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Sleep consulting, support, coaching and education to give yourself the gift of sleep and be confident in parenting.
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The Depression and Tornado of Becoming a New Mother
There I was, it is 2 am and I paced with a 3 day old baby around my living room, through my kitchen, and into the dining room as Max screamed. "I just fed you - why are you still crying?" "Why did we do this, life was so good and consistent" "What do you need sweet...
Should You Use Melatonin with Kids to Help them Sleep Better?
Parents who are fed up with not being able to place their kids on a healthy sleep schedule and get them down without a fight every day might feel the use of a magic pill to be appealing because they want their children to sleep, as they know it's crucial in their...
Improving Your Toddler’s Sleep During COVID-19
By Jessie Kasiguran, Sleep Consultant with Tiny Transitions Is your toddler struggling with sleep in new ways over these last months? Having a harder time falling asleep, increased night wakings, or not taking their nap? With all of the shifts to schedules,...
Signs Baby is Ready for One Nap a Day & Your Guide
A question that I see each week in my sleep Facebook group is something that’s also likely on your mind, when can my baby have one nap a day schedule? So today, I am going to dive into how to discuss a nap transition and just how to make the jump if your baby is ready...
SIDS and Other Sleeping Concerns for New Parents
There’s no way around it - many new parents will find themselves worrying about SIDS. The choices we make as parents have to work for your family. Personally, when I had my son Max, he was in his own nursery from night one. Space wise, we didn’t have enough room for a...
3 Ways to Lessen the Impact of Screens On Sleep in Kids
It’s already October of 2020 and it seems like each month brings a new challenge for parents this year. By now, many children are “back” in school. School this year looks a little different across the country with many kids doing virtual learning and joining their...
6 Baby Sleep Downloads Mom’s will APP-reciate
Before the rise of technology, our own moms and other moms in our community were our go-to for all things baby related. Though relationships are still a crucial part of raising a child (it will always take a village), technology has given us a gift to make motherhood...
Get Your 8-Month-Old Baby on a Nap Schedule
If you are the proud parent of an 8-month-old baby, you have likely just figured out what they were looking for. You have them going down for bedtime, sleeping soundly through the night, and then, BOOM! All of a sudden, something is amiss. Perhaps their naps have...
Want Your Baby to Sleep Through the Night?
If you're like many tired parents, Google opens on your phone at three in the morning and you immediately type, “How do I get my baby to sleep through the night?” Or better yet, “How do I keep my toddler in his own bed?” Your first step to solving your sleep...
The Impact Sleep Deprivation Can Have on Virtual Learning & Your Child
How to create a family unit that is rested and refreshed this fall - from the perspective of a Sleep Consultant. March 2020: Just get through two weeks. My boss understands. April 2020: April Fools, they will be back to school in May. Let’s enjoy this chance to...
Nap & Bedtime Reward Charts for Toddlers
Every child loves to be praised for making the right choices, with that praise comes rewards and what toddler doesn't love to be rewarded, especially for sleep? As a Sleep Consultant, I work with families around the world to design customized sleep programs, that...
Beating the 8, 9, 10 Month Sleep Regression
If you're anything like many other moms, you're probably dreading facing another sleep regression. That's totally OK! I'm going to let you in on some tips and tricks to keep you and your little one healthy and happy during these times and make this sleep regression...
A Newborn Sleep Schedule
If you're a new mom who's feeling overwhelmed with all of the needs of your little one, one of the best things you can do is help them to build a healthy foundation for sleep. Sleep impacts how we handle all of the other aspects of our life, and the same goes for your...
Setting Your Newborn up on a Sleep Schedule
"It will be years until your baby will sleep through the night," they said. "You can't put a newborn on a sleep schedule," they said. "Your newborn won't sleep, your dad was a terrible sleeper," they said. To that, I say, you are wrong. Sleep is a skill and as a sleep...
Travel, Time Changes and Your Child’s Sleep
Sleeping in an Unfamiliar Place As I write this, I am at the beach and completely excited about my ability to escape quarantine even for a few days with my kids, off to New Jersey. That salt air, sense of calm and I am able to let the kids run free on the beach we...
Is Sleep Training Selfish?
Many new parents around 3 months of age start wondering if and when their new baby will sleep through the night. I hear from parents of kids who are 12 months old, who are not on a schedule, have hit another sleep regression or seem to have derailed their sleep...
Episode 12: Short Naps
Overview: In this episode, Courtney talks about short naps and how to handle them. She discusses the reasons why short naps happen and how to lengthen them. Finally, she reviews ways to keep your child awake to avoid the dreaded “five-minute” nap. What To...
Episode 11: False Starts
Overview: In this episode, Courtney talks about what a false start is, why they happen and how you can prevent them. She discusses ways children fall asleep which can cause false starts. Then, she goes over bedtime routines and how they can cause false starts....
Episode 10: COVID-19 and Anxiety at Bedtime
Overview: In this episode, Courtney discusses how COVID 19 can cause anxiety at bedtime. She offers helpful relaxation techniques you can use with your little one during these uncertain times. What To Expect: What you can do to eliminate fear and anxiety at...
5 Mistakes Parents are Making with Their Child’s Sleep
With the right dose of vitamin ZZZ’s, your child can be better equipped to fight off colds, perform better in school and reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes, and even heart disease. So why is it that so many of our youth are sleep deprived? The main reasons from the...
Episode 9: Sleep Regressions
In this episode, I discuss the most common culprit around your youngster's sleep, the dreaded sleep regression. I explain the causes, how you can get through them and how to stop them from ever impacting your child’s sleep success. What To Expect: What is a...
Spring Forward – Adjusting to Daylight Savings
This is quite possibly my favorite day of the year. Spring has sprung here in the states, bulbs are starting to bloom and color blankets the northeast for as far as the eyes can see. I am a warm weather girl and so while you "lose" an hour of sleep, you gain so much...
Bopping Your Way Through the First 12 Weeks
I have a TON of newborn clients right now and the Boppy keeps coming up, so I thought I would write about it this week as something different. This brand might as well be called…The answer to your pregnancy, newborn and infant prayers. I don’t know about you but I...
Does Your Medical Insurance or FSA Cover the Cost of a Sleep Consultant?
So, you just had a baby. The hospital makes sure they are strapped into the car seat properly and then off you go, launching into parenthood. Reality hits. 2:00 am, 3:12 am, 4:16 am.... why do you sleep all day and not sleep at night? I thought after a few weeks...
Is this Another Sleep Regression?
As a sleep consultant, there is a popular question if you get a lot when a baby won’t sleep through the night and if they do sleep a little, they seem wide awake at 3 am. Is it a developmental milestone? A regression? Are they getting too much sleep during the day, or...
Episode 8: Nap Hacks
Overview: In this episode, I discuss all things naps! I talk about when to drop the nap, fussing over naptime, how you can make naptime fun and much more! Look out for the five-minute nap, changing the sleep space and enticing your child to take a nap. What To...
Episode 13: Backtalk at Bedtime
Overview: In this episode, Courtney talks about backtalk at bedtime. She talks about the science behind behavioral problems at bedtime and dives into disruptions during the bedtime routine. She goes into creating boundaries and consequences and giving your child...
Episode 14: Early Morning Wakings
Overview: In this episode, Courtney talks about the twelve reasons behind early morning wakings. She discusses the external factors like lighting and noise. She dives into the internal factors for your little ones waking like motivation and overtiredness. Finally, she...
Creating the Perfect Nursery
When you first got pregnant, how long did it take before the “nesting” phase started? For me, it seemed like it was immediate. Forget the last month of pregnancy nesting that everyone talks about, as soon as I found out I was pregnant I started decluttering the...
Transitioning from 2 – 1 Nap
Ready to move to 1 nap? The transition from 2 naps a day to 1 nap a day usually occurs sometime between 12 and 18 months for most babies. It can sometimes be difficult to tell when your baby is ready to make the switch from 2 naps a day to 1. There are a few signs...
The Number One Bedtime Mistake
This week I wanted to talk a bit about the bedtime routine, and the number one mistake parents make when they are creating a bedtime routine. Now, if you go to any baby site on the Web, search my baby won't sleep, or whatever youíre looking for in regards to sleep,...
The Cure for Colic
Is there a Cure for Colic? OK, so I recognize that is a bold title, especially if you are reading this and sitting with a baby who you suspect may in-fact have colic. So let’s start with some background - newborn cry, that’s how they speak to us in this large new...
My Baby Is Sick And Won’t Sleep
Today I want to give you some tips for handling sickness so that you don't derail all your progress. There are a few things that you do need to keep in mind. The first is your baby is going to wake in the night. Anyone who is ill does not sleep as well as they...
Why are Toddlers like Fruit Stripe Gum?
What exactly do sleep and Fruit Stripe gum ???? have in common? When you are talking about toddler behavior, a lot actually. Toddlers are creatures of habit and are also testing boundaries in this big new world. So what does that have to do with Fruit Stripe Gum?...
How to Keep Your Baby Awake During the Bedtime Routine
Today, I have a question from Nadia. She writes, "I've been working on the Sleep Sense Program for about a week now, but I'm having a really hard time keeping my baby awake through her bottle at the bedtime routine. What can I do?" Well, that's a great question....
Why are babies naps short?
4The Curse of the Short Nap In conversation with tired parents as they are looking to work with a sleep consultant, the usual issue is the child struggling to go down at bedtime or multiple night-wakings that keep everyone in a constant state of “double pumpkin-spice...
Is My Baby Sleeping Too Much?
Is there ever a time when your baby is sleeping too much? I know that might sound crazy especially if you've had months or even years of broken sleep and half an hour naps might seem like a fantasy. The baby might actually sleep too much. The truth of the matter is...
No Toys in the Crib
If you're like most parents, you probably can't take more than a couple of steps in your house without tripping over a doll, a stuffed animal or a Tonka truck. You are most likely more than familiar with the sensation of getting those hard, tiny Lego pieces embedded...
When Can I Night Wean?
When Can I Night Wean? I get asked this question a lot, and I have two answers for you about night weaning. My first answer is going to be a clinical one. If your child’s six months or older, gaining weight as expected, and your doctor says you’re okay to end...
Should You Use Melatonin with Kids to Help them Sleep Better?
7 Tips to Try to Improve Your Child’s Sleep
During my 10 years as a sleep professional, I've gotten used to people asking me what the secret is to getting a baby to sleep through the night. Of course, there is no ONE secret. Teaching a child healthy sleep habits is a combination of lots of different things. But...
How To Know When Your Child is Tired
It's not always obvious when a child is getting tired... Here's how to recognize "sleep signs" so you can get your child to bed BEFORE they become overtired! The following question is from Trish, who wrote: "Help! Why can't I recognize my three-month old's sleep...
Surviving Sleep Regressions
It’s here, the dreaded sleep regression - and things were going so well. You finally got baby on a loose ‘schedule,’ they were going down well for naps, sleeping through the night and then BOOM, sleep sucks again. This is commonly when I hear from many new parents, as...
How to Tell When Baby is Ready to Move to One Nap
Today our question comes from Susan and she's wondering, "How do I tell if my baby is ready to move to one nap a day?" First of all, I'll tell you around the age when this tends to occur. I find that a good average age for this is somewhere around the 13th month. Now,...
Toddler Anxiety & Bedtime Stalling
Toddlers are fascinating little humans, aren’t they? Watching them develop into thinking, creative little people is such a fascinating time, and one that parents often wish would last a little longer. The innocence and genuine curiosity I love. The toddler bedtime can...
How to Get Your Baby to Sleep Later
Today, our question comes from Marnie, and she writes, "My one-year-old is waking up at 4:00 AM, and wonít go back to sleep even after I nurse him. He then struggles to make it to his first nap of the day. He goes to bed at 7:30 and has two solid naps during the day....
A Guide on Making a Nap Transition
Nap Transitions - Is now the right time? As a parent, this is one of the 345 questions that run through your head on any given day about parenting. When is it time for a nap transition? Are they sleeping enough? Why are they not sleeping through the night? Are naps...
Traveling with Baby – 5 Tips on How to Maintain Healthy Sleep Habits
When you're planning a family holiday with a baby, an important thing to consider is how your travel plans are going to affect your child's sleep routine. You'll have a much more enjoyable vacation if you organize your trip in a way that allows for as little...
Attachment Parenting & Sleep Training
Boy, that’s A LOT to cover in a title. In my experience, attachment parenting, co-sleeping, room sharing often go nicely together, sleep training is generally the phrase that can ruffle feathers. I want to explain a bit more about parenting philosophies and how they...
My Baby is Playing in the Crib At Nightime – What Should I Do?
Today I want to talk a little bit about playing in the crib. If you are a veteran of the Sleep Sense program, this might sound like something you've experienced. If you're not, this might sound like the craziest thing ever. If youíve got a child who's not sleeping...