Circadian What?

January 8, 2016 by Well Rested Baby

Circadian What? The Science Behind The Timing of Your Baby’s Naps

Some kids seem to be natural sleepers, easily taking lengthy naps each day, while others need a bit more assistance to get in the daytime sleep that they need. However, all children can take good, restorative naps if given the opportunity. The key to helping babies achieve their best nap is having them nap at the correct time of day. When sleep occurs is more important than the duration of the nap.

The Sciencey Stuff
We all have biological clocks called circadian rhythms, which are controlled by the rotation of the earth on its axis. These clocks create an internal timing mechanism for sleep based on dark (night)/light (day) cues. Sleeping in sync with these rhythms provides the best quality and most restorative sleep your body can achieve. It is also easiest to fall asleep and stay asleep at these times. Therefore it is important to be aware of your child’s circadian rhythms and schedule their naps accordingly, as this is the best way to ensure they get the sleep they need. A one-hour nap at the correct biological time is actually more restful than a two-hour nap outside of this window. The timing of these “sleep waves” changes as we age, but they are a constant for all children of the same age, varying only slightly from person to person.

Want to Relate?
An easy way for adults to relate to the power of these rhythms is to think about something like jet lag. While traveling outside of your time zone, most of us have a hard time falling asleep and staying asleep, and even if you do manage to get your usual amount of sleep, you still wake not feeling as rested. That is what it is like for a baby who is not napping in sync with their circadian rhythms.

So When Do These “Magical Sleep Waves” Occur?

For babies four months and older who are taking two to three naps a day: the first nap should start between 8:30-9 a.m. The second nap should start between 12-1 p.m.
For toddlers who are taking one nap a day: this nap should start between 12:30-1 p.m.
Bedtime is also impacted by these rhythms. The best practice is to allow our children to fall asleep in sync with melatonin onset and in a rested state. This translates into a bedtime for babies and toddlers within the range of 5-8 p.m.

Remember that these are the times that you want your child to be asleep, so be sure to allot extra time for them to fall asleep. For example, if it takes your baby 15 minutes to fall asleep, you want to make sure that she is in her crib 15 minutes prior to the time you want her asleep.

Please note: Babies under four months do not yet have circadian rhythms, as they are just starting to develop at about that age. For these younger babies, be sure to watch the clock to keep their awake periods short, while also watching them for their sleepy signs. The key with these little ones is getting them to sleep before they become overtired.

This article appeared in Macaroni Stork – click here for original article

Amy Lage is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a Family Sleep Institute certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant. She is founder of Well Rested Baby. She offers a host of services including in person, phone, email and Skype/FaceTime consultations that can be tailored to meet any family’s needs and schedule. Please email her at amy@wellrestedbaby.com with any questions. Be sure to follow WRB on Facebook and Twitter too for more great sleep tips!

How I Do Gently Teach My Child to Self Soothe?

August 26, 2015 by Well Rested Baby

How to Teach Babies and Toddlers to Fall Asleep With Fewer Tears?

I was recently asked how to teach baby to sleep on his own without using the “cry out” method:

No parent likes to hear his or her child cry. From the time they are born, we do everything we can to prevent them from crying. We nurse, we bounce, we rock, we swaddle, we burp — anything we can muster to prevent our precious little ones from crying. Then comes the day…duhm, duhm, duhm…when you realize you can no longer bounce, or nurse, or rock etc. your baby to sleep. It dawns on you that your child (and you!) is not getting the sleep that he needs because he lacks the ability to put himself to sleep. But when the time comes to teach him to become a healthy independent sleeper, it is often hard to fathom the idea of allowing him to cry. Thankfully there are several methods available to teach a child to self soothe, as we as sleep consultants strive to come up with plans to match every parenting philosophy. In fact, there are more ways than I can list in a question & answer forum. And while there are many ways to teach a child to sleep — some gentle and some aggressive — there simply is no way to have zero tears. I am not trying to change your mind and push you to utilize a “Cry it out” method. I understand not wanting your baby to cry, but I think that it is important to be clear about what you can expect from the beginning.

Let’s discuss that for a minute: This concept of a “no tears” solution. When most parents come to me, all that their child has known thus far is being helped all the way to a sleeping state. When you decide that it is now their job to do this for themselves, they are of course going to protest. And babies communicate by crying. No matter how gentle you are in teaching them this new expectation (that they are now responsible to fall asleep on their own) they are going to protest with a few tears. It is important to understand that going in — THERE WILL BE A FEW TEARS no matter what. They are not “I need you tears,” or “I am hurt tears”, or “I am hungry tears,” they are “I would like your company as I fall asleep tears.” I respect all parenting philosophies and certainly understand not wanting to allow your baby to “cry it out” alone in his room. There are ways other than the CIO method that allow you to be with your baby and soothe them as they learns this new skill, but they will inevitably shed some tears in your presence.

Ok, so now that we are clear on your expectations let’s get back to your question — what other ways can you teach a baby?

The Younger Baby

For babies under 4 months of age, it is possible to teach them how to self soothe simply by putting them down awake whenever it is time to sleep. You go through your soothing routine and then put them in their crib, sleepy but awake. If they fuss it is ok, give them a minute to see if they can settle themself. If their fussing escalates to tears, pick them up and comfort them and then put them down again awake. Repeat. For this to work it is critical that they go into their crib awake so that they can learn to fall asleep on their own. They may fuss for a minute or two each time, but if you consistently allow them to try to do it for themselves — they will actually learn fairly quickly!

The Older Baby or Toddler

Teaching children older than 4 months is a bit more complicated as they have already learned a set of rules surrounding going to sleep and you will have to teach them a different set of expectations so that they will now fall asleep on their own. As I mentioned, there are a plethora of ways to effectively teach your child this skill. Check out a few books on the topic and utilize one that matches your ideals, or hire a child sleep consultant who will create a custom plan for you that is in line with your beliefs. No matter how you choose to go about teaching your baby, the most important part is being consistent. Babies and toddlers learn from our example, so if you switch back and forth trying things many different ways they will not understand what you expect. You will need to commit to following your plan to the T for a solid two weeks. This means you cannot give it a go for three days and declare that it is not working. Remember your child had many months to learn the current way of doing things so you need to give them some time to learn the new routine. And again, consistency is everything!

Amy Lage is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a Family Sleep Institute certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant. She is founder of Well Rested Baby. She offers a host of services including in person, phone, email and Skype/FaceTime consultations that can be tailored to meet any family’s needs and schedule. Please email her at amy@wellrestedbaby.com to schedule a consultation. Be sure to follow WRB on Facebook and Twitter too for more great sleep tips.

The WRB Sleep Cheat Sheet

August 6, 2015 by Well Rested Baby

No matter your child’s age, there are 5 key elements that if applied consistently lead to healthy sleep! Here is our tough-love, no nonsense, guide to getting your child’s sleep on track and keeping it there:

I became a pediatric sleep consultant after having a terrible time getting my first child to sleep. After researching for tips and advice and coming across conflicting information, I was still at a loss for what to do. After 9 months, I finally hired a sleep consultant and within two days my “terrible sleeper” was suddenly an incredible sleeper. It turns out that all along she (like all babies) had this ability, we just had not taught her. So what’s the secret? I introduce the WRB Cheat Sheet, 5 Simple Rules to get your baby’s sleep on track.

Rule #1 — Your Baby Needs to Sleep in His Crib. Period.
Unfortunately, as I learned babies are not fashion accessories that we should just expect to fit into our social calendar. The sooner you can come to terms with this the better. Life would be much easier if we could tote our kids anywhere, at anytime and expect that they will get the sleep they need, but unfortunately that’s not the case. Babies and toddlers will achieve their very best sleep in their bassinet, crib, or bed, and it should be your goal for them to do the majority of their sleeping in this consistent location. Yes, very little babies have the amazing ability to sleep through anything, but once they reach about 2 months old they start to become social beings and have a much harder time blocking out what’s going on around them. Sleeping at home in their own darkened room will make sure there are no distractions. Also, babies and toddlers have better quality, more restorative sleep when they are sleeping in a stationary location like their own bed. Vibrations or motion during sleep (think strollers and car seats) force the brain into a lighter sleep state and reduce the restorative power of the nap. It’s similar in comparison to the sleep that you get on an airplane: ok, but not really restful. A nap on-the-go here and there is fine, but most naps should be taken in your child’s bed. This does make you a bit of a slave to your house but ask anyone who has kids — that first year flies by. Before you know it you will be out and about and personally, I would rather stay in and have a well-rested child than be out with a cranky, overtired baby.

Rule #2 — Your Baby Needs to Nap at the Correct Times
Naptime should follow your baby’s biological clock. We all have internal clocks called circadian rhythms that make us feel drowsy at certain times. It is easiest at these times to fall asleep and get our most restorative sleep. These times change as your child grows older. If you can base your child’s nap schedule so that they sleep in sync with these rhythms they will be able to achieve their best sleep. While it is sometimes daunting to follow a schedule, it will provide you the confidence to know exactly when your child will need to sleep and that he is getting the sleep that he needs.

Rule #3 — Insist on An Early Bedtime
Bedtime should be early enough to ensure that your child goes to bed before they become overtired. A child who is overtired has a harder time falling asleep and staying asleep. This is because when we get overtired we release the stress hormones cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline. This is a primitive fight or flight response, which is intended to keep us going. While this was probably helpful to cavemen, it is not when it kicks in for your baby and he gets a “second wind”. When this response occurs on a regular basis these hormones actually build up in your baby’s system and then cause him to wake-up in the middle of the night or early in the morning. Although it sounds counterintuitive, an early bedtime WILL NOT cause your child to wake earlier in the morning. In fact, early bedtimes help children to sleep later as they are better able to self soothe and consolidate sleep without the presence of these hormones. In short, an early bedtime allows babies to achieve longer stretches of better quality sleep. As an added bonus, it provides more time for you to unwind and have “you” time in the evening. What parent doesn’t need that?

Rule #4 — A Consistent Routine:
This one is so simple to achieve, yet so important! Babies and toddlers crave routine in their daily schedules as it helps them know what to expect. They follow patterns and your cues, so if you create a consistent soothing routine before sleep times then they will know to expect sleep to come next. Your soothing routine does not need to be anything complicated — maybe a book and a nice soothing song — but it needs to be consistent and should always end with your child going into bed sleepy, but awake.

Rule #5 — Teach Your Child to Fall Asleep
If your child relies on you to be with them until they are fast asleep, how will they know how to put themselves back to sleep when a sleep cycle ends during nap time or when they wake at night? Self-soothing is a skill that every child must learn to be an independent sleeper. Once your child is on the correct schedule and is falling asleep before he becomes overtired, self-soothing will come much more easily. There are lots of methods for teaching your child to self-soothe. Some methods involve more tears but work very quickly and some have little or no tears but take a bit longer. They all accomplish the same end goal — teaching your child to fall asleep on their own. This is one of the best skills you can teach a child as it enables them to become well rested, independent and better able to handle the opportunities and challenges each day presents.

This article also appeared on the Zipadee Zip Blog – http://www.sleepingbaby.com/blogs/news/18517181-5-simple-rules-to-get-your-babys-sleep-on-track

Amy Lage is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a Family Sleep Institute certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant. She is founder of Well Rested Baby. She offers a host of services including in person, phone, email and Skype/FaceTime consultations that can be tailored to meet any family’s needs and schedule. Please email her at amy@wellrestedbaby.com to schedule a consultation. Be sure to follow WRB on Facebook and Twitter too for more great sleep tips.

Milestone Monday: The Grand Stand

May 12, 2015 by Well Rested Baby

BABY MILESTONE: THE GRAND STAND!

On average, a baby will start to pull up to stand on his own at around 8 month as this is about when his torso and leg muscles are strong enough for this new task. As every child is different, some will do this a bit sooner and some a bit later – and both are completely ok. Guess when they like to practice this skill? At naptime! This is because a baby’s naps serve differing biological purposes. The afternoon nap is physically restorative for your baby and is often when they decide to practice their newfound gross motor skills. Once this skill is on the rise, many babies go through a bit of a nap regression and skip or postpone their afternoon nap while perfecting their “stand.” If your little one has been a rock star napper and is suddenly standing for an hour rather than sleeping, it can be very frustrating. Can he lie down on his own? Does he know how to do this safely? While the urge to go in and lay your child down (or at least attempt to reason with him to do so on his own) is huge, do not do it! If you intervene, this “stand off” will last days and days. If you leave him be to figure this out on his own, one of two things will happen: 1. He will learn to lay himself down and go to sleep all on his own or 2. He will learn to not stand up in the first place. Going in to assist him will not allow him to experience how to handle the conflict of getting back down on his own and will also give him reason to stand for even longer the next day as he will have high hopes of your return. For many kids it can even become a game of cause in effect as they know you will just keep coming back in to lie them down. What to do?

Often when a child is trying to master this skill, it takes them a very long time to fall asleep for his afternoon nap. In fact, often they practice for so long that they become super overtired and wind up skipping the nap all together. If you see this happening, put your child down about 30 minutes earlier than normal in hopes that he will practice, get it out of his system, and then fall asleep before be becomes overtired.
If that doesn’t work and he still decides to stand up through his entire nap or take a very late catnap, an early bedtime will save the day and will help him from becoming woefully overtired. At this age, that means 5pm with no second nap!
Stay consistent and offer the nap at the correct time (or a few minutes early) everyday and within a few days, this new skill will be out of his system and his nap will come back.
Do not go in and lay your child down as this will just prolong the return to his norm and usually becomes a game, as at this time, he does in fact understand cause and effect.
During playtime, practice standing up and safely getting back down over and over. If you can help him master this skill at awake times, it will hopefully impact his naps even less.

Follow these simple rules and your child’s “great stand” will be over as quickly as it began.

Amy Lage is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a Family Sleep Institute certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant. She is founder of Well Rested Baby (www.wellrestedbaby.com). She offers a host of services including in person, phone, email and Skype/FaceTime consultations that can be tailored to meet any family’s needs and schedule. Please email her at amy@wellrestedbaby.com with any questions. Be sure to follow WRB on Facebook & Twitter too for more great sleep tips!

Milestone Mayhem!

April 27, 2015 by Well Rested Baby

How & Why New Skills May Impact Your Baby’s Naps

Check out my latest article in this weeks

Macaroni Stork – click here!

The Science

I love to share my favorite nap fun-fact with parents of babies: during your baby’s first year+ of life, his morning nap and his afternoon nap actually serve different biological purposes. Yes, they both help your tired little bug rest up, but the morning nap is mentally restorative in nature and the afternoon nap is physically restorative. How do we know this? According my favorite pediatrician Dr. Marc Weissbluth, this occurrence is evidenced by the fact that “there is more REM sleep in the morning nap compared to the afternoon nap”. And we know from research that REM sleep is directly related to brain maturation and restoration and that non-REM sleep is replenishing for the body.

Practice Makes Perfect

I have seen further evidence to this fact in my practice. For example, I often receive emails from parents of 11-12 month old babies at their wits end because their amazing napper has boycotted his afternoon nap for 6 straight days. Right away, without knowing many of the details, I can almost always assume their baby is on the cusp of mastering standing, cruising, or walking. You see, not only do the two naps serve two distinct purposes, but they also tend to be when babies practice their new skills. If your child is going through a cognitive leap, or mastering a fine motor skill, often the morning nap is impacted, as that is when your child chooses to go over their new skill. And when they are mastering a new gross motor skill, they practice during their afternoon nap. Working on new skills during sleep times makes much more sense than one would initially think – after all, naptimes are the one time a day your baby gets to be truly alone with his thoughts. You may or may not find all this fascinating, but if you’re still reading this then you’re surely wondering: when can you expect these blips in your child’s naps and what should you do when they occur?

Common Times for Naptime Crazies

Disruptions to the morning nap: Assuming your baby is on an age appropriate schedule and has self-soothing skills, if his morning nap takes a sudden turn, it is likely that he is going through a cognitive leap. The first time I usually see this phenomenon come into play is around 5.5-6 months as baby enters “The Wonder Weeks” Leap #5 – “The World of Relationships”. In short, during this leap he is learning the spatial relationships between items. As you can imagine this is a very big concept for such a little person to comprehend and voila – they fall asleep for their morning nap very late as they roll around pondering this new concept or sometimes the nap is skipped all together. Personally the most trying cognitive disturbance for both my daughters happened around 9 months when they were learning about cause and effect. My older daughter would stand in her crib and toss out her binkies instead of sleeping and my younger daughter would toss her prized lovey and then call and call for it’s return. And still for other babies of this age, they simply just stand for long periods of time rather than lying down (read this for more). Fortunately this only lasted a few days, as I was able to stay consistent and leave them be to figure out that they would not get these objects back once they were thrown. But don’t get me wrong, it still stressed me out. Speech and language development are another big one in the for your baby’s morning nap to be impacted and are common again at around the one year mark.
Afternoon Nap Nonsense: Again, your child’s afternoon nap can be impacted by new gross motor skills. The first time we usually see this phenomenon is when your baby learns to roll from back to belly. They usually master this first great gross motor skill quickly if you can leave them be to work it out on their own (read this for more on rolling over). The next big one is crawling and then of course pulling up to stand, cruising and the biggie – walking. Walking is the granddaddy of frustration, as often times it causes them to fully skip their second nap for a week plus as they work through the new skill.

Tips To Get Through These Leaps

It can be incredibly frustrating when your great napper suddenly struggles, but it does make it a bit easier to know that it is happening because they are working on a new skill. What can you do to ease through these periods? Nothing. Literally – you should do absolutely nothing. Keep offering the naps at the correct times (or a bit earlier so they can work on this skill and still fall asleep before becoming overtired). Keep leaving them in their crib for the full duration of naptime – whether they sleep or not. And as tempting as it may be, do not go in and try to lie them down, roll them over, or verbally coax them into going to sleep. This will simply prolong the nap boycott by 1.) Not allowing them to work through the skill on their own or 2.) By stimulating them with the interaction of you coming and going. Further, for older babies, your intervention will become a game, as they will keep doing whatever it is that gets you coming in and telling them not to do. So again, keep their schedule and routine consistent, stay out of the room, leave them be to work on it on their own, be consistent and their naps will come back just as quickly as they went awry.

Your Baby’s Perfect Nursery

April 16, 2015 by Well Rested Baby

Your Child’s Ideal Sleep Environment

Are you expecting a little bundle of joy and looking for advice in planning your nursery? Or perhaps you are looking to revamp your child’s room to create the optimal sleep environment? Here are some tips to have everything in place so your baby’s room can be the perfect nursery and all you dreamed it would be:

Think Cave Like

Hmmm cave and newborn, two words that don’t really work together. They do when it comes to sleep! A baby sleeps best in a dark, cool and damp room. Well not damp exactly, but its great to run a humidifier especially during winter months. The ideal sleep temperature for your baby’s room is somewhere between 65-70 degrees. I suggest shooting for 68 degrees. Also, make sure to include black out curtains on your windows. The darker the better.

Toys Belong in the Toy Bin

Mobiles are cute and touted as a must have above your baby’s crib, but they are a distraction from sleep. When your baby is in his crib, sleep is our only goal. If a mobile was an intricate part of your nursery plans – consider using it as a decorative accent over your rocking chair or as a stimulating diaper changing activity over your changing pad. Your baby’s crib should be free of stuffed animals and toys including mirrors and light up musical toys marketed as soothing devices. Yes, that means no Glow Worms.

Trade Your Lullabies For White Noise

We have all seen movies with babies drifting off to sleep with soft lovely music playing. That may work for Hollywood babies, but for real babies music played during sleep is a form of stimulation and doesn’t allow the brain to rest as it tries to process the information it is hearing. Instead, consider playing white noise that will actually aid your baby in his sleep. However, music played prior to bed, during your child’s soothing routine, is acceptable and has even been found to assist in the relaxation process.

For Safety Sake

Remember that safety is always a priority when it comes to your child’s sleep environment. Yes bumpers look pretty, but they impede the circulation of air within your crib. And coordinating quilts look great in Pottery Barn Kids ads, but save them for your child’s first big kid bed. Your child’s mattress should be firm and your crib sheet should be fitted. The crib should also be free of all blankets and pillows. Instead of loose blankets, use a swaddle or a Zipadee-zip for your little one who still has a startle reflex and choose a sleep sack or wearable blanket for your older baby. These wearable items will keep them safe, cozy and warm.

Click here for the original article featured in Macaroni Kid

Amy Lage is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Family Sleep Institute certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant. She is founder of Well Rested Baby (www.wellrestedbaby.com). She offers a host of services including in person, phone, email and Skype/FaceTime consultations that can be tailored to meet any family’s needs and schedule. Amy, her husband Jeff, their 4 year old Stella, their 2 year old Harley, and their two dogs Jackson and Cody live in Beverly Farms, Massachusetts. Please email her at amy@wellrestedbaby.com with any questions. Be sure to follow WRB on Facebook too more great sleep tips!

5 Reasons Why Your Child Is Not Sleeping Through the Night!

April 15, 2015 by Well Rested Baby

Our article “5 Reasons Why Your Child Is Not Sleeping Through the Night!” featured in the inaugural edition of LADY SAVANT: The Little Black Book for the Savvy Mom

Spring will be upon us soon – before we know it buds will be forming on the arms of the trees and crocuses will be popping up out of the hardened ground. Many of us will embark on a massive spring-cleaning to rid our homes of the staleness of winter. While you are at it, why not do some housekeeping on your family’s sleep? If you have a child who is not sleeping well at night, put fixing it on your “to-do” list. To many a tired parent, sleeping though the night may sound like a luxury item or a far-fetched goal beyond their reach. But in reality, the fix is easier than you think. In my pediatric sleep practice, I have worked with hundreds of families and found that one (or a combo) of 5 things is always amiss when this milestone has not been met by a child who no longer requires a night time feed. Ensure these items are in check, apply them consistently, and you and your child will have mastered the art of healthy sleep and will sleep fitfully through the night.

To Sleep Well at Night, Your Child Needs To Sleep Well During the Day:

To ensure good night time sleep, your child must also be getting healthy daytime sleep. Many parents assume that without naps their child will be more tired and therefore more apt to sleep at night, but it’s actually the opposite. As sleep is cyclical, quality naps need to be in place in order for your child to achieve a good night’s sleep. Without adequate daytime sleep, your child enters their night in an overtired and stimulated state that will not allow their body to sleep in long, restorative stretches. So how do you make sure great naps happen? By scheduling naps to happen in sync with their body clock or their circadian rhythms. We all have an internal clock that tells our bodies when we should be asleep and when we should be awake. If we sleep in-sync with these clocks, we have our easiest time falling asleep, staying asleep, and can actually get in our best quality sleep. So when do these magical sleep times occur? For a baby age 4-18 months who is on two naps a day, we want them falling asleep for their morning nap in the 8:30-9am window and for their afternoon nap in the 12:30-1pm window. For a toddler 14 months or older who is on just one nap a day, this nap needs to begin in the 12-1pm window.

Bedtime:

The key to a good bedtime is that it happens before your child can become overtired. When we become overtired, our bodies release the stress hormones adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol in an effort to keep us going. As adults, we call this a second wind and often rejoice at its occurrence – whoo hoo we can keep on trekking without another double cappuccino and then easily drift off to sleep for the night. But for a baby, toddler or small child, these hormones act as a high dose of stimulants and make it very hard for them to fall asleep for the night. If going to bed overtired is a nightly occurrence, these hormones build up in the child’s blood stream. When their sleep cycles shift during the night, this build up is present in their blood stream and they fully wake up instead of rolling right into the next cycle. Therefore, it is critical to know how long your child can tolerate being awake before they become overtired and have them fast asleep for the night before these hormones rear their ugly heads. As your child ages, they can of course tolerate being awake longer. Every child is different, but use this chart to gauge your child’s ideal bedtime.

Sleep Crutches:

A sleep crutch is something that your child relies on to fall asleep. When they wake briefly at night between sleep cycles, if their “crutch” is not present, they will not be able to go back to sleep on their own. For example, if you child only knows falling asleep at night with you rocking them to a sleeping state, when they wake at night they will expect that to occur to go back to sleep. All sleep crutches are not necessarily bad – if your child can use or recreate their crutch on their own, they will likely be proficient in falling asleep and staying asleep on their own. Take a pacifier for example, for an older baby or toddler who can find and replace it on his own – it should not be an issue (as long as there are rules in place against parental replacement). However, a pacifier likely poses an issue for an infant who does not yet have the motor skills to replace it on their own and instead requires a parent to replace it….all night long! A simple lovey that has mom or dad’s scent and that is involved in the child’s pre-sleep routine is a great tool for many babies and toddlers as it is simple for them to find and hold on to and is very comforting. The key is either allowing your child to soothe themselves completely on their own, or finding something that they can utilize without your assistance. Again, if your child relies on you or your presence to fall asleep at bedtime or naptime, they will rely on your when they wake at night. They need to learn to fall asleep on their own.

Environment:

We want to create the ideal sleep environment so that there is no question as to why they are waking up. Basically, we want to take the “what ifs” away. Is my child awake because he is cold? Because it is too loud? Too bright? He lost his blanket? To alleviate any of those questions – let’s just make sure the set up is right from the beginning! Your child’s room should be as dark as possible for all sleep – yes for naps too. Only use a night-light if it is truly necessary (please note, your child isn’t capable of being afraid of the dark until he reaches age two) and tuck it behind a piece of furniture so that it emits a glow and is not in direct view. His crib should be clear of any mobiles, toys, stuffed animals and distractions. For a baby older than one, a blanket is ok if he can replace it on his own or will not be cold if it is kicked off – otherwise use a wearable blanket to ensure his comfort. The ideal temperature for sleep is 65-70 degrees depending on how your child is dressed. Music is ok during the pre-sleep routine, but should be turned off before your child falls asleep, as music during sleep doesn’t allow the brain to enter deep sleep given that it is actively trying to listen. Instead, use white noise to block out ambient household and street noises. White noise should only be as loud as a running shower and should be at least 4 feet from your child’s head.

Consistency:

Consistency is key when it comes to teaching a child your expectations. If one day you expect them to fall asleep on their own and the next day you rock them to sleep – they will be very confused as to their sleep routine. Or if at bedtime your child has to sleep in their crib, but in the middle of the night it is ok to sleep in your bed – they will expect that they can always sleep in your bed (because babies and young children can’t tell time!). So you must come up with a consistent plan for your child’s sleep, which includes a consistent pre-sleep routine, a consistent sleeping location, and a consistent set of expectations for how they will fall asleep and stay asleep. Having this in place and sticking with your expectations will make it easiest for your child to understand that they have the skills to sleep on their own and that they should do so.

The Take away:

Sleep is a work in progress, as a child’s sleep overall needs will require alterations as they grow. If the five components above are in check, you will always have healthy sleep regimen is in place that will only require minor adjustments or small tweaks to insure that your child is always getting their best sleep and no major issues will ensue. As my husband likes to say – sleep is a marathon and not a sprint, there will be ups and downs but if healthy framework is in place, your child will always make it to finish line.

Early to Bed, Early to Rise?

April 7, 2015 by Well Rested Baby

Do you have an early bird? Our tips to teach your child it’s better to wait until later to catch the worm!

I receive at least one email a week from a flustered parent whose child is waking every day at 5a.m. Their child is otherwise a great sleeper – going to sleep easily at night and sleeping straight through, but waking in the wee hours of the morning. By mid morning they are exhausted and cranky. So what does one do? Are these kids just early birds? A later bedtime may seem like the right fix: If they fall asleep later, they will wake up later, right? Actually, the opposite is true! The fix for an early-riser is an earlier bedtime!

Early to Bed, Later to Rise?

For a child this is in fact true no matter how counter intuitive it may seem. A consistent early bedtime does solve most early wake up issues. Consistent being the key to that statement. A few nights of an earlier bedtime is a good start, but a schedule that includes a bedtime that is early enough for your child’s age is an important part of a healthy sleep regimen.

It’s Not Logical, It’s Biological

First, let’s discuss the science behind why I suggest the early bedtime. The primary goal of an early bedtime is to get your child to sleep before they reach an overtired state. Once overtiredness is reached, the body fights to keep us awake by releasing the stimulating hormones cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline. This is a primitive biological response related to fight or flight. Most of us think of it as a “second wind,” but at bedtime that is the last thing our kids need! The immediate result is that the child has a very difficult time falling asleep. Sometimes parents mistake this difficulty to mean that their child is not yet tired and they push bedtime even later into the night, which only compounds the problem. But there is more! Not only does the release of these hormones cause your child to struggle to get to sleep, it also makes it harder for them to stay that way. The buildup of these chemicals in their bodies is the primary cause of night wakings and early morning risings.

Debt Isn’t Just an Economic Worry, It’s Impacting Your Child’s Sleep, Too!

As your child misses out on sleep, it actually has a cumulative effect on his body. If these hormones are released over and over on a regular basis, they actually build up in your child’s system and we call this “sleep debt.” If he simply has a rough weekend, this sleep debt will be quickly reversed with a few nights of a super early bedtime. However if he has been missing out on this sleep for weeks, or even months, it will take a good deal of time to erase this sleep debt and get his body back into a rested state.

The Fix?

So what should you do? An early bedtime is the correct first step (check out our cheat sheet for your child’s optimal bedtime), but be sure to allot two full weeks for your child to adjust and catch up. Also be sure that his naps are happening at the biologically correct times that correspond with his circadian rhythms (see our sleep guide for optimal timing) as this will allow him to get his best quality, most restorative sleep. Lastly, make sure he is sleeping at home in her crib or bed as much as possible. All of us – including our children, will get our best quality, most restorative sleep in a stationary bed in an environment that is conducive to sleep (dark, cool and quiet). After his sleep debt has been erased and he is back to waking at a better hour, you should continue to keep him on a schedule appropriate for his age – including a bedtime that is early enough for him to get to sleep before that overtiredness sets in. Good luck … hopefully you will be “sleeping in” until around 6-7 a.m. soon!

This article originally appeared on the Boston Parent’s Paper Blog –http://bostonparentspaper.com/blog/early-to-bed-later-to-rise/

Amy Lage is a University of Massachusetts-Amherst graduate and a Family Sleep Institute-certified pediatric sleep consultant. She is the founder of Well Rested Baby (wellrestedbaby.com), which offers sleep-related consultations in person and via phone, email, Skype or FaceTime.

Today Only – Magic Sleep Dust for Sale!

April 1, 2015 by Well Rested Baby

APRIL FOOLS!

If only it were that easy…I would happily be out of a job and we would have a world of well rested children. Here is the thing, changing up your child’s sleep routine and teaching them healthy sleep habits is less complicated than you may think. No – it’s not a simple as dusting them with some glitter, but most of the parents I work with are shocked by how easily and quickly their children take to a new schedule and routine. I often hear – “if I knew it would be that painless, I would have done it a long time ago!” Just as with many things to do with parenting, the fear we face about making changes in to children’s lives is usually much worse than the reality of making them. So why not give it a shot and start to implement my 5 musts for healthy sleep – https://zipadeezip.com/5-simple-rules-to-get-your-babys-sleep-on-track/. Start with the easy ones like creating a consistent sleep routine, and moving naps and bedtime to the correct times and then take it from there. All children can be great sleepers – with no magic sleep dust required. It just takes patience and consistency. We are here for you if you need some guidance along the way!

The Transition from 3-2 Naps

March 30, 2015 by Well Rested Baby

The Third Nap – a “bonus” nap which is simply used to keep your baby rested until bedtime. It is the only nap that doesn’t serve an actual biological purpose or occur during a circadian rhythm. Naps one and two occur during one of your baby’s biological sleep waves and actually serve two different biological purposes: nap one is mentally restorative for your baby and nap two is physically restorative. We know this fun fact from studying what the brain is doing during these naps. According my favorite pediatrician Dr. Marc Weissbluth, this occurrence is evidenced by the fact that “there is more REM sleep in the morning nap compared to the afternoon nap.” And we know from research that REM sleep is directly related to brain maturation and restoration and that non-REM sleep is replenishing for the body. So while these two naps are hard at work on developmental growth – the third nap is simply a crutch to get us to bedtime without becoming woefully overtired.

When Does the 3-2 Transition Occur?

Just like any change to your baby’s schedule, nap transitions can be tricky. The key to easing through them unscathed is knowing when to expect them to occur and having a plan in place for when it happens. Most babies drop their third nap sometime between 6-9 months of age. Babies that take great naps will make the transition on the earlier side as their first two lengthy naps will push nap three too late in the day. Also with lengthy naps, they can make it bedtime easier without that third bonus nap. Conversely cat nappers will require the third nap longer to keep them in a rested state all the way till bedtime.

The Grand Plan

How you will you know it’s time to say adios to nap three? 1. Your baby will start to boycott this nap. Some choose to play and babble in their cribs rather than sleep. Some fuss and carry on. In short, it will become a hassle and more trouble than it’s worth. Or 2. nap three will start too late (I advise not starting it any later than 3:30/4pm) and will make bedtime a challenge. What should you do when you see that it’s time to let this nap go? The key to nailing this transition is too moving up bedtime. If your child was taking a third cat nap from 3-3:30 and going to bed at 7pm, when they drop that third nap 7pm will no longer work as by that time they will be overtired (and recall that over tiredness is the leading cause of night wakings and early morning wakings). If that bedtime is not moved up, your child may seem ok for a few days or even a week, but you will eventually start to see night time or early morning issues. So when that nap is dropped, make sure that you move up your child’s bedtime to the appropriate time for their age (check out our handy chart) and they will shift to the two nap track seamlessly.

Amy Lage is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Family Sleep Institute certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant. She is founder of Well Rested Baby (www.wellrestedbaby.com). She offers a host of services including in person, phone, email and Skype/FaceTime consultations that can be tailored to meet any family’s needs and schedule. Amy, her husband Jeff, their 4 year old Stella, their 22 month old Harley, and their two dogs Jackson and Cody live in Beverly Farms, Massachusetts. Please email her at amy@wellrestedbaby.com with any questions. Be sure to follow WRB on Facebook too more great sleep tips!