Get a Better Night's Sleep

Magic Merlin transition

• Courtney Z. Hi! Are you using the small or large Merlin and has she rolled in it? Once she does you can't use it then would recommend you move to the Halo wearable blankets. However, if she sleeps great, i tell parents to continue using it, then transition, because them building sleep habits of falling asleep independently are stronger. Make sense? The transition may stink for a day or two, with a few minutes of tears until they realize they can get comfy and pass out.

Newborn-Frequent wake-ups

• Courtney Z. Hello! Congrats on the new bundle of joy! Check this out, as it's going to help you set the foundations for him. https://journal.thriveglobal.com/is-2017-the-year-for-your-baby-to-sleep-bbbc383c4a9e#.6ng1j0vti However, a few things. Move him to the crib, it's the safest and easiest now to get him conformable in it, plus you find he may wake less, and don't be scared, that video monitor is right there. Give him a minute to settle himself at night, sometimes babies are noisy and we jump right to them vs giving them the ability to learn they can settle. I would stop the rocking to sleep. That's creating a bad habit that's hard to break. Instead, ensure that he is not over tired when you put him down (they should only be awake about 1 hour to 90 minutes) and see how he does. If you follow the blog, it will start to align all of this and at this age, they will start to sleep 6-8 hours consolidated and add a hour every week. GoodLuck! You are Doing GREAT! (Order a magic sleep suit, you can use it soon and it's amazing and perfect for when he starts wiggling around)!

Weaning early morning feeding

• Courtney Z. Hi, great and very common question! I agree with the ped, that at this age, that feeding is habit and not nutritional. What is happening at 3am? Details help so I can advise how to wean this one.

• Megan He starts to stir, first a bit of a wimper which turns into a cry. When I go up and try to comfort him without nursing he loses his mind. I've tried sending my husband up to give him a pat or two and gently rock him but it only comforts him for a few minutes then he's crying again. I've done CIO and he's cried for hours and eventually fallen back asleep only to wake for the day 30 minutes later.

• Courtney Z. Keep sending your husband, break the association. Then leave the room after a min but when you go in don’t pick him up. Comfort from the crib and check in every 10 mins until he’s asleep. After a few days the waking will stop. Courtney R. Zentz Owner, Tiny Transitions Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) c. 610.762.0652 e. info@tinytransitions.com w. http://tinytransitions.com/ f. Tiny Transitions Infant & Toddler Sleep Solutions

Night feedings

• Courtney Z. Hello! I am sure you are exhausted! Essentailly what's happening is you have become the prop and he thinks the only way he can fall asleep on his own is with you or your nursing to sleep. So they wake every 1-2 sleep cycles and can't fall back down to sleep. The good news is, he really can go through the night without eating, provided you are feeding him proper amounts during the day. For example, nursing at 7, 10, 1, 4 and 7. That should give him the 24-32 oz he needs. (I am a CLC as well, not just making this up :) The issue is you need to stop all night feeds to allow him to adjust to wanting more in the day. Right now, he likely nurses poorly at 7am because he ate all night, so he's not really hungry. Then is grumpy all day and naps can then be thrown off. Sound close? You are on the right step with getting him in his crib! That's always the #1 thing I suggest to clients first, get them where you want them sleeping long term. Good news is at this age they are quick to respond and you build the foundation for a healthy sleeper for life. The approach, details and how this all comes together is many cases like this is something I generally need to work more closely with clients on within my packages and with 1 on 1 support for naps and bedtime with my texting and availability to guide you step by step. If you reach the point where you want more direct guidance and support, I am offering $50 off to any client who works with me from Tinyhood. No pressure, just wanted to let you know incase you try and can't get things aligned with these points. Some cases are just a little more complex than others and families prefer the direct help now and to have me as a reference point in the future, as things come up. Good luck!

Going to sleep and waking too early?

• Courtney Z. Hello, thank you for reaching out. I would suggest you pull the night feeds all together. They are typically at this age for habit not nutrition. Also, when she wakes at 5am, are you feeding her or just getting her to start the day? Give her 10-12 minutes to resettle herself, as that's how long it takes for babies to resettle, same as adults after being awoken. Check on her, but I would not get her until 6am from the crib. In a few days they begin sleeping for another sleep cycle until about 7am. You may also find pulling those feeds is just what she needed and starts sleeping that ideal 7-7 in a few days. Right now, they may be confusing her more than helping. Give that a try and see how she responds. Babies her age are fast learners!

Our Q&A starts now!

Sleeping in our bed

• Courtney Z. Hello! Thank you for reaching out. Co Sleeping is a tougher one to give a tip and have it be 'all better' unfortunately, that's where my direct and personal services are usually needed. HOWEVER! Always willing to give some advice to see if I can help you! 1. Adjust bedtime to 7pm. That's more age appropriate and an over tired child is always harder to settle and often wakes more in the night. The later bedtimes also can lead to early morning wake ups and night terrors down the road. 2. If naps are bed, but them down earlier, to avoid building up a sleep debt. Trust me, they won't wake up extra early. 3. You need to place her in the crib awake, so she can learn she doesn't need you to fall asleep. The rocking is teaching her that's how she falls asleep, so that's what she knows. Similar with bringing her into bed. If she cries and you get her and bring her in there, then what she expects is cry = mom's bed. So who wouldn't keep crying? In this case, you just need to rip off the band-air, get her back in the crib for bedtime and while you check on her in the MOTH, avoid brining her into your bedroom or letting her fall asleep on you. Hope this helps. I am offering clients from Tinyhood $50 off if you determine you need some more direct guidance, support and assistance. (No pressure ever, just making you aware.). Good luck

Sleep training

• Courtney Z. Good Morning Jen, Congrats on the newest edition to the family! I am sure you are quite busy and tired, but the good news is, following a few things NOW will stop much of the pain you had with your first. This is a new Blog I just wrote exactly on this, that will detail all of it out for you. https://journal.thriveglobal.com/is-2017-the-year-for-your-baby-to-sleep-bbbc383c4a9e#.p0iz1wk89 I would recommend once they are 12lbs/3months, getting a Magic SleepSuit swaddle transition, as the AAP recommends now that as of 8 weeks, you no longer swaddle with the arms in, for fear of them rolling. This product is amazing and safe for use in the crib, which is where you want them sleeping. For now, ensure your timing for naps is correct, babies that age nap every 1-1.5 hours. Feed, swaddle and place in the crib awake. They learn to realize they can sleep in the crib, fall asleep on their own and it's a safe place. People fear the crib because it's big...which I never understand. To the baby, big or small, they become familiar. The more props like the rock and play you remove now, the less you deal with later. At this age they are sponges learning from you, so teach them how to fall asleep! That blog will be super helpful. For your toddler, short naps and early wakings are almost always a sign of overtired. Ensure a 7pm bedtime and even today a 2-2.5 hour nap to remove those early wakings :) And for the time being, the noise machine is the best. It's short term so do your best but don't create bad habits now that end up lasting years, as before you know it everyone will be sleeping!

5 mo bedtime

• Courtney Z. Hi, At that age, babies should be in bed at 7pm. Total daytime sleep between 3&4 hours, no naps after 5 and will wake about 7am. Earlier bedtime, like 6:30 if sleep is off the rails that day for naps :) For early wakings, try the earlier bedtime, or 7 if it's later. That often stops those early wakings, believe it or not. If they still wake, give them 10-12 minutes, watch the clock, as there is something magic about that time. The brain needs that long to calm down, even in adults, it's the same in kids. Good Luck!

Night waking

• Courtney Z. A few questions, what time is bedtime, waking and nap? Also, when you say scared, can you elaborate, is he just crying or is he telling you he's scared, having a nightmare?

• Brittany Bed time around 7/730. Naps around 1130/12 for 2 hours and wakes in the morning around 530/6. He has always been an earlier riser and we are probably quicker to get him because we don't want him to wake our 4 year old (they share a wall). He doesn't tell us he is scared but you can tell it in his voice/scream. Very different than a regular cry. He has been having prettty bad separation anxiety lately so guessing it's related to that? For bed time we used to be able to just say good night, put him in crib and he would go to bed for the night. After an ear infection and a vacation it has never been the same but that was a month ago!

• Brittany He wakes up anywhere between midnight and 2am. Last night, bed at 730, woke up at 2 back asleep around 4 and then woke up for day at 530.

• Courtney Z. Hello, I would stick to a bedtime of 7pm, and try pushing his naps out little to 12:30 after lunch with a wake up at 2:30. This is will help avoid him going to bed overtired. New habits form when children usually do ’something’ new for 3 days. Therefore, if you want to break the habit, you can try a sticker chart or reward in the morning. If you are staying in the room during those three hours, it may be making him stay awake vs if you leave the room and let him settle. In typically 2 days all should go back to normal with him no longer getting what he wants, you coming in the room, as a reward for the screaming. You have the video monitor, use that ensure he’s ok if you do leave the room but you may find that he settles quicker. I always tell older siblings whats going on, to just stay in bed and go back to sleep before that bedtime. Courtney

4.5 month old wakes every 1-2 hours at night naps 20-30 min

• Kristen Oh we start his sleep routine by 6:30 and he is usually asleep by 7:30.

• Courtney Z. Hi Kristen, Thank you for reaching out! This is a rough transition age because those habits are becoming etched in, so you are right in trying to break them now. Over tired often also makes settling so much harder both at daytime and in the night time. Just at a high level, a few things. Get them solely sleeping in the crib. That includes for night time as well as naps. THey start to realize you are next to them in the bassinet and then also get use to the immediate response, albeit a hand or a boob! Cap the bedtime routine to 30 minutes total, bedtime at 7. Next, naps don't consolidate until around 9 months, when most drop to two naps a day. So focus on total daytime sleep. Here is a good example for the 3-4 hours of total sleep they need in the daytime. Feed as close to every 3 hours as possible to ensure a full belly in the daytime. Sample: 6:15am Wake up, breast 8:00am – 8:45am Nap #1 for 45 minutes 10:45am-11:45am Nap #2 for 1 hour 1:15pm-2:45pm Nap #3 for 90 minutes 4:45pm – 5:05pm Nap #4 for 20 minutes 6:30 pm Bedtime routine to begin 7:00 pm Bedtime Total Daytime Sleep 3.3 hours The sleep/nursing association is one that sometimes mom's want more direct one on one help with me and my services, to provide you step by step plans and details to get over all of this, how to's and guidance/texting support. If the above isn't working and you feel like you want to setup time to learn more, i am always available and offering $50 off any package to members of TinyHood. Good Luck!

Dropping bottles & naps?

• Courtney Z. Hi K! Thanks for reaching out! What I suggest is for that last feed, still stick to something like this for that last feed, until she really 'gets' the straw. This ensures she is going to bed with a full belly. http://www.target.com/p/sippy-cup-nuk/-/A-28786682?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&CPNG=PLA_Baby+Shopping&adgroup=SC_Baby&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=c&location=9007366&gclid=CJet-ca929ECFVhYDQodH5kAsw&gclsrc=aw.ds That will help avoid the sleep disruption as you know she won't be hungry. Bedtime of 7pm. As for the naps, when they are refusing that second nap, for over a week, that's about when its time. Here are details on exactly how to tell and see if this will help her to get the right schedule, as each kid is different but I have had children her age go to 1 nap a day. 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 to an overtired baby and sleep issues at night. There are a few signs that can signal that your baby is ready to make that switch and drop a nap: ♥ Your baby might begin to sleep longer for their morning nap and shorten their afternoon nap. ♥ Some babies who are ready to make the switch will start to play in their crib for the afternoon nap, and either not fall asleep at all, or fall asleep too late in the day and need to be woken up in order to preserve bedtime. ♥ Occasionally it is the morning nap that becomes the challenge, while the afternoon nap lengthens. ♥ They might suddenly protest one of the naps and fuss or cry for much longer than normal, or they don’t sleep the entire time. ♥ These issues may not occur every day, but if you find that they are occurring most of the time (4 to 5 times a week), then it is likely time to make the switch! The transition from 2 naps to 1 is one of the hardest transitions they will make, and it can take them a month or more to adjust to the change. In the beginning they might be overtired and do some short naps, making it harder to stretch to their normal bedtime. Bumping bedtime earlier might be necessary on occasion while they are adjusting. Although it can be challenging, and tempting to sometimes give them 2 naps again, it is best not to go back and forth between 2 naps and 1. If your baby still seems tired at their normal naptime, just keep them busy. If your baby gets grumpy you can try distracting them by taking them outside, or by replacing the usual naptime with a snack time. Making the Switch STEP 1 – Start by moving your baby’s morning naptime later by half an hour (if they usually napped at 10:00 move it to 10:30), keep it at this time for 3 days and let them sleep as long as they like, do not wake them. STEP 2 – Put your baby down for “quiet time” around 2:30 p.m. in order to take the edge off until bedtime. Leave them in their crib for an hour. They may not sleep, but at least will have some down time on their own. If they do fall asleep, wake them up by 4:00 p.m. at the latest so that bedtime is preserved. STEP 3 – If your baby did not sleep during quiet time then you will need to move bedtime up as early as 6:30 p.m. to prevent them from becoming overtired. STEP 4 – After 3 days move the morning nap later by another half hour (11:00 a.m.) for 3 days. Follow the same advice for the afternoon quiet time and bedtime. STEP 5 – Move the morning nap later by another half hour (11:30 a.m.) for 3 days. There may not be time for afternoon quiet time at this point, and you will likely find your baby very difficult to deal with around the suppertime hour. Don’t be afraid to put them to bed early! STEP 6 – Move naptime to 12:30 p.m., which might mean that lunchtime is now bumped up before the nap. It is normal for them to be very tired during lunch, they might even be nodding off the sleep while you try to get them fed! Naptime will likely hover between 12:15 p.m. and 12:45 p.m. for several months before gradually being pushed back to 12:45p.m. Some toddlers stick with the earlier 12:30p.m. nap as their optimal naptime. Be patient throughout the process, this is a tough transition and can take a month or more for them to properly adjust. The child should be going to bed somewhere between 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. during the transition period. Transitions are always a little tough, but by following these guidelines, getting there should be a little smoother.

• Katie Woah you are amazing. Thank you. This will be so, so helpful for our little babe!

10 month old only sleeps when held

• Courtney Z. Hi Kay, Thank you for reaching out. With children, they do very well with habits and routines. They come to expect things and don't feel anxious when things suddenly change. Right now, at his age, the hard part in what you want is that your son ultimately won't understand why he is in the crib for some sleeping and with you for other sleeping, especially as he continues to grow. While every family has a different approach, it's hard for the little ones more so to adjust to things like that because it's confusing. It's not impossible, but can take longer to get to that point. There are more gentle approaches I use in my practice over CIO. However, showing him that for naps, he is going to be in the crib, then for bedtime he's with you, that would mean you are going to bed at 7pm every night? For many families in the longer term, that's not sustainable. I often tell clients to look at the longer term to understand and get things how you want them now, vs making changes over a longer period more, as that's usually harder on the kids. Is it just personal preference to have him in the bed or some other reason he would be co-sleeping?

• Kay Hi Courtney, Thanks for responding. He is still experiencing separation anxiety and prefers me, plus I work during the day, so the cosleeping is a partially personal preference. He is with DH during the day, so I could see him eventually sleeping in his crib while in his care vs at night when I'm around since he prefers me. Also, I breastfeed, and LO eats while next to me many nights.

• Courtney Z. Hi, I would be happy to setup a consultation of my services and work with you and your husband on a customized plan to help if you determine that'll need the support to align the sleeping preferences. Please let me know! Courtney

Sleep training an infant

• Courtney Z. Congrats!! Welcome to the best gift ever! The sleep does get better with each week. This blog i just wrote details ALL of the things over the next few weeks you will want to pay attention to. If you start to follow this, they begin each week to consolidate more and sleep at night longer stretches. https://journal.thriveglobal.com/is-2017-the-year-for-your-baby-to-sleep-bbbc383c4a9e#.rizcb01m3 Naps, they are often frequent and shorter, so the 90 minutes is not out of the ordinary. Ensure she is awake, eating then back down, with an awake time of about 1 hour to 90 minutes max, anything more they get over tired. Have you tried swaddling with arms out, some babies prefer that, especially if that's how they slept in the belly? Give that a shot. Try placing her in the crib. Under UNDER the mattress add a folded towel, that gives it elevation similar to the rock and play. Snuggle her, she's only a month, up until 8 weeks, those chest naps are nice and don't cause habits. Just try for two naps a day in the crib to keep her knowing there are other places to sleep. Nursing and efficiency of eating is hard to tell. Babies can be VERY efficient and all they need is 5 minutes, others have a bad latch, nurse for 20 and only get 1 oz. My advice as a CLC and a mom who was also in your shoes, check out local lactation support groups, go to one and do a weighted transfer to see how much she is getting. That way you know and have the peace of mind. Good luck and congrats! You are DOING GREAT!

4 week old

• Leigh Sorry--I should clarify that he'll sleep 2-3 hours in someone's arms, but only 20ish minutes in his Moses basket, pack n play, or crib

• Courtney Z. Hi! You are right in the thick of it, but now's a good time to start those healthy sleep habits. This is a great place to start, i just wrote this as I was recently there like you are, i have a 10 month old. https://journal.thriveglobal.com/is-2017-the-year-for-your-baby-to-sleep-bbbc383c4a9e#.hl7ufn962 For now, make sure the awake time is only 45 mins, so they aren't over tired. Try swaddling in crib with arms out, he may be a baby that is more comfortable that way. If he prefers elevation, add a towel UNDER the mattress in the crib, to elevate him a bit. See if any of this helps. Is he gassy or crying in discomfort. Many babies are very early on, so talk to ped about gas drops, they are a HUGE helper with the crying as their little stomachs are developing. See if anything helps, let me know.

Toddler Sleep

• Courtney Z. Hi Kate, is she having night terrors or just screaming for you to come in, then she is fine? If that's the case, it's likely now she realized that if she screams you will come. (Cause - effect i spoke of earlier). I would suggest you handle it two ways: Each night, move the chair you sit is closer to the door until you are eventually out of the room. Option 2: Go in, tell her it's night night and leave. Give her 10 minutes to settle on her own. Then go in, check for <1 min and leave the room again. Her reward is she cries, you come sit. You need to teach her that when she cries, you will make sure she's ok, but that ultimately it's bedtime. She is protesting (crying) and will learn 4am quickly isn't play time. Can nip it in the bud in a few days and get everyone sleeping. For the new baby, check this out too https://journal.thriveglobal.com/is-2017-the-year-for-your-baby-to-sleep-bbbc383c4a9e#.p0iz1wk89

• Courtney Z. Also, reward charts for her age work great, as does some motivation like a sticker chart.

• Kate Thank you! She has entered her tumultuous twos and is very emotional but we are really having trouble keeping up during the day after sleeping in a chair for hours every night. We will definitely give those things a try!

13 month old not sleeping through the night

• Courtney Z. Hello! The good news is, with the fact he puts himself to bed without nursing, that's a good sign. Babies like that are often quick learners. Here is how I would handle: 1. Pull night feeds, he doesn't need it nutritionally. It's habit at this point assuming medically there are not challenges. (Im not a doctor so I can't give advice) 2. the illnesses are going to happen, so when you know they are better, sometimes it is that tough love for a night, or even 1 waking and that's all it takes to get them back to sleeping. 3. Ensure no naps after 5 for a bedtime of 7pm. 4. Give him 10-12 minutes to settle, check on him, then another 10-12 to settle. That usually is all they need to understand they aren't going to be nursed back to sleep. Good Luck!!

Sleep training and daycare colds

• Courtney Z. Hi! I am in the same boat! Those daycare colds are the worst! What I recommend if they are sick is always trying things like a humidifier! Helps with the coughing. Illness is touch. I always recommend you check on them when sick right away. Sometimes the best you can do in some cases may be to hold them, comfort them then get them back in the crib. The few things to avoid are bringing them to bed with you. Also, beginning to feed them, that starts also another bad habit. So you attend to them and once you are comfortable that they are feeling better, get them back in the crib. Even if they take a few minutes to settle but you know they are OK, they will sleep better and be more rejuvenated to keep their immune systems strong, vs you trying to hold them where they never really get back into that deep sleep. Keep up the good work Mom!

3 year old won't sleep by himself

• Courtney Z. Hi, thank you for reaching out. LOVE the nursing for two years, it's so great for them! This is definitely something I can help with, however, it's not something that is going to be fixed with a tip I can give you here :( I wish it was, I am all for helping! The obvious is going to be to get you out of the room and get him to stop coming into your room at night. However, I would need to learn all about the past 3 years then customize a plan to help you very gently and with as little tears as possible, get him sleeping in his bed and get you out of the room. Most children respond pretty quickly at this age, in a few days, they are fast learners as well as boundary pushers. You don't have to make him cry it out. If you want to setup time to speak or learn more about my services, I am offering $50 off any TinyHood parents. http://www.tinytransitions.com/toddler-consultations.html

Earlier bedtime for 3.5 month old

• Courtney Z. Hi Laura, Start with a routine that triggers bedtime. (Bath, pj's, nursing, just not to sleep, a book, then bed.) That helps them begin to understand sleep is coming. Get room darkening curtains, no night lights. 7am waking, 7pm bedtime. No naps at this age after 5:15pm for a 7:00 bedtime. This helps align the day. 3-4 total hours of sleep during the day. Overtired kids often become hyper and portray being awake. At this age, a baby needs a total of 16 total hours of sleep a day to feel refreshed. Also, the nursing to sleep is going to be your largest challenge. Nurse, just not to sleep, place the baby in the crib without being over tired, and allow them to fall asleep naturally. Also, check out the Merlin Sleepsuit, very helpful in this situation. The nursing association won't go away, you need to change that habit or you will struggle with them learning the skill of sleep until it finally becomes enough. Hope this helps get you on your way. I have been sharing this blog, it's relevant for you as well! https://journal.thriveglobal.com/is-2017-the-year-for-your-baby-to-sleep-bbbc383c4a9e#.p0iz1wk89

• Courtney Z. yes, there will be a little natural light but still close the curtains, no lights on.

• Courtney Z. Hi Rebecca, the schedule looks good. The Merlin sleep suit will likely help. Also, ensure she's not over tired when you try to put her down earlier. That will cause crying and frustration. Schedule for that age would be something like this: 6:15am Wake up, breast or bottle 8:00am – 8:45am Nap #1 for 45 minutes 10:45am-11:45am Nap #2 for 1 hour 1:15pm-2:45pm Nap #3 for 90 minutes 4:45pm – 5:05pm Nap #4 for 20 minutes 6:30 pm Bedtime routine to begin 7:00 pm Bedtime Focus on total daytime sleep of about 4 hours vs set schedule as they don't consolidate naps at this age. Also, giver her 10-12 minutes to settle before going in, as studies show it takes the brain that long to settle for any age after being woken up. Sometimes we jump in too quick and don't give them the chance to learn.

Night wakings

• Courtney Z. Hi Renee, Look into a few things. Wake time during the day shouldn't be more than roughly 1.5 hours between naps. Total nap time should be 3-4 hours during the day. Naps being between 7am & 5pm ( with bedtime at 7pm every night). Also, is he being nursed or rocking to sleep? Something other than falling asleep on his own? If that's the case, when he's waking in-between sleep cycles, he doesn't know how to fall back to sleep. Those are the habits at this age you are easy to correct and they become easier with a baby that's rested and not overtired. Overtired can cause wakings as can 'props' to put them to sleep... look into those two areas and see if that helps! Check this out https://journal.thriveglobal.com/is-2017-the-year-for-your-baby-to-sleep-bbbc383c4a9e#.p0iz1wk89

• Renee Thanks Courtney! Quick question about his day time naps.... should he be put in his bassinet? Or is it ok to leave him where he falls asleep i.e. Boppy or mamaroo?

• Courtney Z. I recommend that he be in the crib for at least 1 nap a day, however, other places are ok as long as they are safe. The crib i find provides the best place for babies to be comfortable and get the deep sleep they need, vs a lighter sleep in the swing or on a chest for example. Good luck! Courtney R. Zentz Owner, Tiny Transitions Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) c. 610.762.0652 e. info@tinytransitions.com w. http://tinytransitions.com/ f. Tiny Transitions Infant & Toddler Sleep Solutions

11 months with not much sleep

• Courtney Z. Hi Lynda, This sounds like a bit more of a complex situation as it relates to the co-sleeping and breaking that, aligning schedules, routines, etc. I will give you some guidance but in many cases like this, I find clients end up needing more support than I can offer here over the message board. If you do want to discuss more I am always happy to speak with you and discuss what's going on and options we have through services I provide. However, there are a few things here that immediately stick out. First, at this age they no longer need to be fed at night, even when nursing, PROVIDED you are nursing them on a regular schedule throughout the day. As a CLC, its common clients come to me to discuss this. The fact is, a baby needs 24-32 oz on average in a 24 hours period. Whether they get in day or at night, they need it. A good schedule would be up at 7, then feed 7,10, 1, 4, 7. some parents will cluster feed at 6, on one side, then top off at 7 if they feel baby gets a bit more, but thats your decision. Schedule is important, at this age, 2 90 min naps at approx10 & 2 are ideal. Bedtime at 7. No nursing to sleep! Obviously no more co sleeping, which is really where i would need to dig into things much more to understand all of what's going on. Noise machines are great though, no night lights, and ensure room darkening curtains. If you determine you want support, please check out my services available. Anyone who comes from here does receive a $50 off a package discount. (Not trying to sell you on that, just making you aware). You are doing your very best momma and sometimes the additional support, knowledge and guidance will be what you need. Good Luck! Hope this helps!

naps 4m old

• Courtney Z. Hello Emily! Let me see if I can help! Children don’t always begin consolidation of naps until between 6 & 9 months and with her, may take some time to get her perfectly timed. The most important aspect I can stress at this age is look at total daytime sleep not a fixed schedule. One day she may take 4 naps and another day 3 naps, it’s ok. The total just should not exceed 4 hours & awake time to avoid an overtired (and harder to settle baby) is key. Also, the holding you should no longer do. That creates a problem as she won't know how to sleep without being held. Don't get me wrong, from time to time its fine, who doesn't love a sleeping baby in their lap. Place her in the crib for naps. That's helps break the association and make sure she's going down a few mins early to settle and avoid being over tired. Here are some sample days to help you understand timing to work through a day. Sample #1 7:00 am Wake up, breast or bottle 9:00am – 10:00am Nap #1 for 1 hour 12:00pm-2:15pm Nap #2 for 2 hrs 15 minutes 4:45pm – 5:15pm Nap #3 for 30 minutes (watch waking after 5, but it will happen from time to time & a rested baby is easier to settle than a over-tired on, so give her that quick power-nap) 6:30 pm Bedtime routine to begin 7:00 pm Bedtime Total Daytime Sleep 3 hours 45 minutes Sample #2 6:30am Wake up, breast or bottle 8:30am Nap #1 for 30 minutes 10:30am-11:45am Nap #2 for 75 minutes 1:45pm-2:15pm Nap #3 for 30 minutes 4:15pm – 5:00pm Nap #4 for 45 minutes 6:30 pm Bedtime routine to begin 7:00 pm Bedtime Total Daytime Sleep 3 hours Around 6-9 months they will start to consolidate and ideal then would be 2 90 minute naps at 10 and 2 with a 7pm bedtime and 7am wake time!

Naps

• Courtney Z. Hi! Ok for this age, "ideal" naps times with a 7pm bedtime and 7am wakeup would be 10 and 2 for 90 minutes each. However, total sleep time of 3 hours in the day is also doable. Just be sure to time it so they are getting those naps at the right time to avoid going into bedtime overtired. For example of another scenarios that's A OK!: 7am wake 9:30am nap 1 for 45 minutes 12:45-1:30 nap 2 for 45 minutes 3:45-4:45 nap 3 for 1 hour Bedtime at 7. The naps are a habit with the sleeping on you. They would be broken the same way you did with the night, just want to put them in the crib 15 minutes for 'ideal nap time' as you may be met with protest and want to avoid the over tired baby trying to settle, as that's always harder. It's a quick thing that if you are consistent you can knock out in a few days with the same approach!

6 Month Old

• Courtney Z. Hi, it is hard but you are doing a great job. The challenge is your ped is correct, the food is habit at this point not nutritional. It takes a baby (same as adult) an average of 10-12 minutes to calm after waking. If you check in, or have your husband since the association is nursing, then leave the room and check in after 10-12 minutes, leave and repeat until asleep, the night wakings will subside in a matter of a handful of days if that. It's habit and they protest (cry) and know at 10 mins you nurse, so it teaches them to cry 10 mins and then get what I want. You can watch them, support them with gentle touch on checking in but I would stop the nursing at night. Good Luck!

Nap training

• Courtney Z. Hello! Thank you for reaching out. Daycare can be tough, because even with the best plan, one screaming baby could setoff the whole room and disturb the peaceful slumbers. However, that being said and with two in daycare myself, this is what I advise and they are great at it. 1. Focus on first getting her to nap at daycare, even if it's in the swing initially, then in the crib. In a few months, she will be on a cot in the 1 year old room, where that one nap a day makes it easier. 2. Focus on total daytime sleep vs a set time. For this age, it's around 3 hours of total daytime sleep. Every day will likely be different. Here are some sample schedules. Just ask them to watch awake time, and put her down after she's been awake for between 2 & 3 hours. That will help ensure she's not going to bed at night over tired. Also if she has a bad nap day, put her down for the night at 6:30. Yep, 6:30pm, she will sleep. Trust me. And won't wake up at 4 am wide awake! They sleep until the same time every day, regardless of bedtime. Sample Schedules for you: Sample #1 7:00 am Wake up, bottle 9:30am – 10:15am Nap #1 for 45 hour 1:30pm-3:00pm Nap #2 for 90 minutes 4:30pm-5:00pm Nap #3 for 30 minutes (watch waking after 5, but it will happen from time to time & a rested baby is easier to settle than an over-tired) 6:30 pm Bedtime routine to begin 7:00 pm Bedtime Total Daytime Sleep 2 hours 45 minutes Sample #2 6:30am Wake up, bottle 8:30am-9:00am Nap #1 for 30 minutes 11:30am-12:15am Nap #2 for 45 minutes 2:30pm-4:00pm Nap #3 for 90 minutes 6:30 pm Bedtime routine to begin 7:00 pm Bedtime Total Daytime Sleep 3 hours Sample #3 6:15am Wake up, bottle 8:00am – 8:45am Nap #1 for 45 minutes 11:00am-11:30am Nap #2 for 30 minutes 2:00pm-2:45pm Nap #3 for 45 minutes 4:45pm – 5:05pm Nap #4 for 20 minutes 6:30 pm Bedtime routine to begin 7:00 pm Bedtime Total Daytime Sleep 2 hours 20 minutes Sample #4 (this is our target goal over the next few weeks) 7:00am Wake up, bottle 10:00am-11:30am Nap #1 for 90 minutes 2:00pm-4:30pm Nap #2 for 90 minutes 6:30 pm Bedtime routine to begin 7:00 pm Bedtime Total Daytime Sleep 3 hours Hope this helps! Good Luck!

MOTN Waking and Nap Support are daycare

• Courtney Z. Hi Camie! Thanks for reaching out! VERY common problem. Good news, in 2 months, the 1 year old room provides good structure for naps everyday with these little ones. However, in the short term, does he sleep better in a swing? If so, have them place him in the swings for a nap about 3.5 hours after his last waking. That's about when he will be ready for a nap. The middle of the night, you nee to pull the feedings. Speak to your ped, as I am not a doctor, however at this age, he's nursing for comfort not nutrition. This leads to not eating well during the day therefore not sleeping well either day or night. It's all a chain reaction and connected. Early bedtime is great, keep that up for sure to avoid the sleep debt and see how these above changes help. As always, if you find you need more customized and personal support, I am always happy to setup a consultation and any parents from TinyHood I offer a $50 discount to. (NO pressure, just something to keep in mind).

Night Waking & Night Feedings

• Courtney Z. Hi! At his age he would have no problems going from 7-7 without eating. To change you have to change, meaning no more feedings in the night will then trigger him to eat that next day more. The prop of nursing to sleep you also need to be aware of, ensure you nurse, then pop him off at bedtime and let him fall asleep on his own. The Merlin sleep suit is also great for this age too if he moves and wakes himself up. I presume he's taking bottles while you are gone. That would be best setup so that he nurses, then eats around 3 hours every day. Total daytime sleep would still be 14-16 hours a day, with 4-5 hours in total sleep time. No naps after 5:30 and bedtime of 7pm. The first 24 hours of change are the hardest, but you need him to wake hungry to change the cycle vs continue eating at night and never 'start off the day right' with food since you are full from MOTN wakings... Make sense?

• Tammy Since he's waking two to three times a night right now. What is the best way to start this? Drop one feeding and then another? When he wakes, how am I to get him to go back to sleep? Also, he sleeps in a pack n play in my room. I've been holding off moving him to his room until he was ready to sleep through the night. Would it be wise to make the change for both at the same time?

• Courtney Z. Hi Tammy, This is typically a much more detailed process that I work with clients on 1 on 1 to solve. Information about my services and support are available on my website. I am more than happy to speak and understand the additional details I would need to properly advise how to take it forward. I wish there was an easy answer I would be able to share here for you. Courtney R. Zentz Owner, Tiny Transitions Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) c. 610.762.0652 e. info@tinytransitions.com w. http://tinytransitions.com/ f. Tiny Transitions Infant & Toddler Sleep Solutions

Sleep

• Courtney Z. The night wakings can be a sign of over-tired, so ensure a bedtime of 7pm. However, with children, it's cause and effect. If she cries, you come. If she protests you not laying, you lay. If she calls, you come. All these things teach her that if she does X, she gets X. Boundaries and rules for this age are where you need to make some changes. Always start that day by saying, tonight, mommy will lay for X minute with you, then I am leaving the room. You are to stay in bed until the morning. A reward chart helps with kids her age, rewarding the behavior with things like "you get to wear anything you want" or a sticker chart that leads to a bigger prize like a movie, ice cream...something that she values. In the middle of the night, you can respond, tell her it's bedtime, say something else and leave the room. If she continues to call for you, consequence the behavior. She needs to learn the rules, however you set them, and stick to them. Teaches boundaries as right now, she calls... you come, so why wouldn't you keep calling. Make sense?

• Andrea Yes that makes sense , she does need an earlier bedtime , now it's not till about 830 and only about an hour nap usually during the day. I will establish a rewards system , like sticker chart. Thank you so much !

• Courtney Z. Yep, bed at 7, nap 12:30-2:30 or forced quiet time if she awakes!

5 month old

• Courtney Z. Hi Jennifer! Wow! Lot's going on! While it is a lot of change, it's best to 'rip the bandaid off' and do it all at once, as it does help lessing the prolonged issues. I want to ensure i hit on all of you questions so I am going to go with a bulleted approach here! -Merlin is great, they are amazing. I recommend to all clients his age. So that's lovely! Hope it arrives soon, the founder lives about 5 miles from me! -Pickup put down at this age can be confusing to them. That's something I usually say you stop using after 3-4 months. They don't understand what you are doing. However, you can put him in the crib, in the merlin and sit next to him in a chair. Can console him and rub his head to calm him, just not TO SLEEP! Every night move the chair away from the crib until you are out of the room. -Pull the night feedings, for his size he doesn't need them. He needs to flip to adjust eating more during the day, so that would be 4-5 oz bottle during daytime. -Bedtime should be no later than 7pm with an expected wake time of 7am. Over tired leads to multiple night wakings, believe it or not. -Naps don't consolidate to around 9 months, so focus on total nap time vs set schedule. No more than 4-4.5 hours during the daytime (7-5) and nothing after 5pm for a bedtime of 7. Hope this helps! If you are still struggling and need more detailed help, guidance and support in a few weeks, please reach out and setup time to speak.

Weening a nursing 15 month old from middle-of-the-night feedings and "nursing" to sleep

• Courtney Z. Hello, sorry for the delay! Lot's of questions today from all you wonderful mommies! This is certainly a very common thing I see in my line of work and also understand the exhaustion. It's something that typically does require more one on one support directly with me to build a plan for you and get everyone sleeping again. (not a sales pitch just unfortunately not an easy answer as there are lots of other details I need to understand) Here are few things that you can implement immediately that I can see which may help some. 1. Bedtime, for this age, is ideally 7PM with a waking time of about 7am, give or take. 2. At her age, it's likely time to transition to one nap a day, to help fix the broke night sleeping. Here is how to solve that: 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 to an overtired baby and sleep issues at night. There are a few signs that can signal that your baby is ready to make that switch and drop a nap: ♥ Your baby might begin to sleep longer for their morning nap and shorten their afternoon nap. ♥ Some babies who are ready to make the switch will start to play in their crib for the afternoon nap, and either not fall asleep at all, or fall asleep too late in the day and need to be woken up in order to preserve bedtime. ♥ Occasionally it is the morning nap that becomes the challenge, while the afternoon nap lengthens. ♥ They might suddenly protest one of the naps and fuss or cry for much longer than normal, or they don’t sleep the entire time. ♥ These issues may not occur every day, but if you find that they are occurring most of the time (4 to 5 times a week), then it is likely time to make the switch! The transition from 2 naps to 1 is one of the hardest transitions they will make, and it can take them a month or more to adjust to the change. In the beginning they might be overtired and do some short naps, making it harder to stretch to their normal bedtime. Bumping bedtime earlier might be necessary on occasion while they are adjusting. Although it can be challenging, and tempting to sometimes give them 2 naps again, it is best not to go back and forth between 2 naps and 1. If your baby still seems tired at their normal naptime, just keep them busy. If your baby gets grumpy you can try distracting them by taking them outside, or by replacing the usual naptime with a snack time. Making the Switch STEP 1 – Start by moving your baby’s morning naptime later by half an hour (if they usually napped at 10:00 move it to 10:30), keep it at this time for 3 days and let them sleep as long as they like, do not wake them. STEP 2 – Put your baby down for “quiet time” around 2:30 p.m. in order to take the edge off until bedtime. Leave them in their crib for an hour. They may not sleep, but at least will have some down time on their own. If they do fall asleep, wake them up by 4:00 p.m. at the latest so that bedtime is preserved. STEP 3 – If your baby did not sleep during quiet time then you will need to move bedtime up as early as 6:30 p.m. to prevent them from becoming overtired. STEP 4 – After 3 days move the morning nap later by another half hour (11:00 a.m.) for 3 days. Follow the same advice for the afternoon quiet time and bedtime. STEP 5 – Move the morning nap later by another half hour (11:30 a.m.) for 3 days. There may not be time for afternoon quiet time at this point, and you will likely find your baby very difficult to deal with around the suppertime hour. Don’t be afraid to put them to bed early! STEP 6 – Move naptime to 12:30 p.m., which might mean that lunchtime is now bumped up before the nap. It is normal for them to be very tired during lunch, they might even be nodding off the sleep while you try to get them fed! Naptime will likely hover between 12:15 p.m. and 12:45 p.m. for several months before gradually being pushed back to 12:45p.m. Some toddlers stick with the earlier 12:30p.m. nap as their optimal naptime. Be patient throughout the process, this is a tough transition and can take a month or more for them to properly adjust. The child should be going to bed somewhere between 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. during the transition period. Transitions are always a little tough, but by following these guidelines, getting there should be a little smoother. 3. She should not be nursing at night anymore, at this point it's more habit than nutritional and causing the wakings. It's won't go away any time soon unfortunately. 4. CIO for some babies is not well received and not something I typically do with my clients. I work with families and have several more gentle approaches with kids, to ensure minimal stress on them, but that gets everyone sleeping through the night in a few days. Every baby is different which is why learning about the family, things that effect naps/bedtime, sleep, nursing, etc. It's all a large chain, connected by various links. If you want to setup time to speak about my services, let me know. Good Luck! Should you decide you want the support, let me know. Anyone from TinyHood I am giving $50 off any sleep support packages. Thanks! Hope this helps!

Nighttime Wakings - 2yo

• Courtney Z. Congrats on #2! That's wonderful! Now, this is actually going to seem like a really simple answer, but trust be and give it a try! Get him in bed lights off at 7 tonight. See what happens tonight, then reach out to me tomorrow with how he did. Sometimes just a 30 minute adjustment to bedtime makes a WORLD of difference, you would be amazed.

• Stacey Ok - so he was in bed at 7 and probably asleep by 7:30.... I'll let you know tomorrow! Thanks!

Sleep Training in MOTN only

• Courtney Z. Send the husband in!! In all seriousness, giving him a few minutes to resettle on their own. It takes the human brain 10-12 minutes at any age to fall asleep. So when we wake, we too need time, just as they do, to fall back asleep. You can always give him a few minutes, check in, leave the room right away and then quickly they snap out of it. You can see them on the monitor and know they are ok, just mad because you aren't nursing them back to sleep. Right now, immediately stop the nursing, as that makes it worse long term to break the habit. Give him a chance to resettle, check in on him and he will go back to sleep in a few minutes usually and then they snap out of it in a night or two. If you keep going in, to him that becomes the norm and habit, just like everything else and habits are never fun to break! The fact he sleeps at bedtime on his own is great, he will be an easy one to snap out of it. :)

• Courtney Z. And bedtimes are perfect!

Sleep regression with a new baby in the house

• Courtney Z. Hi, what are you doing to respond when he wakes? Is it just since baby came home? And what time is bedtime/naps today?

• Elise Usually my son asks for his covers so my husband will go in and cover him back up. My son goes back to sleep then, but sometimes he's up a couple hours later. We start bedtime around 7 (2 stories, prayers, and tucking in - he is still in a crib) and he's down by 7:30. Naps are 1-3 at preschool during the week and about the same on the weekends (usually 12:30-2:30).

• Courtney Z. Ok, great news, schedule looks good. At this age, he may be feeling a bit 'left out' now that the new baby is there. I would suggest a reward chart w stickers, which if you send me your email I am happy to send you over. That may help him. Be clear though that you will not be coming in for the wakings. If he does wake and you go in, you tell him either he lays quietly or you (insert consequence)... but allow him to make the right decision. Max, you must lay quietly all night and not call for mommy, otherwise no sticker in the AM." Be firm with no sticker reward in the am... at this age, it's all about consequences.

Sleepwalking

• Courtney Z. Hi, is he consciously aware and speaking to you to get into your bed or just 'zombie' like really unaware of his surroundings?

• Cindy He's a zombie totally unaware. As soon as he's in bed (ours or his) he's sound asleep.

• Courtney Z. I have to be honest, it's not something I am an expert on. In children I have worked with it was triggered by being over tired, but that doesn't appear to be the case here. Have you had him tested for sleep apnea? I know 7 is traditionally when they begin to 'grow out of it,' so hopefully it is something that is close to coming to an end. Was there a particular event that triggered it or stress that brought it on?

• Cindy No event - just during the summer it started. He seems to sleep fine and wakes up refreshed and ready to go. Hoping he''ll grow out if it soon!

• Courtney Z. I have reached out to some of the women in my national sleep association and many have suggested that over tired maybe a trigger for many cases. I would see about adjusting bedtime by 30 minutes earlier tonight and see if that impacts the wakings tonight.

22 mo old

• Courtney Z. Hi, thank you for reaching out. The head-banging can be scary and is often for attention, as you point out, to see if you are coming. I always tell clients to speak to the Dr. about this as I can't provide medical guidance, but some clients have put a bumper on the top of the crib (not near the mattress, as it fits perfects and protects their head.) They also realize when you do this it no longer gets the desired results and they typically stop shortly there after. Bedtime at 7 and naps from 12:30-no later than 3 look good, so that's right aligned for his age. Have you tried a sticker chart? Rewards charts with kids that age work well. Also, perhaps introducing a new lovie or animal for comfort. Let him pick one out at Target. Then tell him he can take it to bed, but that when he goes to bed tonight, you aren't rocking him and stick to it. You can check on him every few minutes just don't pick him up, watch him from the monitor but he's doing it for the attention knowing he will get rocked. Once he realizes that he won't get rocked, that curbs the behavior. Again, this is one you can speak with the Dr about, as I am not a ped and would never want to put your family in a dangerous area.

20 month old evening routine

• Courtney Z. Yes! CAP THE ROUTINE! They are smart little ones, so you want to ensure bedtime routine from now on, bath to bed, is no more than 30 minutes. Also, for their age, 7pm is a better bedtime, will avoid the over tired "Im not tired" giddy baby you are getting and especially since naps are not that great. You will actually find that moving bedtime up to 7, he naps better during the day! Bath, PJ's, drink water/milk, book, bed. No night lights, lights off and leave the room. Don't cave to their stalling tactics or whining, because how you respond teaches them that's what they need to do to get their way. You can be nice about it, just firm in that you get to pick 1 book, not 4, you get water or nothing, you brush your teeth or no book. Setting boundaries is crucial at this age! Good luck!!

Switching to one nap

• Courtney Z. Hi Maria, this is going to be a LONG response, but will tell you how to adjust, because I do believe it's time. Also, a bedtime of 7pm is actually what you want for this age! 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 to an overtired baby and sleep issues at night. There are a few signs that can signal that your baby is ready to make that switch and drop a nap: ♥ Your baby might begin to sleep longer for their morning nap and shorten their afternoon nap. ♥ Some babies who are ready to make the switch will start to play in their crib for the afternoon nap, and either not fall asleep at all, or fall asleep too late in the day and need to be woken up in order to preserve bedtime. ♥ Occasionally it is the morning nap that becomes the challenge, while the afternoon nap lengthens. ♥ They might suddenly protest one of the naps and fuss or cry for much longer than normal, or they don’t sleep the entire time. ♥ These issues may not occur every day, but if you find that they are occurring most of the time (4 to 5 times a week), then it is likely time to make the switch! The transition from 2 naps to 1 is one of the hardest transitions they will make, and it can take them a month or more to adjust to the change. In the beginning they might be overtired and do some short naps, making it harder to stretch to their normal bedtime. Bumping bedtime earlier might be necessary on occasion while they are adjusting. Although it can be challenging, and tempting to sometimes give them 2 naps again, it is best not to go back and forth between 2 naps and 1. If your baby still seems tired at their normal naptime, just keep them busy. If your baby gets grumpy you can try distracting them by taking them outside, or by replacing the usual naptime with a snack time. Making the Switch STEP 1 – Start by moving your baby’s morning naptime later by half an hour (if they usually napped at 10:00 move it to 10:30), keep it at this time for 3 days and let them sleep as long as they like, do not wake them. STEP 2 – Put your baby down for “quiet time” around 2:30 p.m. in order to take the edge off until bedtime. Leave them in their crib for an hour. They may not sleep, but at least will have some down time on their own. If they do fall asleep, wake them up by 4:00 p.m. at the latest so that bedtime is preserved. STEP 3 – If your baby did not sleep during quiet time then you will need to move bedtime up as early as 6:30 p.m. to prevent them from becoming overtired. STEP 4 – After 3 days move the morning nap later by another half hour (11:00 a.m.) for 3 days. Follow the same advice for the afternoon quiet time and bedtime. STEP 5 – Move the morning nap later by another half hour (11:30 a.m.) for 3 days. There may not be time for afternoon quiet time at this point, and you will likely find your baby very difficult to deal with around the suppertime hour. Don’t be afraid to put them to bed early! STEP 6 – Move naptime to 12:30 p.m., which might mean that lunchtime is now bumped up before the nap. It is normal for them to be very tired during lunch, they might even be nodding off the sleep while you try to get them fed! Naptime will likely hover between 12:15 p.m. and 12:45 p.m. for several months before gradually being pushed back to 12:45p.m. Some toddlers stick with the earlier 12:30p.m. nap as their optimal naptime. Be patient throughout the process, this is a tough transition and can take a month or more for them to properly adjust. The child should be going to bed somewhere between 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. during the transition period. Transitions are always a little tough, but by following these guidelines, getting there should be a little smoother. Hope this helps!!

• Maria Hi Courtney, This is super helpful. Thank you for the detailed response! I think I agree with you that it's time to switch to one nap. My only question is, for the hour of "quiet time", what do I do if she just cries and screams as soon as she is in her crib? Should I open the door to her bedroom so that she doesn't feel isolated? Do I need to be in the dark room with her? I'm not sure how to handle approach this Naptime that's not really a nap. Thanks again! -Maria

• Courtney Z. You can sit next to her in a chair in the room, see if that calms her to sleep, or at that time you may need to work through additional options of gently teaching her to fall asleep on her own. That is where I support some clients, if you prefer to setup time and need the additional help and support. Thanks, Courtney

Toddler night wakings?

• Courtney Z. Hello Tired Momma!! Just a quick clarification to ensure I give the best advice, when you say two full days plus mornings, what does that mean? Is she at school from 7:30 - 5:00pm for example? Are they doing a room nap after lunch for several hours? The nap seems short at school, is that just because she wakes or a different schedule they have them on?

• Sarah On Mon/Weds, she's in school ~7:45 am to noon and she takes one nap pretty much as soon as she gets home, usually ~90 minutes. On Tues/Thurs, she's at school 7:45 or so until 4:30 or 5 pm and takes one nap at school. The school does naptime right after lunch (11:45 am or noon) and many of the kids nap 2-3 hours, but she typically wakes up after 45-60 minutes and won't go back to sleep. (At home, she sleeps with a blackout shade and white noise, so I'm sure school is more exciting and I'm also guessing they're not keen on letting her yell while the other kids are sleeping.) They will offer her a morning nap at school if I ask, but she has always refused it, even when she's very tired.

• Courtney Z. Hi, sorry for the delay! Helping lots of mommies out here! Start with that forced 1 nap a day, both at school and home. After lunch to no later than 3:00. If she takes a terrible nap, you can put her down at 6:30, so you are doing it right there. If she REALLY has a bad day, put her down at 6 and see how she responds/wakes. Many night wakings are as a result of being over tired. Even putting her down at 6 she will still sleep the whole night and wake at the same time, but I am sure 6 isn't ideal as you want to see her. Just try and see response. Daycare is hard because of the other kids and the noise. When she wakes in the night, you can do some gentle things, like go in and sit quietly, but don't engage her or pick her up. Rub her head for a second, tell her to relax it's night night then sit quietly until she's asleep. You can then slowly get further away from the crib until you are out the door.

Waking up at night/ night feedings

• Courtney Z. Exclusively breast-fed babies can sleep. Many clients of mine EBF and still have little ones that can sleep, so the good news there, it's possible. Right now, her prop is believing that the only way she knows how to fall asleep is at the breast. That's all she's ever known. Sleep is a skill that babies learn like crawling, holding a bottle or using their hands. Change is often required to help flip the night feeds to ensure they are getting the milk during the daytime hours (6am-7pm). She sounds like she is graze eating when she wakes, for comfort and falling asleep vs. nutrition. The challenge for you is that this isn't something that in my experience stops on it's own, until you help them understand they can sleep, but that doesn't mean leaving them to cry. Understanding all aspects of what's going on, props, schedules, habits, etc. are part of building a sleep solution that helps the baby (most importantly) but that is also a comfortable approach for the family. I am happy to setup time if you want to learn more about my services, please feel free to reach out. This one is something that is going to require more one on one help and very common with how I support families.

5 Mo Old Naps

• Courtney Z. Hi April, At this age, consolidated naps are tough. I always tell clients before 9 months, focus on total daytime sleep not nap duration. Awake time is 1.5-2 hours during the day between naps. You want them napping no more than 3-4 hours total with bedtime at 7. No naps after 5:00pm and ensuring the naps cover the whole day to ensure not being over-tired for bed. It's a balance, but here is a great sample "day" for you. Sample: 6:30am Wake up, breast or bottle 8:30am Nap #1 for 30 minutes 10:30am-11:45am Nap #2 for 75 minutes 1:45pm-2:15pm Nap #3 for 30 minutes 4:15pm – 5:00pm Nap #4 for 45 minutes 6:30 pm Bedtime routine to begin 7:00 pm Bedtime Total Daytime Sleep: 3 hours Once they are closer to 9 months, the ideal is 90 minutes at 10 & 2. For now, focus on the total daytime sleep though. Naps in the crib, and a good bedtime at 7pm also will help to align all of this. Also ensure she's falling to sleep without props like rocking or nursing as they only get worse over time..

• April Thanks so much! She is a good night sleeper (overall, minus a few issues that I think are related to teething), so this gives me hope that she still has plenty of time to get into a good daytime nap schedule.

Two Year Old Night Terrors?

• Courtney Z. Hello, I am sorry, that must be scarey for you. In my experience, the night terrors are often a sign of over-tired and disappear when they are on the right schedule of daytime and nighttime sleep. How much total sleep is she getting during the naps?

• Christina That is what I thought too! She seems to get a lot of sleep- she sleeps for an hour and a half in the morning approx. 11-12:30 and then her afternoon nap is 2 hours. 4:30-6:30ish. I know her timing is not great, and I ideally would love her to drop that late nap and go down earlier, but what ends up happening is she wakes much more frequently throughout the night if I don't let her take that late nap.

• Courtney Z. She is sleeping too much during the day, change the schedule. 7am wake 7pm bedtime, only 1 nap 12:30 - 2:30. Adjust slowly if that helps her. These may help, see attached!

• Christina Thanks! We will try that :)

• Courtney Z. Did the attachements come through? If not, please email me at info@tinytransitions.com and i will resend!

9 month old won't nap anymore

• Gaurika I forgot to mention if I eventually pick him up he will fall right asleep - he's not being able to nap on how own without me picking him up although at night if I don't go in his cries but gets the message and goes right back to sleep. Why is the nap so hard and should I just hold him to sleep for the naps and continue the more strict approach at night which seems to be working at night but not during the day?

• Gaurika I also forgot to mention that now recently for his first nap instead of sleeping the straight hour and a half after half an hour he wakes up and then I have to hold him and just kind of walk him around quickly back to bed.

• Courtney Z. Hello! You are doing a great job momma, just some things to help get him back on track. This one is a little more tough love. He knows eventually you will pick him up, so that's what he wants. He is forming that strong sleep association to you, what was the nursing, now the rocking or walking. They are all sleep props, which is what he need "to sleep." The act of doing something to get him to sleep. You need to take the same approach with naps you are at night and in a few days it will subside. Schedule would be 10 and 2, with a 7am waking 7pm bedtime. The first few days, while he adjusting and will likely protest, lay him down 15 minutes early. This avoids him getting over tired. Also, I would pull the night feeds all together, at his age, they are no longer nutritionally needed, they are now habit. Once you pull them, he will eat better and likely rest better during the day. At this age they start to get confused during the night wakings as to why this time you are getting fed and the other time you are letting him cry. You will see in a few nights he night wakings stop all together.

• Gaurika Thanks so much! How come it's harder to get him down on his own during the day but then at night he'll cry and eventually just fall sleep on his own how come the days are harder than the nights? Because I'm doing the same thing during the day as I am during the night but during the day I have to cave-in because it doesn't work with him at night he'll eventually just go to sleep on his own. You don't think he's trying to transition his nap to one nap do you? He can go and hour before he goes to sleep even if I put him down at 2 1/2 hours or two hours and 45 minutes so he won't end up sleeping at 10, today he ended up sleeping closer to 11 I had to pick him up because he just wouldn't go down then he woke up half an hour after sleeping and then Tried to make him go to sleep on his own without going in but it didn't work and then the only way he would fall sleep is if I held him and he ended up falling asleep 20 minutes later and he just woke up at 1:45

• Courtney Z. You have to be consistent in the approach, and it getting him to nap in the car or on a walk is the only way to start ensuring he naps, start there. Then move on to the crib. But your response, then i go get him, is the trigger. He knows you will pick him up. I offer services that are gentle to help with this, if you wish to setup time to speak let me know. Courtney R. Zentz Owner, Tiny Transitions Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) c. 610.762.0652 e. info@tinytransitions.com w. http://tinytransitions.com/ f. Tiny Transitions Infant & Toddler Sleep Solutions

Our Q&A is now over.