I mean, wow. Right?

Just wow.

If you’re in the same boat as most parents in the world, you’ve had to accommodate the fact that your kids were suddenly and unexpectedly given an extra four months of summer vacation. And to top it all off, they’re unable to leave the house.

Now listen, I love my kids to death. Every parent I know loves their kids more than anything in the world, but that doesn’t mean that having them at home all day, every day, for weeks and months at a time, is easy.

So I think we can all agree that these are extraordinary times, and as such, they require some extraordinary measures to keep everyone sane and halfway functional. For some of us, that probably means some big adjustments to the usual routine.

This whole situation is, obviously, beyond crazy and we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do here, I get that, but I just wanted to drop in here and give you some tips to keep your children feeling secure and rested, and to help you keep your sanity while you’re at it.

Stick to the script

Have you ever wondered why babies can engage in the same boring little pastime for hours on end? Why a game of peek-a-boo can make them squeal with delight as heartily on the hundredth time as it does on the first? It’s because, at least in part, their expectations are being met. They watch you put your hands over your face, then think to themselves, “Oh hey! I know what happens next! She’s going to move her hands away, and her face is going to be right there!” And sure enough, the hands drop, Mama gives her the familiar “Peek-a-boo!” and baby thinks to herself, “Oh, I knew it! I knew that was going to happen!”

Routines also give kids a sense of security. Knowing what’s on the schedule provides them with a road map for their day, and that knowledge makes them confident and puts their minds at ease, so even though we may need to make some serious concessions, there’s a lot to be said for keeping things predictable and consistent wherever possible.

Let’s just embrace screen time

In my case, and in the case of nearly every other parent I know, we’ve slightly upped screen time by about three thousand percent. None of us are thrilled about it.  You may feel the pressure to have your littles make sourdough bread or build some amazing projects as shown on some social media.  However for those of us in the real world, extra screen time for the kids might just be the difference between a peaceful afternoon and a mutual meltdown.

Just one caveat; screens emit a lot of blue light which can interfere with the body’s natural circadian rhythm, so go ahead and let your kids indulge in extra screen time, but turn them off two hours before bedtime. (The screens, not your kids.)

Keep ringing the dinner bell

When it comes to mealtimes, again, try to stay as consistent as possible. Few things affect our bodies’ sense of timing like when we eat, so allowing meal and snack times to fluctuate too much can upend your little one’s schedule. Sugary snacks will likely leave them with too much energy come bedtime and the occasional upset tummy, so keep an eye on how much junk food they’re getting into. 

Embrace your inner architect

With everyone being housebound, your kids are likely going to have a ton of excess energy. With no playground to frolic in and no friends to chase around, you’re going to need to get creative to help them tire themselves out. Getting outside is a good idea. Sunlight will help maintain the circadian rhythm and a bike ride or even a brisk walk can help reduce feelings of confinement and keep you and your kids from going stir crazy. Building a temporary indoor play area out of furniture and cushions can be a great project to keep your kids occupied and provide them with some stuff to climb on too.

Early to bed, early to rise…

Now, since many of us are no longer under any obligation to get up for work and school, we might get to thinking that this is a good opportunity for everybody to catch up on some sleep by turning off the morning alarms. I’m tempted to do so myself, to be honest, but sticking to the usual bedtimes and wake up times is really important. Predictability and structure are, again, sources of comfort for our kids, so even though there’s no morning bell, it’s still a good idea to keep things on schedule. Besides, things are eventually going to go back to normal, and trying to get them back onto their usual schedule is going to be a challenge. You’re better off just sticking to the tried and true.

Deep breath in, deep breath out

For older kids, some deep breathing exercises during their bedtime routine can help to settle them down at the end of the day. I’m not  suggesting they start meditation classes or anything, but deep breathing games can actually be a lot of fun! 

Don’t panic

Outside of the sleep realm, there are a couple of other tips I’d like to offer you. As you undoubtedly know, kids are perceptive little creatures, and they probably know that there’s something serious happening at the moment. They might not bring it up too much, but there’s likely something pinging around in the back of their heads that has them a little bit on edge. This can be amplified if they see that their parents are concerned and on edge as well, so try to keep the atmosphere cheery and light. I know it’s not easy given the circumstances, but stressed out kids aren’t going to improve the situation. If they have questions, of course you should be honest and forthcoming, but your attitude towards things will work wonders in keeping their minds at ease.

Focus on the good stuff

Last but not least, try not to watch the news coverage with the kids around. They’re always listening and hearing terms like, “death toll,” and “fatal disease” is going to increase their stress levels. It’s important to stay informed, but do so after they’ve gone to bed. 

I look forward to getting back to a time when we can discuss less serious things with each other again, and look back at this time as one where we all came together (even while we’re so far apart) and made the best of a really bad situation. Until then, wash your hands, stay at home, and make the best of this quarantine. Who knows, we may end up remembering this time with some affinity for the opportunity it’s given us to reconnect with our kids. 

I mean, not likely, but it’s possible.

The post Quarantine Survival Guide appeared first on Sleep Rest and Play.

During the past crazy couple of weeks, I’ve been thinking a lot about this quote from Mr. Rogers:

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”

So as we all try to navigate these scary times together, I started thinking about how I could be a helper. 

And since my expertise is around young children and sleep, I wanted to share a few things with you in the hope that you’ll find them helpful.

First, since we’re all focussing on staying healthy right now, it’s a good time to remember that one of the very best ways to maintain a strong immune system is to get a good night’s sleep.

(There’s a lot of complicated-sounding science behind why this is, but it has to do with “T-cells” being better able to fight infected cells when stress hormones are low. And stress hormones are at their lowest when we are asleep!)

Now, if you’ve got a baby or toddler in the house who isn’t sleeping well, getting that good night’s sleep can obviously be a little trickier — for you AND your little one.

However, there are some “tricks” you can try — starting tonight — that can make a big difference!

I refer to these as “sleep hacks.” And while none of these are guaranteed to work for every child, these are the 6 “quick fixes” that I’ve found actually CAN make a difference.

Sleep Hack #1: Watch The Waking Hours

One of the BIGGEST enemies of sleep – especially for babies and toddlers – is over tiredness… and many parents are surprised to learn just how soon their children get overtired!

Here’s a quick guide to how long your child should be awake between naps during the day:

Newborns (0-12 Weeks): 45 minutes

3-5 Months: 1.5–2 hours

6–8 months: 2–3 hours

9–12 months: 3-4 hours

13 months to 2.5 years: 5–6 hours

If you make sure that your child is put down for naps BEFORE they get overtired, you’ll find that they fall asleep more easily at nap time… AND that they are more relaxed at bedtime, too!!

Sleep Hack #2: Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark

We humans (babies and toddlers included) sleep better in the dark.

Try making your child’s room as dark as possible. (I recommend using blackout blinds, taping cardboard over the windows, or whatever it takes!)

In many cases, even the glow from a nightlight or a digital alarm clock can be enough to disrupt your child’s sleep cycle!

BONUS TIP: Try to keep your child’s room as dark as possible during daytime naps, too. This can often make a BIG difference in how long your child will nap during the day!!

Sleep Hack #3: Be Predictable (And a Little Boring) 

Babies and toddlers love predictable routines. And a predictable bedtime routine (lasting no longer than 30 minutes) is a great way to let your child know when the time for sleep is coming.

BONUS TIP: After your bedtime routine is complete, be boring. Lots of children will try to “drag out” bedtime by playing games, throwing toys out of the crib, standing up, etc. Don’t participate. 

If your child has thrown their blanket or favorite stuffed toy out of the crib, calmly return the item without saying a word. Be boring, and the games shouldn’t last too long!

A typical bedtime routine might look something like this:

• nursing or bottle (10 minutes)
• bath (5 minutes)
• put on pajamas (5 minutes)
• read a story or sing some songs (10 minutes)

Make sure that this routine is the same every single time. Remember, you want bedtime to be as predictable as possible for your child!

Sleep Hack #4: Feed AFTER Naps, Not Before

For a lot of babies and toddlers, the single biggest reason they don’t sleep well has to do with a feeding-sleep association.

In other words, your child has “linked” the ideas of feeding and sleeping. They think that they need a bottle or nursing BEFORE they can fall asleep.

By feeding right after nap time – instead of before – you can help your child break this feeding-sleep association.

 Sleep Hack #5: Same Place, Same Time

Remembering that our children love predictability, it’s a good idea to have your child sleep in the same place – at the same time – every day.

This means that nap time should happen in the same place as nighttime sleep – rather than in carseats, strollers, your lap at the coffee shop, etc.

For many parents, simply changing WHERE their child naps during the day causes a big improvement in the length and quality of nighttime sleep.

Sleep Hack #6: Take Five

Before you put your child to bed (for naps or at nighttime), make sure the five-minute period before they are put to bed is very calm and relaxing.

No throwing your toddler in the air… or watching TV… or tickle fights… in the five minutes immediately before bed.

IMPORTANT NOTE: I totally encourage tickle fights and any other kinds of rowdy fun you can think of with your children. It’s fun for the whole family! Just NOT in the five minutes before bed. Right after waking up is a great time to play!)

Now as I mentioned, since every child is unique, I cannot guess which of these will work for your family.

And the truth is that — if your child’s sleep problems have been going on for a long time — there’s a good chance that no single “trick” is going to get them sleeping through the night.

But I encourage you to give some of these a try and see if it makes a difference. 

If it does, I’d love to hear about it! 

In fact, if you have any questions at all about your child’s sleep, feel free to get in touch with me via email, or telephone because — like I said — I want to do whatever I can to help right now. 

You can book a call with me by clicking this link  https://sleeprestandplay.youcanbook.me/ or you can e-mail me directly at [email protected]

Since we all need to do our part to stop the spread of this virus, I am NOT currently offering “in-person” sleep consultations. 

HOWEVER, I *am* offering consultations via video chat.

My Calendar is looking up (I think because a lot of Dads are at home right now and they are seeing first hand what Moms are dealing with haha), but I do have some availability the next few weeks if this is something you are interested in.

(Just reach out by phone or e-mail and I can let you know how it works.)

For those of you with toddlers, remember that daily routines are VERY comforting and reassuring for that age group. I know that many of us have had our normal daily routines upended (ie. no daycare, pre-school, etc.), but I would encourage you to set up a new daily routine to follow.

This will not only give your toddler an important sense of security, but it will also help keep you calm and focussed too! 

The post COVID-19: How Can I Help? appeared first on Sleep Rest and Play.

How are the older children going to react to their new sibling? Are they going to embrace the role of older brother or sister? Will they turn into jealous little clingers who need constant attention and reassurance? How will their schedule fit in with your newborn’s naps and feeding times? And maybe most concerning for anyone who’s clawed and scraped to get their little one sleeping through the night, how is this going to affect the older child’s bedtime? 

The thought of juggling multiple kids and bedtime can be hugely mind blowing if you’re not prepared for it. Trying to find fifteen minutes to breastfeed your newborn at the same time you’re trying to get your toddler out of the bath can drive you right out of your mind.

I’ve also been in your shoes and am sharing some tips on how to help the process go smoother for all involved:

1. Have one bedtime for all the kids in the house.
   A lot of parents I work with are surprised when I suggest that their 3 year-olds should be going to bed at 7:00 at night, but even at that age, kids still need between 10-12 hours of sleep a night. That’s not including daytime naps. I’m talking strictly nighttime, so if your toddler needs to be up at 7:00 AM, a 7:00 PM bedtime is not at all unreasonable. 
2. Team up and switch off if you can
   If you’re among the lucky ones who has a partner who’s home and available to help you get the kids to bed, put together a list of what needs to get done, split the tasks evenly, and then switch off every other night. Getting your kiddos used to either parent doing bedtime has its benefits.  It shows your kiddo that no matter who does bedtime, it’s the same. This also comes in handy when you get a babysitter to go on a date night! This way they also won’t be dependent on one parent always doing bedtime and frees each of you to work late, go the gym, or catch up with friends…yes it’s possible!
3. Find opportunities to multitask
   So being parents, we have all become proficient at multitasking. Trying to run through two or three completely separate bedtime routines is going to leave you exhausted, so double up wherever you can. Let the kids take a bath together, feed your newborn while you read your toddler a bedtime story, sing songs together while you change baby’s diaper, and so on. Wherever you can overlap, do it!!
4. Stick to a 20-30 minute Bedtime routine.
   Bedtime routines are absolutely vital to getting your kids sleeping through the night. It’s a great cueing system to the mind and body  that it is time to wind down and rest. This stimulates melatonin production and dials things down internally to prepare for a long, rejuvenating night’s sleep. A bath is a great place to start since it’s so noticeably different from everything else kids do during the day. It’s a strong signal that sleep is just around the corner.
5. Save a special activity for bedtime
   Typically it will be the older child who’s capable of entertaining themselves for a little while as you’re busy finishing up with your youngest. It’s not always the case, but whichever way it breaks in your house, come up with a non-screen-related activity that will keep your toddler entertained and quiet, and make it exclusive to that fifteen minutes or so that you need one-on-one time to put the baby down. Don’t make it too stimulating or open-ended. A special coloring book is a great option.
6. Get Your Older Kiddo involved
   Toddlers love structure and predictability, so giving them a helper position when you’re putting your younger child to bed is a great way to keep them occupied and give them a feeling of accomplishment just before they head to bed. Show them where the diapers are stored and have them bring you the goods as you’re getting your baby for bedtime. 
7. Stick to the rules you set
   Toddlers test boundaries in a constant, systematic fashion. And now that you’re splitting your attention between them and a new baby, you might feel a little indebted to them. That’s totally natural, but changing or bending the rules is likely to upset them more, not less. As I mentioned previously, kids thrive on predictability and structure. If they suddenly get the feeling like the fences are down, they typically feel a little lost and that’s going to lead to more tantrums, not fewer. So keep the routine and the expectations as close as possible to the way they were before their sibling arrived.
8. Don’t use screens to occupy your Toddler
   I know how quickly and effectively putting your child in front of the TV or handing them your phone can buy you a few minutes of peace and quiet, however it becomes counter productive so close to bedtime.  These screens are omitting blue light which ultimately interferes with melatonin. So those fifteen minutes of peace and quiet could very easily cost you hours of trying to get your overtired child to settle down for the night. 
9. Accept the fact that it’s not always going to go smoothly.
   These are, after all, young children we’re dealing with, so if things start to go off the rails a bit, don’t look at it as a failure on anyone’s part. They’re going to have regressions, tough nights, and the occasional meltdown.  Stay calm, don’t re-introduce previous sleep props or start to introduce new things to “help” them get to sleep. Calm and consistent is the way to go. 
10. Embrace the peace and quiet
    Once you’ve got everyone in bed, wait at least five or ten minutes before you check your email or your phone, just let yourself unwind. Then, eat your hot dinner, relax on the couch, watch Netflix, have a conversation with your partner, catch up on work, read a book, what ever you choose.  Fill your own cup and re-charge so that you are ready to tackle tomorrow.

The post Navigating Bedtime with Multiple Kiddos appeared first on Sleep Rest and Play.

As a new school year approaches and Summer comes to an end, children often find it difficult to transition back to a tighter schedule.  There are a number of things children have to adjust to, new teacher, new grade, new friends, new building, being bussed to school. Some children often start to have new fears emerging at bedtime at the beginning of the school year, for example, they may become afraid of the dark. 

Here are a few tips to get your children and you get back on track with their sleep.

1/  Don’t leave it to the last minute to change your child’s sleep schedule.  Gradually start to push bedtime earlier, at least 2/3 weeks before school starts.  Push it earlier by 15 minutes every four days. For example, if bedtime has been 9 pm, the first four nights should be 8.45, then 8.30 and so forth. This allows the body’s circadian rhythm (natural body clock) get in line and ready for a more natural sleep-wake schedule.

2/  Make bedtime between 7 and 8 pm for Pre-schoolers and school-aged children.  Have them go to bed at the same time every night.  This teaches their bodies to sleep and be ready for rest.  They will wake up more refreshed and ready to start their day the next morning and avoids them getting that second wind.

3/  Have a bedtime routine.  Routines are a great cueing system for the mind and body to get the message that it is time for sleep.  Get the children involved, for toddlers, use sticker charts. Keep the steps simple, with no grey areas.  Aim for the routine to be 30 minutes long. Meet all needs of water/snack/bathroom/cuddles before lights out.

4/  Have a Morning Routine.  Often Summertime means zero routine in the morning. Ensure your kiddo has some steps in place once they wake up so that they get used to the structure.  Breakfast, teeth, get dressed.

5/  Use a timer.  If you don’t want to be the bad guy or the party pooper, let the timer be the signal that it’s time for bed.  You can make it a game to beat the timer, and if they do, reward them with a sticker.

6/  Limit Screen Time.  Summertime often means free reign with screen time.  Push screen time to early on in the day. Turn off screens at least two hours before bed.  This interferes with Melatonin (sleep hormone) levels and often means an unsettled bedtime.

7/  Make sure your child’s bedroom is dark enough.  This helps with the early morning sun, which can often be the cause of early morning wake-ups.  Use Blackout blinds or a blanket to cover the windows.

Here’s to a fantastic year of learning!

The post Getting Sleep Ready for School appeared first on Sleep Rest and Play.

I have put together some things to keep in mind when traveling to ensure your little ones sleep stays on track as much as possible and for you to continue to enjoy your time away.

1/ If Traveling On A Plane, JUST SURVIVE 

ACCEPT that you are traveling with children! Ignore the glares, keep your head high and do whatever you need to keep your little one happy.  If you need to feed them to sleep do it. For Toddlers, take lots of new toys and snacks to keep them busy, iPads, movies, activity books, whatever works.  

2/ Adjust To The New Time Zone As Soon As You Can

Sunlight is a useful tool in helping both you and your little one adjust to the new time zone, since light is the most powerful time cue our bodies have. Try to plan meals and socializing around the new time zone as well, and get an hour or two of fresh air in the early afternoon. Make sure you do just the opposite when evening rolls around, keeping things dark.

3/ Don’t Over Schedule Your Day!

We often have long days when on vacation, being in the sun, in the pool, going out dinner or the zoo and we tend to pack in our days.  I suggest you spread out activities throughout the day giving your little one a chance to have a break. This is especially true for Toddlers.  Giving them some downtime in between activities will help.

4/ Honor Babies Sleep Needs

Some pre-planning of your day will help you stick to babies nap schedule.  You may have to have a nap or two on the go. That’s fine, just ensure you get baby in the car or stroller at the scheduled nap time so they don’t become overtired. Be mindful that if you do this daily for 3 days baby is likely to get used to the motion sleep.  So try and have some nap cribs too back at the hotel or where you are staying . A well rested baby will be happier and more alert to take things in and enjoy their time awake.  

5/  Make Sure Your Baby Has Plenty of Opportunity to Move

It’s very likely that whilst on vacation you will have baby strapped in a stroller or be in the car for some time.  Make sure you carve out time in the day for your infant to get some mat time, the chance to crawl around and walk and practice their physical skills.  It helps to exert some energy and avoids them practicing at night.

6/  Bring some home comforts

Take your little ones favorite lovey, blanket and bedding to keep things similar to home.  Those comforting objects will be reassuring and help the transition to the new environment.  Take your white noise machine and some black garbage bags and tape to make the room dark.

Most importantly, give your baby/toddler time to adjust to the new environment and trust in their ability be able to do so and create great memories!

Sleep Well 

Seema

The post Travel Tips for Summer appeared first on Sleep Rest and Play.

However, there are some things you can do to help make the transition to the new time go a little smoother.  My recommendation is to leave your clock alone Saturday night. Wake up Sunday morning, have breakfast, then go around your house and change your clocks.  Psychologically, it will feel much better for everyone if you wait until Sunday morning to change the time.

Daylight Savings Tips – Spring

Children-My best advice for children to help them with the change is to split the difference with the old time and the new time.  How does that work? If you have a child that does not nap and normally goes to bed at 7:00pm, you would put him to bed at 7:30pm on Sunday night, the first night of the time change.  Do this for 3 nights, putting him to bed 30 minutes later than normal, then on the 4^th night put him to bed at the normal time, 7:00pm or whatever is normal bedtime for your child.

Toddlers-If you have a toddler ages one and older, on Sunday the first day of the time change, you would put him for his first nap 30 minutes later than normal.   So if he naps at 9:30am usually, you would put him down at 10:00am. You would do the same with the afternoon nap if he takes an afternoon nap. For bedtime, if his normal bedtime is 7:00pm, you would put him down at 7:30pm.   Do this for 3 nights after the time change and then on the 4^th night, put him to bed at 7:00pm and on 5^th day move nap times back to normal time.   So if your child naps at 9:30am, put him down at 9:30am and so on with the rest of the day.  

Infants-If you have a baby and his bedtime has become predictable (usually over 6 months old) meaning he is always going to bed around the same time each night.  For example if bedtime is normally 7:00pm move bedtime 15 minutes earlier each night until you reach the normal time. So the first night you would put him down at 7:45pm, the second night 7:30pm, and so on.  In four nights you should be back to 7:00pm. If their bed is not predictable (0-6 months old) simply jump to the new time Sunday night as if you were traveling to a new time zone.

Another tip that is helpful is to darken your child’s room.   Your child may wake up too early with the sun rising so early now in the morning and may struggle to fall asleep while it is still light outside so darkening the room can be very helpful.  Even though there is extra hours of daylight children still need the same amount of sleep.

It may take children and babies a bit more time to fall asleep, this is normal, since the time is different initially they won’t be as tired.   It usually takes about a week for children and babies to completely adjust to the new time, some children it can take up to a month. Be patient and consistent, it will happen.

Sleep Well,

About Seema, Founder of Sleep, Rest & Play, Ltd.

Hi there – I’m Seema Bhambri, a Certified Sleep Sense Consultant and founder of Sleep, Rest & Play, LTD. I was born and raised in London, England and in 2007, I moved to New York. I have two adorable children, Avani and Anaya. Parenthood is one of the most amazing and challenging roles I’ve taken on. My role as a mom is one of the reasons I became a sleep consultant. I want to show the importance of sleep for their little ones and parents. With good sleep habits, the entire family can be healthier, happier, and more energetic.

I’d like to offer you a FREE 15-minute call with me to discuss your child and learn how with my private consultations could help you and your little one. You can also call me directly at (516) 506-0456 or e-mail [email protected].

The post Spring Forward Time Change appeared first on Sleep Rest and Play.

We’re all familiar with the various stages of sleep from our own experience. You might not be able to put a name to them, but you’ve certainly felt the difference between waking from a light sleep and a deep one.

Simply put, when we fall asleep, we spend a little while in a light stage of sleep and gradually progress into a deeper one. We stay there for a little while and then gradually re-emerge into the lighter stage, and when we do, there’s a good chance that we’ll wake up.

That all sounds great, right? You fall asleep at eleven or so, hit that deep stage by midnight, hang out there for six hours or so, and then start to come back to the surface around 6:00 or 7:00, gradually waking up refreshed and ready to face the day.

Except the whole process only takes about an hour and a half.

That’s right. From start to finish, going from light sleep to deep sleep and back again takes between 90 – 110 minutes.

Luckily for us the process repeats itself pretty easily. Either we’ll wake up for a minute or two and fall right back to sleep, or we might not even really break the surface at all.
Ideally, this happens five or six times in a row. We get a restful, restorative snooze in the night, and we reap the benefits of it throughout the day.

Infants, despite their increased need for sleep, have a much shorter sleep cycle than adults. On average, an infant goes from light sleep to deep sleep and back again in about 45 mins to an hour.

Now when it comes to baby sleep, more often than not, they are reliant on something external to “help” them fall asleep. whether it’s rocking, being fed, the pacifier, motion. What ultimately happens when baby then shifts through a sleep cycle is that they wake up more fully looking for that help to fall back asleep. So those natural wake ups turn into hour long productions of getting baby back to sleep.

By teaching a baby independent sleep skills and them being able to fall asleep on their own, they’ll wake up after a sleep cycle, their brain will signal them to go back to sleep, and that’s exactly what they’ll do.

So although your little one is going to wake up numerous times a night, every night, they can quickly and easily learn the skills to get back to sleep on their own. It will only seem as though they’re sleeping straight through the night.

Sleep Well,

About Seema, Founder of Sleep, Rest & Play, Ltd.

Hi there – I’m Seema Bhambri, a Certified Sleep Sense Consultant and founder of Sleep, Rest & Play, LTD. I was born and raised in London, England and in 2007, I moved to New York. I have two adorable children, Avani and Anaya. Parenthood is one of the most amazing and challenging roles I’ve taken on. My role as a mom is one of the reasons I became a sleep consultant. I want to show the importance of sleep for their little ones and parents. With good sleep habits, the entire family can be healthier, happier, and more energetic.

I’d like to offer you a FREE 15-minute call with me to discuss your child and learn how with my private consultations could help you and your little one. You can also call me directly at (516) 506-0456 or e-mail [email protected].

The post Your Baby Will NEVER Sleep Through the Night appeared first on Sleep Rest and Play.

It’s every parent’s dream and goal to get the nursery ready for when baby arrives. There are so many things in the baby stores that get us to hook, line and sinker. The fancy bedding, the cute mobiles, the light shows, and the music boxes. The list is endless. We want to create the perfect sanctuary and the process of doing so is so much FUN!

I clearly remember when my eldest daughter was born. My husband and I were so excited to hang the zoo animal mobile on her crib, the one that has a remote and you can turn it on if it stops. (This was 9 years ago mind you, I am sure there are more high tech ones out now!)

When I visit families to conduct an in-home consultation, one of my tasks is to conduct a nursery evaluation. My job is to ensure babies room is conducive to sleeping and that it is safe. I often find that this is not the case.

So I thought I would share 4 simple steps to help you create the best sleep environment for your little one:

Keep it DARK

When I do my visits, parents often tell me the bedroom is dark, I ask them to draw the blinds or curtains. And guess what? There is always some light peeking through the blinds, even if they are blackout. I always suggest that you tape down those blinds, cover the windows so that the room is pitch black. Any light peeking through can rouse a baby awake in the early hours of the morning and can be the cause of short naps. If you do need a night light in the room I suggest getting a soft red tone plugin.

Keep it COOL

The best temperature to keep your babies nursery is between 68 to 72 degrees. It is better to sleep in a cold room and be covered in a sleep sack than sleep in a warm room with no cover. Babies can get overheated quickly. This can lead to discomfort. Check your thermostat.

Keep it COMFORTABLE and SAFE

Babies sleep for nearly half the day, so a great mattress is a sound investment. It’s well worth your time to do some extensive research and spend the money you had set aside for mobiles and plush toys on the surface baby’s going to be spending the vast majority of their time on. Make sure there are no loose blankets hanging off the side of the crib and no bumpers.

Keep it BORING

So those mobiles and cute nursery accessories I refereed to do the total opposite of what you want to create for baby’s sleep space. They are stimulating and are more likely to keep baby up than help them to fall asleep. The light projectors can rouse baby up when shifting through sleep cycles, and the music is just too distracting. We want baby to make the connection that their nursery is a calm, restful place to sleep in, not to play. It will make the transition from play to rest a lot easier.

Let me help you get back on track.

Sleep Well,

About Seema, Founder of Sleep, Rest & Play, Ltd.

Hi there – I’m Seema Bhambri, a Certified Sleep Sense Consultant and founder of Sleep, Rest & Play, LTD. I was born and raised in London, England and in 2007, I moved to New York. I have two adorable children, Avani and Anaya. Parenthood is one of the most amazing and challenging roles I’ve taken on. My role as a mom is one of the reasons I became a sleep consultant. I want to show the importance of sleep for their little ones and parents. With good sleep habits, the entire family can be healthier, happier, and more energetic.

I’d like to offer you a FREE 15-minute call with me to discuss your child and learn how with my private consultations could help you and your little one. You can also call me directly at (516) 506-0456 or e-mail [email protected].

The post What Should My Baby’s Nursery Look Like? appeared first on Sleep Rest and Play.

My advice….RELAX! The Holidays are a time to create memories. Now I am not suggesting that you go backwards and let everything go..but some things you can and have to, just keep some semblance of sanity.

Here are some tips to help you navigate the changes the Holidays may throw at you:

1. Tackling Travel

If you are driving to your destination, you can schedule around naps to ensure your little one is rested. Leave around babies first nap time and plan to stop off on the way. You can make a stop during babies “awake time”. Get out the car, stretch your legs, get some fresh air, feed them, grab a snack and continue on your journey. If you are flying..just SURVIVE! Forego placing any lofty expectations of yourself and your little one. Just do your best to keep baby comfortable and if they sleep on you, oh well. If traveling with a Toddler, bring snacks – lots of them!!

2. Set up the Sleep Space

Just as you would at home, ensure the room your little one is sleeping in is DARK. Take your white noise machine with you, bedding for the crib/pack and play, and a lovely if they use one. If you are room sharing, create a barrier between you and your kiddos sleep space. You can hang blankets, set up a dressing screen, get creative.

3. Stick to Routines

Try and stick to routines before bedtime to give them a heads up that it is time to wind down.

4. Honor Daytime Sleep

If you can’t be home to nap baby make sure baby gets a nap during the scheduled nap time in the car or stroller to preserve daytime sleep. If you have a late night, it’s not the end of the world, put baby to bed earlier the next day by 30 minutes.

5. Don’t Go Backwards

If your little one has started to fall asleep independently without the paci, the rocking, the feeding, car rides, don’t introduce old or new “props” to help your little one fall asleep. Keep in mind that changes in sleep environment can mean that your little one may fuss a little more when being put down at bedtime or for naps. Give them the time and space to fall asleep. Hold them to their best.

6. Get Back on Track

Once you get home just set up sleep expectations again and go right back to your sleep routines. It can take a few days but as long as you remain consistent, your little one will be back to sleeping for you and you can spend your evenings reminiscing about the great memories you made.

Happy Holidays!!

About Seema, Founder of Sleep, Rest & Play, Ltd.

Hi there – I’m Seema Bhambri, a Certified Sleep Sense Consultant and founder of Sleep, Rest & Play, LTD. I was born and raised in London, England and in 2007, I moved to New York. I have two adorable children, Avani and Anaya. Parenthood is one of the most amazing and challenging roles I’ve taken on. My role as a mom is one of the reasons I became a sleep consultant. I want to show the importance of sleep for their little ones and parents. With good sleep habits, the entire family can be healthier, happier, and more energetic.

I’d like to offer you a FREE 15-minute call with me to discuss your child and learn how with my private consultations could help you and your little one. You can also call me directly at (516) 506-0456 or e-mail [email protected].

The post How to Keep Things Running Smoothly Over the Holidays appeared first on Sleep Rest and Play.

Well, this change is real and inevitable.

In order to understand what’s happening to your baby during this stage, first, you need to know a few things about sleep in general. So here’s the science part, told in simple terms:
Sleep actually has a number of different stages, and they make up the “sleep cycle,” which we go through several times a night.

Stage 1 is that initial stage we’re all familiar with where you can just feel yourself drifting off, but don’t really feel like you’ve fallen asleep. Anyone who has ever seen their partner nodding off in front of the TV, told them to go to bed, and gotten the canned response of, “I wasn’t sleeping!” knows exactly what this looks like.

Stage 2, which is considered the first “true sleep” stage. This is where people tend to realize, once woken up, that they actually were sleeping. For anyone taking a “power nap,” this is as deep as you want to go, or else you’re going to wake up groggy.

Stage 3 is deep and regenerative. Also known as “slow wave” sleep, this is where the body starts repairing and rejuvenating the immune system, muscles tissue, energy stores, and sparks growth and development.

Stage 4 is REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. This is where the brain starts to kick in and consolidates information and memories from the day before. It’s also the stage where we do most of our dreaming.

Once we’ve gone through all of the stages, we either wake up or come close to waking up and then start over again until the alarm goes off.

Now in order to understand what’s going with your little one’s sleep, it’s important to know that newborn babies only have 2 stages of sleep; stage 3 and REM, and they spend about half their sleep in each stage. But at around the third or fourth month, there is a reorganization of sleep, as they embrace the 4-stage method of sleep that they’ll continue to follow for the rest of their lives. So essentially at the 4-month mark, babies sleep cycles become adult-like, spending more time in lighter sleep. This means there’s more of a chance that baby’s going to wake up.

That’s not to say that we want to prevent or avoid baby waking up. Waking up is absolutely natural, and we continue to wake up three, four, five times a night into adulthood and even more in old age.

As adults, however, we’re able to identify certain comforting truths that baby might not be privy to. When we wake in the night, we’re able to recognize that, “Hey, I’m here in my bed, it’s still nighttime, my alarm isn’t going to go off for another three hours, I can go back to sleep”

And we do. Usually so quickly that, the next morning, we don’t even remember the brief encounter with consciousness.
What happens more often than not with 4-month-old babies, when they wake up when shifting through sleep cycles, is that they are not where they started their journey into sleep, such as moms arms or dads shoulder, or on the bottle or breast.
So when they wake up briefly they are naturally startled and this can lead to them crying and quite frankly freaking out! That stimulates the fight-or-flight response and, next thing you know, baby’s not going back to sleep without a significant amount of reassurance that everything is OK.

The other major contributor to this 4 month change in sleep, I find, is that up until this point, parents have either been putting their baby to sleep with a pacifier, or by rocking them, or by breastfeeding them, or some similar technique where baby is helped along on the road to falling asleep. Now that baby’s spending more time in light sleep, and therefore has a higher probability of waking up, this suddenly becomes a much bigger issue. These sleep props or sleep associations may be helpful in getting your little one to that initial nodding off stage but are also most likely the thing that is keeping them awake or causing them to wake up multiple times in the night. When this starts happening every half an hour, parents can find themselves in a nightmarish situation.

So at 4 months, your babies sleep is actually changing into more adult-like sleep and it is a sign that they are growing.
So, onto the big question. What can you do to help your little one adjust?

Keep it DARK: Baby’s room should be dark. I mean pitch black! Tape garbage bags over the windows if you have to. Newborns and infants are not afraid of the dark. They are, however, responsive to light. Light tells their brains that it’s time for activity and alertness, and the brain secretes hormones accordingly, so we want to keep that nursery absolutely pitch black during naps and bedtime.

Use a White Noise machine: This is not to help your little one fall asleep. It is to help preserve their sleep. Daytime noises such the mail being delivered, then lawn mower going off, the dog barking etc, can rouse a baby awake when they are shifting through sleep cycles. Drowning out that external noise will prevent this.

Have a solid Bedtime Routine: Bedtime routines are also an essential component to getting your baby sleeping well. Try to keep the routine to about 4 or 5 steps, and don’t end it with a feed. Otherwise, you risk baby nodding off at the breast or the bottle, and that will create the dreaded sleep association that I mentioned earlier. So try to keep the feed near the beginning of the routine and plan the songs, stories, and getting into PJs towards the end. The whole process should be about 20 – 30 minutes long, and baby should go into their crib while they’re still awake.

If you’re noticing baby getting fussy before bedtime, you’ve probably waited too long. Four-month-old babies should really only be going about two hours between snoozes, and bedtime should be between 7 and 8 at night. Moving forward from this change in your four-month-olds sleep, do bear in mind that some regression will still happen. Traveling, illness, cutting teeth, all of these things can cause your little one to have a few bad nights in a row. But when it comes to the four-month mark, I’m happy to report that this is a one-time thing. Once you’re through this, your baby will have officially moved into the sleep cycle that they’ll essentially be following for the rest of their life. Four stages repeated multiple times a night.

And by taking this opportunity to teach them the skills they need to string those sleep cycles together, independently, prop-free, without any need for nursing, rocking, or pacifiers, you’ll have given them a gift that they’ll enjoy for the rest of their young lives.

The post Four Month Old Sleep: Changes and Things to Expect appeared first on Sleep Rest and Play.