Frustrated when your baby doesn't fall asleep on his own? Learn how to teach self soothing techniques for babies to sleep with these effective tips. I was running out of ideas. My six-month-old son was fast outgrowing many of the sleep gear my husband and I had been relying on to help him sleep. The swaddle—even in extra-large—wouldn’t stay on all night. He looked squished in the swing and was getting way too heavy for me to rock in my arms, even while bouncing him on a yoga ball. This didn’t even include the exhaustion of nursing him throughout the night—the one surefire way he’d … [Read more...]
10 Things You Should Do when You Transition from Crib to Toddler Bed
Most parents start the transition from crib to toddler bed when they see their toddlers climbing out of their cribs. I know that's true for me. My eldest climbed out of the crib and fell smack on the floor. One of the twins somehow landed on his feet. As for his twin brother, we found him straddling the crib, hooting, "Horse-y!" (Get more tips about helping your child stay in bed.) For other kids, the transition happened because they liked the idea of a big bed. They associate cribs with babies and want their own beds instead. And still others are 'forced out' of their cribs when a … [Read more...]
What to Do when Your Toddler Doesn’t Want to Sleep
Finding bedtime difficult with your toddler not sleeping? Discover effective tips to get your child to finally go to sleep (without the power struggles!). My son knew it was time for bed. We went through our bedtime routine of taking a bath, changing into pajamas and reading four books. Except once he was tucked in bed, he wouldn't sleep. He wasn't crying—in fact, he was playing, talking, and even getting out of bed. I'd already reminded him a few times that it was time to sleep, but he wouldn't listen. Each time I walked in, I'd find him playing instead of tucked in bed. And so I'd … [Read more...]
How to Get Your Child to Stay in Bed All Night
Struggling when your toddler won't stay in bed? Learn 7 effective tips for when your toddler keeps getting out of bed (and how to help her stay there the whole night). Getting your child to stay in bed all night has been a challenge. You've tried positive reinforcement. You've crafted a rewards chart with stickers. You've even threatened her with punishment. But you still wonder how to stop your toddler from sleeping in your bed. Sure, you run through the bedtime routine. And she'll even fall asleep after you've turned off the lights. But at least once a night for the past several … [Read more...]
6 Tips to Help Your Kids Sleep in Their Own Beds
Need tips on getting toddler to sleep in own bed? Check out these 6 tips to get your child to sleep—and stay—in his own bed the whole night. After months of sleep deprivation, Nick's daughter proved she could sleep a solid 11 to 12 hours straight. But just when he thought she'd sleep through the night from now until forever, he faced a new problem: His daughter began to refuse sleeping in her room. Right on cue, she'd creep into their bed, too afraid to sleep in her own. Other times, she refused to sleep in her room to begin with. And he wondered whether he'd ever get a solid night of … [Read more...]
How to End Bedtime Battles and Get Your Child to Finally Sleep
Bedtimes for children can be a challenge for many parents. Here's how to end toddler bedtime tantrums, from resisting sleep to not staying in their room. On most nights, bath time starts at 6:30, followed by pajamas and reading. By 7pm, our three-year-old is tucked into his twin bed and dozing the night away. But bedtime wasn't always like that. From screaming fits to not staying in his bed, my husband and I have had our share of bedtime tantrums. Common toddler bedtime tantrums and battles Look at a few we've gone through and the tips we used to end bedtime battles. Bedtime battle 1: … [Read more...]
How to Get Your Baby to Sleep Through the Night
Are you still rocking your child to asleep? Does he wake up in the middle of the night? Here's how to get your baby to sleep through the night. Exhausted doesn't even fully describe those nights. With the baby waking up throughout the night, I'd fumble through the nights delirious, looking forward to the day the sleep deprivation would finally end. My baby needed to nurse to fall asleep and didn't know how to self soothe just yet. I had heard that, past the newborn stage, babies can start to sleep through the night—a solid 10-12 hours of sleep, straight. They'd be able to take in their … [Read more...]
Why I Regret Rocking My Baby To Sleep
When I was pregnant, a co-worker advised, "Don't get in the habit of rocking baby to sleep — he'll get used to it." As I nodded my head and smiled, all I could think was, "Cruel woman! How could she suggest such an idea?!" Well... six months, two broken knees, and many sleep deprived nights later, I knew why. (I'll get to the broken knees later.) After bringing my baby home, I realized he'd dozed off after a few bouncing and rocking in my arms. Somehow he only fell asleep in mine—a fact I took great pride in: "Only mama has the special touch!" I used all sorts of crazy rocking, … [Read more...]