In my last blog, I extolled the virtues of having kids share a room. But making that transition can be a struggle at times. Based on lots of input from friends who had been through the process and advice from our pediatrician, here’s what we found worked. All kids are different, though, and it may take some experimenting and several rough nights before your family figures it out. Continue reading…
There are many causes for night-time wakings in toddlers. Many of those are behavioral; however, it is not uncommon for children to start experiencing nightmares and night terrors at this age, as well. Unlike children who wake up with phantom aches and pains, or who want a snuggle or a glass of water, nightmares and night terrors can be a little more tricky to deal with. Continue reading…
My kids share a room. Many families have no choice in the matter, but we have three bedrooms. And yet we chose to have our children sleep in the same room. Lots of you may think I am crazy. Why risk having one kid wake another during the night? What if the kids have different schedules? Won’t they keep each other awake at bedtime? Continue reading…
By the time our children are around two-and-a-half to three years old, we (hopefully) have well-established sleep routines in place. Our toddlers are able to communicate with us, are more aware of their surroundings and have a great sense of humor. And, behaviorally, they start to become more challenging! I previously wrote about my struggles with my own three-year-old. I don’t think I’ve met a parent who has not struggled with this age. Whatever stage you are in feels like the worst, and some more experienced mother or father will tell you, “Just wait” – as if that’s helpful! Well, we’re here to tell you that you can do it – that sleep is just another one of the challenges that comes with having a toddler. When you figure this part out, the rest will fall into place. Believe us, a cranky toddler means a cranky parent! Continue reading…
We get many, many questions about those sleep stages where babies or toddlers experience a change in sleep patterns, nap times, and sleep environments. These are the toughest times for parents because they require us to be patient and to adapt – we are forced to abandon the routines that we’ve spent so long establishing! We have to accept that we will no longer have TWO breaks in the day, but now have to get all of our laundry, cleaning and food prep done in the span of one nap, and we have to take apart the darn crib and find a place to store it (or haul it away). Yes, we know these are trying times but hang in there. In a week or two, your “new routine” will be your “old routine!” Continue reading…
Everyone talks about the “terrible twos” and we understand – two-year-olds are challenging. They are starting to exert their independence but don’t necessarily have the skills they need to do all they want to do. Imagine you just arrived in a new city – one you’ve always wanted to visit – but when you arrive, you discover no one understands you, you can’t figure out how to move as quickly as everyone else, and they seem to be on a different time-zone. Frustrating! That’s how toddlers feel. And this impacts their sleep, too. Continue reading…
Parents frequently look at their shoes when we ask them if their baby uses a pacifier, as if it’s something to be ashamed of. Many moms think of it as their “dirty little secret.” Well, guess what? Our kids used pacifiers and we would do it again!
There is some controversy about the use of pacifiers stemming mostly from lactation consultants who can scare new moms into thinking that their baby will develop nipple confusion if he is given anything other than a breast to suck. Continue reading…
Melissa and I are celebrating “significant” birthdays this year. For the first time in a long time, we decided to go away together – without the kids (mine went with my husband to his parents’ house)! Our mom and aunt (also celebrating important birthdays) met us in NYC for the weekend. We were so happy to have some time together. Melissa and I spent the first hour just sitting in our hotel room in bathrobes, drinking diet coke and reveling in the silence! We had both called our husbands and were assured that all was well in both households and so we were actually able to relax. Joy!
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For the next few weeks, Sleep Sisters is talking about sleep aids. No, not that large glass of red wine you had while watching The Good Wife before bed. We are focused on the tools that help our little ones fall asleep and stay asleep.
Sleep aids include:
items, such as pacifiers or loveys
actions, such as rocking and swinging or bedtime routines
changes in environment, such as hearing white noise or being tightly swaddled
As parents of young children, we need all the help we can get to ensure our kids are getting the sleep they need. And sleep aids offer valuable assistance. Between the two of us and our three kids, the Sleep Sisters have tried them all. In our upcoming blog posts, we will share our thoughts and recommendations for specific sleep aids, but this week, we wanted to talk about them in general.
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I was sitting in my driveway with my next-door neighbor, watching our kids play together (a total of 5 girls, combined) – and I looked at DJ’s sweet face and realized how many new freckles she had. It occurred to me that I hadn’t seen her without a scrunched up nose from grimacing and crying in such a devastatingly long time. I got a little emotional as I took inventory of her happy face. Her hair was a mess as we hadn’t combed it out since her morning swim lesson, and she was wearing Christmas pajama pants with a Tinkerbell nightgown and a zebra sweatshirt, sealed with Nike tennis shoes. She looked like a collage of silly things – and that face, that face of hers – with all those freckles, was shiny and full of delight. Continue reading…