Our Blog
Sleep consulting, support, coaching and education to give yourself the gift of sleep and be confident in parenting.
Search all of Our Past Blog Posts
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?
The 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...
Are Early Morning Wakings Derailing Your Sleep?
How to Keep Your Kids in Their Own Room & Out of Your Bed during those Early Morning Waking's Here it is, 4:30 am and the pitter-patter of little feet come shuffling across your bedroom floor and over to your side of the bed, “Mom, I am awake” is quietly whispered...
Does White Noise Help Baby Sleep?
Hands up if this sounds familiar Your fussy baby finally falls asleep for her afternoon nap and you sit down for a much needed moment to yourself only to hear a car with a broken muffler roaring down the street. Just like that, Sleeping Beauty is wide awake and mad...
The Secret to Longer Naps for Your Baby
Naps are an interesting beast. Most families I work with as a sleep consultant involve challenges with your baby sleeping through the night. As a result of poor overnight sleep, many families often then struggle with naps, nap timing and how to make them last longer...
Three Myths About Sleep Training
Do you want to know something that really gets me fired up? It's when Moms (either online or in real life) are talking sleep, and I hear comments like this: You should just enjoy getting up to nurse all night ñ someday heíll be all grown up and you'll miss it. Or You...
Breaking the Nightly Bottle Habit
This week's question comes from Teresa. My 11-month-old goes to bed with a bottle and wakes for a bottle in the night. How do I break her of this habit? Good question, Teresa! When you put your baby in bed at night, it's fine to include the bottle in her routine. You...
Why Won’t My Baby Sleep?
This is a question I often asked my first son when he was an infant. I asked it in a sweet voice, I asked it in a pleading voice, I asked it in an angry voice, but no matter how many times I asked, he never gave me the answer. I can remember the night and some of you...
Is Co-Sleeping Dangerous For Your Baby?
There is no way to sugar coat it: SIDS is truly is a parent's worst nightmare. I remember worrying to the point where I got up several times a night to check on my first son while he was sleeping. I was exhausting myself, and finally, I had to sit down and come to...
Crib to Bed Transition
Moving to a big boy or big girl bed is a very exciting time for a child. It is a huge milestone in your child’s life and should be celebrated! Parents have varying reasons to make the move and for some parents, the concept of the move can be quite...
Does Teething Affect my Baby’s Sleep?
Have you ever heard the story of Catherine O'Leary's Cow? Back in 1871, the Chicago Tribune reported that the cause of the Great Chicago Fire was a cow, Catherine O’Leary’s cow to be precise, kicking over a lantern in the barn while it was being milked. Unfortunately,...
Dropping A Soother
Before my last bundle of joy arrived, I spoke with my husband about soothers and whether or not we should use one at all this time. As a Certified Lactation Counselor, I know that introducing a soother reduces statistically the longevity of successful nursing, which I...
Getting Sleep Ready for Your New Baby
During the last few months of pregnancy, many women experience nesting big time! Getting the baby’s nursery ready for is usually the first item on mom’s to-do list as they approach the birth of a new baby. As I near the birth of my second child, I think back on all of...
How To Drop One Nap
One of the nicest transitions I experienced with my firstborn was when we decided to consolidate his two short daytime naps into one big one, right in the middle of the day. I can’t deny it, I loved the time off in the middle of the day. He went from sleeping an hour...
Toddler Bedtime – Helping Toddlers Stay in their Bed
Reduce Stress, Reduce Anxiety and Help your Toddler to Sleep with Ease. 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...
How to Handle A Light Sleeper?
Is your baby a light sleeper? Does she wake up every time you so much as walk past her door? Does she go from fast asleep to wide awake the second you put her into her crib? This is one of the most common complaints I get from parents. They say that their babies are...
MY Baby Sleeps Through the Night! Does YOURS?
“My 8-week-old son sleeps through the night all by himself!”, says the mom sitting to your left at your local mommy support group. “My daughter skipped the 4-month sleep regression! She not only sleeps through the night but sleeps until 10 am every morning!”,...
Is Sleep as Important as Diet?
I’m sure you can guess what my answer is to this question, since I am, after all, a pediatric sleep consultant. I tend to put a high priority on sleep and am, in my humble opinion, justifiably passionate about its benefits for babies. But is my passion for sleep...
Transitioning From Two to One 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, and dropping a nap too soon can backfire and lead...
Early Wakings Suck.
A Plan to Stop Kids from Waking before the Sun. “Go Back to Bed." - mumbles mom from under the covers. A likely phrase in your house, especially with a child who has determined they are ready to get up for the day before the farmers. The issue of early wakings is...
Preventing Overtiredness
If there’s anything that can send your child’s sleep off the rails, if there’s an arch-enemy for sleep training, it is, without a doubt, the dreaded condition of overtiredness. Kids, as with all people, have a natural rhythm when it comes to sleep. Our bodies secrete...