It's the holiday season AND you've got a new baby in the house? We get it—you're tired! Ease your family into a healthier rest routine starting now. Led by Tinyhood Sleep Consultant, Vanessa Vance.
My little one is 7 weeks old. How old should they be before you start adding rice cereal to there milk to help them sleep a little better? I’m currently nursing but my daughter will empty both breast and some nights not be hungry just fussy and because she’s fighting sleep. Should I try the cereal or is there another way to soothe her?
Hi! I have a 19 month old who has slept in the same room as us since he was born. When is the right time to move him into his own room?
Thanks
Stephanie
I would move to his crib for naps first. Then, whenever, you are comfortable, move him to nights in his crib too. Be sure the furniture is anchored to the wall. Toddlers can climb out of the crib at this age. Be sure to still use the sleep sack too.
My little girl is 8 mo old she has been co-sleeping since she was born (we have tried many times to get her to sleep in her crib). For the past few weeks we have been sleeping on a mattress in the floor of her room. I got her night wakes to breastfeed down to two since the switch to her room. Now I’m wondering how to help her move to her crib but when I try she either won’t fall asleep or only sleeps for a very sort amount of time then wakes up mad! She still is not great about self soothing she eaither needs to be feed by me or bounced by my husband to fall asleep. I thought about having my husband just put her to bed at night but she wakes up as soon as he sets her down.
Hey Alexis, tell me about the bedtime routine? It sounds like she is being laid down pretty sleepy. At this age, you lay her down, quiet yet awake and she falls alseep herself. Are you interested in sleep training methods, to be discussed here? Yes, the more your husband does with bedtime and middle of the night feeds, the more the baby gets the message - mom diner is closed at night/nighttime is for sleeping.
With newborns (mine is 2 weeks), should I feed on demand? How do I tell the difference between hunger cries and other types of cries? Am I setting up a bad precedent if I feed my daughter whenever she wants? If not now, when does this start to become problematic? Thanks for your help!
Hi Katie,. It is typical for babies to eat on demand at 2 weeks old. Check with your pediatrian for specific information related to your baby on scheduled feeds and how long the baby can sleep.
My 6 week old Baby now cries from 9-1:30am and sleeps after she tries numerous times to eat. Is their anything I can do to help her sleep around the time she cries!
Hi Ruby,
It sounds like Purple crying period:
http://purplecrying.info/what-is-the-period-of-purple-crying.php
It peaks starting at 8 weeks and ends at 16 weeks. The only thing you can do to combat it is to try for an earlier bedtime. (which is a challenge b/c of the evening fussiness). Are you following awake times of about 1 hour? (see below).
These are my favorite Fourth Trimester Resources:
1. http://www.mybabysleepguide.com/2013/02/average-sleep-charts-by-age.html
2. DVD - teaches soothing and swaddle. happiest baby on the block by Dr. Karp
3. DVD Dunstan Baby language. helps you "hear" what your baby is telling you.
Any advice on how to break this habit? She still wakes once a night for a bottle. I’ve gotten her down to only 4oz. I have tried going in and rocking or soothing and she gets so mad if she doesn’t get a bottle.
She is going to start sharing a room with our other daughter this spring so I need her sleep in through the night before that happens.
Hi Jen,
It sounds like you have made a lot of progress with sleep! At 13 months old, waking to drink is not for nutrition, but that of a habit. She is using the sucking - as a "sucking to sleep" parent-driven sleep association.
Can you tell me about her bedtime routine? Does she drink during the routine? The conditions at bedtime routine are most likely to be repeated throughout the night as she transitions from deep sleep to light and light sleep to deep sleep. The goal with sleep coaching is to teach self-soothing and remove parent driven sleep associations.
Can you tell me about her 24 schedule too? Wake up, nap times, bedtime, what time are the middle of the night wake ups?
Looking forward to hearing from you! Vanessa
Hi Hannah,
Check with your pediatrian about milk and cereal.
Google purple crying period. It peaks around 8 weeks. The only thing to help reduce it is offer an earlier bedtime.
DVD Dr Harvey karp's happiest baby on the block - swaddle and soothing instructions. Library will have it.