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Can All Babies Learn to Self-Soothe? Yes, They Can!
Fact: There are few things better than holding a sleeping baby. There’s just something about that sweet smell, those flushed cheeks, and the warmth of a chubby, snuggly little peanut that just can’t be beaten. Whoever invents a candle that can capture the essence of...
How do you design a day with an 8 am wake-up and 8 pm bedtime schedule for a baby?
How do you design a day with an 8 am wake-up and 8 pm bedtime schedule? In my work as a sleep consultant, I am frequently building a schedule for families that align to a 7 pm bedtime with a waking between 6:00 am and 7:00 am in the morning. While that schedule suits...
Taking the Battle out of Baby’s Bedtime
Your friend is always talking about how her baby sleeps through the night. Does your friend have magical powers? And where is the fairy that can grant them to you? First of all, you’re not a failure if your baby won’t sleep through the night, and your friend does not...
How can parents overcome separation anxiety?
Whether you are heading to work or your child is heading to school, anytime parents and children are separated there is a potential for separation anxiety. Whether the anxiety comes from you or your children, the feelings are valid. Our readers had some advice for...
The Early Bird Gets the Worm- But the Second Mouse Gets the Cheese: Will an Early or Late Bedtime Make Nighttime a Breeze?
Getting your baby on the right sleep schedule can be daunting. We know that you might just be in survival-mode as you try to figure out how to get any amount of rest because your baby won’t sleep through the night. You might hear constant advice from your mom friends...
Transitioning to a Toddler Bed: Do’s and Don’ts
Here’s a little haiku to start things off right: The pitter-patter Of feet and hands exploring. Thump! Newfound freedom. Yep, we’re talking about those first couple of times crawling (or falling) out of the crib. Few things are more exciting (for toddlers) and...
What are the signs that allergies are affecting your child’s sleep?
Your child isn’t sleeping through the night, which means you aren’t either. What’s more, they’re cranky and irritable, and, well, that makes you cranky and irritable, too! Allergies are often at the root of poor sleep in kids, so how do you know if this is what’s...
5 Tips for Better Holiday Sleeping
The holidays are coming up, and with all of that snow, sugar, and suspense comes traveling and spending time with friends and family. As wonderful as these gatherings are, they sometimes cause unpleasant setbacks in the sleeping department. You probably want to avoid...
How to Adjust a Baby to Daylight Savings Fall Back
Beating the Clock with Daylight Savings this Fall to keep your newborn, infant, toddler, or school-age child sleeping well through the transition. Does a baby get impacted by Daylight Savings Time? Yes... and it's happening this year on November 7, 2021, and we are...
How to Get Your SO On Board the Sleep Training Train
Parenting is full of the best kinds of rewards: unprompted cuddles, I wuv you’s, chubby hands reaching around your neck for a hug, sticky kisses, and squeals of laughter, to name a few. There really is nothing like it. Sigh. That’s right. Breathe in that fresh baby...
Why do babies often struggle with mother’s breastmilk but are fine on formula?
While breastmilk is typically considered the gold standard in nourishment, some babies may react negatively to it. We asked medical experts and lactation specialists to weigh in on what the underlying problem could be. Read on to learn more. Dr. Agren is the Founder...
How do you prepare for a flight with a baby?
Traveling can bring joy and create lifelong memories, but it doesn’t come without a lot of work, especially if you are traveling with a baby or young child. The thought of taking a baby on an airplane can be overwhelming, so we reached out to experts and parents and...
How Do I Know If My Kid Is Getting Enough Sleep?
The unfortunate reality that all parents face is that their little bundle of joy doesn’t come with an instruction manual. How much easier would parenting be if the hospital provided you with a sound chip of your child that told you what each chirp, squawk, or cry...
Understanding the Big 4 H’s That Lead to a Hot Mess Express Around Sleep
Greetings! My name is Tiffany Hilgenber and I am a proud sleep consultant with Tiny Transitions. I work locally and privately with clients in Des Moines, IA, but also remotely with those all around the U.S. I am here to talk about one of the most important...
4 Tips for Success in Sleep Training When You’re a Working Parent
Caring for a baby when you work full or even part-time is a challenge, so sleep training might fall to the wayside. Between getting to know your new little one, finding quality child care, and meeting the demands of your bosses and clients, you probably find yourself...
Becoming Sleep Forward: Making the Most of Your Weekends
What does it mean to be Sleep Forward? Being sleep forward means balancing the priority of your child’s sleep with your life and making sure to integrate the two in a way that is right for your family. As parents of four children under 6, we are veterans of...
What tips do you have for “correcting” the sleep schedule of your kids before school starts again?
As parents, we all get a little lax about bedtime in the summer. Longer days and fewer responsibilities lead to late nights playing with friends, swimming in the pool, and catching fireflies. Waking up early for school can be a rude awakening if you don’t prepare your...
Noisy Neighbors: What You Can Do When Your Baby is Part of the Problem
As far as neighbors go, it’s almost guaranteed that no one sets out wanting to be a jerk neighbor, but there are some indisputable facts of life that get in the way: Sometimes festivities get a little too festive a little too late into the night. Not everyone works...
2 Days to No More Early Morning Wakings
Hello, Courtney Zentz here, the founder of tiny transitions. And this week I’m talking all about supported sleep, over on my Instagram, where you can follow me at tiny transitions underscore sleep underscore, coach. Now, let’s get into the importance of what we’re...
At what age does sharing a bed with my child have any long-term impacts on their growth (physical and psychological)?
This is a tricky question, as many parents have differing views on what age is just right for transitioning their child to sleeping on their own. Continue reading to see what insights our readers had to offer. Brandon Walsh, CEO at Dadsagree.comStop Bedsharing When...
How to Deal with Nighttime Separation Anxiety
The crying. The clinging. The tantrums. It happens whether you’re dropping your baby off at daycare or grandma’s house, or just leaving the room to take a much-needed potty break that (you’d hoped!) you could do without a two-foot-tall audience-of-one. Yes, today we...
3 Reasons Why Should You Purchase a Weighted Blanket for Your Toddler or School-Aged Child
It's back to school time for many children and back to the classroom after over a year at home, and with fear, anxiety, and uncertainty of how 2021 will shake out, and there is one product that can help jump-start things on the right note - a weighted blanket. Before...
Is Back Really Best? Answers to Common Infant Sleep Position Questions
The psychology behind adult sleeping positions has taken the internet by storm recently – probably because people eat up anything that reveals why they are the way they are. Sleep in the fetal position? You’re sensitive. Side-sleeper? You’re open-minded. Prefer your...
Back to School and Back to Sleep
I learned this quote when I was in 8th grade and it have stuck with me since. Back to school can b a very stressful time, and given the current pandemic, it is probably feeling pretty daunting. Balancing the possibility of homeschooling, your own job, and having fun...
Will a baby’s lack of sleep affect them later in life?
Poor sleep affects all of us negatively in one way or another, so it makes sense that a baby’s lack of quality shuteye could hinder its growth and development. But to what extent? Several sleep and baby experts offered their take on this important question.Elizabeth...
5 Tips to Make Your Child’s Overnight Camp a Sleeping Success
Those first few times away from home at an overnight or sleepaway camp can be some of the most fun times of a child’s life. The s’mores, new friends, camp songs, arts and crafts, and sports activities are just some of the many things that make camp such a memorable...
How Much Sleep Should My Child Be Getting?
How much sleep does my baby needs? How many naps should my baby be taking? What does a sample schedule look like for a newborn or infant? How much sleep does my toddler need when no longer napping? Why is my child not able to stay awake for long periods of time? Sound...
How Do I Dress Baby for Sleep – Downloadable Guide
Is baby too hot? Is baby too cold? In winter, spring, summer or fall, we all can question how to dress our children to ensure they are comfortable. As a general rule of thumb, I tell families to dress kids with one layer more than they are wearing. However, depending...
5 Tips from a Child Sleep Coach to Keep Your Toddler in Their Own Bed
It's 9 pm, you are settled in your bed, lavender in the diffuser, Netflix screen on, and that cup of hot tea to unwind from the long day. This is the most 'me' time you have gotten in weeks and you just want to binge-watch a good show or read a chapter in the new book...
Help! My Baby Won’t Sleep Unless I Carry Her!
Most parents have been there: you have just walked the equivalent of a half-marathon around your living room carrying the baby, and she’s finally (FINALLY!) asleep. You put her down as gently as you can, but before you can say “Rumpelstiltskin!” her eyes pop open, and...
How do I transition my child into his own room?
Part of the beauty of bringing home a new baby is having them with you at night for feeding, cuddling, and comforting. But the time comes eventually (sooner for some than others) that you need your room back and baby needs their personal space. Transitioning your...
Could My Child’s Snoring be a Sign of Something Bigger?
The moment when you pop in to check on your kids before you go to bed is a sacred time. No matter if they were the sweetest children in the world that day or real stinkers, watching your babies sleep – well, there’s just nothing like it. Unfortunately, those tender...
The Power of Bedtime Stories
We hear all the time about the power of reading, but how important is it, really? Starting to read to your child as soon as possible touches almost every aspect of their lives down the road, so you must make it a priority. While this article could easily go on for...
What are your tips for getting baby to sleep through the night?
We’ve all been there – after hours of rocking and lullabies, you baby is finally asleep, only to wake up seconds later when you crawl into bed. Babies are able to start developing a sleep routine as early as four weeks old, but what exactly does that routine entail?...
How Exactly Do You Transition a Toddler to His Own Room? 5 Tricks of the Trade
In the world of Baby and Toddler, the term “co-sleeping” can mean one of two things: 1. Sleeping in the same room together but in separate, distinct beds (room-sharing) 2. Sleeping in the same bed together, sharing blankets and body heat (bed-sharing) If your baby is...
How did teething affect your baby’s sleep quality?
While the sight of your baby’s new tooth is an exciting milestone for you, it can be painful and scary for your child, at least at first. By this time, your baby probably already has an established sleep schedule, so how will the advent of this new, painful experience...
What Does it Take to Become a Pediatric Sleep Coach?
Before I knew anything about sleep training, I was a marketing executive. I was organized, polished, totally “together.” Then I found out I was having a baby. I was excited and confident. How hard could this motherhood thing be? After all, women had been having and...
Sample Baby Nap Schedules By Age
As a new parent, I lived by a schedule for my baby. I wanted Max to take longer naps and sleep through the night and I knew that started with the right nap schedule. Every day, I watched his ques, balanced his day with naps that were independent in his crib, and also...
Post-Quarantine Travel Hacks with a Toddler
This month, Liz Chapman, a Pediatric Sleep Consultant and member of the Slumber Squad {who also is bi-lingual and works with Spanish-speaking families) took her first trip in the air after over a year at home during the lockdowns and stay-at-home orders. As the summer...
I Can’t Sleep Without a Pillow – Why is My Baby Expected to?
Pregnancy has a way of making pillows multiply. As your due date approached, your pillows probably seemed to multiply like rabbits. A pillow for your ankles, knees, hips, belly, neck, head, and one to keep you from rolling onto your back. No throw pillow is too...
Beating the Current & Future Sleep Regressions
When Will this Sleep Regression End & My Baby Sleep Through the Night?The holy grain for every family is sleeping through the night. Sleep regressions can creep in and derail bedtime and how you handle a child waking overnight is going to dictate whether that...
Your Toddler Scaled the Crib Walls – Now What Do You Do?
There you are: relaxing on the couch with your spouse, watching “Antiques Roadshow” on PBS (because it’s Monday night, after all, and this is your life now). You talk about each other’s day, stretch, yawn, and discuss whether or not 8:45 is too early to turn in for...
Sample 3 – 4 Month Old Sleep Schedule
As a new parent, I lived for a schedule, it was something I knew I could count on for mental clarity time when we would walk, and a nap for Max as he bounced along in the stroller, so new and eager in this big world. Since then, over 7 years ago, and supporting...
How do you “troubleshoot” what is causing your baby’s low quality of sleep?
Crying is a natural part of a baby’s routine, but if your little one is more cranky than usual, chances are he or she isn’t getting enough quality sleep time. Take a look at what some sleep specialists have to say about getting your kiddo the sleep they need:Alex...
Physical Milestones and Sleep Regressions
There are so many new and exciting things going on during the first two years of your baby’s life. She’s changing from (essentially) a floppy, potato-y-looking humanoid to a running, fast-talking toddler – there isn’t another time in your child’s life with more...
What should new moms expect in terms of their sleep?
It is hard to know before your baby arrives what life will be like when they are finally here. Just as it is impossible to predict what your baby will look like, there is no way to know how well they will eat or sleep during the first few months. Understanding what is...
How can I get my baby to sleep longer at night?
Parenthood and sleep deprivation seem to go hand-in-hand. Because newborns frequently wake during the night and require regular feedings and diaper changes, caring for an infant can be exhausting and overwhelming. That’s to say nothing of the baby who catches onto...
Traveling to a Different Time Zone with a Baby in Tow
Because of the Coronavirus, you might have traveled less in the last year than you liked. Graduations, weddings, and baby showers were canceled across the country as we tried to stay safe. But with the promise of normalcy on the horizon, you might be starting to plan...
How to Spring Forward – Daylight Savings Time & Your New Sleep Schedule
Warm weather is on its way, which I'm always most excited about. So, how do you manage daylight savings in the spring while balancing ensuring that your child doesn't have total sleep derailment and can adhere to a new sleep schedule? First things first, take a deep...
“Baby! Go Back to Bed!” Six Tips to Stop Your Baby’s Early Mornings
As ridiculous as it sounds, new parents sometimes wear sleep deprivation as a badge of honor. “Oh, you think you’re tired? My baby woke up at 2:54 am and has been up ever since!” The fact is, tired is tired is tired. When you hear that little squeak or a full-out wail...