Good Night

Lots of fun Easter things to post, but before that I just thought I'd share these little tidbits.

A very experienced woman in our ward is teaching some sleep training tips to the young mothers in our ward. When it was announced I felt a little satisfaction inside that sleep training was one of the few things I didn't need help with. Potty training, for sure, I suck at it, but I always felt I was blessed with good sleepers because Heavenly Father knew I couldn't handle things any other way. Now I still believe this is partially true, but today I came across an article in a parenting magazine called "The best sleep advice you've never heard" and as I read, I realized I had ALWAYS done exactly what this article had suggested. I am no expert, just a fluke really, but my sister-in-law had 4 children in 4 years, and she and I have very similar views when it comes to sleep training and we have both had a lot of success, so I thought I'd share. Now don't get the wrong idea, things have not been perfect, my sister-in-law had premie twin boys that needed feed every 90 minutes for months, and the first 4 months of Carter's life are a sleepy-eyed blur, but for the most part, this has really worked for me, so here are my thoughts mixed in with this awesome article.

1. Always put your baby to bed when they are drowsy, not asleep. Tricky when you are nursing, but a really important step.

2. Don't look your baby in the eye. Wow, I know this sounds so awful, but it's true:

"Many babies are easily stimulated. A loving look from you can take them from tired to wired faster than you can say, "uh oh." Seeing your baby brighten at your glance is heartwarming at noon and discouraging at midnight. Parents who make eye contact with sleepy babies inadvertently encourage them to snap out of their sleep zone, says Claire Lerner, director of parent education at Zero to Three, a nonprofit that promotes the health of infants and toddlers. "The more interaction that takes place between you and your baby during the night, the more motivation they have to get up."

I have always found this to be the case, and I know it sounds harsh, and I know there are the exceptions and those lovely, 3am eye gazing moments with your baby that are so precious, and I have enjoyed that as well, but for the most part, you have the oppourtunity to have thath loving interaction for the better part of the day.

3. Cut your tie to the baby monitor. Love this, so true.

"A parent who jumps at every squeak transmitted over the baby monitor will teach her child to wake up more often, says Pantley. Instead, time your entrance so that you go to your child between the moment you know for sure she's awake and the moment she escalates into a full-blown howl. Waiting a few minutes gives her a chance to soothe herself back to sleep. And stepping in before a meltdown means that you'll catch her before she's too worked up to fall back asleep."

4. Relax the rules on diaper changes. My kids have never had a bad diaper rash and I have always followed this:

"Resist the urge to change your baby every time she wakes up — you'll just jostle her awake even more. Instead, dress your baby in a high-quality, nighttime diaper at bedtime, says Pantley. When she wakes up, sniff to see if it's soiled and change only if you must."

5. Keep the sleep routine short and sweet. I agree 100%. I remember my sister-in-law saying "I sing 3 million songs all day long while we play together, there is no reason I have to sing 100 of them at bedtime. 1 or 2 then sleep. It's bedtime for heaven sakes!" I hope she doesn't mind me quoting her on here, ha, ha, ha, love ya Sarah

"An elaborate, multifaceted variety show — a bath, three books, two songs, and a back rub — can stretch on ad nauseam. "Before you know it, your well-intentioned sleep routine turns from transition time to playtime for your child," says Mary Ann LoFrumento, a pediatrician and author of Simply Parenting: Understanding Your Newborn and Infant. If your child fights bedtime, keep the focus on sleep and don't let your child call all the shots.

LoFrumento suggests that parents of troubled sleepers keep the routine no longer than 15 minutes. (Longer is fine if your child falls asleep easily.) Fifteen minutes should be all it takes to put on pajamas, read two short books, and say goodnight, she says."

6. Take back control

"Exert control and set an early bedtime Pantley says. "These kids aren't looking at the clock to see what time it is. They're simply waiting for someone to tell them it's time for bed." So pick a time and stick to it.

This has always been the case for us. Unless we happen to be at Nana's for supper, bedtime is 6:45-7pm always. My kids are only 1 and 2, so they need a good 12-14 hours.

7.Let them cry it out. This worked for me with Carter after a few weeks and saved my sanity.

"People often think this method of sleep training involves leaving babies alone to cry for as long it takes before they fall asleep. But "cry it out" (CIO) simply refers to any sleep training approach — and there are many — that says it's okay to let a baby cry for a specified period of time (often a very short period of time) before offering comfort."

"Crying isn't the goal of this sleep training method, but it's often an inevitable side effect as your baby adjusts to sleeping on his own. They say the short-term pain of a few tears is far outweighed by the long-term advantages: a child who goes to sleep easily and happily on his own, and parents who can count on a good night's rest."

My own step: Get your kids a blankie! This has helped my kids sleep better in general and it helps at grandparent sleepovers too. Easier to take away then the soother, and better on the teeth too.

Myth: Newborns don't need a sleep schedule. "Even very young babies benefit from scheduling and consistency at nighttime and nap time," says Kim West, a sleep consultant and author of Good Night, Sleep Tight. "It lays the groundwork for learning how to sleep through the night once they're older."

Myth: Some children are bad sleepers. All children can be taught to be good sleepers, says LoFrumento. "If a child is older, it may take longer, it might take more effort, but every child is able to learn how to fall asleep well on his own."

So there is my two cents. Take it for what it's worth, this has worked for me and my family, and I really do feel this is so important because your kids really deserve the best version of yourself. The well rested, less irritable, more patient version, and there is nothing better than a well rested happy baby/toddler.