 By: Rebekah Thomson, Pediatric Sleep Coach
Today’s post will come as good news to many of us who are ready for spring and/or fed up with our children’s early rising. Daylight saving time starts next weekend. At 2:00am on Sunday, March 13th, we will turn our clocks ahead one hour. The start of daylight saving time assures us that spring is indeed on the way, even if it is still 28 degrees outside. What does this mean for our children’s sleep? Generally speaking, it’s a good thing. Children who were waking up at 5:30am will now be waking at 6:30am, a far more civilized hour. However, those with late sleepers, will need to rouse their child so they don’t sleep the morning away. What should we do in anticipation of the time changes? We’ve got two options. One is to do absolutely nothing. Just go with it. On Saturday night, put your child to bed at the usual time and allow her to wake at her usual time (though of course, the clock will read an hour later – i.e. 7am instead of the usual 6am). For the next few days, naps and bedtime may all feel a bit too early. For example, if your child’s bedtime is 7pm, you will be putting her to bed at the “new” 7pm (which will feel like 6pm). However, with a consistent bedtime routine and other good sleep habits, she will adjust within the week. This is a great option for families with early risers. Alternatively, you can transition your child more gradually to her new (earlier) bedtime. For the few nights following the time change, rather than putting her to bed at 7pm (which will feel like 6pm), split the difference and make her bedtime 7:30pm. Then shift bedtime back to 7pm. Naps and meal times will need to be adjusted as well. This method is usually recommended for young babies and children with already early bedtimes and/or struggling with naps. Regardless of what approach you opt for, exposing your child to morning sunlight (if you can find some!), focusing on good naps, a predictable and calming bedtime routine (without screen time), room darkening shades if needed, and following your child’s sleepy cues will make the transition smoother all around. Also remember that if your child was waking early due to another reason (nap deprivation, too long of a wakeful window between nap and bedtime, etc.), it’s likely that the early rising will return in a few weeks. If so, take a look at this piece I wrote for Cape Cod Mommies a while back. Hopefully it will help you identify and tackle the root cause. Sweet dreams and happy (almost) spring, Rebekah www.countingsheepmv.com
0 Comments
By: Rebekah Thomson, Pediatric Sleep Coach
Planning a family trip over the holidays or for the upcoming school vacations? Wondering how to prepare for airplane travel? Not sure what to pack? Hopefully these suggestions will alleviate some of your pre-travel stress. Carry-On Packing List
Checked Luggage Packing List
Products I Like
On-Flight Tips
Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season! Rebekah www.countingsheepmv.com By: Rebekah Thomson, Pediatric Sleep Coach
For those of you who are planning to travel over the holidays, here are suggestions to make your family adventure as smooth as possible, sleep-wise. Prepare a sleep-friendly environment. Whether you’re staying in a hotel, rental house, or with family, try to create a sleep-friendly environment for your little ones. Bring along unwashed crib sheets (the familiar scent will be soothing), favorite loveys and blankets, white noise machine, and night light. If you’re not sure the window shades will be dark enough, pack black trash bags and masking tape or thumbtacks for makeshift blackout shades. The Phil & Teds “Traveller” cot is a great alternative to traditional pack n plays; it is small and light enough to fit inside your suitcase, has no uncomfortable crossbars, and has the added advantage of an optional top in case you’ve got a climber on your hands. Respect your child’s need to sleep – even on vacation. Yes, your child may miss a few naps due to travel and bedtime may be a little later due to older cousins. But try to not abandon your child’s schedule altogether, particularly if you are away for more than a few days. If normal crib naps are not possible, plan to drive during nap times, squeeze in catnaps to take the edge off, and opt out of a late dinner if your little one is showing signs of fatigue. You’ll be glad you made the sacrifice – over-tired children usually don’t make the best travel companions anyhow. Maintain the rituals. Try to maintain your family’s pre-sleep routine, or at least an abridged version of it. The familiar books, songs, and other positive sleep associations will be especially comforting to them as they adjust to their new environment. Talk to your children. Even one year olds often understand a lot more than we think. Let your little ones know that you are doing things differently than usual because you are traveling. “Today we are going to take our naps in the car because we have a long drive to grandma’s house. You can rest in your car seat, and we will wake you up as soon as we get there!” Avoid using the same crutch you just broke. Sure, some sleep regressions may happen during travel. However, if you have recently worked hard to stop nursing your baby to sleep, try rocking her or patting her down instead. It’s less confusing and less intermittent reinforcement, which means ultimately it will be easier to undo. Nip bad habits in the bud. Let your little ones know that once you are back home, it’s back to business as usual. So if you had a co-sleeping nurse-athon in order to keep her quiet at your in-law’s house, the “open bar” officially closes when she kisses grandma goodbye. It’s much easier (i.e. less crying) to tackle new sleep issues before they are fully engrained. Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season! Rebekah www.countingsheepmv.com By: Rebekah Thomson, Pediatric Sleep Coach
I know I’m not the only one noticing how much shorter our days are getting already. Daylight savings 2015 will end on November 1st. Clocks are moved back one hour from 2 a.m. DST to 1 a.m. For parents of early risers, the upcoming change can be nerve-racking. “He’s already waking up at 5:30 a.m. Does this mean he’s going to start waking up at 4:30 a.m. now?!” Thankfully the answer is no. You are going to gradually shift his schedule to the new time, just like when you are traveling. So what will it look like? You have a few options. One is to allow your child to wake up at his natural time on the morning of the 2nd. According to the clock, it will be an hour earlier than usual. If he usually wakes up at 6:30 a.m., he will likely awaken at 5:30 a.m. That’s fine. It will be short-lived! Try to keep things low key for 30 minutes until you are ready to start the day. Base the day’s routines (meals, naps, etc.) around the new clock time. If your son’s bedtime was 7:30 p.m., the clock will now read 6:30 p.m. Aim for good naps that day so he can make it to at least 7 p.m. (new time). You can gently push his bedtime back to 7:30 p.m. over the next few nights. Alternatively, if going “cold turkey” doesn’t appeal, you can also approach the time change incrementally, starting the week before. Push naps, meals and bedtime back 15 minutes later each of the days leading up to the end of daylight savings. For example, if his usual bedtime is 7:30 p.m., he can go to bed at 7:45 p.m. on October 29th, 8 p.m. on the 29th, 8:15 p.m. on the 30th, and 8:30 p.m., on the 31st. By the time daylight savings ends, he will already be adjusted – or at least well on his way. Regardless of which approach you choose, stay consistent and try not to let him eat or really start his day before 6 a.m. (new time). He’ll be adjusted within a week. If your child had too late of a bedtime before the time change, this is your chance to move it earlier without too much fuss. The ideal bedtime for most children is between 7-8 p.m. So if your son’s bedtime was too late, don’t move it later; just put him to bed at the new time of 7 or 8 p.m. Note: If your little guy seems plagued by early rising, it’s time to get to the bottom of it. Follow this link to read my earlier post about the common causes of early rising and how to address them. *Includes information from Kim West’s Good Night Sleep Tight. Rebekah Thomson (917) 455-3054 rebekahjthomson@gmail.com  By: Rebekah Thomson, Pediatric Sleep Coach
Happy August to all, Hope your families have been able to enjoy the abundant sunshine and summer action. Life with 3 young ones has proven to be as fabulous – and as full on – as friends had promised. So I apologize for writing so little recently. Here are a few more tips for your infant’s sleep. If you missed the first five, please click here Infant Sleep Tip #6: Encourage soothing techniques other than feeding. When we hear our babies crying, many parents and caregivers instinctively reach for a bottle or the breast. While comfort feedings can be a wonderful bonding time for you and your little one, it’s important to remember that we have lots of options in our soothing toolbox. This can be a game changer for nursing moms, who were feeling like they were walking pacifiers, partners of nursing moms who were feeling inadequate because they didn’t have the “secret weapon,” and all caregivers who were feeling like they were perpetually overfeeding their baby just to keep them from crying. So what are our options? Wear your baby, swing, rock, swaddle, sing, shush, offer a pacifier, massage, take a walk outside, repetitive soothing sounds or music, bounce, or let a partner, friend, or grandparent try their luck. Sometimes a change of chemistry or scenery is all it takes. If you haven’t found a carrier that is comfortable for you yet, make that one of your first goals. Many swear by the k’tan wrap, Ergo (the new Ergo 360 allows for a forward facing hold as well as all the other positions, which is great when your baby is eager to check out the world), the Beko Gemini, or Moby wrap. As some carriers are expensive, try out friends’, buy a slightly used one, or go to a local store where the salespeople have real know-how. If all the options are overwhelming, I strongly recommend www.carrymeaway.com. The website offers excellent explanations as well as an online form you can fill out for a personalized recommendation from the Sling Lady. They also offer email and phone support and free returns, making it super parent friendly. Laurel was a great support to my family in helping us find carriers that would be comfortable for both my husband (who is 6’2”) and me. Dr. Harvey Karp in Happiest Baby on the Block offers detailed explanations for the benefits of the 5 S’s – swaddling, side or stomach, shushing, swing, and sucking. Some babies may benefit from all of them done simultaneously, while many babies are comforted by one or two of these techniques. There is no one size fits all here. Each baby has preferences and naturally those preferences will change over the course of the day, weeks, and months. But mixing it up and trying new techniques can be hugely liberating. Contact Rebekah Thomson for your Sleep Needs! Rebekah Thomson Counting Sheep Pediatric Sleep Coaching rebekahjthomson@gmail.com (917) 455-3054 By: Rebekah Thomson, Pediatric Sleep Coach
Happy spring to all! My apologies for being slow to post more infant sleep tips. My household has been busier than usual this month, partly due to my son’s recent obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) diagnosis and subsequent tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. Much more on that very soon. Suffice it to say, I am now on a crusade to tackle pediatric OSA. But for now, here are another tip for your infant’s sleep. If you missed the first few, please click here. Infant Sleep Tip #5: Create a quiet, sleep-friendly environment. Your baby’s environment strongly affects her sleep. Whether she sleeps in your room or her own, the space should be peaceful, safe and generally free of stimulation. This means room darkening shades and calm soothing colors in the bedroom and on her sheets. In short, the sleep environment should be B-O-R-I-N-G! Comfortable, cozy, but boring! Avoid mobiles, lights, crib toys, and busy patterns. When I walk through the bedding department at stores, the incredible number of boldly patterned crib and bedding accessories always surprises me. At bedtime, we want the message to the brain to be “Slow down,” not “Stay up and focus on the fuchsia colored giraffes lining your crib!” This is particularly true if your child has an alert temperament. We also want the crib to be a place for sleep and maybe a few minutes of quiet play after waking. It’s not a place to park the baby while you wash the dishes or a pen for the baby to play in when she begins to crawl. Those associations make a difference. Again, we want the message to be clear: this is the place where you sleep. As Dr. Harvey Karp recommends in Happiest Baby on the Block, white noise can be very calming, particularly for alert babies because it helps them shut the world out. If you have a busy, noisy household with older children, barking dogs, ringing phones, or street noise, white noise can be a game changer. I recommend white or gray noise because they are constant and buffer noise best. Sounds like crashing waves, chirping birds, etc., which may sound nice to us, do not work well in this regard. Be mindful of the volume – which should be relatively low – the sound is meant to buffer noise, not block it out completely. Motion sleep can trip up parents. Babies are very portable. They can sleep wherever you put them – car seats, strollers, swings, carriers, and noisy cafes. But even though they can do this, it doesn’t mean they should. It’s ok some of the time, especially in the late afternoons when their naps are shorter and less restorative anyhow. But try to have them nap in a quiet crib or bassinet most of the time – especially after the first few months. Motion sleep keeps the brain in a light sleep and as babies mature, they need deeper sleep as well. Think about it, when you doze off in a car, do you feel as refreshed as if you had slept in a bed? Getting her out of the car and into the crib may mean that you will be more housebound, until your baby develops more predictable nap patterns. If you go stir crazy, invite a friend to visit, make a deal with your partner so you can get some time off. You don’t have to be super rigid; an occasional stroller or car nap is fine. But respecting your baby’s need for quality sleep is important and will pay off in spades. Enjoy this time with your little ones. More tips coming soon! Rebekah Contact Rebekah Thomson for your Sleep Needs! Rebekah Thomson Counting Sheep Pediatric Sleep Coaching rebekahjthomson@gmail.com (917) 455-3054 By: Rebekah Thomson, Pediatric Sleep Coach
Today’s post will come as good news to many of us who are sick of being buried in snow and/or coping with our children’s early rising. Daylight saving time starts this weekend. At 2:00am on Sunday, March 8th, 2015, we will turn our clocks ahead one hour. The start of daylight saving time assures us that spring is indeed on the way, even if it is still 17 degrees outside. What does this mean for our children’s sleep? Generally speaking, it’s a good thing. Children who were waking up at 5:30am will now be waking at 6:30am, a far more civilized hour. However, those with late sleepers, may need to rouse their child so they don’t sleep the morning away. What should we do in anticipation of the time changes? We’ve got two options. One is to do absolutely nothing. Just go with it. On Saturday night, put your child to bed at the usual time and allow her to wake at her usual time (though of course, the clock will read an hour later – i.e. 8am instead of the usual 7am). For the next few days, naps and bedtime may all feel a bit too early. For example, if your child’s bedtime is 7pm, you will be putting her to bed at the “new” 7pm, which is really 6pm. However, with a consistent bedtime routine and other good sleep habits, she will adjust within the week. This is a great option for families with early risers. Alternatively, you can gradually adjust your child’s internal clock to the time change. Put her to bed 15-20 minutes earlier each night over the next few nights. For example, if her bedtime is 7pm, put her to bed at 6:45pm Monday and Tuesday nights, 6:30pm Wednesday and Thursday, and 6:15 on Friday and Saturday. Naps and meal times will need to be adjusted in the 15-minute increments as well. This method is usually recommended for young babies and children with already early bedtimes and/or struggling with naps. Regardless of what approach you opt for, exposing your child to morning sunlight (if you can find some!), focusing on good naps, a predictable and calming bedtime routine (without screen time), room darkening shades and/or white noise, and following your child’s sleepy cues will make the transition smoother all around. Also remember that if your child was waking early due to another reason (nap deprivation, too long of a wakeful window between nap and bedtime, etc.), it’s likely that the early rising will return in a few weeks. If so, take a look at this piece I wrote for Cape Cod Mommies a while back. Hopefully it will help you identify and tackle the root cause. http://www.capecodmommies.com/1/post/2012/05/the-early-bird-does-not-catch-the-worm.html More tips for helping your infant’s sleep coming soon! Sweet dreams and happy (almost) spring, Rebekah  By: Rebekah Thomson, Pediatric Sleep Coach
Happy New Year! This is the third part of a series dedicated to laying a good foundation for sleep with babies under six months of age. If you missed the last part, click here. Infant Sleep Tip #3: Look for natural day/night cycle to emerge – usually 6am-6pm or 7am-7pm Most babies fall into a 6am-6pm or 7am-7pm (or thereabouts) schedule. During the day, we want to focus on full feedings every few hours, outside time, floor time to practice new skills, and napping at appropriate intervals. When you notice your little ones starting to fall apart around 6pm or 7pm, she’s probably ready to call it a day. Many parents mistake this fussiness as a need for one more nap. But after a 12-hr day, her central nervous system is taxed, and it is time to get her into a less stimulating, more sleep friendly environment. Bring her to the bedroom, give her one last feeding, change her diaper, dim the lights, turn on some white noise (especially if the rest of the house is still up and at ‘em), sing her a song, swaddle her up (if she’s into that), and put her to bed. Infant Sleep Tip #4: Manage day and night feedings so that caregivers can get some rest too. Even though she’s ready to hit the sack around 6 or 7pm, a later evening feeding works well for babies and parents. Rouse her for full, boring feeding 2-3 hours later (around 9-10pm), then put her straight back to bed. Then YOU go to bed too! Babies can naturally take one long stretch per 24-hour period. At first the long stretch may just be 4 hours, but it will lengthen over the upcoming months to 5, 6, 7 hours and will eventually become her night sleep. We want to encourage the long stretch to be at night after that last 9-10pm-ish feeding. If she takes it during the day in the form of an epic nap, she will legitimately be up all night making up for calories didn’t receive during the day. (Yes, that means wake a sleeping baby from a nap so that she doesn’t sleep through a daytime feeding.) And if she does her long stretch from 6-10pm, then you haven’t benefitted from it. So encourage her little body to take its long stretch after that last evening feed. Note: If mom really needs some more sleep, see if another caregiver can do the next feeding (probably around 1-3am) so that mom can get a solid stretch herself. If breastfeeding, this can be a bottle of expressed breast milk. As the saying goes, “if mama isn’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” Knowing how intense as the first few months can be, we need to do what we can to support ourselves. An uninterrupted 6+ hour stretch of sleep can do wonders for a mom coping with baby blues, postpartum depression, or simply trying to regroup after a challenging postpartum time.Most babies fall into a 6am-6pm or 7am-7pm (or thereabouts) schedule. During the day, we want to focus on full feedings every few hours, outside time, floor time to practice new skills, and napping at appropriate intervals. When you notice your little ones starting to fall apart around 6pm or 7pm, she’s probably ready to call it a day. Contact Rebekah Thomson for your Sleep Needs! Rebekah Thomson Counting Sheep Pediatric Sleep Coaching rebekahjthomson@gmail.com (917) 455-3054  By: Rebekah Thomson, Pediatric Sleep Coach
This is the second part of a series dedicated to laying a good foundation for sleep with babies under six months of age. If you missed the first part, click here. Infant Sleep Tip #2: Create a flexible feeding and sleeping routine A flexible routine does not mean a minute-by-minute schedule, but rather a sensible framework so that full feedings and sleeping are prioritized. Almost every sleep book on the market agrees that in general, an “eat – active time – sleep” cycle (in that order) is beneficial. In other words, feed your baby “up.” When she wakes, give her a full feeding (and burping). Then encourage her to stay awake for a short period. This is the time to engage with your baby, give her some tummy time, take her outside, etc. How long this active time should last is dictated by her age (wakeful windows get increasingly longer) and your baby’s cues. When she starts to show her sleepy cues – yawning, rubbing her eyes, zoning out, mild fussiness, etc. – you’ll know it’s time for her to rest. This cycle can be continued throughout the day, at least until the afternoon when her central nervous system is more taxed. The beauty of this routine is that it makes parenting easier. Infants don’t differentiate their cries right away, so it can be hard figuring out why she’s not happy. However, if you know she has had a full feeding, she’s been appropriately stimulated, and now she’s fussy, she’s probably ready to sleep. On the other hand, if she’s had a partial feeding because she fell asleep during the feeding, it’s hard to read her cues. Is she hungry again? Did she not rest enough? Is something else wrong? The “eat – active time – sleep” cycle brings other advantages too. It helps to disassociate falling asleep and eating (though it’s fine for infants to fall asleep at the breast/bottle sometimes). And for babies dealing with reflux, having upright time after feedings is crucial. Contact Rebekah Thomson for your Sleep Needs! Rebekah Thomson Counting Sheep Pediatric Sleep Coaching rebekahjthomson@gmail.com (917) 455-3054  By: Rebekah Thomson, Pediatric Sleep Coach
I know I’m not the only one noticing how much shorter our days are getting already. Daylight savings 2014 will end on November 2nd. Clocks are moved back one hour from 2 a.m. DST to 1 a.m. For parents of early risers, the upcoming change can be nerve-racking. “He’s already waking up at 5:30 a.m. Does this mean he’s going to start waking up at 4:30 a.m. now?!” Fortunately the answer is no. You are going to gradually shift his schedule to the new time, just like when you are traveling. So what will it look like? You have a few options. One is to allow your child to wake up at his natural time on the morning of the 3rd. According to the clock, it will be an hour earlier than usual. If he usually wakes up at 6:30 a.m., he will likely awaken at 5:30 a.m. That’s fine. It will be short-lived! Try to keep things low key for 30 minutes until you are ready to start the day. Base the day’s routines (meals, naps, etc.) around the new clock time. If your son’s bedtime was 7:30 p.m., the clock will now read 6:30 p.m. Aim for good naps that day so he can make it to at least 7 p.m. (new time). You can gently push his bedtime back to 7:30 p.m. over the next few nights. Alternatively, if going “cold turkey” doesn’t appeal, you can also approach the time change incrementally, starting next week. Push naps, meals and bedtime back 15 minutes later each of the days leading up to the end of daylight savings. If his usual bedtime is 7:30 p.m., he can go to bed at 7:45 p.m. on October 29th, 8 p.m. on the 30th, 8:15 p.m. on the 31st, and 8:30 p.m., on the 1st. By the time daylight savings ends, he will already be adjusted – or at least well on his way. Regardless of which approach you choose, stay consistent and don’t let him really start his day before 6 a.m. (new time). He’ll be adjusted within a week. If your child had too late of a bedtime before the time change, this is your chance to move it earlier without too much fuss. The ideal bedtime for most children is between 7 and 8 pm. So if your son’s bedtime was too late, don’t move it later; just put him to bed at the new time of 7 or 8pm. Note: If your little guy seems plagued by early rising, it’s time to get to the bottom of it. Follow this link to read my earlier post about the common causes of early rising and how to address them: http://www.capecodmommies.com/1/post/2012/05/the-early-bird-does-not-catch-the-worm.html *Includes information from Kim West’s Good Night Sleep Tight. Contact Rebekah Thomson for your Sleep Needs! Rebekah Thomson Counting Sheep Pediatric Sleep Coaching rebekahjthomson@gmail.com (917) 455-3054 |
Parent Resource GuideTravel & VacationsCape Cod BirthdaysCape Cod Family
|
Cape Cod Moms Blog Mommies Mom Blog Parenting Blog Product Reviews, Stories, Resources, Calendar, Local, Support, Events
- Home
-
Mommy Blog
- The Parent Pod
- Cape Kids Cast
- Dads' Den
- Family Climate Series
- Family Dynamics Series
- Navigating Separation & Divorce Series
- Travel & Vacations
- Sex Abuse Series
- Book Reviews
- Interviews With ShopLocal Bussinesses
- Babysitting Safety Series
- Etiquette Series
- Home-School Series
- Love Series
- Infant Sleep Series
- PTSD Series
- About Us
- Calendar
- Parent Resource Fair
- Resources
- Directory
RSS Feed
