Erin Shaheen

This video clip explains why trying so hard to get the baby to nap in a dark room, multiple times during the day tends to lead to frustration for everyone. I’m headed over to read the full blog.

Do you have a newborn and are looking for a place to meet others, ask some questions and connect? This is your place! Gillian will moderate the questions and you will meet other parents of newborns

I’ve been a little absent lately, as I finish up this school semester. But this week has been a bit of a sleep challenge for me, to be honest. I feel a bit discouraged that the medical community continues to look at newborn sleep in a vacuum and undermine parental confidence. @pandemicpregnancyguide why? Why could you not pick someone who has done extensive peer reviewed research on sleep? Why not any of these amazing folks? Dr. Helen Ball Lyndsey Hookway, RN IBCLC, PhD (c...) Dr James McKenna Dr Amy Brown Dr Pamela Douglas Dr Tracy Cassels Dr Sarah Ockwell-Smith Instead, you offered a video reminding parents that they should not help their babies fall asleep in the middle of the night. See more

I've had a number of questions about split nights this week. It's so hard to feel motivated to get out in dreary November for daily playtime. Yet, it is so important to have fresh air every day. Add in our shorter days and blackout blinds which are often supporting a really long daytime nap = long wake times in the middle of the night. If you have a toddler who is down to one nap, pencil in a long outdoor play + shorter nap fueled by a bright sunny space and realistic bedtime. (7pm might be too early for some)

Is your 6-month-old, or older, babe fighting naps hard? Have you considered if your baby is ready to drop a nap and you are hanging onto a daily rhythm that is no longer working for them? I have had a few messages this week about babies who are not sleeping at times when they would have previously. Parents are spending so much time rocking and convincing the baby to nap, only to wake up in 20 minutes. If this describes your situation, ask yourself if it's time to think about increasing those morning outings, fresh air & play time? Is it time to adapt to your growing baby?

Look at this Child-Friendly Community Conference! It's an amazing free virtual conference next week with many local speakers. It looks like it is going to be amazing http://www.ucyottawa.com/session-descriptions/

https://www.bellybelly.com.au//catnapping-answer-to-bett/ This is an amazing article! Give it a read, you won’t be disappointed

I’ve heard the word sleep consolidation more times this week than ever before, thanks to the time change and sleep trainers. This is your little PSA that any baby whose age is measured in weeks is just too young to consolidate much of anything. Wrap up all the worrying words : wake windows bad habits, regressions, consolidation, crutches, and ship them off. ... Sleep is not something we can talk about in a vacuum. It’s part of feeding, attachment, connection, diapering, travel, family functioning. Baby sleep expectations are also part of parental teamwork, self care, healthy diets, exercise, and ensuring you have good blood work.

I don’t have any cute toddler photos in the leaves, so I’ll announce my next toddler sleep workshop with my cute pup instead! November 21, from 1-3 pm. Come ( virtually) and meet other parents of toddlers and feel reassured. We’ll chat day care transitions, dropping naps, bedtime rhythms, strategies for sharing the parent load. Register www.Ottawacea.com

The programming through the city is continually evolving now that the immediate transitions are over. The Early ON centres are getting incredibly creative with ways to support connecting and meeting new families, and the weather is completely in agreement. What an amazing week. Get out there and meet some new folks!

Getting ready to teach, knowing everyone will be watching another screen at the same time, of election results. I’ve literally filled my teaching space with as many happy things as possible tonight. The only thing missing is a container of Ben and Jerry’s

Looking for a boost in understanding normal sleep patterns? Join this free webinar

Do you have a new baby? Looking for another place to feel re-assured that responding to baby is normal? Have questions about windy babies, baby acne, all the normal stuff that we haven't seen before? Join Gillian online and meet other new parents

"Children who feel securely attached are, among other things, better at regulating their emotions, have higher self-esteem and exhibit less emotional and behavioural problems." This is an interesting study. Particularly the piece about the degree of difficulty that parents have in interpreting other people's emotions and the degree of attachment to their own parents. "A parent who is insecurely attached has an increased risk of having difficulties with reading other people'...s minds." This is an easy read and a great little reminder that attachment matters, not just from one generation to the next, but has lasting implications. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releas/2018//180123102458.htm

If you are napping, getting a chance to sleep in, eating well, and going to bed relatively early and you are still not functioning, it might not be the baby at all. It’s so easy for the ‘normal’ parenting fatigue to be overshadowed by deficiencies. It happens so slowly that we forget to take care of ourselves. I remember excusing the fact that I carried a pillow and blanket in my van because I had four children under 5, twins and was homeschooling. ... If you haven’t had your levels checked in the last 6 months and you are at your breaking point- step one is to visit your Naturopathic Doctor or GP to get those levels checked

I believe in sharing all the amazing programs running online that support normal newborn sleep. If you are hoping to understand more and need some reassurance that waking is normal, that feeding to sleep is NOT a bad habit, attend a free workshop today!! There is also another workshop happening on Monday October 26 from 6:30-8:30 offered through the Kanata Early On Centre https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/infant-sleep-le-sommeil-des-beb

Self-regulation and self-soothing often get lumped together in sleep training. It's no surprise that babies can't self regulate. They do not have the executive function skills that an adult has. It takes time for their little brains to develop and have role modelling from someone who is a trusted attachment figure to help them co-regulate until they are able do so on their own. ... If you would like to learn more there is a conference coming up with Dr. Stuart Shanker https://www.lifewithababy.com/event-3939643

I have a class starting this Monday ( on zoom, you don’t even need to leave the house!) If you, or someone you know someone who is looking for more information on normal baby sleep patterns.

Are you planning on breastfeeding / chestfeeding after birth? Do you work with families who are planning to? This panel discussion today will share the innovative ideas and programs that have been developed over the last few months. Registration is free

The new catch phrase for sleep regression.

Day 7 on @lyndsey_hookway Instagram challenge going forward, how do you see your work changing and evolving I am lucky to work with the best teach of educators at @ottawacea. I hope I have many more years of teaching and that this work only gets sweeter and more adaptive to community needs over time. I do wish for sleep specific work to evolve in such a way that biologically normal sleep patterns are acknowledged and accepted. ... My hope is that expectant parents will come to class without the expectation that they have to sleep train or start ‘healthy sleep habits’ right from birth. I would like to see that other healthcare professionals ( including GP’s, and CHEO’s sleep clinic) empower parents to respond to children and to listen to parents with compassion. If I could have one impact, I would hope that I might have an opportunity to influence change at the higher levels from services that are heavily steeped in telling parents what to do, to listening, encouraging and mentoring.

I fell off the Instagram challenge by @lyndsey_hookway so I’m blending three days into one! I honestly couldn’t think of just one moment that changed my perspective on life and the world, it’s still happening daily. But becoming a parent to this sweet baby was the beginning of a shift. And watching my kids grow up and make big plans... it’s never ending. And listening to other peoples stories. We learn from each other. ... It’s impossible to appreciate just how much we grow and change and fall in love with these little folks. My life work has been influenced by being lucky enough to hear Dr James McKenna, Dr. Suzanne Zeedyk, Dr Siegel, Dr. Neufeld, Dr Moberg, Dr.Bigelow, Lyndsey Hookway and so many more. Locally, we have many amazing, dedicated people who continue to support new families, especially during Covid. I’d like to shout out @lillybianchi.wholeheartedcoach who I’m lucky enough to teach with #holisticsleepcommunity #gentleparenting #empoweringparents #supportingparents