Cradled

I told someone recently that my five-year-old sometimes gets up at night. They were shocked and exclaimed "but you're a sleep educator! Shouldn't your kids be good sleepers?". . My kids are good sleepers! They get the amount of sleep they need to be healthy, which is great. But many kids wake up at night for many reasons. That doesn't make them "bad" kids or "bad" sleepers; it makes them kids! My middle kid has higher needs at night than my oldest and youngest do, AND THAT'S ...OKAY! . So what HAVE I done about my middle child's disrupted sleep? I have made sure that she knows I will be there for her ANY hour of the night or day. I have made my bed cozy and comfy for her to join me if she needs reassurance. I have made her nighttime wake-ups minimally disruptive to her, to me, and to the rest of the family. . It's NATURAL and NORMAL for babies - and sometimes kids - to wake at night. I can help you work with your child's natural needs and wake-ups to get better sleep for the whole family. See more

Did you know that when a baby cries in its parent's arms, stress hormones are released in the tears? Yep! Crying in a safe environment REDUCES stress. Crying alone (i.e. cry-it-out) increases stress. Not all crying is equal. And when I think about it, I'd hope to be comforted when I cry.

Do you bedshare with your baby? If not, did you know that many nursing parents accidentally bedshare when they fall asleep nursing? . Even if you don't plan to bedshare, you can make your bed safe for baby just in case, because those sleepy nursing hormones can take over! . Check out the Safe Sleep Seven to see how to make your bed family-friendly (from the La Leche League International)... . 1. No Smoking, in the home or out 2. Sober Parents: no alcohol, no drowsy meds 3. Nursing parent, day and night 4. Healthy baby, full term 5. Baby on back 6. No sweat, no swaddle 7. Safe surface: no super-soft mattress, no toys, no extra pillows, no heavy covers; clear of strings or cords; pack the cracks - use rolled towels or baby blankets; cover the baby, not the head. See more

One comment I hear again and again from parents is "Someone told me that I should...". This comes from many places: grandparents, parents, in-laws, siblings, colleagues, friends, and even Facebook groups and parenting forums. Don't let anyone should on you. Have you been told you "should" night wean, or sleep train, or get out more, or stay home more, or co-sleep, or breastsleep? [ 410 more words ] https://cradled.ca/parenting-advice-dont-should-on-me/

We used to prepare ourselves for restless nights when we travelled, but this time we are finding that the large amounts of fresh air and swimming mean that everyone is sleeping well this holiday. How does a change in routine affect your babies? How do you cope with it?