.

4.) Tummy time: Not only does tummy time help strengthen head and neck muscles, it will help alleviate any trapped gas.

Fortunately, most babies outgrow the gassy stage between 3 and 6 months! This also happens to be the sweet spot for teaching independent sleep! 

Written By: Ashley Barie, MyBaby Sleepology

BECOME A SLEEP CONSULTANT

Are you passionate about baby & toddler sleep and want a flexible schedule? If so, becoming a sleep consultant might be the perfect gig for you! You can join our Life as a Sleep Consultant Facebook group to get a glimpse into days in the life of a sleep consultant!

Xan here! I am the Founder of MyBaby Sleepology and the Pediatric Sleep Academy! Getting certified to become a sleep consultant is by far the best thing I ever did for my career and my sanity! For years I thought I wanted to make it big in the corporate world and I found myself totally stressed out and overwhelmed. I was a sleep consultant for 3.5 years while I was in corporate America and finally had the guts (thanks to my husband!) to leave and focus solely on sleep consulting. I haven't looked back since!

There are so many benefits to becoming a sleep consultant!

Let's first talk about the financials. Not only is it FUN and fulfilling, but you can make great money doing it!

• Part-time: $1,500 - $5,000/month

• Full-time: $5,000 - $12,000/month (or more!)

• Hourly income can range from $60-$80!

• There is very little overhead to get your business up and running. Most families book a larger program (average $400 - $600) and with that, the course can be paid off after working with 4-5 families!

What might this career look like for you?

Doing it in tandem to another job or as a Stay at Home Mom:

• Gives you a safety net that no matter what happens in your other career that you will have something to lean on for a solid income

• You can build your business and see how much it can grow, without too much pressure

• It can give you lucrative side-gig money to save for vacations, gifts, etc.!

• Fulfillment and purpose while you stay home with your kiddos

Making it your full-time job:

• Do meaningful, fulfilling work on your very own schedule, from the comfort of your home!

• You can make it as big as you want it to be!

Who will you learn from?

• Xan Coffman is the lead instructor. She is well established in the sleep space, with her company being the exclusive partners to Hubble Connected, a baby product company.

• Xan’s first year starting her very own company, she generated six figures. She has grown her sleep consulting company to include 5 other sleep consultants, all of whom have gone through her certification course and hit the ground running upon completion! In building her team, she knew what everyone who took the course had to learn in the 50 hours of coursework to feel comfortable and confident in working with clients!

Who is currently enrolled in the course? We have people with so many background as part of the private Facebook community and they love how it fits into their schedules!

• Doulas

• Nannies

• Stay at Home Moms

• Nurses, Teachers, Sales, Digital Media, Photographers, Retail, you name it!

If you have any interest in getting certified, reach out to Xan and she can send you more information! Email: Xan@mybabysleepology.com

And don’t forget to join our Life as a Sleep Consultant Facebook group to get a glimpse into days in the life of a sleep consultant!

ACTIVE SLEEP

Raise your hand if you have ever been woken up in the middle of the night by a noisy baby and by the time you got to them they were quiet and back to sleep? ME! So often, we are woken up throughout the night by a little one that may not be fully awake. Before you rush in to check on them, consider that it may be active sleep and this is very developmentally normal!

So what is active sleep? This is when babies are moving around in their sleep and sometimes even cry out when they are actually still sleeping. Active sleep is more prominent when babies are on the verge of new milestones because during any milestone bursts of energy are being sent to their brain. Active sleep for a baby is similar to REM sleep for an adult. Your little one is absorbing so many new things every day and their brains are going a mile a minute!

And what do you do if you think your baby is experiencing active sleep? It takes a baby 5 minutes to “fully” wake up, so you will want to take a moment to listen and observe before going in to intervene. This will help determine if your baby is just transitioning between sleep cycles and going through active sleep or if your baby is truly awake and needs assistance in getting back to sleep. If your baby is experiencing active sleep and you scoop them out to tend to them, you might actually wake them up, causing more of a disruption in their sleep. Oftentimes children just need to be given a wee bit of space to show mommy and daddy that they can transition to the next sleep cycle all on their own. So next time this happens with your baby, take a pause and see what they can do!

Written by: Rachel Donovan

18 MONTH AND 2 YEAR SLEEP REGRESSIONS

Is your child who had been a great sleeper now all of a sudden protesting at bedtime, waking in the middle of the night, rising early and/or protesting naps? If so, keep reading!

The moment I heard my youngest daughter, Collins, speak a full sentence I was filled with so much excitement! The thought of her being able to tell me exactly what she wanted when she wanted made me soooo proud of her! She began to tell me stories (that only made half sense - ha!) , and tell me when she needed water. It was amazing. As I processed the new cognitive development with a huge smile on my face, my body started to tingle as I realized .... Here. Comes. The. Sleep. Regression.

Collins is my youngest of three and has been sleeping through the night since she was 8 weeks old. A true pandemic baby, we nailed a sleep foundation and sleep routine from the beginning. Her solid foundation is what helped her to get through the 18 month and 2 year sleep regression. Babies and toddlers thrive off routine. The more you stay on track with prioritizing sleep and having a solid routine, the more a child can handle disruptions in sleep, such as sleep regressions.

Think of regressions more like progressions! Even though sleep regressions can be tough on parents, it's a sign that your baby is developing right where they should be!

Signs of the regression:

• Separation anxiety

• Tantrums (they are on the verge of being able to communicate better!)

• All of a sudden protesting bedtime or naps, longer night wakings, and/or early rising

• Cranky due to less sleep

Here are some facts:

• 18 month regression: Typically happens between 17 & 19 months

• 2 year regression: Typically happens between 23 & 25 months

• Both regressions can last 2-6 weeks

• Both regressions are tied to language bursts and cognitive developments. In some cases, the regression could happen prior to you actually noticing a new development. Although, before you know it, within a few weeks you will see big language bursts!

Tips:

• Over communicate! Have a happy and upbeat tone around sleep.

• Have a solid wind-down routine leading up to naps and bedtime and prepare them for it so they feel more in control.

• Have a plan to tackle the protests and night wakings.

Many sleep issues start to become more behavioral as a toddler gets older. It’s super important that you have a plan and stick to it so that this remains a regression and a phase! It is very important to not fall into bad habits at this age because that will only prolong the regression and create new expectations. Giving your toddler the time and space they need to fall asleep on their own is vital! If your little one is lacking sleep, prioritizing an earlier bedtime will only help in your endeavor of solid sleep once again. When they fall back into their restorative nights once again, praise the heck out of them! Give them lots of kisses and hugs all around! Y'all made it through!!

Written by: Megan Duffy

TUMMY SLEEP AND TUMMY TIME

It can be a little freaky the first time your baby rolls over in their sleep. Some mamas even sneak in there and roll their baby right back over, which either results in the baby rolling back on to their tummy (rinse and repeat) orrrr in an angry baby who was just woken up from a cozy sleep. What's a worried mama to do?

The silver lining to this anxiety-inducing behavior is that your child has just achieved a major milestone! They have worked hard to develop the core and neck strength to be successful at their goal and now they are doing it! That's all wonderful except now you are wide awake staring at the monitor as your child sleeps blissfully on their belly.

For your own peace of mind and sleep safety, continue placing your baby down on their back at the start of the night/nap. They will roll themselves over when ready. Tummy sleep is self-soothing to babies and many of them love it and even prefer it!

Here are some facts and tips:

• Once a baby is rolling to their tummy by themselves, it is safe for them to sleep there.

• The very first time he rolls in his crib you can go in and roll him back over to reassure yourself that it wasn’t a fluke. The next time he rolls, he is officially safe to sleep there! Giving your baby the space to figure it out will help them to learn the fastest.

• As soon as your baby is showing signs of rolling transition them from a swaddle to a sleep sack, as you are going to want their arms and hands free.

• Ramp up the tummy time a ton! Put a circle of toys around your baby to entice him to move in the different directions. The faster you can get your baby rolling back and forth with ease, the less it will throw their sleep off.

Gross motor skill regressions peak just before a baby masters a new skill and you will notice in the weeks leading up to the milestone of rolling that your little one's sleep can be thrown off. This is due to the frustration of them wanting to roll, but not being able to. Timing and consistency of routine are key when it comes to sleep, especially when your little one is going through developmental changes. Considering that this is just the first of many, many milestones over the next few years, your best plan is to have a plan!

We got you, mama. Put the monitor down, let's create that plan together!

Written by: Sacha Jarrell

LEAPS AND SLEEP

There is always something going on with our babies, right?!

Just like the physical growth spurts, babies can go through mental developments that occur through a process of “leaps.” Research has shown that babies make 10 major leaps during the first 20 months of their lives. With each leap comes a drastic change in your baby’s mental development, which affects not only their mood, but also their health, intelligence, sleeping patterns, and the “three C’s” (crying, clinging and crankiness).

Some of the most common signs your baby is going through a developmental leap are crying and fussiness, sleep regressions, and separation anxiety.  While all of this can feel overwhelming for you, it’s a huge sign of mental development in your little one.  Often the crankiness is simply frustration tied to learning new skills.  You can be rest assured that this is all for a good reason and your baby will soon be back to their normal happy, sleeping self!  Hang in there!

So what about their sleep?!

During this time, sleep can temporally be thrown off.  Some common sleep issues during a leap are short naps, early rising, protesting bedtime, and more frequent night wakings.  The more consistent you are in sticking to your plan during these rough patches, the faster your baby will move through this tough time. If you start responding differently by holding them to sleep, patting to sleep, feeding to sleep, etc., it can prolong this difficult time and make sleep harder for the weeks to come.  Hold to your plan and you will get through this!  

One last tip: If your baby was born early or late, remember to adjust based on their estimated due date . In other words, if your baby was born at 38 weeks, all of their leaps will occur about 2 weeks later.

Written by: Rachel Donovan

HAVE A CRIB JUMPER?!

Uh ohhhh! It is very common for a toddler to figure out that they can climb out of their crib. Many people at this time jump to the conclusion (pun intended ;)) that this means they need a toddler bed. Before you do this... keep reading!!

There are several things that you can do to make it so your child is less able to jump out of their crib AND you can teach your child to stay in their crib, even if they can easily make their way out.

Here are Some Facts:

• It is developmentally normal for a child to test this out. Whether it be for fun or attention!

• Given the height of the crib, your child is very unlikely to get hurt. What we recommend for parents who are unsure is to put a landing pad around the crib (just don't tell them what it's for!).

• Prior to 3 years old (often before 3.5 years!) children lack impulse control and do not understand "imaginary boundaries." You can tell them all you want "you have to stay in your bed" and they might agree in the moment, but they simply cannot follow through with it!

• The sweet spot to transition to a toddler bed is usually around 3.5 years old. We recommend keeping them in a crib for as long as possible! It will make the transition go much more smoothly and it will save your sanity!

Here are Some Tips & Tricks!

• Remove the spring board and drop the mattress all the way to the ground. Just make sure there isn't a gap between the top of the mattress and bottom of the crib. If there is, put a piece of plywood, a yoga mat or ABC foam mat underneath to bridge that gap!

• Put them in a sleep sack that is backwards and inside out. This will make it so they can't lift their leg as high!

• If the crib has a higher side to it, you can turn it around so the lower side is on the wall. Looks funny, but works!

• If they jump, return them to their crib without any interaction. You want to be calm, emotionless and silent! If they don't have an audience, they will realize they are getting nothing out of practicing for the Olympics when they should be sleeping :)

Our team has successfully worked with a ton of crib jumpers!

Hear it from a mama who called us before making the transition: “Xan was so helpful with our almost 27 month old who was climbing out of her crib multiple times a night and waking up very early in the morning. As soon we as implemented Xan’s strategies, our daughter stopped climbing out of her crib and now stays in even if she wakes up in the middle of the night. We were amazed at how much Xan was able to help us, and highly recommend her for any toddler sleep issues!” - S.B

And from a mama who made the switch back to a crib!: “Our 3 year old was jumping out of his crib and we had transitioned him to the bed because we had thought he was developmentally ready for the big boy bed. Oh boy, were we wrong! This caused our toddler to not want to go to bed at all. Long story short, for 3 weeks, he refused to go to sleep and would fall asleep at midnight causing an absolute ruckus in the house. Luckily, we were recommended to Xan and she saved the day! With her expertise and strong game plan, our son was completely back on track at night 3…going to bed on time and sleeping through the night. ENOUGH SAID. We also followed Xan’s recommendation of putting our son back in his crib and not moving forward with the toddler bed. Turns out our son just isn’t ready for the bed yet! My husband and I have been doing our happy dance ever since. So, the moral of the story is…don’t wait 3 weeks to call Xan…lesson learned.” - J.Z

TRAVELING AND SLEEP!

The world is opening up again! Life may actually return to normal!....

As we all look forward to holiday travel just around the corner, here are some tips on keeping your little one(s) and yourself well-rested and happy during this time:

For travel within the same time zone as home:

• If possible, try to catch at least one restorative nap in the crib either at home or at your destination. If you are flying, don't sweat it if this one is not possible. Just try to get your child sleeping on the plane by rocking/holding if needed!

• Once you arrive at your destination, get back to your normal nap and bedtime schedule. Consistency is key!

• Recreate a similar sleep environment to the one they are used to at home: Bring along travel black out shades, a portable white noise machine, a familiar sleep sack and lovie if your child uses one.

• Leverage an earlier bedtime if naps have been on the go or skipped during travel.

• Enjoy your time away!! By continuing to keep routines consistent and hitting that timing just right, there should only be minor setbacks (if any) in their sleep.

For travel to other time zones:

• Control what you can control. The same recommendation applies to bringing along familiar sleep environment set up as at home: black out shades, portable white noise machine, etc.

• Once you arrive at your destination, go by the local clock, not the one back home!

• Get out into the natural sunlight at least twice a day to help reset your little one's natural biorhythm to the new time zone.

• Leverage an earlier bedtime if naps have been on the go or skipped during travel.

• When you return home, go by the clocks in this time zone.

A solidly sleep trained baby will be able to tolerate occasional changes to their routine and still manage to get back on track with your help. They have the skills! You can have a wonderful time traveling the world, baby in tow, as long as you have a consistent independent sleep method and routine!

Written by: Sacha Jarrell

8 MONTH SLEEP REGRESSION

Was your 7 to 10 month old sleeping nice long stretches and now all of a sudden waking more frequently throughout the night, rising early or taking shorts naps? If so, it sounds to me like they have hit the 8 month sleep regression!

Why is this happening?! Babies go through so much cognitively and physically at this age, which is what leads to this regression. Your baby might be learning things such as sitting up, crawling, pulling up, babbling, stacking, and more. He might also be learning the important idea of object permanence. Object permanence is the understanding that things exist when we can’t see them, which can lead to a surge of separation anxiety. It is all developmentally normal, but can cause some sleep setbacks.

This regression can last 2-6 weeks (on average, it's 4) and it happens on average between 7&9 months. You can feel rest-assured that it's all for good reason! While it is a sleep REgression, it is a developmental PROgression! Not only are they learning all of those physical milestones right now, but they are also absorbing language. Because of this, their brains are very wired right now and they have a tough time settling down due to all of the excitement!

So how can we help our little ones get through this?

1. Make sure you are giving your baby lots of floor time during the day to practice their new skills. The more they practice during the day, the less exciting those skills seem when your baby is trying to catch those Zzz's.

2. Bedtime and naps can be a moving target during this time. If your baby is waking early or taking shorter naps, we want to adust with an earlier bedtime to prevent them getting overtired. Overtiredness can trigger night wakings, early rising and short naps.

3. Stay consistent! You’ll want to avoid starting any bad habits like feeding to sleep, rocking to sleep, co-sleeping, etc. Stick to your plan and find a consistent method to handle those early mornings, short nap and/or night wakings.

Remember, this too shall pass and it simply tells you that your baby is growing and developing just as he should be!

Written by: Rachel Donovan

SLEEP TRAINING IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT

"My children all have their own rooms", "My neighbors never complain when it gets a little noisy", "I don't mind the helicopters/fire engine sirens/honking"… said almost no urbanite ever!

Some things are managed just a little bit differently when you live in a city, especially teaching sleep to little ones! You simply have more disruption to work around, but it is totally possible! Your child's bedroom might share a wall with another family's child, so you are lucky if you have a neighbor family you get along with. If this is the case, you can work together on everything, from staggered bedtimes to white noise machines placed strategically against the wall.

Here are some tips for sleep training without stepping on toes (tried and true methods of a native New Yorker who has sleep trained two babies in the same apartment, next door to a family of three babies):

• Place your child’s crib on the opposite side of the shared wall to your neighbors.

• Slide notes under the neighbors’ doors when you are planning to begin the sleep training process. A heads up can go a long way those first few nights. Doing the same for the apartment immediately above and below doesn't hurt either!

• Tape a sign to your front door to avoid doorbell ringing/knocking during naps and bedtime hours.

• Let the doorman know not to ring up during certain hours (if applicable).

• Blackout shades to block out the sunshine for sleep time.

• 2 sound machines can be helpful! One near the window to block outside noises and one near the bedroom door.

• Stick to your chosen plan!! Get through those first few nights and remind yourself that you won't have to worry about the neighbors again once your child is sleeping better. They should appreciate you putting the work in for the many shared space years ahead!

Once your child is a consistently solid sleeper:

• Don't tiptoe around during daytime hours. This is not a reality and you want them to feel the difference between naps and bedtime.

• Control what you can control! The city's noises will not end. Once your child has a solid foundation and has mastered self-soothing, they will be able to sleep through it or roll over and go back to sleep.

• Bring a portable white noise machine (we love the Rohm) for any sleep that might happen "on the go.”

And remember there are many, many great reasons we choose to raise our families in these crazy, chaotic, jam-packed environments. Stick to your plan. Restorative sleep for the whole family is possible so that you can get out and enjoy these cities that we love and all that they offer!

Written by: Sacha Jarrell

4 MONTH SLEEP REGRESSION

We always get the question: “Should we wait until the regression is over to see if we need to sleep train?” The answer is that unfortunately there is no end to this particular regression because this is the one regression that is NOT tied to physical or cognitive developments, rather a permanent shift in their sleep cycles!

Many parents dread the 4 month sleep regression, but it is nothing to be afraid of! It is actually a good thing because it shows you that your baby is developing as he should be and it is a great time to start thinking about sleep training!

When does it happen?  The average is 16 weeks from a baby’s estimated due date.

Why? Your baby’s sleep cycles have matured! Instead of your baby fluctuating between 2 stages of sleep, they now have more adult-like sleep cycles where they fluctuate between 4 stages of sleep.  When they go from the deepest to the lightest stage of sleep, they often wake up! If they don’t know how to get themselves to sleep at the beginning of the night, they will have a tough time doing so when they wake in the middle of the night.

This new sleep cycle is ultimately what causes:

• Frequent night wakings

• Early rising

• Short naps

What is ideal? At this time a baby’s 3 naps form and they are now developmentally ready to be sleep trained! The goal is that naps 1 and 2 are a minimum of 1 hour each (in order to be considered restorative) and we are looking for nights to start to consolidate with a morning wake up time between 6:30 & 7:30am.

What to do?

Placing your baby down fully awake will be very important.  If you baby knows how to get themself to sleep at the beginning of the night, they will be able to do so for any middle of the night wakings!

Timing: Make sure your little one is going down at the correct time each night based on the quality of their day (it’ll be a moving target when you first begin).

Consistency: Determine how many night feedings are nutritionally necessary for your baby and apply your chosen method to all other wakings.

The first few nights of sleep training are always the toughest. If you need help, reach out!

SLEEP TRAINING METHODS

Sleep training does not have to mean

“Cry It Out”

One of the most common questions we receive at MyBaby Sleepology is “Do I have to use the 'Cry It Out' method when sleep training my baby?”  While the method of Extinction / Cry It Out can be super effective, there are other methods to consider when choosing a method to sleep train your baby.  As a matter of fact, we have worked with thousands of families and only about 15% choose the Extinction method!

Ultimately, the two most important components to sleep training are timing and consistency:  

• Timing: If you are missing their optimal sleep window even if by 15-20 min, cortisol will kick in, which is a stress hormone and stimulant and it can cause it to be tough for a baby to fall asleep, trigger night wakings, and/or early rising. Timing will likely change on a daily basis when you first begin!

• Consistency: When choosing a sleep training method, you will want to pick one you can be consistent with. Choose one you feel comfortable with and that is aligned with your child's temperament so that you can send consistent messages to your little one so they can learn the fastest!

Let’s dig in to the different sleep methods:

• Cry It Out / Extinction (high cry tolerance): You would go through their bedtime routine, place your baby down in their crib awake, say goodnight, and leave the room. Once you place him down at bedtime, you will not go back to his room until morning, barring safety instincts or a poopy diaper/diaper leak. This method gives him the opportunity to fall asleep completely on his own, without assistance or interference. Allowing him the freedom to self-soothe in the safety of his designated sleep space will teach him how to return to sleep on his own.

• Ferber (medium cry tolerance): You would go through their bedtime routine, place your baby down in their crib awake, say goodnight, and leave the room. You would start a timer from the point of an escalated cry for a designated interval. Once you have reached the time limit, you would go in and console your baby for 1-2 minutes without physically lifting them from the crib. They may calm down and fall asleep after you have left. If not, you would restart the timer for your next designated interval and continue going in and checking on your baby for 1-2 minutes until they fall asleep. *Chart located below*

• Pick Up Put Down (low cry tolerance): You would go through their bedtime routine, place your baby down in their crib awake, say goodnight, and leave the room. Once they begin crying you would go back in to console. Try doing as much consoling from their crib as possible. If they cannot be consoled from their crib, you would pick them up until they calm down or for 3-4 minutes maximum. Place them back down and continue this cycle until they are able to fall asleep.

With any method you choose, you want to prepare for those first few nights being the toughest. Sleep training as a whole is a 3-4 week process, but as you hold steady to your plan and focus on that optimal timing it will all come together.

If you need help choosing a method (methods can be modified!) and nailing timing to ensure you are setting your baby up for success, reach out!

NEWBORN SLEEP TIPS

Establish Healthy Sleep Habits the First 4 Months!

Let’s be real – having a newborn (especially your first!) is a crazy and overwhelming time in life.  Sleep deprivation is one of the biggest adjustments that new parents have to deal with.  The good news is there are things that you can do to help your newborn baby sleep better, which will also result in more sleep for you!

Here are some newborn sleep tips that will help your baby to start establishing healthy sleep habits early on:

Day/Night Confusion:

When your baby is born, they are unable to decipher day sleep vs. night sleep.  Your baby was used to being lulled to sleep during the day with all of the rocking in the womb, and was up partying at night when you were sleeping.  This is typically resolved around week 6 from your baby’s estimated due date.  To help correct their day/night confusion:

• During the day expose your baby to natural sunlight and don’t tip-toe around!

• Cap naps at 2 hours so that your baby understands that day sleep is meant for shorter spurts of sleep

• At night you will want their sleep environment to be pitch black and silent (except for white noise!)

Implement Dr. Harvey Karp’s 5 S’s:

1.       Swaddling:

• Helps to replicate the snug, secure feeling they had in the womb

• When babies aren’t swaddled they are overstimulated, which results in a very fussy baby

• Swaddling helps to prevent the Moro reflex from startling them awake

• Swaddle until your baby is showing signs of starting to roll

 2.       Side: 

• Holding your baby on their side causes their “position sensors” to send a message to their brain that everything is okay

• *Always place your baby down for all sleep on their back

 3.       Sway:

• Your baby was so used to constantly being rocked/jiggled in the womb!

4.       “SHHHH”:

• Silence for a baby is uncomfortable! Use continuous white noise for all sleep!

• If your baby is very fussy/crying, “shhhh” as loud as the cry

5.       SUCK:

• Non-nutritive sucking (pacifier/thumb) is very comforting.  It triggers a calming reflex!

• Bonus: pacifiers help reduce the risk of SIDS

Naps:

It is very important that your newborn (0-12 weeks) stays very well-rested!  Offer naps throughout the day every 60-90 minutes.

During these first few months, control what you can!  You cannot officially sleep train until your baby is 16 weeks from their estimated due date.  16 weeks is when a baby has hit the 4 month sleep regression and they are developmentally ready to be sleep trained.  Until that time, it is okay to snuggle your baby a bunch! The most important thing is that they are feeling loved and secure and getting as much sleep as possible!

For more tips on what you can do from 0-16 weeks (such as starting to teach your newborn more independent sleep), reach out!  MyBaby Sleepology has a fantastic Newborn Program with rave reviews!

MOM GUILT & SLEEP TRAINING

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Marcella Kelson who is a Coach & Personal Development Specialist.  Marcella started a series called “Mom Guilt” part of Union Square Play and asked me to discuss “Mom Guilt” when it comes to sleep training, and it really brought to my attention how prevalent this internal struggle is for moms.

I have been sleep consulting for many years and I can honestly say I’ve heard it all!  Some mothers come to me with extreme guilt about sleep training, while others have zero qualms about it.  Wherever you on that spectrum is okay!  If your current sleep situation is no longer working for you or your little one, it’s time to make some changes.

Here is a comparison I love to reference:  When we decide to teach our children to ride a bike, we know they are likely going to fall and potentially get hurt and cry.  However, we decide to follow through with it because riding a bike is a milestone and helps with a child’s development and confidence!   That is similar to sleep training, but oftentimes is perceived very differently.  Sleep training is a loaded phrase, and one that is often associated with “Cry It Out”, when that is not in fact true!

When it comes to sleep training there are several methods that you can use... and guess what!  They all work!!

• Cry It Out (for parents with a high cry tolerance)

• Ferber (for parents with a medium cry tolerance)

• Pick Up Put Down (for parents with a low cry tolerance)

• Chair Method (for parents who want to be in the room with their child while they learn to self-soothe)

BENEFITS OF SLEEP TRAINING:

1. Helps aid in a baby/toddler’s cognitive, emotional and physical development

2. Children thrive off of predictability and routines

3. Better sleep often leads to better eating

4.  Studies show that independent sleepers are more confident children and better sleepers as adults

BONUS BENEFITS OF SLEEP TRAINING:

1. If everyone is sleeping, it makes for a much happier family as a whole

   • Well-rested parents have more energy to practice greater patience

2. Having peace of mind knowing that anyone can put your child to bed

3. Knowing that you can go on vacations/weekend getaways, having the confidence that your child can sleep in any environment

4. To have uninterrupted time with your spouse to unwind

Hearing our little ones cry goes against every fiber of our being.  If you choose a method that you are comfortable with, it might be a tough few nights, but your child will learn the art of independent sleep and the sleepless nights/days will soon be a thing of the past.  It is important that we as moms do not view sleep training as something that is “selfish” or “damaging” but rather as a gift that we are giving our child!

Follow @MarcellaKelson and @UnionSquarePlay on Instagram for more “Mom Guilt” topics and Q&As!