The Mama Coach

Most newborns (0-3 months old) sleep on average 16-18 hours a day. However, sometimes getting this sleep can be a challenge. Those first few weeks with your new baby are so beautiful and precious but can also feel very challenging. Be sure to utilize family, friends and community resources for support. It may not feel like it but you will sleep again! You’ve got this! Here are some of our top tips to help your baby and You get some rest!

Early Wake Ups Babies and children alike enter into a REM stage of sleep during their last third of the night. REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement. Most of our dreams happen during this stage of sleep. Most importantly for infants, it is during this stage of sleep where learning and memory consolidation happens. At this stage, babies can appear as though they are awake. They may cry out or move their arms. This stage of sleep is more wave-like. After 5 am your baby is likely... in REM sleep. As mothers, we hear the noises and cries that we associate with a baby-waking when they start around 5-5:30 am. Naturally, we go to our baby assuming this is your baby waking for the day. We feed them and they are then up for the day. This can quickly become habitual for an infant and how we end up with consistent early wake-ups. During REM sleep we want to avoid waking our babies as this reduces their time in REM sleep and will make your baby more tired throughout the day. Usually, if roused, they will spend their naps in REM sleep causing short naps. Additionally, consistently waking your baby during REM sleep will cause them to wake, daily at this time. If your baby feeds during the night I would suggest trying to time those feeds between 12 am- 5 am; try to avoid going in after 5 am if you hear your baby rouse. If your baby is frantic then go to them! Struggling with early mornings please reach out!

My next Virtual Not Your Average Prenatal Class is filling up and I wanted to extend the invite to anyone who is looking for a class before they deliver. June 6 from 1-4 pm, in the comfort of your own home while checking in online!... You will learn: How does the Covid-19 pandemic affect how and when I should go to the hospital What happens if I don’t feel well when I am in labour (cough or cold symptoms) Breastfeeding considerations during Covid-19 How can I keep my baby safe Managing the third trimester Signs of early labour Pain management strategies during labour How your partner can help you in early and active labour When to go to the hospital Warning signs during labour Pain control options once in the hospital Vaginal birth Caesarean section Postpartum period Breastfeeding / bottle feeding Newborn and mother care The class runs approximately 3-4 hours (depending on questions throughout). Afterwards, you will receive a resource filled email which includes our 54 page eBook on pregnancy, birth, and bringing your newborn home. Have any questions please DM or email [email protected] Next class is August 9, I also provide Private Classes!

Jaundice is very common in newborn babies. Are you surprised to know all newborns will have a bit of jaundice? The question is how much! When your baby is born, her gastrointestinal system hasn’t started functioning yet. This includes her liver. The liver is the garbage disposal of the body, directing waste out through the stool. All babies are born with more red blood cells than they need. When they are broken down, they create a toxin called bilirubin in the bloodstream. T...his toxin is excreted by the liver, but the liver is slow to get moving. As bilirubin builds up in the bloodstream, it can become harmful to the baby. The initial signs include yellowing of the skin, mild irritability, and increased sleepiness. Moderate signs include lethargy, severe irritability, and crying, reluctance to eat, and yellowing of the eyes. The most harmful effect is the yellowing of the baby’s brain, causing brain damage. This is very rare. The initial treatment/prevention is easy: feed the baby, feed the baby, feed the baby! Ensure you are feeding your baby enough times in a 24-hour period. Offer the breast at least 8-12 times in a 24-hour period. Let the baby cluster feed on demand, as long as the feeds are effective with big sucks and swallows

Infants usually experience multiple sleep regressions in the two year of life, but the 4-month regression sticks out as the most challenging. It’s actually poorly named, as it’s not a regression, but a permanent shift in how your baby sleeps. Check out our tips

One of the most frustrating stages in your relationship with your toddler is when they start to show signs of being ready to toilet learn but then absolutely refuse to even try. You’re definitely not alone in this struggle, and here to share some tried and true tips for when your toddler refuses to toilet learn. Our Toilet Learning programs were developed with the most current research and up-to-date best practices that take factors like growth and development, nutritional status, sleep hygiene, anatomy and physiology, and child behavior in mind. Through our two programs, The Child-Led Program and The Parent-Led Program, we begin by outlining The 9 Signs of Readiness

Some babies transition to one nap as early as 9 months, and some aren’t ready until closer to 17-18 months. ‘- ’ is a common time for babies to be ready for one nap ... They are often ready when: Often they will nap beautifully for the first nap and play in their crib for the second. Or they may be still napping beautifully- but early mornings, night wakings or bedtime struggles occur Are they ready or is it developmental? The minute you notice a sleep disruption, don’t rush to drop to one nap. Around this same time developmental milestones are also occurring which are proven to cause sleep disruption! walking speech - it will either pass or it is time to transition to one nap. During those two weeks it is important to not introduce new sleep props..or the milestone will be reached and you will be left with a baby needing lots of help to fall asleep. Their brains are consumed with learning the new skill- they spend more time in REM ( ) as they are working on mastery of the new skill. When dropping a nap your baby will need an earlier bedtime while she adjusts. 630 PM is appropriate and it will likely need to be early for 10-14 days while she adjusts and then will likely shift to no later than 7 pm. The ideal time for one nap is right after lunch, usually around 1230pm. Two hours is great! Having babies up by 3pm will help preserve bedtime. The later they sleep in the afternoon, the more restorative and long lasting the nap. Babe will do best if we gradually adjust to one nap. Try an early lunch and a nap at 11 am for 3 days, 1130 am for 3 days, noon for three days with the goal of reaching 1230 pm Remember bedtime needs to be earlier! You will need to distract your babe to help her adjust to the new time- her clock is likely set to two naps still and will need help stretching to the new time. The transition may take a week or two to adjust. Your baby will be tired while she adjusts to one nap. Prevent overtired by preserving an early bedtime..this may take some planning with supper! See more

: What I mean by this is and outside influence used to help your sweet baby fall asleep (, , .) We use the metaphor of a mountain when we discuss sleep props. At the top of the mountain resides co-sleeping, usually the strongest sleep prop and association. Towards the bottom of the mountain is our goal, your child falling asleep independently in their own sleep space. ... Ideally we like to work with you and your little one to move down their mountain with the sleep associations they have. Sometimes us Mamas can find ourselves dancing up and down this mountain trying to figure out what will help our babies sleep. Teaching your little one to fall asleep independantly in their own space can help! As babies grow (12 weeks +) their sleep cycles change to be more like adult sleep cycles. You may find as your little one transistions through lighter sleep, they will wake up more frequently during the night. When you go to put your little one down drowsy following their feed she will rouse and struggle to fall back asleep. Even a few minutes of sleepy relaxation can be the equivalent of a micro power nap, and cause a lot more crying at bedtime. This also causes confusion in the middle of the night as your baby cycles through sleep. She remembers falling into stage one sleep being held or fed, and as she comes to the lighter stages of sleep, she will fully wake and be startled that she is not in the last place she remembers being - your arms. This can be exhausting! What sleep prop/props does your little one have? Is your little one waking frequently in the night? ! See more

It is about treating others with dignity and respect. Lessons about compassion, empathy and kindness towards other human beings ... . My wish for them is that they will always be inclusive and kind, helping others when they need it most. It all starts at home with each other! See more

What the your baby should look like. Whether you are still in the hospital or at home here is what the first three days of feeding your sweet baby will look like. If you have any concerns about your babies feeding check with your nurses and doctor.... If you are at home and needing support with feeding I provide virtual and home visits. @ Lloydminster SK/AB Border See more

, - ’ - I am excited to share with you that this year we are hosting a FREE educational day in honour of International Women’s Day! This virtual event will feature break out sessions with great topics on fertility, labour, sleep, feeding, CPR, parenting, toilet training, tantrums and toddlers and so much more! I will be talking about returning to work and separation anxiety!... This virtual conference will take place March 6 You can also spend $25 which will go to the women’s shelter in our city and receive the recording of the whole day of all sessions This is an incredible opportunity for our team of Registered Nurses to educate and inspire Mamas. I hope you will join us! Join by tomorrow and be entered to win our #fawndesign bundle @ Lloydminster SK/AB Border See more