Exhausted from multiple night wakings, feeding at night & short naps - Elliot 7.5 months

Little Elliot’s parents felt so tired and really needed more consistency and better sleep for everyone. They where referred by a friend and really couldn’t imagine little Elliot sleeping 12 hours at night like their friends baby. It seemed too good to be true.

They made the decision to finally address their sleep situation and look for ways to improve sleep for everyone. This ended up being the best decision they ever made.

This is what they achieved in just a few weeks:

“We got on a consistent schedule that allowed us to better plan our days knowing when naptime was supposed to be. We weaned off night feedings, we decreased night wakings and Elliott learned how to put himself back to sleep. Elliott learned how to put himself to sleep for naps and bedtime as well as connect sleep cycles during his longer nap.” - Lauren

We went through their customized sleep plan in detail, reviewed logs and met weekly to ensure that they where seeing results and could ask questions. We also had them in a private chat group where they could ask questions as they came up.

Now with night some great sleep, this family has more predictability, confidence and feels rested, giving them more energy to enjoy each other fully. What they thought was impossible was very real for them with just a personalized plan and support along the way to ensure success.

“Lil Baby Sleep has truly helped our family get better sleep for everyone! We feel confident that Elliott knows how to put himself to sleep and resettle to get long stretches of the restful sleep that he needs. We appreciate all the help and guidance we have received from Lily and Jen these past few weeks.” - Lauren

If this is you, you can relate and are needing to improve sleep for your family, reach out and book a call HERE. We can get you the same results through the Your Dream Plan program.

Breaking the Cycle: 3 Habits to avoid that Fuel Early Morning Wake-Ups

Waking up to the sound of your baby crying before 5 a.m. can throw off your day right from the start. Early morning wake-ups, a common struggle for many parents, can be challenging to overcome as babies often get stuck in a routine of waking up early that feels difficult to change.

What are considered early mornings?

Anything prior to 6 a.m. qualifies as an early morning, indicating that your baby may not be getting the recommended 12 hours of essential sleep they need.

To address this challenge and meet your baby's sleep needs, it's essential to understand the causes of early morning wake-ups and apply proven strategies.

While early wake-ups can be influenced by various factors, it's crucial to avoid specific behaviors that can perpetuate them.

Here are three things to steer clear of to prevent exacerbating early morning wake-ups:

Don’t start your day at 5am

Our biological clocks are regulated by various factors such as food, light, and social interaction, known as Zeitgebers, which are external cues that synchronize our biological rhythms. If your baby wakes up at 5 a.m. and you respond by turning on the lights and beginning your day, you are essentially signaling to your baby, "It's morning, time to start the day." With repeated instances like this, it can become a habitual early wake-up time as our bodies tend to align with regular waking patterns, even on weekends. Treat early morning wake-ups similarly to nighttime awakenings by keeping the lights off and minimizing stimulation.

Don’t go straight to feeding

If you suspect that your baby is hungry and you offer a feeding, this can inadvertently reinforce early wake-ups as your baby may come to expect to eat at that specific time each day, potentially leading to hunger-driven awakenings.

It's important to consider that every baby has distinct nutritional requirements, and infants of varying ages require different feeding frequencies (e.g., babies under 6 months may still need one night feed).

We need to ensure that calories are distributed appropriately and that feedings are not being used frequently for soothing purposes to fall back asleep. It is important in this case to conduct an evaluation and create a gradual plan to reallocate calories throughout the day and determine if an earlier nighttime feeding is necessary.

Read more on this here: How to wean feed at 5am and how it can cause early mornings

Do not help to sleep

Teaching our little ones how to return back to sleep independently is the best thing we can do for their wellbeing, health and for great sleep whose benefits will last a lifetime.

Whether they use a pacifier, a comforting lovey, or their own hands, being able to go back to sleep without any external dependence will allow for more restorative rest for the entire family.

While we cannot always prevent nighttime or early wake-ups all together, possessing these soothing skills enables babies to settle back to sleep effortlessly, often without you even noticing and even when the conditions are not ideal.

If you prefer to assist them back to sleep and they don’t wake up for the day in the process, then you can continue to do so but as your child gets older this will become increasingly more difficult.

If your child struggles to settle back to sleep at night, the likelihood of them being able to do so in the early mornings is minimal. Going back to sleep in the morning hours when your body is waking up requires an effort but is a skill that is needed to extend early mornings.

If you want to help your little one sleep better, you can start today by getting a personalized plan and support. There are many gentle ways to encourage independent sleep, and understanding what to do while considering all the factors that impact sleep (like total sleep time, diet, environment, etc.) will bring you fast and long-lasting results (and reduce the stress for all of you).

Get a plan HERE now

If your little one is already sleeping on their own but struggles with early wake-ups, let's dive into why they might be occurring and explore various ways to tackle them. Our "End Early Morning" mini-course aims to shed light on the causes of early wake-ups, offer preventive measures, and present four strategies to help address them effectively. Additionally, you'll receive a personalized schedule review and feedback from your own dedicated Pediatric Sleep Consultant.

Get the End Early Mornings Mini-Course HERE.

No matter what you are struggling with, there are options. Continuing to feel tired and knowing your family is not getting enough rest is not one of them!

Waking 3-4 times a night to feed, rock & hold our daughter to sleep 😳 - Maya's Story

Sleep Deprivation Hell and the Struggle to Stay Sane

Picture this: waking up 3-4 times every night, stumbling around to feed, rock, and coax your little one to sleep. Add in the exhaustion so intense that you find solace in the recliner, only to realize neither parent nor baby is getting the rest they desperately need.

Naps? A chaotic mix of marathon 2-hour naps and blink-and-you'll-miss-it 20-minute catnaps. The toll on their marriage was undeniable - constant bickering, irritability, and grumpiness because of a lack of sleep.

We needed to give Maya - 9 months the tools for navigating her sleep struggles and honor the comfort and pace this family preferred to take.

Armed with a step-by-step evidence-based plan that was simple to follow and a private call with us, Your Dream Plan gave this family clear next steps and actions with a specifically tailored approach for their baby and her needs. With online support and weekly coaching calls we were able to guide these amazing parents on their quick transformation.

“Lily and Jenn gave us the tools we needed to work on Maya's sleep at a pace that worked for us. The modules were evidence based, engaging, and easy to follow along. The 1:1 intro call with Jenn really put my mind at ease as we talked about everything specific to OUR baby and HER needs. We developed a plan to work with Maya's age, temperament and schedule, and with the online support they were always a message away if we had any questions (I used this feature ALL THE TIME! :)”

Fast forward to day 2 of implementing the plan. Little Maya is sleeping through the night and nights are no longer hard. She is sleeping from 7-7 like a champion!

GET YOUR FREE NAP SCHEDULE BY AGE - HERE

Predictable daytime naps? Check.

Evenings became this families time to reconnect, not bicker. The transformation was real.

For this family, YDP’s online platform was practical, easy to use and crucial. The online support and coaching calls are there to provide in-person feedback, adjustments and to remind parents that they are not alone.

The online support as well as the weekly coaching calls were probably my favorite parts. It was reassuring to know that we were not alone in this journey. It was almost as if Jenn was in the house with us!

We are so grateful that this family choose sleep through the Your Dream Plan Program.

“YDP made all the difference when it came to sleep for our baby! We went from waking up 3-4 times a night and falling asleep in the recliner with our baby to having a 9 month old that sleeps 7-7 every night, takes great naps during the day, even at Grandmas, and we have the tools and confidence to adjust on the fly as needed! I can't thank Lily and Jenn enough for their support and encouragement as we went through the program. I was a bit hesitant at first, but they talked to me and calmed my anxieties before we ever committed to anything. My husband and I got our evenings back, and our marriage is better because we are no longer sleep deprived and irritable! Maya is a happier, more predictable baby as well. I would absolutely recommend YDP to others!”

2 Reasons Why GOOD ENOUGH sleep can create future problems

Is your sleep just good enough but not great?

Many parents find themselves thinking that sleep is okay as long as they can get by. It's common to wait for something to change, for things to improve, or for the situation to become bad enough to force a change out of desperation. Why rock the boat?

Here are two compelling reasons why steering your boat toward great sleep for your whole family now is crucial:

1. Recovery is Tough: Once sleep is lost, it's challenging to make up for it. The damage that sleep deprivation does to our bodies and brains is not easy to recover from. Beyond the physical toll, there are the moments lost in frustration, a foggy state, and not feeling your best. These are things that can be avoided with proactive measures. Research indicates that it can take up to four days to recover from just one hour of lost sleep, and up to nine days to completely eliminate sleep debt.

2. Habits Get Harder to Change: Resolving sleep issues becomes more challenging as your baby grows and habits become ingrained. While it's never impossible, and I've successfully helped parents achieve great sleep for toddlers, pre-schoolers, and children up to age 9, the approaches change as your little one gets older. Different developmental milestones and stages come into play, and changing habits that have been in place for a longer time, especially when your child is vocal, can be a bit more challenging for parents. Take advantage of your child's age and temperament, and address sleep concerns as soon as they become unsustainable for your family. Remember, it's never too late.

In the end, it's crucial to start the journey toward better sleep when you're ready to put in the effort for a lifetime of good sleep. Timing is everything, so reach out, understand what to expect, figure out the duration of the process, and get a plan in place. This way, you won't find yourself struggling with years of "good enough" sleep when you could be enjoying great sleep instead.

2 Things To Do TONIGHT To Get Back On Track With Sleep after the holidays!

Welcome back from that awesome vacation or holidays crazyness, parents! If you're anything like me, you're probably thinking, "Okay, it's time to get our sleep game back on track." As we transition from the vacation highs, it's back to the nitty-gritty of schedules, routines, and the everyday juggle of parenthood.

So, here are my two go-to strategies to help fellow parents like you and me get our sleep back in check after the vacation/holiday adventures. You might notice your little one’s sleep is off so now it's back to the real deal – back to the hustle, back to bedtime routines, and back to reclaiming our precious sleep routines! Let's do this!

Here are two things I want you to start tonight to get everyone back to great sleep!

#1: Initiate adjustments to schedules now. Your little one's routine may have shifted, with later bedtimes and sleep-ins. Circadian rhythms are affected not only by a lack of routine but also by irregular exposure to light, a significant cue for the body's wakefulness and sleep patterns.

"The lack of circadian cues from the sun during the morning and abnormal exposure to blue light from electronics at night severely disrupts their circadian rhythms."

Now comes with a personalized schedule review! CLICK HERE

Transitioning doesn't have to be abrupt. Begin by moving bedtime up gradually, around 15 minutes every three days. Ensure consistent wake-up times and expose your child to natural light during wakeful periods, while dimming lights during wind-downs and bedtime. This aids melatonin production, gradually shifting sleep cycles. Cut off electronics at least an hour before bedtime to minimize blue light exposure, which significantly impacts sleep onset.

Establish consistent bedtime routines and wind-downs before naps. Everyone, including your little one, benefits from a pre-sleep ritual. It doesn't matter what it involves; the key is consistency. Dimming lights creates a relaxing environment, making sleep smoother.

#2 Address any sleep challenges your child may be facing. If you weren’t sleeping well before, you are most likely sleeping worse now. If sleep is disrupted, particularly with inadequate day sleep and frequent night waking, now is the time to address it. Improving sleep is possible with a well-thought-out plan and seeking support.

Having a plan is crucial, and investing time and support is necessary for change. There is no other way around it if you want to avoid stress, crying and years of sleep deprivation. Your child is never too young or old, and it's not about being stubborn or having done something wrong. Change is about learning, and with learning comes improvement. Allow yourself to prioritize sleep for your family without guilt. Reach out for a step-by-step plan, support, and guidance to regain control over sleep during transitions.

Book a discovery call here to get started

Remember, you are their rock. Stay strong, grounded, and remember that sleep is a human need that is worth prioritizing for your family’s health and wellbeing.

Can’t wait to make 2024 your most rested year yet!

GET STARTED TODAY

Our newborn baby would only sleep on us! Now sleeping soundly in the crib- life changing for all.

Rosalee was a second time mom to little 4 year old P and now to a newborn 7 week old H. She barely remembered the newborn months with her first because of the sheer sleep deprivation, to cope she ended up sleeping sitting up on a chair and now little 4 year old P is still not sleeping through the night and coming into mom and dads room at night.

She was desperate to get a better start with her second, knowing that with two now she would not be able to give her best to her children without the proper sleep they all needed. Rosalee, read all about sleep and tried just about everything but couldn’t figure it out on her own. She had so many questions and couldn’t imagine being up all night with all the crying of two babies. She didn’t have the strength for that.

Rosalee reached out for help. She knew this was the only way she would have a clear plan and help every step of the way.

We decided to at least get her newborn sleeping in the bassinet at night for safety reasons and in getting to know his temperament we knew this would be the easiest hurdle to overcome as mom was tired.

WHAT WE DID NEXT…

Rosalee wen’t through the newborn sleep course that easily and fast took her through sleep expectations, how to calm a fussy baby, how to put her baby down and used visual demonstrations that helped her see exactly what to do.

www.lilbabysleep.ca/newborn

“I found the modules easy for my tired eyes and they were right to the point with clear actions to take”

We decided to keep baby in the same room as mom (co-sleeping - not bed sharing) and we first made sure that we set up the sleep environment to be as conducive to sleep as possible. We made sure that her little one was not overtired and watched/capped day sleep and lastly showed her how to calm her newborn in arms and move him into the bassinet. Settling in the bassinet helped her baby become comfortable in this space and got her longer stretches of sleep. We adjusted feeds and timed it perfectly so she was still feeding once a night but then set her baby up for the longest stretch of sleep.

“The best thing I learned was how and when to respond, I was worried of lots of crying but Lily showed me that you should still be assisting in the right way and there was ways to help your baby without having them on you 24/7, I still snuggle and hold for some naps and now I know there can be a balance”

Now little P is 10 weeks old and still sleeping great in his bassinet, he gets up once a night for a feed and he’s then back to sleep until 7am. This has helped mom get a little big more predictability into her nights and now we are ready to start working on toddler strategies with her 4 year old, to get him loving his bed and finally giving mom some peace and rest at night.

“I should have started years ago but I’m glad I found Lily for my newborn. The course was affordable and easy to follow and it made a huge difference in my levels of anxiety and nights, I’m no longer crying in desperation for sleep and my little boy is sleeping so well! That makes me so happy” - Rosalee H.

How to Handle Fears at Bedtime - 6 action steps

Do you have a child who is afraid of the dark or monsters? Don't worry; these fears are quite common and typically emerge around the age of 2-2.5 years when your child's imagination is developing rapidly.

As tired parents, we understand that sleep is crucial for your child's health, development, and overall well-being. That's why it's important to address these fears, especially if they are affecting their sleep patterns.

Addressing Sleep Fears and Supporting Your Child: If your child expresses fear and cries out at bedtime, it's essential to acknowledge and deal with those fears.

Here are six things you can do as a parent to help your child:

1. Discuss fears during the day: Instead of discussing fears at night, focus on addressing them during daytime hours. Engaging in these discussions at bedtime can be counterproductive, as it can lead to increased interaction and potentially disrupt your child's sleep. When children are overtired, their anxiety can heighten due to their natural fight-or-flight response. Therefore, it's important to communicate about fears earlier in the day.

2. Maintain a consistent and light bedtime routine: Bedtime tends to be a time when children want to have deep discussions or delay sleep. However, it's not the ideal time to have these conversations. Topics that evoke strong emotions can keep their minds occupied at night and even lead to nightmares or fears. Bedtime routines should be predictable, free of worries, and not focused on these discussions. Set aside specific times during the day to address their fears.

3. Develop coping strategies: Help your child come up with ways to find comfort when they feel afraid. This could involve hugging a special stuffed animal, using a red light night light in their room, or encouraging them to close their eyes and think of a funny or exciting activity you can do together. Having a game plan and role-playing what to do in these moments of fear will prepare them to find comfort instinctively.

4. Avoid dismissing their fears: While encouraging independent sleep is important, phrases like "you're fine" or "there's nothing to be afraid of" are unlikely to provide effective reassurance. Acknowledge that their fears might seem real and scary to them, and offer comfort before returning them to bed. Try to maintain consistent sleeping arrangements, and if necessary, sit in their room for a few minutes while they calm down.

5. Evaluate their schedule and daytime sleep: Lack of quality sleep can make children more susceptible to fears and nightmares. Sleep plays a vital role in regulating anxiety and promoting healthy emotional development, especially in toddlers. If your child is not sleeping well, expect more meltdowns, fears, and resistance at bedtime. Addressing their sleep schedule is crucial for avoiding bedtime struggles and disturbances throughout the night.

6. Encourage independent sleep: If your child relies on your presence to fall asleep, you may experience resistance, fear, and anxiety at bedtime, or during each sleep cycle throughout the night. This issue is more related to sleep associations than actual fear, but it can worsen the situation by disrupting your child's sleep and causing frequent awakenings. Establishing the ability to fall asleep independently is a fundamental step towards better sleep and should be prioritized. If you continue to struggle with your child's sleep, it may be helpful to seek a personalized step-by-step plan from a sleep expert. We can provide guidance to resolve these issues, ensuring better rest and peace for the entire family at night.

Download your free schedules and nap guides by age HERE

Fears are a natural part of life, and helping your child work through them is important for their emotional well-being. It's crucial to address these fears so that they don't disrupt your child's sleep. As parents, we naturally want to alleviate any negative emotions our children experience. While offering comfort and support is essential, it's important to remember that comforting doesn't mean fixing every problem. If you're unsure about how to proceed, consider reaching out for help. I can assess the situation, provide a step-by-step game plan, and offer support to help you and your child achieve better sleep.

Rested, happy parents, and well-rested children are well-deserved and achievable goals!