Secrets of a Good Night's Sleep - Episode 1

Sleep is a wonderful thing. We should all get more of it. However, those of us with small children also recognize that sleep is a luxury. Since many of you asked for sleep advice, I thought I'd finally get my act together and respond. Since my post is getting extremely long, I decided I would chop it up into several episodes.

*disclaimer - I realize this comes only a few posts after complaining that I only slept 3 hours the previous night... but I wanted to point out three things:
a) sometimes kids sleep and mom does not

b) I am usually in bed *sleeping* for 8-9 hours a night... while I am often awakened ever hour or two, I average about 30 seconds of consciousness during those awake periods, and almost never actually get out of my bed
c) even with great sleep secrets, *you* try coordinating the sleep habits of 5 kids under 5, including 5 month old twins... 3 hours straight is a blessing indeed.

To start, I would like to share a quote from Dr. Sears - "The best place for everyone to sleep, is where everyone sleeps best." I believe this can be extended to "The best time for everyone to sleep is when everyone sleeps best," and "The best way for everyone to sleep is the way everyone sleeps best."

It is extremely important to recognize that every baby is different, just as every adult is different. There is no one-and-only method of sleep-training that will work for every baby. Many children refuse to be sleep-trained anyway and forcing the issue only creates resentment and frustration for all parties involved.

So, the first step in getting good sleep is to realize that your baby may never sleep solid from 6pm-6am, like the baby next door... and that's okay. As long as you find a way for everyone to get the amount of sleep everyone truly needs, that's all that matters.

Because there are so many variations and options for night-time parenting, the most helpful tip I have for you is: Read The No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley. She also has The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers & Preschoolers as well as The No-Cry Nap Solution. (There's also aNo-Cry Potty Training Solution and a No-Cry Discipline Solution and a brand new No-Cry Separation Anxiety Solution which should be available this April.) This book has a wonderful easy to understand explanation of sleep cycles and dozens of practical tips. The most important thing to remember when reading this book is that you don't have to do everything. The point of the book is to present information and options that sleep-deprived parents may have trouble thinking of on their own. From all those options, pick and choose what works for you and your family.

The second thing to realize is that your little ones are growing and changing A LOT, and their sleep habits are changing also. This means that you will need to be flexible. What works when your baby is 2 weeks old, may not work at 2 months, and it will probably be completely different at 2 years. When teething or illness or growth spurts or developmental milestones come along, they nearly always throw a wrench in the best routines, and that's okay... it's part of growing and developing. You may find that after a teething period has ended, your baby goes right back to their old regime... or you may need to start from scratch again.

Stay tuned for Episode 2