Sweet, elusive sleep… You know the one. You miss it; you crave it; you lose it when you’re kept up at night while you rock your baby for the fourth time…in an hour!. When you have a baby who refuses to sleep or just doesn’t sleep well, it can be difficult to remember that there was ever a time when you slept a full 8 hours. Resorting to googling “how to sleep train your baby” in the middle of the night is a sure sign  both you and your baby need some more zzz’s. But with thousands of hits on “how to get your baby to sleep”, the quick fix you dreamed of may still feel elusive. 

You are not alone. I too felt like I tried every trick in the book, or multiple books, but  my first baby fell for none of them and decided to keep waking every hour on the hour no matter what I tried…until I figured out what I was doing wrong. Once I learned the keys to success, my son began  sleeping through the night within a matter of nights.  Who knew that’s all it took!

Many people who call me, tell me they’ve tried sleep training and it “just didn’t work”.  When I ask more questions, I usually uncover one of a few common reasons why.   The  good news is, there are solutions and sleep can be restored for your entire family in a matter of days when you know the tricks!

Here are the most common reasons why sleep training fails:

Sleep training fail #1: Your baby is too drowsy at bedtime!

The most common advice is to put your baby in bed “drowsy, but awake.” The problem with this is the nebulous definition of drowsy. Many parents overinterpret “drowsy” and end up rocking, bouncing, holding, feeding, their baby to a point of being basically asleep. This leaves your child in a dazed and confused state when you then suddenly alert them and jerks him awake to lay him in his crib when he has  no idea how he  got there. Additionally, babies associate falling asleep with wherever they were when they became drowsy—most likely, in your arms. And this sleep association with your arms and not with his crib is the number one cause of night wakings.

Baby sleep pro tip: Put your baby in the crib while still awake. Focus on creating a positive bedtime routine and timing bedtime correctly. If you do that, he  will be tired enough to fall asleep more easily on his own. And, more important, he will stay asleep.

Sleep training fail #2:  Nursing/Feeding too close to bedtime

If you’re feeding your baby at bedtime, you are creating a sleep association of food and sleep. When this happens, your baby thinks she needs  to eat in order to go back to sleep every time she wakes up. 

Baby sleep pro tip: Separate feeding from sleep by shifting the feeding to the first part of the bedtime routine. Even doing the feeding outside the nursery can help break a strong food-sleep association. After the feeding, move into the darkened nursery for a 15 minute bedtime routine which can include reading, singing, dancing, massaging.

Sleep training fail #3:  Lurking parent

Do you hang out with your baby or toddler until she falls asleep? If you do, you might be making it harder for your baby to go back to sleep on her own—or to fall asleep at all. By sticking around until those little eyelids are closed shut, you allow your baby to associate falling asleep with being next to you.  When she awakens at night, she then will logically expect to see you again in order to fall back to sleep, which creates a night waking issue.

Baby sleep pro tip: After your sleep routine, give some final kisses and hugs, linger for less than a minute, and leave the room while your baby is still awake.

Sleep training fail #4: Overuse of sleep crutches, like pacifiers.

I always say, “a pacifier is not a problem until it’s a problem.” And it becomes a problem if you race back to replace a pacifier every 5 minutes. This leads to the pacifier, and by extension, you, becoming a sleep crutch. And again, if he needs  your help to fall asleep, he will also need you in the middle of the night should he wake up.  If the pacifier helps calm your baby at the beginning of a sleep period, then by all means, use it as a helpful tool. But resist the urge to run back in when it falls out. Instead, leave them to fall asleep on their own once it pops out. This encourages them to find their fingers or other means of self-soothing which in turn will help them when they wake at night when you are not close by.

Baby sleep pro tip: Use a pacifier only if it helps, but don’t replace it when it falls out. Babies older than 6 months can usually learn to replace their own pacifier. Putting several in the crib can make them easier to find and replace on their own.

Sleep training fail #5: You fail to catch your baby’s sleep waves

Catching your baby’s sleep wave is one of the most important parts of helping your baby learn to fall and stay asleep. Our sleep is governed by circadian rhythms, or an internal sleep clock. Putting your baby down at random times or outside of these sleep windows can make it harder for them to both fall– and stay– asleep. Additionally, putting your baby to sleep overtired (or undertired) not only makes it hard to fall asleep, ironically it is the second biggest cause of night and early wakings. Counterintuitively, the more tired they are at bedtime, the more likely they are to wake in the middle of the night. Plus, there’s always more crying from an overtired baby…something we all want to avoid!

Baby sleep pro tip:  Time bedtime in sync with your baby’s natural sleep wave and ensure they are getting enough sleep during the day so they are not overtired at bedtime. By 6 months, bedtime can be about an hour and 45 minutes after the end of the 3rd nap, as long as the main two naps are 1-2 hours each. Aim for earlier, if naps are shorter.By 9 months, bedtime can be 3.5 hours after the end of the second nap (the 3rd nap drops by this age).  And by 12 months, bedtime can be about 4 hours after the end of the second nap.  This usually lands bedtime between 6:30-7:30 for these ages – depending on the times and lengths of the naps.    The nap times should also be in sync with their internal clock and catching the sleep waves for naps can also make it easier to fall and stay asleep.  Aim for 8:30-9am for the first nap and 12:30-1pm for the second nap-  sometimes these naps times need to adjust slightly based on the previous sleep period, but aim to push to these nap windows for a better shot at restorative 1-2 hour naps.  

Sleep training fail #6:  Lack of consistency

When parents tell me they tried sleep training and it “didn’t work”, the single most common reason is because they were not consistent enough with the process over time. That can mean they only tried for one or two nights or set a time limit for crying of 33 minutes. It can also mean they tried 4 different techniques over 4 days. With experience in  helping thousands of families for the last 7 years, I can say with confidence that sleep training can work 100% of the time with both a plan of action and 100% consistency of routines, times, environment, and responses.

Baby sleep pro tip:  Sleep training can be hard on all of us – no one loves the idea of their baby crying.  Try to keep your eye on the end goal of peaceful bedtimes and uninterrupted night’s sleep to help get through the few days of off schedules and bouts of crying around bedtime and naps.  Plan a relaxing or distracting activity for when you leave the room the first few nights of sleep training.  Read a book, plug into a mindless reality TV show, do yoga, meditate, bake, or sip a glass of wine.  If you have another child, focus on one on one time with them!  

 If you feel like you’ve tried every trick in the book, or on the internet, to help your baby learn to sleep, and it just isn’t working, and you would like some hand holding to help your whole family sleep better, contact me for help! Within a matter of days, you and your baby will be having sweet dreams!

It’s not even dawn yet, and your baby is wide awake! Hearing your baby’s coos become cries wouldn’t be so upsetting if it weren’t 4:45 a.m.!

In fact, any waking before 6:00 a.m. is considered a night waking — so, too early to start the day. What it means is that if your baby consistently wakes before 6:00 a.m., he’s probably not getting the 11–12 hours sleep he needs each night. So that means there are probably at least two cranky people in your family! You’re stumbling around blurry-eyed, feeling foggy, while your baby kicks and cries. What next?

The good news is once you determine why your baby wakes too early, you can cure the habit.

Here are 8 common reasons for early rising — with solutions.

1. You help your baby fall asleep.

Sleep associations, sometimes called “sleep crutches”, such as nursing or feeding a baby to sleep, or rocking and bouncing to sleep, are the number one cause for night or early wakings. Even requiring a pacifier replacement can be a sleep crutch. If your baby become accustomed to your helping him fall asleep, he will need you to fall back to sleep whenever he wakes. And it may be even harder to do between 4:00–6:00 a.m. because it’s when your baby is in the lightest stage of sleep. The cure is to help your baby fall asleep independently by creating consistent bedtime routines to serve as a cue that sleep is next — read a book, sing a song, and put your baby in the crib awake. Then, the key is to allow him to learn the valuable skill of self-soothing so he can fall asleep — or back to sleep later — on his own.

2. Bedtime is too late.

Going to sleep overtired is another leading cause of night and early wakings. For babies 4–9 months old, bedtime should be about 1 hour and 45 minutes after the 3rd nap, as long as the main two naps are at least 1–2 hours each. Bedtime should be earlier if naps are shorter. Don’t be afraid of a 5:30 or 6:00 p.m. bedtime. This earlier bedtime can lead to a more consolidated night’s sleep and therefore a later rising. Although it may seem counterintuitive, early bedtimes always translate into longer sleep periods at night. If your baby is 9–12 months-old, bedtime should be about 3 hours after the second nap. For a 12-month old, the interval to bedtime can increase to 3.5–4 hours after the second nap. So if the baby wakes from his last nap about 3:00 p.m., he can be put down about 7:00 p.m..

3. Bedtime is too early.

Although early bedtimes can be a cure for waking up before dawn, they can also be the reason for a perpetual early riser. Although a 5–6:00 p.m. bedtime can help temporarily on days when the naps are shorter or when you are helping your baby make up for a sleep deficit, an early bedtime can backfire. If your child usually gets 11–12 hours of sleep and you put her to bed at 5:30 pm, you can’t expect her to sleep until 7:00 am; more likely she may rise at 5:30 a.m. or earlier. Yes, there are times when you need to put baby to bed early (see above) when the naps are short or end too early in the afternoon as outlined above. But if your baby is getting the appropriate amount of night sleep, don’t try to put her to bed too early.

4. Nap times and lengths are erratic.

Are your baby’s naps less than one hour each? Does the last nap end too early so that the time to bedtime is too long for your baby to stay awake? If your answer is yes, then you know why your baby is waking too early. Naps that are less than an hour each are simply not restorative. As a result, your baby is accumulating a sleep deficit during the day that may cause night and early wakings. Also, too much time from the end of the last nap to bedtime can cause a very overtired baby by bedtime. Unfortunately, the more tired she is, the more likely she will wake during the night or too early in the morning. To cure the short nap habit, be sure to “allow” your baby to fall back to sleep if she wakes after less than an hour’s nap, without rushing in. Within a few days she will be taking longer, more restorative naps. Also on short nap days, don’t forget to shorten the time from the end of the last nap to bedtime. That may result in the baby being awake only an hour or an hour and a half from the end of the short nap to bedtime.

5. Your response to your early riser.

If you consistently respond to your early riser between 5:00–6:00 am, with smiles, snuggles, breakfast, and action, she will learn to continue to awaken at that time to get your attention! Resist the urge to start the day too early, just because she seems ready to rise, and leave her to learn to fall back to sleep on her own. Leaving her until 6:30 a.m. for several days in a row will teach her the appropriate time to wake; she will also gradually learn to fall back to sleep on her own. Generally, you should see a change in her sleep habits within days! Any time she wakes that is after 6:00 a.m. is a great time to start your good morning rituals!

6. Your baby is hungry.

If you haven’t fed your baby all night and he wakes at 5:00 am, he may indeed be hungry. If you think that is the case, it’s best to feed him and then let him drift back to dreamland on his own for another hour or two. Many babies still keep a night feeding until they are from 6–9 months old. By then they will be ready to learn to eliminate the night feeding — and early wake up time!

7. Your baby is gaining new skills, or popping a tooth.

Is she learning to roll or pull herself up or to crawl or even to walk? Is she transitioning to only 1 or 2 naps a day? Is she teething? Sometimes cutting a tooth or mastering a skill or reducing the number of naps can cause unwanted night and early wakings. Avoid a full- blown sleep regression by trying to isolate the cause of the waking and then respond accordingly. If she is learning a new skill that may take her a couple weeks, avoid over responding too eagerly to early wakings so you don’t encourage the habit. If your baby is teething, respond with comforting measures, like an ice cold washcloth or teething toy, but don’t over do it. Ride out these temporary changes as best you can, but beware of creating bad sleeping habits during the process.

8. The room isn’t dark enough.

Sure, the deep darkness of those winter mornings makes it easier for baby to snooze in complete darkness, but when spring arrives, the early morning light might register as a day glow neon sign over your little guy’s crib. Room darkening shades are a good antidote. I recommend these or, in a pinch, black garbage bags taped over the windows. Though less attractive, the garbage bags will do the trick to put the sun on hold for a few more hours which may help your baby sleep later.

Getting your baby to sleep even an hour later makes all the difference in how the whole family faces the day. With some sleep-time sleuthing and careful manipulation, you can cure early rising so that everyone starts the day energized and ready to go!

Transitions can challenge both kids and their parents! Shifting from a morning and afternoon nap to just one nap a day can stump parents and lead to a deterioration of both day and night sleep. No need to feel intimidated though. These tips will help you and your child sail through the transition with ease!

Just because your child is fighting a nap, does not mean he is ready to give up naps. In fact, most preschool-age children, ages 3 and 4, still need to rest midday not only to recharge but to help them consolidate and remember what they learn. If you are wondering whether your child is really ready for no naps, use these cues to guide you.

So you finally got your baby into a somewhat predictable sleep schedule and then BAM! She’s back to waking up multiple times a night and you’re back to needing six cups of coffee to function. It just doesn’t seem fair, does it? But before you resign yourself to the life of a walking zombie, get the lowdown on those perfectly natural (yet super-frustrating) slumber changes and how to cope.

Wait, what is a sleep regression? Rebecca Kempton, MD and founder of Baby Sleep Pro, explains that “a sleep regression refers to a period of weeks (one to four) when your baby or child who had been sleeping well suddenly shows some blips in their sleep patterns, either at night or during naps.” The good news is that sleep regressions are temporary—so long as you don’t normalize them with your response (more on that later). The bad news? While the most common ages for regressions are three to five months, eight to ten months, 18 months and two years, they can basically happen at age—even into the double digits. (Talk about a rude awakening.)

How does that differ from a crappy night’s sleep? Although sleep regressions translate into a bad night’s slumber for your kid and for you (not to mention for siblings, neighbors, the dog and anyone within a two-mile radius), they’re more about a change in behavior over time. “We all have random nights of poor sleep but a sleep regression would not resolve on its own by the next night,” explains Julie Wright, MFT and co-founder of The Happy Sleeper.

What did I do to deserve this? Relax mama, this isn’t your fault. Depending on your child’s age, there are a lot of reasons why these relapses could be happening, including developmental surges, separation anxiety and changing sleep patterns. But all of these are perfectly natural and you can respond accordingly. Phew.

So what the heck can I do about it? It may be tempting to try anything to catch some z’s, but sticking to healthy habits is key—you don’t want to make a temporary regression permanent. That means making sure your baby’s room is sleep-ready and trying to nix any unhelpful associations or crutches, advises Dr. Kempton. “If you rock your baby to sleep, consider letting them learn the valuable skill of self-soothing. Or if your child was falling asleep easily and suddenly starts fighting bedtime, offer reassurance but then leave the room and let them fall asleep independently.” It won’t be easy, but then again, neither is getting through the day on two hours of shut-eye.

What about the dreaded four-month regression? So here’s where it gets tricky. When your four-month-old alters her habits, that’s not technically a sleep regression. “Four months is a permanent change in how babies’ brains are wired and when they switch to more adult-like sleep cycles,” explains Dr. Kempton. But that doesn’t mean that your four-month-old’s sleeping habits (or lack thereof) have to be the new normal. Make this the time to introduce sleep training, say experts.

Nothing is working. Trust your instincts. “If you feel that something medical might be the cause, it’s always best to get a doctor’s evaluation,” advises Wright.

At some point in our lives, we’ve all been just too tired to sleep. And the results of being sleep-deprived are disastrous: moodiness, clumsiness, forgetfulness, absolutely no hand-eye coordination. Now, your little ones are already like that on the best of days so when they’re overtired, life can get a whole lot worse. You would think that getting baby down when they’re overtired would be a cinch but, as with most baby-related things, it’s actually not that simple. So, we got together with Dr. Rebecca Kempton, Pediatric Sleep Specialist and founder of Baby Sleep Pro, to talk “overtired baby” including symptoms, well-meaning mistakes we make when trying to help our exhausted infants, and different routes we can take to get baby to sleep.

Q: What does it mean when we say baby is “overtired?”

Dr. K: A baby is considered overtired when they have been awake for longer than their little bodies can tolerate. This activates a stress response, including the release of hormones like cortisol, that makes it even harder for baby to settle. This is why, counterintuitively, the more overtired a baby becomes, the more difficult it is for them to both fall asleep easily and stay asleep.

Q: Why would a baby become overtired?

Dr. K: When periods of wakefulness are too long for them to tolerate, or they are overstimulated for too long, babies can become overtired. This means that they stay awake too long in between naps or go to bed too late based on how well they slept during the day. For example, most newborn babies need to sleep every 45 minutes throughout the day. If that window is missed, then overtiredness can ensue

Q: What are some signs that baby is becoming tired?

Dr. K: Some “tired signs” are subtler so it’s important to pay attention and get baby to bed before they reach the “overtired” part. Tired signs include:

• Pulling their ears
• Becoming clingier to their caregiver
• Rubbing eyes
• Zoning out
• Less social and less engaged

Q: What are signs baby has become overtired? 

Dr. K:  When your little one becomes overtired, they may be inconsolable and difficult to settle. It will take more effort to get them to sleep. Signs of being overtired include:

• Fussiness and crying
• Difficult to calm
• Yawning
• Overactivity – be careful, as this may be interpreted as ready to play, not ready to sleep!

Q: Are there things parents might do that can make sleep more difficult?

Dr. K: There are two things I see parents do. First, they wait too long to put baby down to sleep. Another common issue is interfering too much with the process of falling asleep. So that means too much holding, rocking, and bouncing. These can create sleep crutches, or negative sleep associations, that can make it harder for baby to learn the vital skill of self-soothing or falling and staying asleep independently. Self-soothing is what leads to the consolidation of sleep both at night and nap times.

Q: If a parent is out during normal nap times, would you recommend still trying to encourage sleep at that time or wait?

Dr. K: It’s better to encourage sleep in the store, car, or wherever you may be knowing that if you wait, the baby may become overtired and harder to console. However, naps in motion are not as restorative, so keep in mind that the next sleep period should be sooner or bedtime earlier.

Q: What can parents do to avoid baby becoming overtired?

Dr. K: It really comes down to learning baby’s signs and making sure you put them down “sleepy” but still awake. That means they have their eyes open but are showing signs of tiredness. Do not overstimulate before nap time or bedtime. That means that if they are disengaging, don’t try harder to engage and overstimulate them. And don’t sweat it if you miss a window, just aim to put baby down earlier for the next nap or for bedtime to make up for it.

Also, watch the clock. Generally, here’s a good rule of thumb:

• 0-4-month-olds should be awake less than 45-60 minutes
• 4-6-month-olds can be awake for 1-2 hours
• 6-12-month-olds can be awake for 2-3 hours
• 12-18-month-olds can be awake for 3-4 hours
• 18 months-2 years can handle 4-6 hours of awake time

Q: If baby reaches the point of being overtired, what can parents do to help baby sleep?

Dr. K: An overtired baby can be difficult to settle, so the first thing to do is figure out how you can calm them and help them relax to induce drowsiness. Here are some strategies:

• Swaddle your baby (stop swaddling once baby can roll), even if they fight it, which many tired babies will.
• Once they’re swaddled, hold them tightly against your chest.
• Breastfeed or give your baby a bottle. A bottle like Dr. Brown’s will help prevent gas that could make your baby even fussier.
• Gently and slowly rock or bounce your baby and put them down drowsy but still awake.
• Use a Dr. Brown’s pacifier to help them self-soothe.

In general, it’s good to have a sleep routine so baby gets clear cues it’s time to wind down. But – and this is big – if baby is already overtired, it may not help to go through the entire routine. Instead, shorten it to get them to bed faster. Focus on ensuring the environment is conducive to sleep. Make the room very dark, play white noise, and add additional calming techniques like using a humidifier to moisten the air.

Q: For parents who are stressed out and trying to get an inconsolable baby to sleep, what would you tell them?

Dr. K: I always like to kind of step back and let them know that everything they are doing to help baby sleep is being done because they love their little one. The effort parents make to help get baby on a consistent sleep schedule and to recognize their tired signs is all part of a learning process for both the baby and the parent. The keys to success are consistency, patience, and time. It’s important to remember that an overtired baby will become well-rested once you focus on helping baby get more sleep, day and night. There is an end in sight – your baby will sleep!

Also, it’s okay to remove yourself from the situation. Really, anything relaxing will do. Meditation, yoga, any true self-care practices can help your brain stop focusing on the stress of the problem and open your mind to remembering that this isn’t forever.

There you have it, folks. The key to helping your overtired baby is learning their signals to avoid overtiredness altogether. But sometimes life happens, and there’s a solution for that, too! For help learning baby’s signs and putting together a sleep routine, reach out to Dr. Kempton and the specialists at Baby Sleep Pro. For any questions on Dr. Brown’s products, reach out to our friendly customer service!

Looking back, I now feel like some of the “sleep tricks” I tried with my first child, now 5, were part of a mad parenting science experiment. Poor little thing… Before I took the reins on his sleep and got educated on how to do things the “right” way (by the way, there is no ONE right way to do things as far as sleep goes because every child is different and every situation is different, but there are techniques that work!), I am the first to tell you that I actually enacted some of the “myths” below with best intentions of course! Now that I know better, I thought I’d share the most common myths and facts about your child’s sleep. By the way, my oldest is now the best sleeper in the house!

Myth#1: Every time my baby wakes overnight, she must be hungry.

During the first couple months, babies are more likely to wake from hunger. But older babies who wake frequently (every 1-2 hours), may be waking for other reasons. The best thing you can do for your baby is to put them drowsy, but awake, so she can learn those critical self soothing skills to put them back to sleep in the middle of the night.

Myth#2: The solution to early waking is later bedtimes.

Fact: Later bedtimes often CAUSE early wakings. If you have an early riser, try putting him to bed earlier.

Myth#3: Keeping your child up all day is the secret sauce that will help them sleep longer at night.

Fact: Burning the candle at both ends backfires in kids! Missed naps only lead to accumulation of sleep debt. When your child is overtired, they have a harder time falling and staying asleep at night and generally don’t get enough sleep! If this is the case, ensure your child is getting enough shut eye during the day during naps.

Myth#4: TV/Ipad use before bed will induce sleep.

Fact: The artificial light from screen time actually inhibits our natural sleep inducing hormone, melatonin. Replace screen time with more books and cuddle time!

Myth#5: My toddler just won’t nap – she must not need one.

Fact: Naps are critical for learning, development, memory, energy, good moods and behavior among many other things! Just because your toddler may miss or skip a few naps a week, does not mean he doesn’t need one. In fact, most toddlers nap until age 3.5-4 and many have rest time until 5-6. Be consistent about bedtime routines, nap times (make sure it’s the right time when they hit their sleep wave!), and sleep environment (dark room and stationary sleep is best).

Myth#6: My child is gifted and therefore doesn’t need as much sleep as others.

Fact: Although gifted children may have a harder time settling for sleep, many studies show that children who get more sleep during their toddler years (and beyond) have greater academic achievement, better math and language skills, better retention of information, and more flexible and creative problem solving.

Myth#7: My toddler doesn’t seem tired, so she must be well-rested.

Fact: Kids often act like they drank a six pack of red bull when they are overtired. So although they don’t “act” like they are tired, their body is actually in overdrive. When they get their “second wind”, it is really difficult to fall asleep. Avoid this by well timed bedtimes and sufficient naps.

Myth#8: Sleep training means I have to let my baby cry for hours on end.

Fact: “Sleep training” really is a misnomer – I like to call is “sleep coaching”. Just as we need to teach our kids how to ride a bike, so too do we need to help them learn the skills to fall and stay asleep. Teaching them those skills when they are infants may mean very little crying around sleep time. Even older babies and toddlers can learn healthy sleep habits in more gentle ways. The key to success with whatever method you choose, is consistency and commitment!

Feel free to ask me any questions about different methods available for sleep coaching your child. I know and use them all successfully. My philosophy is sleep coaching is never one size fits all!

Please contact me or check out my packages for more info.

When a friend told me she packs a suitcase full of her daughter’s favorite stuffed animals when they travel, I wasn’t surprised. My family resembles a traveling caravan at airports as we transport all our gear. Although trips with kids aren’t quite as blissful and relaxing as those pre-kid vacations, advance planning helps.

Traveling with kids can be tiring for the whole family. One major culprit is crossing time zones; it can wreak havoc not only on sleep routines, but general behavior as well. As I mentioned in
11 Sleep Tips for Traveling with Children, you have two options: if you are only crossing one or two time zones for a couple of days, consider remaining on your home time zone to make the transitions easier for everyone. But if you are crossing multiple time zones for a longer period, the key to beating jet lag for children, as well as adults, is to shift to the new time zone as soon as possible—maybe even before you get there!

The idea usually hits you during the hundredth night waking when your sleep deprived brain manages miraculously to have a coherent thought – what if I just read a book or two and get this kid on the sleep train?

Unfortunately, it’s not so easy. If you do read one or two of the hundreds of sleep books and blogs out there, you’ll quickly realize the advice is conflicting, confusing, and profuse. If it really were that simple, I’d be out of a job!

The good news is there are a variety of effective methods to choose from. The answer to what will work best depends on a variety of factors including your child’s temperament, your goals, your tolerance levels, and the amount of involvement you would like to have in the process.

Here are your options:

Cry it Out (CIO) aka Extinction

Advocated by Dr. Marc Weissbluth, Extinction, more popularly known as “cry it out”, is the method where you put your baby safely to sleep, close the door and let them cry until they fall asleep. Although it takes the least parental involvement, it’s not for the faint of heart, as the prolonged crying is hard for many new moms. The benefit is results happen fast, usually within days. For many moms, the benefits of having a well rested baby and family outweigh the challenge of the tough love technique.

Check and Console aka “Ferberizing”

A slightly more gradual approach with more parental involvement was popularized by Dr. Richard Ferber,in his book “Solve your Baby’s Sleep Problems”. Also called “controlled crying”, the method gradually increases the amount of time you check on your baby (5 min, 10 min, 15 min…etc) until they fall asleep. Over the course of several days your child’s crying will gradually diminish and they will learn to fall asleep on their own. This method works for parents who can tolerate some crying, but prefer to console their child during the process.

Fading aka “The Chair method”

The “Chair” method is even more gradual; it works especially well for parents who prefer not to let their baby cry all alone. Instead, you sit on a chair progressively farther and farther away from the crib over the course of days until finally the chair is out of the room and then out of your baby’s sight. Although you do not pick up your child in this method, at least you are in the same room room to console them and and sooth them to sleep.

Pick up/Put Down

This method, described by Tracy Hogg, sometimes called the Sleep Whisperer, requires intense parental participation. You pick up your baby every time she cries and then put her down as soon as she calms down.. This is repeated over and over until she falls asleep. You usually have to repeat this method for several days and nights to succeed. But the method does work well for parents who feel it is the most “gentle” way to teach their babies to sleep.

So what will you choose?

In my experience, there is no one size fits all because every child has a different temperament. Furthermore, every family has different routines and goals so what works best for one family does not work for another. What all of these methods share, however, is that they all work–if you follow their techniques consistently. If so, they all guarantee a well rested, baby and family!

When my first son was born, eight years ago, it seemed like he never slept. Sleep deprivation makes the details fuzzy, and may even exaggerate my tale a bit, but what I know for sure is my beautiful blue-eyed wonder never offered me the “blissful nights” many sleep books promised me if I followed their steps. Maybe he read different versions? He just didn’t get the sleep thing. I didn’t either, I guess. Good thing he was cute.

Let’s face it – a toddler in the house can test even the most patient parents. After all, they are in constant chatter; they run, jump, bounce boundlessly; and they make demands…lots of them! With all of their energy, it’s not surprising that their batteries need recharging, and so do yours!. Most toddlers require 12-14 hours of sleep through age 5, including a 1-2 hour nap until they are 3-4. Many 4 and 5 year olds also benefit from quiet time during the day to recharge.

So you have given up caramel mochaccinos, and promised you will use your gym membership, and maybe even jumped on the “be kind” bandwagon. But have you thought about adding your family’s sleep to your new year’s resolutions? I’m going to convince you that it should be on your list, if not at the top of it.

Does it seem like sleep should just “come naturally” and not even be a “resolution”? Well, I can tell you based on the science and on experience working with thousands of sleep deprived infants, toddlers and parents around the world that one of the biggest sleep myths out there is just that: “sleep comes naturally, it is just a matter of time.” Like riding a bike, healthy sleep habits and learning to fall and stay asleep are learned behaviors that take a lot of practice for your child and patience for you!

Here are 10 reasons why you should add “ensuring adequate sleep for my family” to the top of your list:

1. Brain Development: Infant’s brains are growing rapidly, every day, every minute much of the growth occurs during sleep. Growing brains require repeated cycling through all the stages of sleep in order to develop and work properly. Interestingly, new research suggests infants who get large proportion of sleep at night perform better at abstract reasoning tests at age 4.
2. Cognitive Development: We all are better able to retain information when we are well rested. Many studies have shown that children who get sufficient sleep are better problem solvers, more creative and flexible thinkers, and have greater academic success. One recent study from U. Mass Amherst showed that preschoolers who missed naps were less able to both learn new information and recall information they had recently learned. Studies also show that high school students with high academic achievement get an average of 30 minutes more sleep per night than students with lower performance.
3. Muscle Development: Muscle development happens almost exclusively during sleep for adults and children! And this doesn’t just matter if you’re trying to bulk up – children spend a lot of their time growing and lengthening, turning baby fat into muscles. If infants and children are not sleeping properly, their muscles cannot develop as they should. Deep sleep triggers the body to release the hormone that promotes normal growth in children and teens. This hormone also boosts muscle mass and helps repair cells and tissues in children, teens, and adults
4. Memory: When we are snoozing, our brains are working hard to file and store (or discard, as the case may be)what we have experienced and learned during the day. Children’s brains transform subconsciously learned material into active knowledge while they sleep. This process is much more effective and important in babies and toddlers because everything is so new to them. Conversely, sleep deprivation interferes with memory acquisition making learning and retaining new things almost impossible.
5. Mood: Brace yourself for the foul mood of a toddler who has missed a nap or the fussiness of an infant who has been passed around to too many family members for too long. We can all get a little grouchy when we don’t sleep; but young children and babies have an especially low tolerance for lack of sleep causing them and everyone around them to be irritable, angry and easily upset. A recent study from U. Colorado at Boulder concluded that toddlers with insufficient naps showed more anxiety and frustration, less joy and interest, and poor understanding of how to solve problems.
6. Behavior: Anyone with a toddler who woke up a little too early, stayed up a little too, or missed a nap knows the dreaded consequences: whines that escalate into a supersonic, ear-shattering, teeth-jarring screams that make you want to run away and join the circus if that were an option. I can tell you from experience that one simple solution to these all out meltdowns is adequate sleep. The New England Center for Pediatric Psychology has coined the term Faux ADHD to describe children who have been diagnosed with ADHD, but whose behaviors are in fact directly linked to two detrimental sleep behaviors. In up to 35% of cases, sleep deprivation is misdiagnosed as ADHD.
7. Immunity: Did you even know that sleep not only energizes our body and our brain, but also kicks start our immune system? A little known fact, but adequate sleep helps protect our little ones against those dreaded infections that sometimes plague entire families over the course of days.
8. Obesity: Many studies have now confirmed strong links between obesity and sleep deprivation in children. The science shows impaired glucose control and inhibited hormone secretion as the main culprits; in addition to the fact that kids who are getting less sleep are spending more time watching TV. The NIH even recently concluded that adequate sleep may be preventive of obesity.
9. Safety: I wasn’t surprised when I read the Drexel University study that showed that sleep deprivation can cause you to become as cognitively impaired as an intoxicated person. After several nights of losing sleep – even just 1-2 hours – your ability to function suffers as if you haven’t slept at all in 2 days. This seems especially scary for injury prone toddlers who turn living rooms into Olympic stages and think nothing of torpedoing off the sofa when you’re looking the other way.
10. Your sanity: Need I say more?? You quite simply can’t function like a normal human being when neither you nor your child is sleeping and this makes all of us a bit loopy.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year….well at least in my mind. We get an extra hour of sunlight starting this weekend!   Sunday, March 13th at 2:00am marks the beginning of Day Light Savings time when we move our clocks one hour forward.  For parents of early risers, the good news is that  their little 6am risers become 7am risers– and that means some extra sleep. Yes, I said EXTRA sleep! Even if you are tired of winter, it’s time to start celebrating!

Here are my tips to prepare and to manage the time change:

1. If you have sleeper on a good schedule, don’t mess with it. Just wake her up at their usual time and put her to sleep at her usual times; typically she will adjust within a matter of days.   It might take a bit longer to fall asleep for a few days, but she will adjust easily.

2.If you are a planner and prefer your little one is already adjusted to the new time by Sunday, then start a few days prior like TODAY! Shift the entire schedule (including all meals) earlier, in 15 minute increments, over the period of 3-4 days so that by Sunday he is ready to start the day at the usual wake time. In other words, it he usually awakens at 6:30 a.m., wake him at 6:15, the next day 6:00 and so on. And if he usually naps at 12:30, put him down at 12:15, the net day at 12:00, etc. And if their bedtime is usually 6:30 p.m, then shift to 6:15, and then 6:00 and finally to 5:45 p.m. until you have shifted the entire schedule one hour earlier. By Sunday, when we move the clocks one hour ahead, he will be waking and going to bed at their usual times.

3. Be prepared for the question I always get “Why are we going to bed when the sun is still out, Mama?” Your toddler is right: nights will be lighter and mornings brighter, so ensure those windows are covered with room darkening shades (or my favorite low tech solution: black garbage bags or tinfoil and painter’s tape!

  I highly recommend these for a great more permanent solution.   And the happy answer is “Spring is coming and soon you can stay out later.”

4. Toddler clocks are always helpful reminders of the “appropriate” time to wake up for your tot.

5 And last, my secret weapon in making the time change a breeze: LIGHT! Exposing your child to bright light early in the morning helps reset the circadian rhythm, or daily internal clock, regulated by exposure to light and darkness. So open the blinds and go outside so your kids can enjoy that fresh, albeit still cold in some parts, March air!

Dr. Rebecca Kempton, M.D. is a certified infant and toddler sleep consultant, physician, and mother of 3, based in Chicago. Using a variety of behavioral techniques, she customizes sleep solutions based on individual family goals and children’s temperaments and coaches families all over the world to a better night’s sleep. She is a staff blogger for Thrive, Mommybites, and on the board of the American Medical Association. Dr. Kempton works with clients both nationally and globally by phone, Skype, and email. Follow me on facebook and twitter for free sleep tips and please contact me for a free initial consult.

It’s that time of year again!

Remember those days pre kids when daylight savings meant an extra hour of blissful sleep? Though “sleeping in” is a thing of the past in our house, I do have some tips to make the adjustment a bit easier for you and for the kids.

Here are the options:

1. Start early. Shift the entire daily schedule later in 15 minute intervals starting 3-4 days prior to daylight savings. That includes meals, naps, activities, bedtimes. So if your child usually naps at 9:00am and 1:00pm then shift the nap to 9:15am and 1:15pm oneday and then 9:30 and 1:30 the next and so on so that by Sunday he will be fully adjusted. Same goes for meals, activities, and bedtimes. This will allow their biological clocks to adjust over the course of a few days.

2. Do nothing. Kids who are well rested, adaptable, and on predictable sleep schedules will adjust to the new time easily over the course of a couple days. The key is to move to the new time as quickly as possible while respecting their sleep cues that might indicate they are tired a little earlier than usual. Remember they may wake earlier for a few days (if they usually wake at 6:30am then they may arise at 5:30am at first), but encourage them to stay in bed as much as possible so that their clocks can reset. An early wake up may mean that they may be tired earlier for naps and bedtime. Respect that and don’t push them to the point of becoming overtired. Maybe naps and bedtime will occur 30 minutes earlier for a couple days while adjusting to the new time.

With either technique, I have 3 other tips to make resetting the clock a little easier on everyone:

1. Make it dark. Since it will be lighter earlier, remember to make your child’s room as dark as possible to increase the chances they will stay asleep. Remember darkness increases melatonin production, while light inhibits it.

2. Early morning light exposure! Expose your child to bright light for 30-60 minutes in the morning to help reset your child’s internal clock. Take advantage of a yard full of leaves to have some Fall fun!

3. Watch for sleepy cues. If your child usually goes to bed at 7:00pm then she may be tired by 6:00pm for a couple nights after the clocks change. Watch for sleep cues and avoid the dreaded overtired meltdown by getting her in bed earlier for a few days while her internal clock gradually shifts to the new time. Same holds true for naps. Most kids will adjust to the new time within a week if not sooner.

Dr. Rebecca Kempton, M.D. is a certified infant and toddler sleep consultant, physician, and mother of 3 under the age of 8, based in Chicago. Using a variety of behavioral techniques, she customizes sleep solutions based on individual family goals and children’s temperaments and coaches families all over the world to a better night’s sleep. She is a staff blogger for the Huffington post on topics related to infant and toddler sleep. Dr. Kempton works with clients both nationally and globally by phone, Skype, and email and with home visits. Follow me on facebook and twitter for free sleep tips and please contact me for a free initial consult.

Everything parents need to know about baby sleep training in one place. Learn about sleep training methods, advice from the experts, the products you need, and tips for successful baby sleep training.

The holiday travel season is in full swing, and parents are wondering how they are going to get their baby to sleep well despite the breaks in routine.

Traveling with a baby – across town or across the country – can be a daunting task, especially as a new parent. But with just a bit of preparation and planning, you can avoid tired toddler tantrums and fussy, overtired babies.

These seven sleep tips will give you the knowledge and confidence to conquer travel with your little copilots.

Plan the travel itinerary around your child’s sleep schedule

Try to depart or arrive at locations around nap time. Being able to sleep in a safe, flat surface space like a crib, in a quiet, dark room – will be more peaceful and restorative for baby than trying to sleep in a stroller or moving vehicle.

Plan to leave after the first nap, because that first nap provides the best-quality sleep for baby, compared to the rest later in the day.

Maintain bedtime rituals

Whether you read a book or sing a song together, keep up with your bedtime routines. Your baby will recognize the familiarity and predictability of the routine, which prepares them to sleep. They will also become more comfortable in their unfamiliar environment with the comfort of your routine.

Think about the sleeping environment

Will you be in a noisy urban or quiet rural environment? Will there be enough space to set up a crib? When booking a hotel room or going home for the holidays, think about the size of your sleeping area and the noise level.

Do not be afraid to rearrange furniture or décor (like hanging bed sheets over windows using painter’s tape to block sunlight) to create a peaceful, dark, cool space. Setting up this sleep-friendly environment will help both baby and you snooze better.

Pack sleep accessories

When considering the sleep environment, keep in mind the accessories you use to lull your baby to sleep. Helpful products like pacifiers, fully-vented bottles, a humidifier and a white noise machine will come in handy. Pacifiers can help soothe and settle baby on the go, and vented bottles can reduce gas in baby’s stomach after feeding, allowing for more peaceful sleep. A humidifier can prevent nose and throat irritations from dry air, and a white noise machine or app can drown out background noise. If you make room in your luggage for these sleep essentials, you’ll be thankful you did.

Adjust to different time zones before traveling

If you are traveling across time zones, aim to either keep your baby on your home time zone or gradually adjust baby’s eating and sleeping schedules at least a week beforehand. This will start slowly modifying their internal clock to shift the timing of their usual routine. Move up or push back their schedules by 15-minute increments each day for the easiest transition.

Schedule time for naps

The holidays can get busy with activities and events; and before you know it, your baby has missed naptime! If this does happen, try to get baby to bed earlier to make up for the missed time. Remember – a later bedtime does not equal a later wake-up time the following morning. (Frequently, it leads to the opposite!)

Return to sleeping routine when home

Upon returning home from your travels, go back to the normal routine as soon as possible. Try not to bring traveling sleep habits back home with you.

Remember that everyone, young and old, has a sleep bank. You must put in as many hours for sleep as you do for fun, especially while traveling. Your baby will be trying to process and comprehend new spaces and faces. Give them and their brains time to rest, regroup and prepare to take on the next day through sleep.

Following these tips can make for a well-rested holiday travel season. Your baby is adapting to the new sights and sounds of a lively world, and you are their support system in navigating it all.

Will this child of mine ever sleep? It’s an even more significant question for parents of babies with colic. And, yes, eventually that child of yours will sleep. Figuring out what helps baby sleep, both deeper and longer, might just take thinking outside the box – and into breast or bottle feeding.

The phrase “I slept like a baby” is often used when describing someone getting a great night’s rest, but Pediatric Sleep Specialist and founder of @BabySleepPro, Dr. Rebecca Kempton understands that many babies have sleep issues. Implementing a bedtime routine, as well as providing air-free feeding with Dr. Brown’s® bottles, can help baby experience Happy Sleeping™️. We all know quality sleep is crucial for parents and baby. Dr. Brown’s hopes this example bedtime routine and tips can help you and your baby get more ZZZs.

How do you magically turn your early riser into a “normal”-hour riser? By turning
your clocks ahead one hour!

Daylight Savings time returns on Sunday, March 10th at 2:00 am (except for my clients in the great states of Arizona,Hawaii, and Puerto Rico).

Mark your calendars and start celebrating! Never mind that we technically lose an hour of sleep. What really matters is that your child will wake at a reasonable hour!

Here’s how are my tips for an easy transition to the new time:

If you have sleeper on a good schedule, don’t mess with it. Just wake her up at her usual time and put her to sleep the same time as always; typically she will adjust within a matter of days. It might take a bit longer to fall asleep for a few days, but she will adjust easily.

If you prefer that your child adjusts by Sunday, when the time shifts, then start shifting your child’s schedule Tuesday or Wednesday. That means everything, even meals, are scheduled earlier by 15 minutes a day so that by Sunday he is ready to wake up at the usual wake time. In other words, if your child usually awakens at 6:30 a.m., wake him at 6:15 a.m. on Tuesday, 6:00 a.m., the next day and so on. And if he usually naps at 12:30 p.m., put him down at 12:15 p.m. Wednesday and 12:00 p.m. the next day. And if bedtime is usually 6:30 p.m, then shift to 6:15 p.m., and then 6:00 p.m. and finally to 5:45 p.m. until you have shifted the entire schedule one hour earlier. By Sunday, when we move the clocks one hour ahead, he will be waking and going to bed at the usual times.

Be prepared for the question children love to ask! “Why are we going to bed when the sun is still out, Mama?” Your toddler is right: nights will be lighter, so ensure those windows are covered with room darkening shades (or my favorite low tech solution: black garbage bags, dark construction paper, or tinfoil and painter’s tape!). I highly recommend these for a great more permanent solution. And the happy answer is “Spring is coming and soon you can stay out later.”

Toddler clocks are always helpful reminders of the “appropriate” time to wake up for your tot, and to begin to teach him about a daily schedule.. Here are some options.

And last, my secret weapon in making the time change a breeze: LIGHT! Exposing your child to bright light early in the morning helps reset the circadian rhythm, or daily internal clock, regulated by light and dark. So open the blinds and go outside your kids to enjoy that fresh, albeit still cold in some parts, March air!

So you have given up caramel mocchacinos, and promised you will use your gym membership,  and maybe even jumped on the “be kind” bandwagon. But have you thought about adding your family’s sleep to your new year’s resolutions for 2019?  I’m going to convince you that it should be on your list, if not at the top of it.

Does it seem like sleep should just “come naturally” and not even be a “resolution”?  Well, I can tell you based on the science and on experience working with hundreds of sleep deprived infants, toddlers and parents around the country that one of the biggest sleep myths out there is just that: “sleep comes naturally, it is just a matter of time.”  Like riding a bike, healthy sleep habits and learning to fall and stay asleep are learned behaviors that take a lot of practice for your child and patience for you!

Here are 10 reasons why you should add “ensuring adequate sleep for my family”  to your resolution list:

Brain Development:   Infant’s brains are growing rapidly, every day, every minute much of the growth occurs during sleep.  Growing brains require repeated cycling through all the stages of sleep in order to develop and work properly.  Interestingly, new research suggests infants who get large proportion of sleep at night perform better at abstract reasoning tests at age 4.  

Cognitive Development:  We all are better able to retain information when we are well rested.  Many studies have shown that children who get sufficient sleep are better problem solvers, more creative and flexible thinkers, and have greater academic success.  One study from U. Mass Amherst showed that preschoolers who missed naps were less able to both learn new information and recall information they had recently learned.  Studies also show that high school students with high academic achievement get an average of 30 min more sleep per night than students with lower performance.

Muscle Development: Muscle development happens almost exclusively during sleep for adults and children! And this doesn’t just matter if you’re trying to bulk up – children spend a lot of their time growing and lengthening, turning baby fat into muscles. If infants and children are not sleeping properly, their muscles cannot develop as they should.  Deep sleep triggers the body to release the hormone that promotes normal growth in children and teens. This hormone also boosts muscle mass and helps repair cells and tissues in children, teens, and adults

Memory:   When we are snoozing, our brains are working hard to file and store (or discard, as the case may be)what we have experienced and learned during the day.  Children’s brains transform subconsciously learned material into active knowledge while they sleep. This process is much more effective and important in babies and toddlers because everything is so new to them.  Conversely, sleep deprivation interferes with memory acquisition making learning and retaining new things almost impossible.

Mood: Brace yourself for the foul mood of a  toddler who has missed a nap or the fussiness of an infant who has been passed around to too many family members for too long.   We can all get a little grouchy when we don’t sleep; but young children and babies have an especially low tolerance for lack of sleep causing them and everyone around them to be irritable, angry and easily upset.  A recent study from U. Colorado at Boulder concluded that toddlers with insufficient naps showed more anxiety and frustration, less joy and interest, and poor understanding of how to solve problems.

Behavior:  Anyone with a toddler who woke up a little too early, stayed up a little too, or missed a nap knows the dreaded consequences: whines that escalate into a supersonic, ear-shattering, teeth-jarring screams that make you want to run away and join the circus if that were an option.  I can tell you from experience that one simple solution to these all out meltdowns is adequate sleep. The New England Center for Pediatric Psychology has coined the term Faux ADHD to describe children who have been diagnosed with ADHD, but whose behaviors are in fact directly linked to two detrimental sleep behaviors.  In up to 35% of cases, sleep deprivation is misdiagnosed as ADHD.

Immunity:  Did you even know that sleep not only energizes our body and our brain, but also kicks start our immune system?  A little known fact, but adequate sleep helps protect our little ones against those dreaded infections that sometimes plague entire families over the course of days.  

Obesity:  Many studies have now confirmed strong links between obesity and sleep deprivation in children. The science shows impaired glucose control and inhibited hormone secretion as the main culprits; in addition to the fact that kids who are getting less sleep are spending more time watching TV. The NIH even recently concluded that adequate sleep may be preventive of obesity.  

Safety:  I wasn’t surprised when I read the Drexel University study that showed that sleep deprivation can cause you to become as cognitively impaired as an intoxicated person. After several nights of losing sleep – even just 1-2 hours – your ability to function suffers as if you haven’t slept at all in 2 days.  This seems especially scary for injury prone toddlers who turn living rooms into Olympic stages and think nothing of torpedoing off the sofa when you’re looking the other way.

Your sanity:  Need I say more??  You quite simply can’t function like a normal human being when neither you nor your child is sleeping and this makes all of us a bit loopy.  
If after reading this, I convinced you to start thinking about how to help your family become well-rested this year, read my tips on how to do it!

Once you decide sleep is a priority in your house, your next step is to instill great sleep habits for your whole family! It may seem daunting, but what it really takes is commitment, consistency, and confidence that you are on the right path. These eight steps can help you achieve great sleep for your children in as little as a week or two!

1. Commit two weeks: Once you make your child’s sleep a priority, clear your calendar so you can focus on the task with 100% consistency. It may even require you to limit your child’s social life for a couple of weeks. That includes no middle of the day music classes; no stroller naps so you can sneak a trip to the mall; no early dinners at your favorite restaurant that turns into just one more glass of wine for mom and dad while the baby dozes or your toddler enters meltdown mode.
2. Stay confident: The research shows that babies can pick up on your anxieties even when they are as little as 4–6 months. The more tentative and nervous you feel about helping them sleep independently, the harder it will be for them and for you. Be confident, shower your baby with hugs and kisses, and allow him the opportunity to learn one of the most valuable things you will teach them — how to fall asleep without needing you!
3. Limit wake time: All parents spend a lot of time trying to determine why their baby is crying, especially in the early days. While it may be tricky at first, the options are usually limited — thankfully!. She’s hungry, she needs a diaper change, or she’s just plain tired. Hard as it is to believe, babies can only tolerate 1–2 hours of wakefulness before they need to sleep again. When we make the mistake of stretching wakeful periods too long, it makes it very difficult to fall asleep because she will be overtired, and in fact wired! Between 6–12 months, the wake time stretches a bit, but remember to err on the side of earlier bedtimes which should start no more than 3–3 1/2 hours from the end of the second nap. Yes, that may mean as early as 5:30 or 6:00 p.m.!
4. Be consistent: We never strive to be boring, but to get your child on a great sleep schedule, you need to be, well, a little boring! That means establishing a soothing sleep time routine that is short (15–20 min; 10min for naps), repeatable, and predictable. A good routine can be 2 books, a song, a quick massage, and bed. Perform this ritual at the same time, in the same place, in the same order, every single night, including before every single nap. This routine evolves over time as your child gets older, but the concept remains the same: it serves as a consistent, calming cue that it’s time for sleep and your child will come to associate the routine with sleep. Bedtimes will become easier, even if they are a bit boring!
5. Set the mood: Imagine a date in a bright room with neon lights, loud noise, and hard chairs — the mood just doesn’t exude romance, does it? It’s so important to set the right “mood” for sleep for our kids (and for ourselves!).

Here are three tips:

• Make the room pitch black — Turn off closet lights, night lights, and block that light seeping in from the sides of the blinds as much as possible. Even black garbage bags work in a pinch. The darkness is what helps the release of our internal sleep hormone, melatonin, so the darker the better.
• Add some noise — white noise that is. Recreating the whooshing sounds from the womb is comforting and sleep-inducing, like the sound of a shower or a fan. Even toddlers and adults benefit from white noise.
• Keep it cool — The core body temperature needs to dip in order to fall asleep easily, for babies and adults. Aim for a room temperature of 68–70 degrees Fahrenheit. A single layer of PJs plus a cotton sleep sack are sufficient.

6. Beware of unhelpful sleep associations: In your attempts to win “mother of the year” award in your baby’s early months of life, you may have inadvertently created some negative sleep associations. All that rocking and nursing to sleep which seemed to do the trick to get your baby to sleep longer, can become a problem when that is the only way they know to fall asleep. Of course they would rather snuggle in your arms than alone in that big crib, but rocking or nursing to sleep becomes a hard habit to break. Start by introducing a transitional object like a “lovey” in your bedtime routines; then transition your still awake baby to the crib after your calming routine. Don’t worry, you can still have ample snuggle time all day long; just break the habit of your baby needing you to fall asleep.

7. Put children in bed awake: Falling asleep is a skill — just like learning to ride a bike. And just like teaching your child to ride a bike, you can set her up for success by giving her some pointers and a helmet with that shiny new two wheeler, but at some point you have to let her fall so she can figure out how to get back up and start again on her own. With sleep, you will set your child up for success by providing a perfect environment, putting your child to sleep at biologically appropriate times, and creating soothing bedtime routines. But, it is equally important that you put her in the crib awake so she can learn the crucial skill — to fall asleep alone.

8. Be patient: Although many families experience overnight success when they allow their children to fall asleep on their own, it doesn’t always work so quickly. Be patient! With consistency and follow through over the period of a couple weeks, your child will be a sleep champ sooner than you think!

Once you decide sleep is a priority in your house, your next step is to instill great sleep habits for your whole family! It may seem daunting, but what it really takes is commitment, consistency, and confidence that you are on the right path. These eight steps can help you achieve great sleep for your children in as little as a week or two!

First some good news: Since 1994, when the NIH launched the Safe to Sleep Public Health Campaign, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) rates have declined by 50%. However, SIDS remains the leading cause of death among U.S. infants aged 1 month to one year. But in recent years, the decline in SIDS seems stalled – 1 out of every 2000 babies still die from SIDS. So it’s a good time to review the Safe to Sleep recommendations.

It is so tempting to feed your baby to sleep – breast milk or a warm bottle is the most natural sleep inducing agent on earth – but don’t do it!
The number ONE cause of night wakings in babies is a feed-sleep association. How would you feel if you fell asleep on your pillow and woke up in the middle of the desert – you might scream too! Well, the more you feed your child to sleep, the more they need food to fall asleep, anytime they wake up.

How do you magically turn your early riser into a normal-hour riser?

By turning your clocks ahead one hour!

Daylight Savings time returns on Sunday, March 13th at 2:00 am (except for my clients in the great states of Arizona or Hawaii!).

Mark your calendars and start celebrating! Never mind that we technically lose an hour of sleep. What really matters is that your child will wake at a reasonable hour!

Here’s how it works:

If you have sleeper on a good schedule, don’t mess with it. Just wake her up at her usual time and put her to sleep the same time as always; typically she will adjust within a matter of days. It might take a bit longer to fall asleep for a few days, but she will adjust easily.

If you prefer that your child adjusts by Sunday, when the time shifts, then start shifting your child’s schedule Tuesday or Wednesday. That means everything, even meals, are scheduled earlier by 15 minutes a day so that by Sunday he is ready to wake up at the usual wake time. In other words, if your child usually awakens at 6:30 a.m., wake him at 6:15 a.m. on Tuesday, 6:00 a.m., the next day and so on. And if he usually naps at 12:30 p.m., put him down at 12:15 p.m. Tuesday and 12:00 p.m. the next day. And if bedtime is usually 6:30 p.m, then shift to 6:15 p.m., and then 6:00 p.m. and finally to 5:45 p.m. until you have shifted the entire schedule one hour earlier. By Sunday, when we move the clocks one hour ahead, he will be waking and going to bed at the usual times.

Be prepared for the question children love to ask! “ Why are we going to bed when the sun is still out, Mama?” Your toddler is right: nights will be lighter, so ensure those windows are covered with room darkening shades (or my favorite low tech solution: black garbage bags, dark construction paper, or tinfoil and painter’s tape!). I highly recommend these for a great more permanent solution. And the happy answer is “Spring is coming and soon you can stay out later.”

Toddler clocks are always helpful reminders of the “appropriate” time to wake up for your tot, and to begin to teach him about a daily schedule. Here is one that I recommend.

And last, my secret weapon in making the time change a breeze:LIGHT! Exposing your child to bright light early in the morning helps reset the circadian rhythm, or daily internal clock, regulated by light and dark. So open the blinds and go outside to enjoy that fresh, albeit still cold in some parts, March air!

I hope this helps!

If you want additional help or guidance email me (rhk@babysleeppro.com) to schedule a 30 minute phone call ($50) or a short email consult to guide you through the time change–or any other sleep headaches you are struggling with. I would love to help you get some sleep!

Dr. Rebecca Kempton, M.D. is a certified infant and toddler sleep consultant, physician, and mother of 3 under the age of 8, based in Chicago. Using a variety of behavioral techniques, she customizes sleep solutions based on individual family goals and children’s temperaments and coaches families all over the world to a better night’s sleep. She is a staff blogger for the Huffington post on topics related to infant and toddler sleep. Dr. Kempton works with clients both nationally and globally by phone, Skype, and email and with home visits. Follow me on facebook and twitter for free sleep tips and please contact me for a free initial consult.

I would estimate in 99% of families that I work with dads really want to be involved in the process of helping put their child to sleep, but just don’t know how!

I’m excited to share my tips on just how to do that…published by one of my favorite parenting blogs, Mommybites.

http://mommybites.com/col1/baby/let-dads-dads/

Dr. Rebecca Kempton, M.D. is a certified infant and toddler sleep consultant, physician, and mother of 3 under the age of 8, based in Chicago. Using a variety of behavioral techniques, she customizes sleep solutions based on individual family goals and children’s temperaments and coaches families all over the world to a better night’s sleep. She is a staff blogger for the Huffington post on topics related to infant and toddler sleep. Dr. Kempton works with clients both nationally and globally by phone, Skype, and email and with home visits. Follow me on facebook and twitter for free sleep tips and please contact me for a free initial consult.

Enough of my clients of young babies – under 12 months – tell me they have a nightlight in their nursery because they “worry their baby is scared of the dark” that I feel the need to discuss nightlights, parents’ projections, and the reality of fear of the dark.

I’ll get to the point: Babies under the age of 2-3 do not experience what we refer to as being “scared of the dark”. They just don’t have the cognitive development that enables them to understand and express that concept. Even two year olds who say they are afraid of the dark, like my own, may not be! But, they ARE smart enough to use that buzz word as a ploy to get you back into their room…you get the idea. Parent’s sometimes use this projected fear of the dark as a reason their baby isn’t sleeping well because “they’re too scared to sleep when it’s too dark”; and hence the nursery ends up brighter than day in the middle of the night.

One piece of advice, don’t be tempted to put a nightlight in the nursery for this misguided reason. That very light can be “the thing” that keeps your baby up if he finds it and fixates on the light. Remember darkness is what elicits melatonin release which in turn helps babies fall and stay asleep. And light, from any source, inhibits it. If you find yourself fumbling in the middle of the night to change a diaper or get a feeding in, then I encourage a small flashlight or hallway light to guide you through, but not a permanent light.

In older children, aged 2-5 who are capable of imagining scary monsters under their bed or lurking in the closet, AND they ask for a “light on” (this is the key- don’t offer one if they don’t express a ‘need’ for one!), then offering a nightlight can help assuage their fears – it can be comforting, but not light enough that it will be detrimental to their sleep (as an overhead light can be)

If you are in the market for a nightlight, here are some tips and what to buy:

1. In general, look for “red light” emitting nightlights. Blue light from regular and LED bulbs is a strong inhibitor of melatonin, while red light has the least inhibitory effects.

2. Here is an example of a red light nightlight that won’t inhibit melatonin, but will provide a nice glow.

1.Salt lamps can work well too…buy one that is dimmable and if it seems too bright, hide it behind something and it will still glow.

Dr. Rebecca Kempton, M.D. is a certified infant and toddler sleep consultant, physician, and mother of 3 under the age of 8, based in Chicago. Using a variety of behavioral techniques, she customizes sleep solutions based on individual family goals and children’s temperaments and coaches families all over the world to a better night’s sleep. She is a staff blogger for the Huffington post on topics related to infant and toddler sleep. Dr. Kempton works with clients both nationally and globally by phone, Skype, and email and with home visits. Follow me on facebook and twitter for free sleep tips and please contact me for a free initial consult.

It’s that time of year again when those of us focused on pediatric sleep make a concerted effort to spread the word about safe sleep tips for infants. It is always so tempting to cuddle up with your baby and drift into lala land, but oh so important to keep in mind that this can have unspeakable consequences unless we take extra care to be cautious or just don’t sleep – and we all know that is just not an option!

Just yesterday, this article was published in the Journal Pediatrics highlighting how dangerous sofas are for infant sleep. And in my inbox daily, I get chronicles of babies dying all over the country because of careless sleep environments and parents.

Don’t be daunted by the scary news because there is a lot we can do to prevent these deaths so read on for the best sleep tips to keep your baby safe and rested!

First some good news: Since 1994, when the NIH launched the Safe to Sleep Public Health Campaign, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) rates have declined by 50%. However, SIDS remains the leading cause of death among U.S. infants aged 1 month to one year. But in recent years, the decline in SIDS seems stalled – 1 out of every 2000 babies still die from SIDS. So it’s a good time to review the Safe to Sleep recommendations.

Let’s start with some basic information:

SIDS is the sudden, unexplained death of an infant younger than 1 year of age. Usually the death occurs during a period of sleep. Rare in the first month of life, the highest incidence occurs when babies are between 2 and 4 months old. When other causes of death are ruled out, such as heart or metabolic defects, the unexpected death is considered a case of SIDS.

What are the risk factors for SIDS?

Although scientists haven’t settled on a definitive cause for SIDS, they have identified factors that increase the risk of SIDS. Here are the most common:

1. Environmental factors: Maternal smoking has been identified as one of the largest risk factors for SIDS. Researchers say smoking tobacco while pregnant may result in a rewiring of the unborn baby’s brain in areas important for breathing and arousal. In addition, sleeping in the same bed with a parent can lead to a fivefold increase in the risk of SIDS in infants younger than three months. Overheating, sleeping on the stomach facedown, and sleeping with loose bedding also add to the risk.

2. A physical abnormality: Many SIDS cases are associated with a defect in the brainstem, the area of the brain that controls breathing and arousal. Low birth weight or respiratory problems can also increase risk.

3. Other risk factors:Boys have a higher risk than girls. Sadly, babies with a family history of SIDS also are at greater risk, suggesting a genetic component.

Baby Sleep Pro’s Six Safe sleep tips

1. Do not let your baby overheat during sleep. Our core body temperature must dip in order for us to fall asleep; the same applies to infants, so don’t overdress your baby for bedtime. Of course, you don’t want her to be too cold either. Aim for a room temperature of about 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit and dress your baby in a single layer of clothing topped by a sleep sack.

2. Always place your baby on his or her back to sleep, for naps and at night. The back sleep position is the safest whenever you lay him in the crib. Once babies can roll over, it’s okay to let them sleep on their tummies.

3. Place your baby on a firm sleep surface, such as on a safety-approved crib mattress, covered by a fitted sheet; remove soft objects, toys, and loose bedding. Those adorable quilt and bumper sets may look tempting, but they can be dangerous for new babies. Don’t use pillows, blankets, quilts, sheepskins, or pillow-like crib bumpers in your baby’s sleep area, and keep all objects away from your baby’s face. If you are concerned your baby is not warm enough, consider using a sleep sack.

4. Do not allow smoking around your baby.It’s better not to smoke before or after the birth of your baby. It’s also up to you to ask others not to smoke around your baby

5. Keep your baby’s sleep area close to, but separate from, where you and others sleep. Your baby should not sleep in a bed or on a couch or an upholstered chair. And babies should never sleep with adults or other children. It’s fine to let your baby sleep in your room for convenience, especially right after birth. But if you bring your baby into bed with you to breastfeed during the night, put him back in a bassinet, crib, cradle, or a bedside co-sleeper (infant bed that attaches to an adult bed) once the feeding is over

6. Discuss these safe sleep tips with your baby’s care givers. It’s important that you ask everyone who spends time with your baby to follow these safe sleep tips.

Dr. Rebecca Kempton, M.D. is a certified infant and toddler sleep consultant, physician, and mother of 3 under the age of 8, based in Chicago. Using a variety of behavioral techniques, she customizes sleep solutions based on individual family goals and children’s temperaments and coaches families all over the world to a better night’s sleep. She is a staff blogger for the Huffington post on topics related to infant and toddler sleep. Dr. Kempton works with clients both nationally and globally by phone, Skype, and email and with home visits. Follow me on facebook and twitter for free sleep tips and please contact me for a free initial consult.

I commonly work with clients who are also using Lactation Consultants, and often get the question can breastfeeding and sleep training coexist? And the answer is a resounding yes! As a pediatric sleep consultant and physician, I am trained in the biology of sleep; proper sleep hygiene; how to establish healthy sleep routines and how to help your infant or toddler learn one of the most valuable things they will learn early in life: how to self sooth. Learning to self sooth and nursing your child are by no means mutually exclusive. By helping your child learn to sleep and by nursing your child, you are doing two of the most important things you can do for them early in life: providing them nutrition for the brain and nutrition for the body.

Here is an article written by a Nurse Practitioner and Board Certified Lactation Consultant who succinctly writes about this topic.

Can Sleep Training and Lactation Consultants Coexist?

Lorna C. Aliperti, APRN, IBCLC

Lactation consultants often worry that sleep training can compromise breastfeeding by reducing the number of feedings and compromising the mother’s milk supply. However, using the principles of sleep hygiene can help lactation consultants address problems which are related to sleep, not feeding method. It is very possible to modify a baby’s sleep routine while breastfeeding.Many breastfeeding moms have successfully used sleep consultants to help their baby with good outcomes—both on family stress and maintaining their nursing relationship. Moms have reported that babies are happier and some feel they have made developmental gains because they are better rested.Our job is to help all women breastfeed, not just mothers who are available at frequent intervals day and night throughout the time they nurse.

Modern sleep consultants are not advocates of “cry it out”. They learn the biology of sleep, proper sleep hygiene and developmental stages when appropriate interventions can help babies sleep more consistently so that mom and baby are better rested. Rather than sabotaging breastfeeding, they try to work with the lactation consultant to insure that the mothers’ supply and the baby’s intake are protected. If the lactation consultant and the sleep consultant work together, everyone benefits.

The more accessible breastfeeding is to mothers, the more mothers will breastfeed and the more babies will get their mother’s milk. Research shows that although most mothers feel breastfeeding is best, they often reach for formula when they perceive that their lives would be more manageable and their baby happier with formula.

Unless this is tied to true inadequate milk supply including low weight gain, the mother usually judges the need for formula by how often the baby feeds—in particular, at night. Removing barriers to breastfeeding helps mothers continue to nurse their babies.

If we are to achieve the goal of a majority of babies being breastfed, lactation consultants have to be capable of helping women with different family circumstances and with varying breastfeeding goals. We need to distinguish between parenting style and feeding method, and use our knowledge of lactation to help parents succeed in all circumstances. Breastfeeding doesn’t require a parenting style that includes unrestricted access to mom for as long as she breastfeeds.Just as breastpumps and bottles have become commonplace items in the nursery of the breastfeeding mother, schedules for sleep can also have a place. Separation is a fact of life for mothers and babies to one degree or another as they grow. It is the mother’s (and baby’s) decision when this will occur and under what conditions.

Breastfeeding is a robust physiological process. Women have been able to nurse their babies through periods of famine, despite separation, when multiple babies and subsequent children are involved. The role of the lactation consultant needs to be that

of a nonjudgmental advisor—helping a mother protect her milk supply while working toward her parenting, career goals and through many phases of her family and life cycle.

Lorna C. Aliperti is a Nurse Practitioner and Board Certified Lactation Consultant who provides home visits to new mothers and babies with breastfeeding problems.She has been a clinical instructor in the Columbia University Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Program, and taught obstetrics and infant assessment there and at Fairfield University. She is the author of an ARCO test preparation book for practical nurses taking their NCLEX certification exam (in press since 2001), and published research on hospital breastfeeding management in the Journal of Perinatal Educcation. She has also written articles for several parenting publications. Lorna has four children and two grandchildren.

Dr. Rebecca Kempton, M.D. is a certified infant and toddler sleep consultant, physician, and mother of 3 under the age of 8, based in Chicago. Using a variety of behavioral techniques, she customizes sleep solutions based on individual family goals and children’s temperaments and coaches families all over the world to a better night’s sleep. She is a staff blogger for the Huffington post on topics related to infant and toddler sleep. Dr. Kempton works with clients both nationally and globally by phone, Skype, and email and with home visits. Follow me on facebook and twitter for free sleep tips and please contact me for a free initial consult.

FREE TROUBLESOME TODDLER SLEEP SEMINAR

SPONSORED BY NPN

Do you have a toddler who carries on with endless curtain calls well past bedtime?

Does your toddler wake at night or wake way too early in the morning?

Is your toddler ready to transition to a big kid bed?

Should your toddler still be napping?

Join me at Little Beans Cafe on July 31st to answer all these questions and more!

Sign up here

Topics covered include:

Amount of sleep toddlers need

Practical tips on how to curb bedtime antics

Understanding night wakings and how to handle them

Strategies on how to cope with super early wake times

Nap requirements and transitions

Dr. Rebecca Kempton, M.D. is a certified infant and toddler sleep consultant, physician, and mother of 3 under the age of 8, based in Chicago. Using a variety of behavioral techniques, she customizes sleep solutions based on individual family goals and children’s temperaments and coaches families all over the world to a better night’s sleep. She is a staff blogger for the Huffington post on topics related to infant and toddler sleep. Dr. Kempton works with clients both nationally and globally by phone, Skype, and email and with home visits. Follow me on facebook and twitter for free sleep tips and please contact me for a free initial consult.

Join me for one hour of free Q&A on my facebook page. All you have to do is like my facebook page to ask a question about your child’s sleep!

I will get to as many as I can within the hour.

Dr. Rebecca Kempton, M.D. is a certified infant and toddler sleep consultant, physician, and mother of 3 under the age of 8, based in Chicago. Using a variety of behavioral techniques, she customizes sleep solutions based on individual family goals and children’s temperaments and coaches families all over the world to a better night’s sleep. She is a staff blogger for the Huffington post on topics related to infant and toddler sleep. Dr. Kempton works with clients both nationally and globally by phone, Skype, and email and with home visits. Follow me on facebook and twitter for free sleep tips and please contact me for a free initial consult.

Thank you NPN Parents for publishing my article in your latest newsletter!

If you didn’t get a copy, I’ve uploaded a pdf below – just click below on “Toddler Sleep Questions Answered”.

Please send me your questions about your child’s sleep and I will compile and answer as many as I can!

Toddler Sleep Questions Answered

Dr. Rebecca Kempton, M.D. is a certified infant and toddler sleep consultant, physician, and mother of 3 under the age of 8, based in Chicago. Using a variety of behavioral techniques, she customizes sleep solutions based on individual family goals and children’s temperaments and coaches families all over the world to a better night’s sleep. She is a staff blogger for the Huffington post on topics related to infant and toddler sleep. Dr. Kempton works with clients both nationally and globally by phone, Skype, and email and with home visits. Follow me on facebook and twitter for free sleep tips and please contact me for a free initial consult.

Published on Mommybites on July 9, 2014

As a mom of three, I have experienced the miracles of white noise firsthand. One particular 3:00 a.m. crying episode from my first baby ended abruptly once I revved up my hair dryer. As a pediatric sleep specialist, I recommend white noise for all sleep periods for four reasons:

1 Babies are accustomed to loud noises – really loud noises: the whooshing sounds they were exposed to in the womb are almost as loud as a lawn mower! In fact, the world they are brought into may be too quiet for comfort. White noise brings them back to that happy, cozy place where they spent their prenatal months.

2 White noise when used continuously (i.e. all night long) helps babies sleep longer and more deeply. When babies sleep longer, parents sleep better, and who doesn’t love the sound of that?

3 White noise can reduce stress. Though babies don’t experience the “I have a work deadline I just can’t make” kind of stress, babies do experience stress. Why? Because of the newness of everything, because of being overtired, because of overstimulation. Anything we can do to alleviate stressors in an overstimulating world helps. White noise provides one easy answer!

4 White noise is easy to implement. The best part is it can be free! If you have an Iphone you can download a free app like relax melodies and run it all night. A simple box fan works just as well. If you want to buy a machine, gets good reviews from parents.

But when research claiming white noise might actually be harmful was recently published in the journal Pediatrics, alarm bells were sounded in parent circles. In the face of hundreds of scientifically sound studies to the contrary, how could this new research prove lulling noise is dangerous? Here’s my analysis:

In this study, the researchers conclude that playing a very loud noise close to a babies’ heads may damage their hearing. But this particular study actually does not prove anything of the kind. Instead, the results show that white noise is too loud when played on the highest settings or too close to a baby’s head. But that conclusion seems obvious.

On the loudest settings and when placed in the crib or next to the crib, some machines tested emitted noise greater than 85 decibels, significantly louder than the recommended 50 decibels typical of whirring fans or a shower.

Lowering the volume to the level of a shower and placing it at least 6.5 ft from the crib makes white noise machines both safe and effective.

My position remains that white noise helps — with the following caveats: machines should be placed at least 6 feet from the crib and should never be louder than about 50 decibels, or the sound of a running shower. So check the decibel levels of the white noise you select and always move your white noise machine out of the crib to the opposite side of the room. Then you too can settle in for a good night’s sleep!

Dr. Rebecca Kempton, M.D. is a certified infant and toddler sleep consultant, physician, and mother of 3 under the age of 8, based in Chicago. Using a variety of behavioral techniques, she customizes sleep solutions based on individual family goals and children’s temperaments and coaches families all over the world to a better night’s sleep. She is a staff blogger for the Huffington post on topics related to infant and toddler sleep. Dr. Kempton works with clients both nationally and globally by phone, Skype, and email and with home visits. Follow me on facebook and twitter for free sleep tips and please contact me for a free initial consult.

Let’s be honest: recent research on the detrimental effects of screen time on sleep in kids isn’t going to make any parent rip flat screens off the wall or ditch app-laden mobile devices. Similar to studies about chocolate, red wine, and caffeine, moderation always triumphs! An educational TV show, an Ipad app, a computer program in small doses and at the right time not only are fun, educational and stimulating, but also life saving. Well, that may be an exaggeration, but if you’re stuck on a plane for 7 hours with 3 children under age 5—or in other tight predicaments– you know what I mean.

So, here are 3 tips that allow your family to have their screen time and sleep too!

1. Watch TV outside the bedroom. Eliminate TVs in children’s bedrooms. In the study published this month by the journal Pediatrics, kids with TVs in their bedrooms lost the most sleep. After all, it is cozy to cuddle up in bed and turn on some ‘toons and forget how much time passes. But parents can manage their children’s TV viewing more easily if the TV is in the main living area of the house, rather than in their child’s bedroom. Also, TVs in children’s bedrooms are linked to childhood obesity; yet another reason to yank the plug

2. Employ the two-hour rule. Any screen, including computers, Ipads, TVs, video games, should be turned off at least two hours prior to bedtime. Because the blue light from screens mimics sun light, it disrupts the internal biological clock and inhibits melatonin production, our body’s sleep inducing hormone. With this two-hour rule, the body’s melatonin secretion occurs naturally.

3. Monitor the media diet. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time for children under age 2 and only 1-2 hours for children and teens; but in any case, the content should be quality! Fortunately, there are thousands of educational apps that are also fun for kids, which makes it easier for you to turn off Sponge Bob and try Snail Bob (my kids’ app du jour)! The best way to monitor screen time is to watch together: find an educational show or app you both enjoy.. In our house, the most asked for channels are Food Network and HGTV: discussing sous vide cooking methods with my six year old has even taught me a few things!

Dr. Rebecca Kempton, M.D. is a certified infant and toddler sleep consultant, physician, and mother of 3 under the age of 8, based in Chicago. Using a variety of behavioral techniques, she customizes sleep solutions based on individual family goals and children’s temperaments and coaches families all over the world to a better night’s sleep. She is a staff blogger for the Huffington post on topics related to infant and toddler sleep. Dr. Kempton works with clients both nationally and globally by phone, Skype, and email and with home visits. Follow me on facebook and twitter for free sleep tips and please contact me for a free initial consult.

So you have given up caramel mocchacinos, bought a gym membership, and started meditating. But have you thought about adding improving your family’s sleep patterns to your resolutions this year?

Maybe you think sleep should just come naturally and is not something you can change. The great news is: That is a myth! Based on science, and on my own experience working with thousands of sleep deprived infants, toddlers and parents around the world, the fact is the ability to fall and stay asleep are learned behaviors that take a lot of practice and patience.

Here are 10 reasons why should be a priority for your family:

Brain Development: Infants’ brains grow constantly, including during sleep. But to develop and function properly, growing brains require repeated cycling through all the stages of sleep. New research suggests infants who get a large proportion of their sleep at night perform better at abstract reasoning tests at age 4.

Cognitive Development: Children who get sufficient sleep are better problem solvers, more creative and flexible thinkers, and have greater academic success. One recent study shows that preschoolers who miss naps are less able to both learn or recall information. Another study of high school students shows that teens with high academic achievement get an average of 30 minutes more sleep per night than students with lower performance.

Memory: While snoozing, children’s brains are working overtime to file, store, and even discard, what they have experienced and learned. Subconsciously, they transform learned material into active knowledge. This process is especially effective in babies and toddlers, because all knowledge is so new.

Muscle Development: For both adults and children, muscle development occurs almost exclusively during sleep. If infants and children do not sleep well at night, their muscles cannot develop as they should. What happens is that deep sleep triggers the release of a hormone that promotes normal growth. And it’s the same hormone that boosts muscle mass and helps repair cells and tissues in children, teens– and adults

Moods: Brace yourself for the foul mood of a toddler who has missed a nap or the fussiness of an infant who has been passed to too many family members for too long. We can all get a little grouchy when we don’t sleep; but young children and babies have an especially low tolerance for lack of sleep. Recently, a study from the University of Colorado concludes that toddlers with insufficient naps show more anxiety and frustration, less joy and interest, and poor understanding of how to solve problems.

Behavior: Anyone with a toddler who woke up a little too early, stayed up a little too, or missed a nap knows the dreaded consequences: whines that escalate into a supersonic, ear-shattering, teeth-jarring screams that make you want to run away and join the circus if that were an option. One excellent remedy is adequate sleep. In about 30% of cases, sleep deprived behavior is even misdiagnosed as ADHD.

Safety: The results of a Drexel University study that found sleep deprivation can cause cognitive impairment similar to that of an intoxicated person were scary, but not surprising. After several nights of losing sleep – even just 1-2 hours – your ability to function suffers as if you haven’t slept at all in 2 days. This seems especially scary for injury prone toddlers who turn living rooms into Olympic stages and think nothing of torpedoing off the sofa when you’re looking the other way.

Immunity: Not only does sleep energize our body and brain, it also kicks start our immune system. In fact, adequate sleep can help protect children from infections that sometimes plague the rest of the family.

Obesity: Many studies now link obesity with sleep deprivation. The science points to impaired glucose control and inhibited hormone secretion as the main culprits. Another fact is that kids who get less sleep are often more sedentary, spend more time watching TV, and lack of exercise can add unneeded pounds.

Your sanity: Need I say more? You just can’t function well for every long when neither you nor your child has good sleeps patterns. You owe it to yourself—and your family– to start the new year on a healthy sleep track.

Controlling your daily schedule can be a challenge – shifting deadlines, an unpredictable boss, birthday parties, inconvenient interruptions, shopping, cleaning, feeding…fitting it all in and maintaining sanity, order, and a schedule can seem elusive for parents these days.

But a study by the University College London (UCL) analyzing bedtime and its relation to daytime behavior may make parents prioritize getting their kids to bed at a similar time every night. The study of 10,000 children aged 3-7 shows that preschool aged children with erratic bedtimes are more likely to have behavioral problems including hyperactivity,

social and emotional difficulties. The long term impact is even more pronounced when erratic bedtimes translate into sleep deprivation which can affect the way the brain matures and can have life long effects on learning, development, health and well being.

The good news is there is something parents can do about it! The negative behavioral effects can be reversed once kids get on a regular bedtime schedule. Children with erratic bedtimes at age 3-5 show improved behavior by age 7 once their bedtimes became more regular. Aiming to put preschoolers in bed by 7-7:30 every night is often easier said than done, but the effort is well worth it.

If you want to get your preschooler on a consistent nap and bedtime schedule, please contact me or check out my packages for more info.

Dr. Rebecca Kempton, M.D. is a certified infant and toddler sleep consultant, physician, and mother of 3 under the age of 8, based in Chicago. Using a variety of behavioral techniques, she customizes sleep solutions based on individual family goals and children’s temperaments and coaches families all over the world to a better night’s sleep. She is a staff blogger for the Huffington post on topics related to infant and toddler sleep. Dr. Kempton works with clients both nationally and globally by phone, Skype, and email and with home visits. Follow me on facebook and twitter for free sleep tips and please contact me for a free initial consult.

If you were outside my first son’s room the first few months of his life, you might have thought I was running an all night beauty salon. A hair dryer was frequently humming, the only soothing sound that seemed to calm his periodic wails.

Those nights of pacing, rocking, shushing, swaying, bouncing—and hair drying– seemed endless, but the days felt even longer. And they took its toll because, as most new mom’s can attest, sleep deprivation is life changing.

But by the time my next two children were born, I had figured out some techniques that work.

Here are my TOP FIVE TIPS to help your baby—and you– sleep better and longer:

1. Droopy-eyed is best: Put your baby to bed when he seems drowsy, but not quite asleep. When you put your baby in the crib when he has already fallen asleep, it’s no wonder he will cry when he wakes up in the middle of the night: the environment is not quite the same as those cozy warm arms in which he drifted to sleep. He’ll feel as you do if you suddenly awaken in strange surroundings; disoriented and unable to fall back to sleep easily. The solution is to put your baby into the crib sleepy enough so that he learns to fall asleep on his own in his crib. Then if he awakens, he will be in familiar surroundings and can more easily fall back to sleep without you.

2. Early bird special or early bedtimes! Resist the temptation to keep your baby up in hopes she will sleep longer. When you try to stretch your baby’s bedtime until later because you fantasize about an uninterrupted night, you are actually causing her to become overtired. When your baby is overtired, her body naturally produces hormones to fight fatigue, which then makes it harder to fall, and stay, asleep. So aim for bedtime between 5:00-6:00 p.m. Believe it or not, earlier bedtimes eventually translate into longer stretches of sleep.

3. Consistency, Consistency, Consistency—- is crucial. Babies thrive on routines, so create a simple, calming, bedtime routine that will serve as a cue to sleep. Keep the pattern simple, repeat it in the same order before each sleep period, and your baby will eventually associate the relaxing routine with sleep. Here’s an example:One or two two short books, maybe a lullaby or two, a short massage with soft music in the background. Keep the routine to about 15-20 minutes (10 minutes for naps). Caution: if part of your bedtime routine includes first feeding your baby, be sure not to induce him into a food coma! Remember to put him in his crib drowsy, not asleep! To avoid his falling asleep while nursing or taking a bottle, feed first and follow with your usual bedtime routine to hold his attention to keep him awake.

4. Sleep triggers more sleep: It may seem counterintuitive that napping during the day translates into more sleep at night. But if your child is well rested from his daytime naps, she will be less overtired by bedtime. That means she will fall asleep easier, and stay asleep longer. At first, offer as many naps as your baby will take with no more than 2 hours of wake time before the next nap. By age 6 months , establish a 3-nap routine with an early bedtime between 5-6 p.m. (earlier if any of these naps were short or skipped)

5. Don’t operate a 24 hour snack bar: Take the reins on those night time feedings. While it can be normal for babies to feed one or two times a night up to 9 months or even a year, that doesn’t mean you should be open for business all night long. In fact after about 3 months, most babies do not need to eat every 1-2 hours. Create a schedule: for example, choose a 1:00 and 4:00 a.m. feeding time. Quite soon your baby will adapt to wake only for these necessary feedings, especially if you offer no extra snacks offered between times. Eventually your baby will learn to put himself to sleep without food.

If you find yourself up way too many times at night pacing the house with your little one and want some more shut eye for yourself and for your night owl, please contact me or check out my packages for more info.

Dr. Rebecca Kempton, M.D. is a certified infant and toddler sleep consultant, physician, and mother of 3 under the age of 8, based in Chicago. Using a variety of behavioral techniques, she customizes sleep solutions based on individual family goals and children’s temperaments and coaches families all over the world to a better night’s sleep. She is a staff blogger for the Huffington post on topics related to infant and toddler sleep. Dr. Kempton works with clients both nationally and globally by phone, Skype, and email and with home visits. Follow me on facebook and twitter for free sleep tips and please contact me for a free initial consult.

I love toddlers – they are vigorous, loving, fearless, negotiating balls of energy, and boy can they be troublesome!

I can no longer count the number of clients who have come to me saying incredulously, “What happened to my perfect sleeper?” My reply is always the same: “He became a toddler!”

As far as sleep goes, we have to set the expectations, be consistent, and stay firm or they will rule the house at night just as they do during the day!

Here are my 5 sleep tips for your troublesome tot published today on MommyBites:

mommybites.com/col2/nanny/five-sleep-tips-for-tots/

Let’s face it, it’s not easy being a toddler. After all, they are busy acquiring language; they run, jump, and bounce boundlessly; and they make demands…lots of them! Not surprisingly, their batteries need recharging both day and night. Through age five, most toddlers require 12-14 hours of sleep daily and usually nap until they are between 3 and 4 years old. Even when they give up naps, many 4 and 5 year olds benefit from quiet time during the day to recharge.

Why so much sleep? Here are just a few reasons: getting adequate sleep improves learning and memory, strengthens the immune system, restores energy, improves moods and behavior, reduces injury, and can prevent obesity in young children. The list can go on!

You may be thinking: “I know why my toddler should be sleeping, but the kid is like a jack in the box when I put him to bed. What can I do?” Getting toddlers to sleep can be tricky because they can refuse, protest, demand, run, climb and jump faster than you can say “lights out!”

Let’s get practical!

5 sleep tips for those troublesome tots:

1. Avoid the “crankfest” with a well timed bed time. One common problem is a bedtime that is too late. With their bodies in constant motion most of the day, toddlers need adequate time to wind down before an early bedtime. By the time they become cranky, they are already overtired; getting an overtired child to sleep is like trying to nail jelly to a tree. That’s because they get a second wind (when their bodies produce cortisol to fight fatigue.) To avoid triggering this response, make sure your toddler is in bed and sleeping within 4 hours from the end of his afternoon nap. To accomplish an early bedtime, wind down should begin 30 minutes before. Typical toddlers who nap from roughly 1-3:00 should aim for a bedtime no later than 7:00 p.m. . If they skip a nap, then bedtime should come as early as 5:30-6pm. Every child has different patterns so train your eyes on their on their behavior to hit the right bedtime.

2. Ignore those “curtain calls”. He’s in bed, the lights are out, you have just left the room with a sigh of relief when the requests begin: “Mommy, I want a glass of water.” But most parents know how fast one request can turn into a litany of complaints: “Mommy, I can’t find my bear,” “Mommy, I’m hungry,” Mommy, I can’t remember how to sleep.” Each Mommy call makes you hesitate until you give in to “just one”. But the demands continue and may escalate. The best advice is to ignore them. If you can’t resist, go to their door and say “I can hear you, but it’s time for bed, go to sleep” and leave. Let them know you mean business and don’t linger. Unreinforced behavior will eventually disappear.

3.Return the “runner” to bed, silently: As we know, toddlers can be fast, really fast. Just when you think you have successfully managed a calm bedtime routine, your toddler races out of bed. Even toddlers still in cribs can master this feat with the dexterity of a mountain goat on the side of a cliff. The solution is to take their hand and return them to bed as swiftly and silently as possible. Avoid saying anything; instead march them in silence back to bed. I have worked with families who have had to repeat this ritual more than 100 times before their child succumbed. So be persistent; eventually you will be successful.. The key message you are sending is “I mean it when I say; it’s time for bed.”

4.Encourage independence so you don’t become “the pillow”: Just as you create a habit by feeding or rocking an infant to sleep, you can become a sleep “crutch” for your toddler if she needs YOU to fall asleep. If you make a habit of staying with her in the room until she falls asleep, then when she wakes up through sleep transitions (as everyone does), she will not fall back to sleep without you. And that’s the last place you want to be in the middle of the night! Instead make a habit of a loving bedtime routine with ample “you” time but then leave your child to fall asleep on her own– with any favorite stuffed animals, who will be more than happy to sleep with her.

5.Manage nap transitions: Most toddlers transition from two naps to one between ages 15 and 18 months. Some toddlers may drop a nap at 12 months or earlier, but don’t jump the gun if you don’t need to! Here are a few signs to look for to know whether your toddler is ready to transition: when they consistently refuse one nap (and consistently means over the course of several weeks, not several days); when one nap becomes much shorter (usually the afternoon one); when the timing changes for a nap (your otherwise predictable nap schedule starts to go haywire with naps throughout the day, and sometimes too late in the day). Transitioning to one nap can take a few weeks, or even longer, for some. One trick is to slowly move the morning nap later by 15 minute increments every few days until you reach a midday nap that begins between 12 and 1 and lasts about 2 hours. During the transition period, your toddler may become more tired as they lose some of that day time sleep so be sure to compensate with an earlier bedtime.

If you struggle with bedtime antics or nighttime wakings or transitions or any other sleep issues with your tot, and would like some guidance and a good night’s sleep please contact me or check out my packages for more info.

Dr. Rebecca Kempton, M.D. is a certified infant and toddler sleep consultant, physician, and mother of 3 under the age of 8, based in Chicago. Using a variety of behavioral techniques, she customizes sleep solutions based on individual family goals and children’s temperaments and coaches families all over the world to a better night’s sleep. She is a staff blogger for the Huffington post on topics related to infant and toddler sleep. Dr. Kempton works with clients both nationally and globally by phone, Skype, and email and with home visits. Follow me on facebook and twitter for free sleep tips and please contact me for a free initial consult.

I am really excited to be the resident pediatric sleep expert for Seventh Generation. Here is the first in a series of blogs I will write for them on a variety of infant and toddler sleep issues.

http://www.seventhgeneration.com/learn/blog/baby-safety-month-safe-sleep-tips