February 1, 2016
Bedtime Battles

Toddler trouble? Preschooler problems? Maybe bedtimes mean full blown tantrums at your house? Or perhaps bedtimes are just a little more stressful than you’d like them to be?

Bedtimes can be better. With a few simple changes, you can make bedtime a more positive experience for your family.

Make Bedtime Battles a thing of the past

Take the battle out of bedtime

  1. Fill that attention basket – Every child has their own “attention basket” which needs to be filled at the conclusion of the day. If positive attention isn’t available or if the basket is not full, attention seeking will continue, even if it means filling their basket with negative attention.  The solution? Fill those baskets: approximately 15 minutes of dedicated parent and child time per day will do the trick. Find something special you and your child like to do together. It can be reading, playing a game, crafting, puzzling, colouring, etc…
  2. Routine Chart – Take the power out of bedtime routines. You’re not the boss dictating the flow of a routine. The child is not the boss either. Allow a chart to be a boss. This is not a reward based chart.  Check out a sample for you to download here (colourable! or make your own with your child!). Your child can follow the chart and tell you what comes next, allowing them to feel in control.Routine Chart Download
  3. Cut the tech – Turn off the television, tablets, computers and smartphones, at least 2 hours before bedtime. We know screens limit melatonin production. That means it’s harder to fall asleep if you’ve been using technology before bed. Quite simply, screens limit sleep from a behavioural and biological perspective¹,². Make a media plan with your family. Use a tool like OurPact to manage devices.  Make bedrooms a no tech zone.
  4. Consistency – If bedtime is 7:30PM Sunday, 8PM on Tuesday and 9PM on Saturday; that’s a loose definition of bedtime. Add in a child who is aware of the clock, and you’ll be in negotiations around bed timing because, well, bedtime seems negotiable. Select an age appropriate bedtime, based on sleep needs. Children need a regular amount of sleep on weekdays and weekends, therefore, a regular bedtime. Respect your child’s need for sleep.
  5. Choices, choices, choices – Offer choices to give a sense of power, all day long, but especially at bedtime. Ensure options are age appropriate; instead of “What would you like to wear to bed?” use “Would you like your car pyjamas or your baseball pyjamas?” Not “What would you like for a bedtime snack?” but “Would you like blueberry or strawberry yogurt?” Handing over power in situations that matter less means compliance in situations that matter more.
  6. Mind the message – Is “go to bed” or “go to your room” a punishment? If sleep has a bad rap in your home, consider yourself sleep’s newest marketing manager. Make bedtime a positive time of day, with routines your family looks forward to. Talk about the benefits of sleep for mind and body (“Sleep helps us grow strong and be smart”, “We can do so many fun things when we’ve had a good sleep”, “When we’re tired, we all feel yucky”).  Keep bedrooms a positive space.

xxoo

Krista

About the author:

KristaGuenther Krista is a mother of 3 (+1 dog who believes she’s people), a wife to a wonderful husband, and the owner and founder of Sleeperific.  Even though she’s been in the sleep consulting biz for 4 years, she still gets excited when she’s hired by a sleepy family.

References

[1] Thompson, D. A., & Christakis, D. (2005). The association between television viewing and irregular sleep schedules among children less than 3 years of age. Pediatrics, 116(10), 851-856.

[2] Barlett, N.D., Gentile, D.A., Barlett, C.P., Eisenmann, J.C., et al. (2012). Sleep as a mediator of screen time effects on children’s health outcomes. Journal of Children and Media, 6(1), 37-50.

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December 11, 2015
sleep coach

Teething Necklace & Bracelet Set from Bambino Land

I wasn’t aware of these fabulous necklaces and bracelets, until I was gifted one from a client.  What a genius product!  These are great bracelets and necklaces for Mama to wear, but teething-baby friendly.  These products are an entirely safe way to soothe and entertain that child who wants to put everything in their mouth.

We also love Teething Bling, because it was started by a Mum, just like us. They support organizations like Dress for Success and is environmentally and responsibly made without PVCs or phthalates.

Enter below from now until December 12.

Winners will be announced here on December 14th, 2015.

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December 10, 2015

12 Days of Christmas by Sleeperific - Day 10Organic Crib Sheet from Bambino Land

Love these sweet, colourful sheets from Bambino Land.  Manufactured with organic cotton, and responsibly made in Asia, these sheets are a perfect addition to your nursery. Check out the Bambino Land product line for more great options for your bambino!

Enter below from now until December 12.

Winners will be announced here on December 14th, 2015.

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December 9, 2015

sleep coachLearning Pants from AppleCheeks

So excited about this new product from AppleCheeks!  Famous for their high quality cloth diapers, AppleCheeks has recently added Learning Pants to their product line.  These brand new Learning Pants come in 3 sizes (small, medium and large, which should cover your potty learner from a size 2 to a size 6).  They’re ADORABLE, not to mention a environmental and economically responsible way to potty train.  Bonus that they feel and look like real underwear – so if your child is truly ready for potty learning, these are going to get them to independent pottying faster!  Responsibly made in Canada, AppleCheeks also supports the David Suzuki Foundation with a portion of their profits!

Enter below from now until December 12.

Winners will be announced here on December 14th, 2015.

Contest available only to residents of Canada.

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December 7, 2015
sleep consultant

On the seventh day of Christmas, my sleep coach gave to me:

A nursing tank from Bravado Designs

One of my favourite pieces of postpartum clothing!!  These nursing tanks were practical and comfortable. With nursing babies in the winter, these tanks kept me from getting chilly when adjusting my clothing to feed.  As an added bonus, my postpartum belly was kept under wraps.

Pick your colour and size and we’ll ship directly to the winner!

Enter below from now until December 12.

Winners will be announced here on December 14th, 2015.

Contest available only to residents of Canada.

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Missed our previous Days of Christmas Giveaway?

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December 5, 2015
12 Days of Christmas from Sleeperific - Day 5

Printed Poster from better letters Art

We have this wonderful print in our family room!  Made right here in Canada by a lovely family.  Sweet and sentimental, but still fits with the aesthetic of our home.  We’ve received MANY compliments over the years.  We want you to have one too.  You can customize your family name and the colours to fit with your decor!

Check out better letters Art on Etsy for more fabulous products and designs.

Winners will be announced here on December 14th, 2015.

Contest available only to residents of Canada.

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December 3, 2015

12 Days of Christmas from Sleeperific - Day 3 On the third day of Christmas, my sleep coach gave to me:

Sleep Bag from Wee Urban

Made with organic bamboo and cotton, right here in Canada, Wee Dreams™ Sleep Bags feel like a very cozy sweatshirt. We love sleep sacks because they’re a safe way to keep babe covered, especially in winter months.  We’ve also found them to be breathable enough to wear in warmer seasons.  Super cute prints, beautiful colours and generous sizing options make these sleep sacks a must have for every nursery!

Enter below from now until December 12.

Winners will be announced here on December 14th, 2015.

Contest available only to residents of Canada.

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December 2, 2015
12 Days of Christmas from Sleeperific - Day 2

On the second day of Christmas, my sleep coach gave to me:

25 Mini Cookies from The Teeny Tiny Bakery

Each of these cookies is beautifully handmade and iced in The Teeny Tiny Bakery kitchen in Toronto, Ontario.  25 means you have enough for an advent calendar, if you can stop yourself from eating them all in one sitting.

Jackie and her crew create beautiful custom cookies for every occasion.  We’ve been lucky to enjoy many of Jackie’s creations over the years, and they’re always impeccable and always delicious.

Enter below from now until December 12.

Winners will be announced here on December 14th, 2015.

Contest available only to residents of Canada.

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Missed our previous Days of Christmas Giveaway?

Visit Day 1 to enter while you can!

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October 21, 2015

Night Feedings, Part 3 Why night weaning isn't working

Why night weaning isn’t working

Food and particularly night feedings, can be a really emotional topic for parents.  I get it.  Food is love. Feeding is nurturing. I feel it when I open the refrigerator when I’m stressed (I’m working on it!), but I especially felt it that time when I had a little, sick baby.  The daily weigh-ins were emotionally charged, like I was getting a numerical grade that assessed my parenting.  Eventually, everyone was pretty healthy and growing but no one was sleeping well.  Night feedings can (and did, in our case) hold us back from having healthy sleep habits.

Remember it becomes biologically appropriate to begin to prioritize sleep at night and feedings during the day. Generally, I see this point between 6-9 months of age.  There’s always outliers… the munchkins who are ready to wean earlier, or happily keeping a night feeding later.  But that’s my completely unscientific, anecdotal observations: 6-9 months of age is when night feedings can become problematic.  Persisting with keeping night feedings beyond 6 months, is unsuccessful more often than it’s successful.

So you’ve done all the right things up to this point, determining if dropping a night feeding is right for you family and reducing quantity.  But your child keeps on waking at night and you’re not sure you’re doing wrong or why this isn’t working yet?  Consider these:

  1. Baby isn’t awake at the beginning of the night  This is the most common and one of the most important considerations.  You can’t expect your baby to fall asleep on their own in the middle of the night if they’re nursing, pacifying, rocking, bouncing, etc… to sleep.  Falling asleep is a skill which needs to be practiced.  If you’re doing it for them, they’re not learning to do it independently.  Give your kid a chance to practice and hone their sleep skills.  Putting your child to bed too sleepy or drowsy, but anticipating they’ll stay asleep all night without your intervention, is setting up for failure. It’s the equivalent of expecting your child to knock it out of the park when they’ve missed batting practice.
  2. Your baby is just not ready Ideally we would have caught this in Part 1, but yes, it can happen that you’re going to try to pull out night feedings and they’re just not able to do it yet.  Back off, revisit in another month.
  3. Baby is not eating enough in the day  Is something preventing your child from eating well during the day? Sometimes it’s other kids or their environment distracting them, or maybe they’re just in a habit of eating more at night than during the day.  Revisit Part 2.  We have to build hunger in order to encourage better eating during the day.  (This doesn’t count nursing newborns who are eating more during the night to promote milk production).
  4. Baby is eating too much during the day Consider how dense those calories are during the day. Just because baby is filling up on purees doesn’t mean they’re going to be satiated.  I looked at some PC Organics formula and PC Organics Butternut Squash puree.  The prepared formula was 68 calories/100 mL while the puree was 33 calories/100 mL. Baby food is high fibre (leaves you feeling full), but calorie light (makes you hungry later).  Solids are fun and it’s great to encourage them. But don’t let them limit your reliance on the other calorie rich sources of nutrition you had been offering. Parents are often very concerned about starting solids before night weaning.  But the math tells us displacing formula or breastmilk for purees isn’t going to give them more.  And if someone is telling you to add a bit of cereal to their diet at 4 months of age, please check the calories and do the math yourself.  If the breastmilk or formula you are displacing is being replaced with something less calorie rich, that math doesn’t work for me and likely won’t work for your child.
  5. You’re preserving 1 or 2 feedings  Sometimes baby wakes and you feed.  Sometimes baby wakes and is obligated to go back to sleep.  That my friends, is an inconsistent response.  That is a reason for babe to keep waking. If I hit the lottery every 3rd time, I’d keep playing the lottery. If you’re trying to preserve only one or two feedings, but are having multiple wakings, revisit Part 1, and carefully consider responding in a consistent manner.
  6. Parent (mostly Mama) guilt Many of my families are professionals who are back to work quickly after having their child.  With this situation, parents can unwittingly sabotage their own progress because they’re hanging out for extra snuggles, addressing each sound/movement and generally feeling conflicted about responding at night because it’s the only time they spend with babe.  It’s ok to feel conflicted with this aspect of your parenting. In fact, I’d call it pretty normal.  Let go of plans to night wean until you feel like you’re completely ready.  Consistency matters.
  7. Wrong person is soothing Hey nursing Mamas, this one is for you. Are you sure you (and your milk-filled bosoms) should be attending to night wakings if you ultimately don’t want to feed?  Is that fair to go in their room? Even newborns know how to root for a breast… your older baby definitely knows what’s under your shirt.  Is that a tease?  Is this a job better suited for your non-nursing partner?  Send ’em in, tell ’em I said so and try not to look too smug when you do it.

That concludes my series on night feeding.  Unless you can think of other aspects of night feeding you’d like me to blog about!  Comment below with any of your experiences with night weaning or other ideas for blog posts you’d like to see.

xxoo

Krista

About the author:

KristaGuenther Krista is a mother of 3 (+1 dog who believes she’s people), a wife to a wonderful husband, and the owner and founder of Sleeperific.  Even though she’s been in the sleep consulting biz for 4 years, she still feels excited and honoured when she’s hired by a sleepy family.
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October 14, 2015
Night Feedings - Part 2, How to stop feeding through the night

You’re reading this because you feel confident it’s time to eliminate night feedings?  You must have been reading up on this and have already spoken to your doctor!  Don’t try this at home without evaluating thoroughly with your medical professional.

In the case of multiple night feedings, choose the one where your child eats the least or the one that you find the most difficult.  I would also recommend avoiding feeding the the “forbidden zone,” between 4AM and 5:30AM, unless that’s your child’s morning waking (and if it is your child’s morning waking, you need to call me).  Those are the feedings to wean first.

Option 1: Gradual Approach

This is exactly how it sounds.  For bottle fed babies, gradually reduce the volume in each feeding.  I suggest 1-2 ounces every day or every couple days.  Repeat as necessary for each night feeding.

*I don’t advise diluting the formula – most parents don’t approach this properly.  We don’t need to create an electrolyte imbalance.

For breastfed babies, follow as above.  But this time, reduce the number of minutes in each feeding.  Repeat as necessary for each night feeding.

The goal is to get the feeding down to nothing or a minimal amount.  From there, your baby may voluntarily stop waking and just sleep through. Which would be great!  If you child is still waking, and you’d like to offer reassurance or soothing to settle your child, send in the non-nursing parent or the parent who was less involved with night feedings.  The nursing parent could be a tease and may ultimately make settling more difficult.

I like this approach if we have lots of time, or find feedings are fairly organized. However, I find this can be difficult strategy for feedings that are more “snacks” or for a child who is waking very frequently through the night.

Option 2: Direct Approach

Exactly how it sounds.  Cold turkey.  I don’t always like this approach for children who are eating a lot at night, but for older children who are waking frequently, and just snacking, it’s our only way to be consistent.  You can always offer soothing, reassurance and support, but if you are trying to completely cut out night feedings, make sure you’re going to be consistent with that.

Above all, neither of these strategies will be successful if we aren’t working on all aspects of sleep training.  Pulling out night feedings without teaching your child to self settle is a lost cause.

Done all this?  Still not working?  Stay tuned for next week when we talk about why night weaning isn’t working at your house.

xxoo

Krista

About the author:

KristaGuenther Krista is a mother of 3 (+1 dog who believes she’s people), a wife to a wonderful husband, and the owner and founder of Sleeperific.  Even though she’s been in the sleep consulting biz for 4 years, she still feels excited and honoured when she’s hired by a sleepy family.
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