As a mother myself, and a sleep consultant, I've come to the inescapable conclusion that babies, as a rule, are complicated creatures. Matthew McConaughey’s quote on newborns always gives me a chuckle, "They eat, they crap, they sleep, and if they're crying, they need to do one of the three, and they're having trouble doing it. Real simple." In a way, he's right. A baby's vital needs essentially break down into sleeping, eating, and pooping. Their only real form of communicating any issue is through crying. Identifying the fact that there is a problem with our babies is far easier than solving the problem, and as parents, isn't that all we want? If you're the parent of a baby who's just figured out how to roll over, is learning to crawl, or who's teething, this may come as the least surprising scientific discovery imaginable. Developmental Milestones often cause disruptions in a baby's sleep. In a 2015 study published in Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, researchers looked at the sleep patterns of babies before they started crawling, while they were learning to crawl, and a few months after learning to crawl. The results stated that "Along with the overall improvement in sleep consolidation, periods of increased long wake episodes were also manifested; the rise in sleep disruption was temporally linked to crawling onset." To sum it up, the results showed that babies appear to have more night time wake ups around the time that they learn to crawl. (Nighttime wake ups were monitored by a motion sensor on the baby's ankle and were only counted if the baby was moving around for more than five minutes.) To quote that same study, "In dynamic systems, downward trends in performance and in behavioural control often mark the emergence of new abilities. This pattern has been identified in diverse domains of infant development, including manual reaching, vocal production, and language acquisition." In other words, things tend to get worse before they get better, and when your little one starts talking, you can expect some random chat sessions in the middle of the night. Teething is another one of the usual suspects when it comes to disruptions in a baby's sleep. If baby has sore gums, that discomfort is probably going to make it a little tougher to get to sleep and stay asleep. A study from the April 2000 issue of Pediatrics looked at symptoms that could and could not be attributed to emerging teeth. It found that during the four days before a tooth emerged, the day it popped out, and for the three days following, there was a statistical increase in wakefulness and irritability. Any parent who has dealt with a teething baby has seen how the discomfort that comes along with it can be disruptive to your little one's sleep, understandably so. Though teething is one cause of disrupted sleep, language and movement skills may be responsible for more frequent nighttime wake-ups. Much like the rest of us, babies get excited when they start to learn a new skill. While watching my little one learn to crawl, it reminded me of when I first discovered how to use Shazam to identify a song playing over the speakers in Starbucks. I was ridiculously excited! I couldn't wait for another song to come on so I could try it again. I started singing obscure '80s pop songs to see if it could nail them down and showed it off to everyone who would listen. To your baby, learning to talk, learning to roll over, or learning to crawl, elicits pretty much the same response. They get a real thrill out of this newfound skill, and they are going to practice it over and over. In the morning, in the afternoon, and when they wake up in the middle of the night, and that excitement is going to make it a little more difficult for them to get back to sleep. I see a lot of parents looking for a "solution" in this scenario, and in trying to get their baby's sleep back on track, they tend to lose consistency. They'll move bedtimes around, start rocking or feeding baby back to sleep, change up the bedtime routine, anything they think might help. But the best advice I can give you is to hold steady. You're probably going to have to go in and soothe your baby a little more often during this period. You'll have to help get them out of the uncomfortable positions they manage to get themselves into. You will likely have some frustrating nights where your little one will drive you a little batty with their babbling. And although you can't fix the situation, you can make things substantially easier on both you and your baby. Adopting a bunch of quick-fixes to get your baby back to sleep is likely to end up creating dependencies that will last long past the time baby's figured out how to get themselves back to sleep. So please don't give in to the temptation to rock or bounce them to sleep, don't let them sleep in the swing, don't take them for car rides, and above all, don't nurse or feed them back to sleep. Offer them some comfort, tell them it's still bedtime, help them get back into a comfortable position if they've gotten themselves pushed up against the side of the crib, or roll them onto their backs if they've flipped, but make sure to let them get back to sleep on their own. That way, once they've got this new skill mastered, they'll still have the ability to self soothe when they wake up at night. It's likely to be a bit of a challenge, and it may feel at times like one skill gets mastered just in time for another one to start developing, but hang in there. The whole time this is going on, your baby is also developing the ability to consolidate nighttime sleep better. So stay consistent, and you can expect even more of those glorious sleep-filled nights once the storm has passed. If you need more help navigating your baby's sleep regressions or help getting their sleep on track and you want a do-it-yourself approach then our expertly curated sleep training guides will give you the tools that you need to see success. Stop the endless Google searches and find all that you need in one place. AuthorErin Neri - Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant and Owner of To The Moon and Back Sleep Consulting since 2016. Holders of the Child Sleep Institute IMH Badge have completed a university-level course in Infant Mental Health. This course is offered periodically by the Infant Mental Health Program at the Ontario Hospital for Sick Children. By signing up through the Child Sleep Institute, class participants also have the opportunity to discuss the course with other class members. This results in greater knowledge retention and understanding. The CSI IMH badge is only awarded to members of the Child Sleep Institute Program who have provided a copy of the Completion Certificate awarded by the Infant Mental Health Program. Mommy Connections introduces you to programs and services available within your community. Our classes provide a unique learning opportunity as well as a fun way to bond with your child and other moms in a social environment. Each class offers opportunities to hear presenters speak to a topic that is important or of interest for you as a mommy and for your little one(s). This allows for a unique bonding opportunity with your little one while still fulfilling your need to obtain information and be social with other moms experiencing the same challenges, fears and excitement. Mommy Connections Sherwood Park also plans regular events and workshops that cater to the needs of the modern family! Founded in 1930, Welcome Wagon is a Canadian-owned, FREE service for families experiencing a lifestyle change. Whether you are moving to a new neighbourhood, planning a wedding or having a baby, we have exclusive deals, events and services catered to your needs. Sign up today and receive a personal visit. Erin, and To The Moon Sleep Consulting, has been a proud member sponsor of the Birth of Baby Baskets since 2017! Certified Sleep Sense™ Consultants undergo an extensive 3-month training program and are required to attend several “continuing education” events each year in order to maintain their certifications. Because of this extensive and ongoing training they are fully qualified to give all the tools, guidance, and support that you will need to get your child sleeping through the night - and napping well during the day! The Sleep Sense Program has been around since 2003 and has helped over 100,000 parents find a quick gentle solution to their children's sleep problems. Hiring a Certified Sleep Sense™ Consultant gives parents the peace of mind that you will have support and guidance through the process with you every step of the way! The APSC is an organization whose mission is to promote the highest standard of practice for the professional sleep consulting industry throughout the world to ensure that client needs are met with professionalism, excellence, and ethical care. As a member of the APSC since 2017, Erin has the opportunity to exchange ideas, resources, experiences and best practices with other members across the globe. The APSC’s goal is for the practice of professional sleep consulting to be recognized and respected throughout the world. This credibility is earned through collaboration, education, advocacy, outreach, media and informational activities, both within the organization and throughout the global community. APSC members are easily recognized by their proud display of the APSC logo. |
To The Moon and Back Sleep ConsultingProviding families the tools & support they need to get their little ones sleeping through the night and napping like champs! Everyone has more fun when they are well rested! Visit Wollino - Discount Code: TOTHEMOONANDBACK10
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