Tis’ the season of family gatherings, parties, fun traditions, and more. It really is my favorite time of year. For some parents, it’s an extremely stressful time especially if you’re balancing all of the holiday fun while running on empty. Let’s talk about the holidays and your child’s sleep. If your kiddo is not a great sleeper, I can help. If you’ve got the sleep thing down, I’ll share tips on keeping it intact while during this season of joy.
When most people think of sleep training, they imagine letting their baby cry unattended until they finally fall asleep. That’s a pretty gut-wrenching approach for most. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. There are several ways to teach your baby to be a great sleeper. It’s all about finding an approach that works for you and your family and then coming up with a plan and being consistent.
I became a mom 11 years ago and didn’t even know sleep consultants were a thing. I also knew very little about sleep in general. When I was pregnant, I spent lots of time learning about the development of the little human growing inside me, took breastfeeding classes, watched videos on swaddling, attended infant CPR and read books about infant development. But where was the information about sleep?
So, I did what most new moms do. I Googled ‘how to get your baby to sleep more’ in the wee hours of the night. I also asked my friends and family for advice and eventually read several books about infant sleep.
If you have more than one kiddo, you’ve probably considered having them share a room. There are pros and cons to room sharing. If you decide to make the plunge, there are several things you can do in preparation for transitioning your kids into the same room that will make the change so much easier and more successful.
Taking the time to create a bedtime routine can feel monotonous or like a chore for some parents. A bedtime routine is something both children and adults benefit from when considering the best way to get a healthy night of sleep. Do bedtime routines matter? Is it worth the effort and time to implement?
Here is a situation that most parents call relate to - your little one (especially a toddler) is full of energy and even entertaining the room with their charm. You are enjoying the spectacle and thinking that he is clearly not tired, even though it’s 8 pm. So you let him stay up a little longer.
That’s when the trouble begins and bedtime becomes a battle. The meltdowns start and getting him to sleep is a hot mess. Your baby is now overtired.
