Tips, Education, Routines, & Checklists to Create Healthy Sleep Habits For

Tips, education, routines, & checklists to create healthy sleep habits for baby & parents from the beginning Congratulations on both your new baby and for the wise decision to teach healthy sleep habits right from the beginning! In this guide you'll receive tools, ideal schedules, tips, and education to get you started on the path to sleeping well and setting the foundation for healthy, independent sleep for your child. This plan covers babies 0-3 months and is meant to be flexible in nature. It is NOT meant to be used as a formal sleep training process, as you cannot formally sleep train a baby younger than 4 months. Did you know it’s possible for babies and children to look forward to bedtime and actually get excited about going to sleep? My daughter tells me when she is tired and ready for bed and my son tries to climb into his crib at the end of our routine! This is all possible for you and your baby and I'm honored to help you start your journey. I know you may be sleep deprived and you’re doing the best you can. I don’t judge any of your decisions up to this point, and I respect you for investing in your baby’s sleep health! I am here to guide you on creating healthy sleep habits for your baby that will last a lifetime.

Keep this handy. The newborn/early infancy phase can be confusing and chaotic and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Use this guide as a tangible outline full of important tools to set a healthy foundation and refer back to when sleep gets disrupted.

This is NOT "Cry it Out," but your baby may cry. In this guide I will provide you with options to soothe, comfort, reassure, and support your newborn baby every step of the way; but please understand that crying is a symptom of frustration, confusion, and often fatigue/exhaustion and as such, may not be preventable. The older a baby gets, the more difficult it can be to change unhelpful habits or introduce new skills. If your baby's emotional response to a change in their sleep habits is to cry, just know that after several days of consistency on your part, the crying will lessen and sleep will improve.

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. This guide was created to benefit the wellness of babies. I will educate you on how your decisions and actions impact your baby’s sleep and while I will ask you to make changes, you are not expected to do anything you are not comfortable doing. However, please keep in mind that if you are not willing to take the steps required to initiate change, you likely won't see results.

Flexibility is key. The newborn phase is constantly changing as your baby is developing physically and cognitively. A 1- month-old is so much different than a 3-month-old in what they are capable of and aware of. One day everything may go perfectly and the next day, naps are a mess and bedtime gets moved up before the sun even sets. That’s ok! Be patient with yourself and your baby. You WILL sleep again, so will your baby, and sooner than later with this guide.

Commit to the plan, it works! Have faith that when these tools are used consistently they will be successful. Nothing changes in one night or one nap. Give it time, be consistent, be patient, and commit to the work. And remember to read the guide through front to back. It's easy to miss important portions of guidance if the content is being skimmed.

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. This guide is about PRACTICE! You and your baby are on a journey. You are setting a foundation. You are not trying to win a race. So every day just practice. If you feel burnt out then take a break, or just focus on the morning nap, or have someone else do bedtime.

Remember to also take care of yourself during this time. Ask for help when you need it, take breaks and rest, and most of all enjoy this short stage with your baby. It’s by far the most exhausting time, but it’s also the shortest stage.

Reminder: This is not sleep training. There are no bad habits during this stage, BUT habits do become ingrained and will become unhelpful as your child grows. Sleep is a biological need, and it is crucial to healthy development. By implementing these tools now you can avoid formal sleep training in the future.

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. My Services Are Not Medical Advice. The advice you receive is for informational purposes only and is intended for use with common early childhood sleep issues that are unrelated to medical conditions. This advice is NOT intended to be a substitute for medical advice or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health practitioner regarding any matters that may require medical attention or diagnosis, and before following the advice and using the techniques described here. Reliance on any information provided by Dr. Aubrie DeBear and Baby Sleep Dr. is solely at your own risk. Additionally, Baby Sleep Dr. does not consult on breastfeeding. If you have questions about breastfeeding and/or how much/how often your baby should be eating please consult a specialist. Exclusion/Limitation of Liability: Dr. Aubrie DeBear and Baby Sleep Dr. do not make any representations or warranties, express or implied, regarding consulting services provided. Dr. Aubrie DeBear and Baby Sleep Dr.’s liability (if any) is limited to the 'Newborn Sleep Guide' fee paid by you to Baby Sleep Dr. and in no event will Dr. Aubrie DeBear and Baby Sleep Dr. be liable to you for any other claim, losses, or damages. Confidentiality and Proprietary Information: Through your purchase of the 'Newborn Sleep Guide,' you (the client) agree to hold in strictest confidence and shall not disclose to a third party any confidential information, technique, process, trade secret, or other confidential matter relating to the products, services, or business of Dr. Aubrie DeBear and Baby Sleep Dr. This content, imagery, text, and processes in this guide are copyrighted and may not be reproduced, distributed, publicly displayed, or made into a derivative work. Any such behaviors will be considered infringements of that copyright.

While babies and children need a solid 10-12 hours of nighttime sleep, their amount of daytime sleep differs as they grow. ‘Sleep needs’ are the typical TOTAL amount of sleep babies and children need based on age for health, functioning, growth, and development. Sleep is essential and crucial to overall wellness. Without enough proper sleep our health suffers and the same is true for babies. I always remind parents that when we become sick our bodies literally shut down and force us to SLEEP because sleep is restorative and encourages optimal health.

This is total time and includes daytime naps as well as nighttime sleep in a 24-hour period

0-2 months 16-18 hours

2-4 months 12-16 hours

Babies will sleep somewhere in this range; although, some days it might be more or less and that’s ok.

Especially in the newborn stage, babies sleep an excessive amount, so don’t worry if you have a very snoozy baby. However; on the other side, if your baby is not sleeping enough, you will want to do what you can to PUT your newborn baby to sleep and not worry about bad habits or doing things the “right” way.

Your baby needs to sleep, that’s most important! So if you need to introduce a pacifier, wear your baby in a carrier while you fold laundry or binge watch a show, or take your baby for a walk in the stroller to force them to sleep – do it!

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. Wake windows are the MAXIMUM time a baby should be awake from the moment they wake up until they are put back down. That includes feeding, diaper change, ‘play time,’ & nap routine.

Babies can only handle being awake for so long before they become overstimulated and overly-tired. Wake windows change as babies grow, and while everything else can be pretty flexible with newborns, you want to really take wake windows seriously. If your baby becomes overly-tired, they will NOT go down for naps or bedtime smoothly. Wake Windows by Age

Birth -8 wks 45 min - 1 hr 8 wks - 3 mos 1.5 hours 3-6 months 2 hours

**For babies born before 37 weeks, please see "adjusted age" in the success tips section

Babies 0-3 months only have two stages of sleep: light sleep and deep (REM) sleep. Not until they turn 4 months (between 3 and 5, really) do they shift into a typical 4-stage sleep cycle and this is when the mysterious ‘4-month sleep regression’ can occur.

If you watch your sleeping newborn baby, you’ll notice they move around a lot, fuss, fidget, move their lips, and even flutter their eyes OR they are dead asleep.

STAGE 1 STAGE 2

Light sleep = Deep sleep = appears not easily awake disrupted

During light sleep, we can mistakenly assume they are awake; and if we tend to them immediately because we heard a peep, we can actually wake them!

They will soon transition into the 4-stages of sleep and transferring them to their crib after rocking them will no longer go as smoothly, but it will now be a prop they NEED to fall asleep

Even if your baby is a week However, during naps and at old you can still prepare for night sleep this change in the 4-month sleep regression. awareness and shift in sleep It's actually a developmental stages can cause babies to milestone, so it's more of a fully wake out of a sleep PRO-gression because it cycle or to be disrupted while means baby is developing in the lighter stages of sleep. cognitively. Not only does their We all naturally wake at the sleep drastically shift but their end of a sleep cycle, but are cognitive awareness also able to get ourselves back to progresses. Which is exciting sleep. A barking dog now news during the day because startles baby out of sleep. you can engage more with Snoring husband? Baby is them and their 'play time' awake. Shadows on the wall? lengthens. Baby is stimulated.

This is when babies who were sleeping well suddenly wake every hour in the night. Or the baby who could be rocked to sleep now wakes 30 minutes into their nap. If a baby does not have independent sleep skills then they will need your assistance in getting back to sleep. But the good news is that YOU are being proactive! The more you use the tools in this guide to encourage your baby to fall asleep on their own, the less likely they will be to experience the difficult aspects of the regression.

0-8 weeks Max 45min - 1hr WAKE 2-3 months Max 90 minutes WINDOWS 3-6 months Max 2 hours

SLEEP Infants have 2 stages of sleep. Careful not to STAGES mistakenly wake them during stage 1, when sleep is light.

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. props, cues, & more A "sleep association" is anything external your baby NEEDS to fall or to get back to sleep. In the newborns phase, this is really nothing to stress over. Skin-to-skin and contact napping has lots of benefits and you should enjoy the newborn snuggles! Though, babies get used to what they're introduced to, so it's always good to keep an eye on any sleep props your baby is becoming entirely dependent on for sleep and always practice putting baby down from time to time to familiarize them with sleeping in their own space.

FEEDING SNOO ROCKING

DROWSY

HOLDING

PATTING

PACIFIER

CAR RIDE OR STROLLER

YOU!

Remember, babies do not come into this world expecting to be rocked, held, fed, or shushed TO sleep. Those are things we introduce and they become accustomed to, but we can also introduce independent sleep once all of your newborn's needs are met; AFTER full feeds, a clean diaper, and with comfort as needed. Be mindful of what you introduce and keep an eye on baby being only able to sleep with one specific sleep prop.

Again, don't stress about props at this age! Newborns are not developmentally able to understand habits yet. Enjoy your newborn cuddles. Hold your baby through some naps, let family members rock them to sleep while you take a shower. All of that is fine and beautiful! These are just things to consider as your baby grows out of the newborn and infant stage.

AND when you can - when you have the help or the energy – practice putting your baby down awake, before they are overly tired, and without a prop. You never know what your newborn is capable of, unless given the opportunity!

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. The most common sleep issue I hear from parents is that their baby is awake for way too long during the day. Either baby never SEEMS tired, or when they do seem tired they just won't sleep. I get it! It can be extremely confusing. Knowing and understanding the difference between early-tired-cues and overly-tired-cues is important for two reasons: Early tired cues are not as obvious BUT are key in finding the perfect time to put YOUR little one down. Babies exhibiting overly-tired behaviors or late cues have passed their stimulation threshold and have essentially gotten a second wind. This is when they have a surge of adrenaline and cortisol to be able to handle staying awake.

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. Tired cues are important to follow in combination with wake windows. Each baby is different, so the sooner you learn your baby’s cues, the easier it is to find the "sweet spot" time to put them down easily. You should begin the nap routine once you see your baby showing any early tired cues. The more overly tired your baby is, the more difficult it will be to get them down.

EARLY CUES OVERLY TIRED

rubbing eyes / nose yawning

pulling ears crying

zoning out / cranky difficult to calm

less social / clingy turning away

red brows & eyes hyperactivity

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. What is Eat - Play - Sleep? This is my recommended schedule or order of activities to follow for daytime with your baby. Your baby will eat when they wake up from a nap, have a short amount of time being awake & stimulated, then back down to sleep according to their wake windows and tired cues.

EAT feed your baby 5-10 minutes after waking

‘play’ or stimulate them with a book, tummy time, or PLAY simply looking into their eyes and smiling (this might only be a total of 10 minutes in a 45 minute wake window)

when baby is zoning out or quieting down it’s time to SLEEP put them down for a nap.

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. Tired cues & hunger cues look incredibly similar. The best way to differentiate is to keep wake window timing in mind and to follow an Eat-Play-Sleep schedule as best you can. This is especially helpful for young babies, but is still ideal for older babies because a feed-to-sleep association often causes short naps.

The benefits are about responding to your child appropriately and tending to their actual needs, not what you assume they need. This isn’t about getting your baby on a strict schedule. It’s about understanding when they are hungry vs tired, and encouraging full feeds and plenty of rest.

HUNGRY CUES TIRED CUES

rooting near chest turning toward chest

crying crying

fist to mouth rubbing nose

Sleep hygiene means implementing healthy habits around sleep. For newborns, you want to work on removing sleep props that have been introduced and always try in the first instance to have baby fall asleep in the crib. These are easier for newborns who haven’t had a prop introduced or who haven’t had much time to associate the prop with sleep.

However, these are the two biggest challenges for babies 10-13 weeks. This is ideal, but the rules for newborns are flexible. Naps in strollers, your arms, or on car rides are ok for the first few weeks, but keep in mind that the more baby practices their own sleep skills without relying on sleep props, the better they will begin to sleep!

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. In the first 8 weeks, it’s ok to have them sleep out in the open while you vacuum in the same room. They will sleep regardless. But after 8 weeks (and earlier if you’d like to start sooner) you want to get into the routine of naps and bedtime.

While babies don’t have internal clocks to guide them, they are able to be guided by environmental cues.

Routines are a great cue for infants. Established, consistent routines signal your baby’s mind and body to prepare for what is coming. They obviously won’t learn this in the first few weeks, but over time, they will recognize the routine if you are consistent about it.

There are hard days in motherhood, but looking at your baby sleeping reminds you why it’s all worth it. - Kara Ferwerda

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. As babies get older and more This is why you want to avoid cognitively aware, they will putting a baby down fast become alarmed if they fell asleep, especially as they asleep at the breast or in get older. I know how much your arms and wake up in easier it seems to put baby their crib. There’s little chance down fully asleep in the night of them realizing this change when you're SO tired, but this and seamlessly going back to small step (however often sleep. Imagine if you fell you can do it!) makes a asleep watching tv on the huge difference in your baby couch and woke up in your learning how to fall asleep bed. You’d be pretty awake independently. and even scared!

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. Probably the TOP question I get asked is "HOW do I put baby down awake and teach them to fall asleep independently?!?!" Here are my top tips for accomplishing this with your baby:

This WON'T happen if baby is overly tired or stimulated. Watch wake windows & master TIMING early tired cues. Know the basics (it all works together) Ex: follow eat/play/sleep schedule.

Environment is KEY. Follow my recommendations for the ideal environment: cool, quiet, dark, PLACE boring, safe. Put baby down in the same place when practicing this once a day (i.e. bassinet)

This is a skill that takes lots & lots of practice & time to master. Follow routines and practice PRACTICE every single day. When baby knows what to expect each time they learn faster.

Nothing happens overnight. Are you practicing once every few days and giving up when it EXPECTATIONS doesn't happen? Stay consistent. This can take months and some days are better than others.

If your baby is crying during the process of putting down awake, you'll follow the advice in the coming sections for the bedtime process in the night and the nap process during the day. BUT what if you put your baby down awake and they're not crying, upset, or even fussing...but still just lying there...awake? First, give baby the opportunity to possibly fall asleep. If they're not crying, fussing, or upset, that's great! Let your child have the opportunity to learn their own self-soothing strategies to fall asleep totally independently.

If your child has been lying there for 30-minutes and still has not fallen asleep, you can implement an "emergency nap" and simply do what you have to do to get your newborn or infant to sleep. As your baby gets closer to 4-months and becomes more aware, I recommend trying to stick to "props" such as car rides, stroller rides, and wearing baby for emergency naps; as opposed to feeding or rocking to sleep, as those props can be more difficult to change later.

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. Do what you need to do to get your baby to sleep (nap on your chest & use a pacifier to soothe), but try your best to avoid props TO SLEEP and encourage at least one nap per day as well as bedtime in the crib or bassinet.

Day vs night: Going back to infant sleep cycles, not only do they have two stages of sleep, but they also do not have strong circadian rhythms until sometime around 12 weeks. This means they don’t innately know the difference between day and night. This is great in the sense that they can sleep anywhere regardless of light or sound, but that also means they don’t sleep long stretches through the night. This is also affected by their need to eat every 2-3 hours around the clock for the first few weeks or months.

Early cues start nap/bed routine SLEEPY Tired cues get baby down CUES Late cues calm (shush, rock, etc)

EAT Eat wake, diaper change, feed PLAY Play after eat, rest of wake time SLEEP Sleep nap/bed routine

Practice as many naps in the crib as you SLEEP can, implement routines to help them HYGIENE separate day & night

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. bedtime + naptime In the early weeks, it's extremely common for babies to have a later "bedtime" (meaning that's when they begin their 12-hours of "nighttime sleep," as opposed to daytime naps). This is so that as they begin to go longer stretches between eating at night, their long stretch can more easily coincide with a long stretch of sleep for you as well. As they grow, their bedtime should begin to include a routine and shift earlier. As with everything we discuss here, consistency is key. Keeping "bedtime" and routines consistent each night will help your baby get more and more used to longer stretches of sleep.

0-8 WEEKS 8-12 WEEKS 3 MONTHS +

8-10pm 8-9pm 7-8pm

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. One of the questions I get asked the most is why you would have a "bedtime" for a newborn baby when they have to wake to eat so often, anyway. You will still feed your baby throughout the night (depending on age and weight, and assuming they haven't self-weaned night feeds). A consistent bedtime (and bedtime routine) is still beneficial and highly recommended for the following reasons:

You get to A bedtime An official plan a routine bedtime bedtime for encourages helps yourself to longer newborns get a chunk stretches separate of rest. over time day & night

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. Establishing a good bedtime routine right from day one is a great way to help babies organize days and nights and start to consolidate nighttime sleep more quickly. I suggest starting a bedtime routine off with a bath – it’s a great first step. It's such a significantly different experience that babies will soon learn that a bath means bedtime is near. A bedtime routine should be 20 - 40 minutes long because if it is too long your baby will not connect the beginning of the routine with actually going to sleep and it will not have an impact. Similarly, if the routine is too short your baby will not get the cues to be ready to go to sleep.

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MASSAGE

PAJAMAS 0 20-4tes FEED minu

STORY / SONG

KISSES GOODNIGHT

Swaddle & into the crib or bassinet awake

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It can be a shortened version of your bedtime routine. About 5- 10 minutes total. Example: DIAPER CHANGE 10 STORIES / SONG - 5inutes KISSES m

SOUND MACHINE

SLEEP SACK/SWADDLE & INTO THE CRIB AWAKE

Note: Avoid feeding right before naps as this will only encourage a feed/sleep association. Remember, feeding should occur when your baby wakes up, not before they nap (Eat - Play - Sleep)

68-72 degrees for comfort and to decrease the risk of COOL SIDS. Keep layers in mind.

The darker, the better. Blackout shades or curtains are DARK ideal.

Use a white noise machine to drown out any sounds that QUIET could potentially wake baby.

Sleeping area free of distractions that can keep baby up BORING (i.e. hanging mobile, busy decor).

Swaddle baby until 8 weeks or the first signs of rolling. Firm SAFE mattress and nothing in the crib whatsoever.

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Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. The following are my personal favorite products for bedtime and restful sleep for babies. I personally use them with my children, though I have more suggestions in different price ranges on my Amazon store. Click below to shop them!

SWADDLE SOFT PJ'S SOFT CRIB SHEETS

NURSERY CAMERA OVERNIGHT DIAPERS

WHITE NOISE NIGHT LIGHT / MACHINE NIGHT LIGHT SOUND MACHINE

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. It is important to note that the AAP (American Association of Pediatrics) requires that no objects be in or around the crib until a baby is at least 12 months old; including a blanket, pillow, bumpers, or stuffed animals. Also, it is recommended that babies room-share (not bed-share) with parents or caregiver for between 6-12 months, but timing is a personal choice for each family to make. Babies should sleep on a crib mattress that is firm with a tight fitted sheet to avoid rebreathing. You should always put your baby down to sleep on their back. Once they can safely and independently roll it's ok to leave them on their tummy if they've gotten there on their own. Lots of tummy time practice during the day is helpful for safe sleep at night.

A baby is something you carry inside you for 9 months, in your arms for 3 years, and in your heart until you die. - Mary Mason

20-40 minutes long. Start with a bath. Feed BEDTIME should not be the last step. Put baby down ROUTINE awake

NAP TIME Shorter version of bedtime routine. A feed is ROUTINE not part of the routine

BABY'S Cool - Dark - Quiet - Boring - Safe ROOM

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. the first 4 months Newborns do a lot of eating and sleeping and little else. It's important to allow them to do as much eating and sleeping as they want and need during the first few weeks. BUT during the first six weeks there are goals to keep in mind. These goals are ideal AND possible, but they will take your effort and patience. You'll need to practice as much as possible to allow your baby the opportunity to adapt. These goals are meant to help your baby get MORE sleep, BETTER rest, and to AVOID unhelpful habits that can cause disrupted sleep throughout their childhood.

Sleeping well is a learned skill and it's our job as parents to teach our children how to sleep well in order to benefit their health and wellness as they grow. Children will never un-learn how to sleep well. It is truly a gift you are giving your baby. Always remember, practice makes perfect! If something you try doesn't work, don't give up! Everything takes time. Trying is what's important!

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. One of the most crucial fall asleep AND get back to elements for teaching babies sleep without this “prop” each to go to sleep and stay time they wake. The best way asleep is helping them to to "teach" self-soothing is to develop their own self- practice putting your baby soothing strategies. We all down fully awake so they have ways that we soothe may develop their own self- ourselves into sleep. soothing strategies on their own. Try your best not to feed If your baby depends on a your baby to sleep, as that's “prop” to fall asleep – such as the hardest sleep prop to get feeding, paci, rocking, etc., rid of. Don't stress - just then they will find it difficult to practice when you can!

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. Encourage full feeds during This will also help to avoid an the day by creating an ‘eating-to-sleep’ association. EAT<>PLAY<>SLEEP pattern. Somewhere between 15 to 30 This type of schedule helps minutes provides adequate us as parents to better feeding time for newborns understand our baby’s tired (for both breast- and bottle- vs. hunger cues. If you feed fed). If your baby is taking your baby upon waking they much longer (or shorter) they will be more likely to stay are likely using this time to awake and eat effectively, snack, soothe, or sleep. and when they become fussy after some light “playing” you A tired baby will not eat well will feel pretty confident that and a hungry baby will not your baby is tired. sleep well.

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. Establish a good, consistent they tend to sleep longer bedtime routine to set nights stretches and do in fact drop apart from days and work night feeds on their own toward longer stretches of when they are ready. That’s nighttime sleep, as well as one less thing for you to self-weaning of middle of the have to worry about! Refer night feeds over time. back to my ideal bedtime routine to see my It’s true that when babies are recommendations for what set up for nighttime sleep to do to prepare baby for that is separate from the day, their longest stretch of sleep!

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Try to put baby down awake as often as you SELF- can to develop self-soothing techniques & SOOTHING comfort as needed

Follow Eat-Play-Sleep schedule to FULL understand hungry vs. tired cues & avoid FEEDS feed to sleep associations

Set baby up to expect a longer stretch of BEDTIME nighttime sleep and potentially self wean to ROUTINE begin dropping night feeds

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. feeds + wakings Your routine should always include a full feed to ensure your baby’s tummy is full. And it will likely be a tricky time of day to keep them awake during the feed. Keep a close eye on your baby and try to keep them aware of their surroundings by stimulating with touch or talking.

You might actually have to remove them from the bottle or breast until they wake up and are able to continue feeding. Keep your baby awake while you are burping as well. Keep burping to a minimum and make it a little less comfortable so they have a harder time falling asleep in your arms.

Your number one goal after the last feed is to place your baby down in the crib awake to give an opportunity to fall asleep completely independently.

If your baby cries, you can pick them up and walk around the room until they are calm. Once calm, you should return your baby to the crib.

If they fuss again, wait a few minutes to see how they will respond. Don't pick them up immediately. Fussing is often part of the falling asleep process. If the fussing turns to crying, you should pick your baby up again. Walk around the bedroom until they are calm, then put them back into the crib.

Repeat this process as many times as it takes for your baby to fall asleep.

Resist the temptation to let them fall asleep in your arms. If this continues for long enough that another feed is needed, then feed your baby doing the best you can to keep them awake, then right back to the crib and keep trying to get them to sleep.

This works for both night and naps, but it's best to start with nights. If you're burnt out, take a break and try again the next day! Do not stress over it - this takes time to begin to work.

Remember, babies in light sleep make a lot of noise and move around. If they're truly awake and hungry, you’ll know! If your baby fusses for longer than a few minutes, you can feed them.

Sometimes parents feed more often than necessary when their baby would have fallen back to sleep after just minutes of "fussing."

Before you start the feed, change their diaper. This is to delay the gratification of the nighttime feeds. Over time, your baby will be less likely to connect waking and crying with an immediate feeding; meaning they won’t learn that crying = getting fed and as they get older, they will only cry in the middle of the night when truly hungry.

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. Keep an eye on your baby through the feed and do your best to keep them awake so they can go back to the crib aware of their surroundings once the feed is finished. Babies often have a bowel movement during or after eating, so you may need to change their diaper a second time before putting them back to bed. This will also help keep your baby awake. If your baby falls asleep during this process it’s ok because we do ultimately want them sleeping during the night, but you can help them at least remain drowsy or in light sleep (as opposed to deep sleep) by re-swaddling them.

You should keep your baby in the bedroom for feeds during the night. Keep the lights low and your voice quiet so that they don’t become over-stimulated. Nighttime is for sleeping, so resist the urge to watch TV, check your phone, or turn on lights. This will also help you resettle faster when you go back to sleep.

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HUNGER COMFORT HABIT

not usually the (OR discomfort) normal night case after 6 dirty diaper, too wakings have months – often hot or too cold, been earlier - unless or reinforced with your baby is developmental a feed or other underweight milestones prop

Understand the difference to respond appropriately

In the first few weeks, baby must eat about every 2 hours. After that, the time between feeds grows to 2-3 hours and many babies can go longer stretches of 4-5 hours overnight as early as 2 months. Always check with your pediatrician. Rarely is teething or a growth spurt the cause of sleep disturbances. Pay attention to how quickly you respond to night wakings, HOW you respond, and what props are being encouraged.

If your baby cries when put down to bed (or PICK-UP middle of night, but not hungry) pick up to comfort & calm, then put back down. Avoid PUT-DOWN picking up if just fussing, only when crying.

Keep lights, interaction, and voice low. NIGHT Change diaper, feed, burp, swaddle, and FEEDS back down drowsy (if possible)

Wait a few minutes to respond. True hunger, NIGHT needs/comfort, or just habit? Learn the WAKINGS difference over time & respond appropriately

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. naps + schedules It is often hard to tell when the nighttime ends with a newborn. This is when we look at night or day as being a 12-hour interval. If your baby went to bed at 8:00 p.m., then 8:00 am will be the start of their day (or whenever they wake on their own around that time).

This means the "official morning start" - when it's no longer a "nighttime feed," we get dressed for the day and eat in a bright room to distinguish day & night.

The best way to signal that the morning has officially begun is to take your baby out of the room and feed them in a bright daytime environment such as the living room or the kitchen.

Let her sleep, for when she wakes, she will shake the world. - Napoléon Bonaparte

During a transition time, your baby might be DO working up to a new wake window gradually. If they are taking short (or very long) naps, then change the nap times accordingly.

If you need to choose between a catnap and late bedtime OR an early bedtime, choose a bedtime as early as 6/6:30pm.

feed your baby in their sleep environment when they wake from naps - take them into a new bright room to feed. DO Feed your baby right before going down for a nap. NOT Follow an eat-play-sleep schedule.

Put baby down drowsy - help your baby learn to fall asleep independently.

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. Once the nap routine is complete, put your baby in the crib or bassinet awake. If they fuss or squirm, wait a minute or two to see if they can settle on their own. If they get more upset, you can pick them up again and soothe using the Pick-Up-Put- Down method described for bedtime.

Repeat this process until they have fallen asleep or one hour has gone by. If your baby has not fallen asleep within this hour, then get them up and offer a feeding.

Do your best to keep your baby awake through the feed and then put them in the stroller, swing, carrier, or go for a car ride so they can get some sleep with an ‘emergency nap.’

Nap length will vary. Between 0-8 weeks your newborn might sleep anywhere from 20 mins - 4 hrs in one nap session. As they get older, the range becomes 30 min - 2 hrs.

Take a Try Use pick-up-put- Try for break, stroller, down method if 1-hr keep swing crying when put to fall awake for or car asleep down awake feed ride

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. If your baby wakes before naps can be an exhausting one hour is up, try for 10 process. If you need to take a minutes to coax them back to break, commit to focusing on sleep. You can pat, shhh, bedtime and the first nap of jiggle the mattress, offer the the day as your goal for now pacifier, anything to and think of naps as a time encourage them back to for you both to practice. Do sleep. If you've tried for 10 not overthink it or get down minutes with no success: get on yourself or your baby. It them up, wait 10-20 minutes does not need to be perfect. before offering a feed, and try again at the next nap Although a short nap is not time. Getting a newborn to ideal, it is normal at this age fall asleep on their own for so don’t worry if naps don’t daytime is tough enough and lengthen right away.

reasons troubleshooting

moving from 2 to try to coax back to sleep in 4 sleep cycles - any way to lengthen nap more "light sleep"

leave in sleep space if content, developmentally not crying, and not time to eat unable to connect cycles start wake window when taken out of sleep space need a prop to sleep (paci, etc.) move bedtime earlier or add catnap as needed transitioning wake windows putting down awake, without and/or number props helps baby learn to of naps connect cycles over time

AVOID props to soothe, PROPS not to sleep

IDEAL cool, calm, ENVIRONMENT dark, quiet

RUSH IN only under TO SOOTHE 6 months

LEAVE FOR FULL time to rest or NAP TIME fall back to sleep

Make your priority working on having baby fall asleep independently and in their bassinet/crib for naps, but if a nap is particularly short it's ok to 'rescue' it with a contact nap, for example.

I really don’t encourage you to cap naps or wake a sleeping baby. UNLESS…wake a newborn who needs to eat. Newborns really should be eating roughly every 2 hours.

Some can go up to 3 hours and during growth spurts some might cluster feed every hour for a few days. But when it comes to capping daytime sleep because you are worried it will interfere with nighttime sleep, it really isn’t a concern.

Naps will even out. Some days your baby will need extra sleep because they’re growing or fighting off getting sick, or making up for a previous day of poor naps.

If your baby is underweight or over 8 weeks old and a single nap is approaching the 3-hour mark you can consider waking them – gently – by opening the door and turning off the sound machine, or slightly opening the curtain so they wake on their own with your small nudge.

BABY'S WAKE # OF AGE WINDOW NAPS

Birth-2 mo 45-60 min 4-6

2-3 months 1.5 hours 4 >> 3

3-6 months 2 hours 3

SIGNS early waking middle of the TO DROP (4-5 AM) night wakings THE NAP

always over 30 mins interferes with to fall asleep bedtime

If you begin to notice most or all of the signs above, consistently for a few weeks, it's probably time to transition down a nap.

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. The best way to transition naps is gradually based on transitioning wake windows. The longer your baby is able to stay awake, the closer they are to being able to drop a nap. When you find your baby seems ready, keep extending the wake window gradually and moving the nap later by 10-15 minutes every three days until you drop the nap completely. It may be rocky for a few days, but it will even out.

Moving bedtime earlier by 30-60 minutes for a week or two can help with the gap in time and prevent over-tiredness.

If you notice your baby is showing tired cues at the usual nap times, try your best to distract while you are working on extending the wake window and pushing for a new nap time. It will get easier each day.

9:00AM Morning!- feed upon waking

10:00AM Nap #1 - roughly 1.5-2hrs

12:30PM Nap #2 - roughly 1.5-2hrs

3:00PM Nap #3 - roughly 1.5-2hrs

5:30PM Nap #4- roughly 1 hour

7:30PM Nap #5 - roughly 1 hour

9-9:30PM Bedtime - feed before bed

Keep an eye on the time, wake windows, and your baby’s individual tired cues. If they are taking short (or very long) naps, then you will change the nap times according to your baby’s wake window. A bedtime between 8-10pm is typical for this age

8:00AM Morning!- feed upon waking

9:00AM Nap #1 - roughly 1.5-2hrs

12:00PM Nap #2 - roughly 1.5-2hrs

3:00PM Nap #3 - roughly 1.5-2hrs

6:00PM Catnap - 30 mins-1hr

8-8:30PM Bedtime - feed before bed

Remember not to feed your baby in their sleep environment when they wake. Keep an eye on the time, wake windows, and your baby’s individual tired cues. If they are taking short (or very long) naps, then you will change the nap times according to your baby’s wake window. The last wake window might call for two feeds depending on how long or short the nap was, and that's ok. A bedtime between 8-9pm is typical for this age

7:30AM Morning!- feed upon waking

9:00AM Nap #1 - roughly 1.5-2hrs

12:30PM Nap #2 - roughly 1.5-2hrs

4:00PM Nap #3 - roughly 1.5-2hrs

7-7:30PM Bedtime - feed before bed

The important thing is to keep an eye on the time, wake windows, and your baby’s individual tired cues. If your baby is taking short (or very long) naps, then you will change the nap times according to your baby’s wake window. If you need to add a catnap in the evening to make it to bedtime, that’s ok. Or move bedtime up as early as 6/6:30 to make up for lost sleep.

If fussing once put down after 5-10min nap routine, wait 10 mins to see if baby settles. If NAP crying, you can pick-up/put-down. Repeat GUIDE until asleep or 1hr has passed. Then, offer a feeding if needed.

If nap is shorter than 1hr, try to coax back to SHORT sleep for 10-20 mins. If not possible, get NAPS them up & wait 10 mins to feed. Try again next nap.

Age 0-3 mo should have 4-6 naps per day NAP that last anywhere from 45 mins - 3 hours. SCHEDULE Try not to wake baby unless they must eat or too close to bedtime.

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. tips + tricks For babies born prematurely, I advise parents in the early months to be conservative and use their baby's adjusted age for sleep-related issues. This applies to wake windows and nap transitions, as well as when to implement the sleep plan.

If you are diligent in creating healthy sleep habits in your baby by ensuring they are not relying on props (too often) and are able to fall asleep on their own (as much as possible), chances are they will naturally self-wean off nighttime feeds somewhere between 10 and 13 weeks of age. Some babies take longer and that's ok!

Similarly, they are less likely to experience a significant 4- month sleep regression. Around 3-5 months your baby may begin to wake every few hours in the night again, but just wait it out and let them get back to sleep on their own if possible. If you suddenly re-introduce rocking or feeding to sleep they will believe they need those things to get back to sleep. This regression only lasts a few days in babies with independent sleep skills.

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. With a monitor, we respond to our babies at the slightest whimper instead of allowing them a chance to find their own way back to sleep. Without a monitor, it might take a few minutes for you to hear your baby and a few more to actually respond. By that time, they may fall back to sleep on their own! So, always wait a few minutes before getting your baby up. In time, your baby’s biological clock will become stronger and you will know you are doing all that you can so that they develop healthy sleep habits for a lifetime.

Six weeks marks a turning point for many babies, and their sleep cycle begins to settle down so that they sleep longer periods during the night (3-5 hours). In the meantime, don’t worry about the fact that your baby is spending so much time eating and sleeping.

If your baby is breastfed and you're comfortable, you could try starting to offer a bottle at 6 weeks. A bottle only once during the day and at bedtime is a great place to start.

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. If you are concerned about your baby's skin becoming irritated, you do not need to bathe them every night. However, you can always bathe without soap just to keep the bath in the routine because bath time before bed has benefits. For one it is a great way to signal that restful sleep is approaching. Second, it raises and drops body temp which increases relaxation. Lastly, it's a time for play, bonding, and connection between baby and caregivers.

Swaddling is most effective during a baby’s first 8 weeks of life. After that, you should leave one arm out of the blanket for a week or two and then make the transition to have both arms free. By three months of age, your baby should no longer be swaddled or it might become a sleep prop. AND when your baby shows signs of beginning to roll over then a swaddle must be removed for safety reasons. You can also look into transitional swaddles if your baby’s startle reflex continues to disrupt their sleep.

Reflux is very common in young babies. The final feed should not be the last step in the bedtime routine anyway, but especially in babies with reflux. After a full feed keep your baby upright while you read stories and sing songs.

DON'T LET Things like swaddling & pacifiers are awesome, until they become a problem. Use PROPS the pacifier to soothe & elongate naps - not BECOME all the time. Swaddle until they show signs of PROBLEMS rolling or until 8 weeks.

BE AWARE Many times parents create bad habits by responding too quickly w/ every noise. OF YOUR Unless baby is crying, always wait a few RESPONSES minutes to allow self-soothing

Remember, this guide is to practice & allow TRY NOT baby to develop great skills over time. If it TO STRESS becomes stressful, take a break or choose 1 nap + bedtime to focus on.

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. common issues When feeding or changing a diaper in the middle of the night try to keep the room as dark as possible. You can use a soft, dim light, but please make sure that the room is only lit enough so that you can see your baby. We want you both getting right back to sleep!

By 3 months the goal is to work toward a 7am wake up and a bedtime of 7/7:30 pm. Even though you can probably get your baby back down with a feed and have them sleep until 9 or 10am, over time this will throw off nap schedules and encourage a later bedtime, which is not ideal.

Our sleep becomes “lighter” as the night progresses. Waking around 5 am is common for babies and sometimes takes time to rectify. Don’t consider it "morning" at any time before 6 am. I recommend leaving your baby in their crib until 6 am (unless they are crying). Eventually, their bodies will adjust to the wake time.

Up until 8 weeks old, cap daytime naps and be strict with wake windows and feeding every 2-3 hours. Naps can be unswaddled, in the light, & lots of noise until issue is solved.

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. The best way to transition naps is gradually based on transitioning wake windows. The longer your baby is able to stay awake, the closer they are to being able to drop a nap. When you find your baby not showing tired cues at nap time, keep extending the wake window gradually and moving the nap later by 10-15 minutes every three days until you drop the nap completely. It may be rocky for a few days, but it will even out.

Similar to transitioning the number of naps down as babies grow, you'll want to transition bedtime earlier. Many times, the timing of removing a nap will coincide with moving bedtime earlier. For that reason, it's usually easiest to move bedtime earlier by dropping the last nap of the day and moving the bedtime routine to the end of the previous nap's wake window. You can also gradually move bedtime earlier by 15 or 20 minutes every few nights until you get there.

On days when your baby does not nap well, you should bring bedtime forward by up to one hour. Don’t look at this as “going to bed early.” Consider it “catching up on lost nap time.” Naps do take time and are HARD. Practice and consistency are the key!

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. When traveling do your best to keep routines as similar as possible. While on a plane anything goes – just survive! But once you’ve reached your destination keep things the same. Bring your sound machine, a familiar lovey, and keep bedtime consistent when you can. CLICK to shop my top travel products

If your baby becomes ill for any reason of course accommodations can be made. Babies may need some medication throughout the night and they likely will need extra cuddles during the day. While sleep is often disrupted by illness, it is short-term so do be cautious about changing the rules and boundaries around sleep because it will take longer to fix the introduction of new props. For example: holding your baby until drowsy is ok, but bringing them into bed with you should be avoided.

Teething and growth spurts are rarely the cause of disrupted sleep. In fact, growth spurts often cause more feeding sessions and longer amounts of sleep. Teething might be uncomfortable around the day the tooth actually breaks through, but it is not something to cause concern and have you shift your sleep routine. Babies have teeth coming in all the time so don’t set yourself up for problems and back-track on all of your hard work.

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. Be careful of resting at breast or bottle and dozing in the stroller before a nap. These all count as naps to your baby, but none are as restful and restorative as a true full nap. If you have to be out of the house during a typical nap time then plan your drive accordingly. Picking up an older sibling from school? Leave the house earlier than usual so your baby can sleep for as long as possible on the drive.

These are most often the culprit of sleep suddenly going from great to bad. The good news is it’s short lived and there’s a reason! Preparing to roll over, sit up, crawl, stand, walk, and a burst of language. Don’t change things up too much – things will go back to normal! Make sure to practice these skills during the day so they can master them and not use nighttime to practice (or get stuck standing in their crib).

Hold your baby to their best. If they are consistently going 5 hour stretches in the night and suddenly start waking every 2 hours, you can feel pretty certain they are not waking from hunger but something else. Always wait a few minutes to see if they will settle back to sleep.

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. Are you following the outline to a T? Be diligent, consistent, and try your best. Consider where guidance may not be being followed and strictly commit for a few days. See if things change.

Are you feeding too close to a nap? Doing the work for your baby? Allowing them to get snoozy during the routine? Are they overly tired or not tired enough? Is the sleep environment ideal?

Don't feed right upon waking. Don't get baby up any earlier than 6am unless necessary. Is the room dark enough? Developmental milestone? Keep in mind early wakings usually get figured out when you are consistent.

The ‘ideal schedule’ will never be perfect, it’s just something to follow as a guide. So, please don’t be hard on yourself.

Don’t fall for the dream feed. Let a baby wake to eat when they are actually hungry. It also can wake baby from their natural cycle and hinder them in sleeping longer stretches and it can cause an eat-to-sleep association. Its effects are minimal at best. Plan your baby’s last feed and bedtime accordingly.

- On "bad" nap days, move bedtime up 1- NAP hour to get necessary rest. RULES - Don't let baby "snooze" before naps (i.e. falling asleep eating)

Once you know your baby is capable of HOLD BABY achieving long stretches of sleep, this can TO become the expectation. Don't introduce THEIR BEST bad habits if there is a regression or "off" day/night

Each day will never be exactly the same - these tips should be used as a guide. Do FLEXIBLE + your best to stick to the guide each day and CONSISTENT be as consistent as possible. Over time it will work.

1. Make sure to read the guide through front to back to make sure you’re getting all the info. 99% of the time the question will be answered in here, but it can be easy to miss! 2. Be flexible - you may have to play around with wake windows, tired cues, naps, etc. to have success 3. Watch how you’re responding to wakings. Are you reinforcing them with certain actions?

If you're looking for specific guidance regarding this guide, I offer 15-minute check-in calls for $49. These calls can ONLY be booked by current customers and clients.

What could you use this quick 15-minute call for? clarify any questions you may have after reading through the guide help troubleshoot a specific issue that you're not sure how to move forward with tweak any guidance to work best for your specific needs

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Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. 4-months + Before you know it you will be dealing with the 4-month sleep regression. If your baby is doing well with learning independent sleep skills it is possible they won’t be greatly affected. This ‘regression’ is actually a developmental milestone when they become more cognitively aware and shift from a 2-stage sleep cycle to a 4-stage sleep cycle. So, your baby who was sleeping long stretches through the night will suddenly be waking regularly throughout the night again. That’s because they are more easily roused out of sleep cycles. Do not introduce new sleep props to get your baby back to sleep.

If after your baby turns 4 months, you're interested in step-by- step guidance on sleep training OR if you're just interested in more personalized support, you can upgrade to one of my other offerings at 20% OFF with the code HELP20 at checkout

Baby Sleep Guide (4 months - 18 months) Click to 30-Minute Q&A Calls learn

Personalized Sleep Plans (up to 12 years) more

Commit to TRYING the tools provided to you in this guide because they work! Have faith in yourself and your baby, believe that it will work for your family, and stick to it long enough to see results.

What can you expect to walk away with from this guide? Education on baby sleep basics Step-by-step instructions on how to get your child to sleep independently (fall & get back to sleep on their own) Tools to handle changing sleep transitions How to avoid or remove unhelpful sleep props How to handle night feeds, wakings, and weaning Example ideal schedules and routines Success and troubleshooting tips

Amazing!!! Totally recommend. This guided our family to learn how to move from the kids needing our physical presence to fall asleep (our hand or sleeping in the bed with them!) to do it completely independently. That was sure a huge improvement for the physical and mental health of all members of our family. - Tatiana V.

LEARN MORE

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. Perfect for those looking to solve an issue, but not in need of a full sleep training guide. Use this time to ask me specific sleep questions. and I will give you specific tips and tools to get sleep on track based on your goals and your family's needs.

What types of issues could we cover on a Q&A call? Lengthening naps & fixing early morning waking Removing a sleep prop (rocking, feeding to sleep, etc.) How to get your child to love their crib

Dr. Aubrie is WONDERFUL! She knew exactly how to support my family during a big transition in our lives; welcoming a new baby and moving our toddler into a new room and new crib. We were challenged with our toddler waking early and confused about how to transition him into a new room. We questioned if we should put him in a big bed or keep him in the crib. Dr. Aubrie directed us with confident advice that gave our family hope and peace of mind. Her advice worked, and now our house is sleeping in past 6 AM Thank you so much! - Lyndsay H.

BOOK NOW ($79)

**Use code HELP20 at checkout for 20% off the call (normally $99)

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. We'll start with a 30-minute video call to get to know each other, dive into details, set goals, & decide on a start date. This plan helps to change unhelpful habits and develops healthy sleep habits.

What's included in my custom sleep package? 2 video zoom calls with me A detailed sleep plan customized to your baby Incorporates an ideal schedule beyond bedtime Road map of routines for naps and bedtime Additional tools for continued success

I highly recommend using Dr. DeBear for teaching healthy sleep habits! She is incredibly knowledgeable and took the time to customize our sleep plan to meet my family's needs. Whenever I had a question she had thorough, customized & thoughtful answers that made be feel reassured & hopeful that we were on the right track. After working with her my entire family is sleeping so much better. I cannot thank her enough for the incredible gift of a restful sleep for all of us! - Deirdre L.

BOOK NOW ($199)

**Use code HELP20 at checkout for 20% off the plan (normally $249)

Pick-up/put-down, 1 nap & bedtime in the PRACTICE crib or bassinet, put down awake

BED Consistent routine each night, full feed, TIME bedtime between 8-10pm

NIGHT Lights low, soft voice, swaddle off, change FEEDS diaper, feed, burp, re-swaddle

Morning is 12 hrs after bedtime, feed in MORNING bright room, dressed for the day, etc.

Modified bedtime routine, 1 nap per day in NAPS crib/bassinet, 30min-4hrs

OPTIMAL ENVIRONMENT

CONSISTENT ROUTINE

EARLY BEDTIME

AVOID DROWSINESS

INTO BED AWAKE

Copyright 2021 Baby Sleep Dr. YOUR mental health and well-being matter. We need to take REAL care of ourselves. For ourselves. For our kids and family. It’s a necessity that mom is well and healthy (dad too, your struggle is just as important). Talk to your partner, friends, and family to get the help you need. Do not let all the responsibility of your children fall solely on you. MOM'S MENTAL HEALTH 20%

suffer from depression during pregnancy 85% 33%

do not feel physical & emotional supported as health suffer since mothers by society children

78% 51%

put their family's are discouraged health and well-being about managing before their own work & motherhood

Sources: Women's Health Innovation and Leadership, 2015; Motherly's State of Motherhood Survey, 2019

If you feel like you may be suffering from Postpartum Depression (PPD), it's extremely important you reach out for help: www.postpartum.net/

CLICK HERE to shop my favorite products for mom

Attachment is a big concern for parents. Attachment theory is psychologically-based. Attachment parenting is not the same thing. I will only speak to attachment as it is based in research. Building a secure attachment is about meeting your baby’s needs to the best of your ability, doing your best, and creating a supportive and nurturing environment while also encouraging separateness from you. That’s a big deal and a large component that extreme attachment-parenting followers miss. Your child is not meant to be attached to you so completely. That is called enmeshment.

The ideal form of attachment is ‘secure attachment’ and that is created over time when your child feels safe being separate from you. When they are encouraged to go out and explore the world knowing they can return to you for support and to meet their needs, that is a secure attachment.

*if they are hungry, feed them; but if they are not, then you are not actually meeting their needs by feeding when they are tired or uncomfortable – feeding is not the answer to all of baby’s needs* Do not worry about your attachment.

Attachment also does not only happen at night. So this idea that sleep training or encouraging independent sleep skills is somehow going to tear away at your attachment is nonsense. Attachment is built day and night by you doing your best and loving your baby. That’s it.

Crying will not harm your baby. Any research that says so is built upon either small samples, circumstances that induce stress in other areas and cannot be correlated with sleep training alone, or are based on a sample related to trauma or health-sensitive participants. Sleep training can be uncomfortable for the first few nights, but the truth is a baby’s increased levels of cortisol are due to exhaustion, not crying.

Even the AAP states that a child with an otherwise caring environment will not be negatively impacted by nighttime crying related to sleep interventions (American Association of Pediatrics: Gradisar et al., 2016). Babies cry all of the time for various reasons – it’s how they communicate! If your baby cries in their car seat you still put them in for their safety.

Similarly, encouraging healthy sleep habits is in your baby’s best interest and crying is not the reason to allow them to have disrupted and unhealthy sleep.

And truly, crying is a stress reliever – don’t you feel better after a good cry? Our tears carry cortisol out of our body. And why should we teach children that there is something wrong with crying?

If you are worried about attachment THIS should be your biggest concern. Instead of raising children to be afraid of their emotions, comfort your baby, encourage them to release their stress, and provide them space to feel better and sleep well.

Finally, I do not believe there are naturally good or bad sleepers or that parents are just lucky. I believe all babies and children can be great sleepers when they are taught the proper skills.

I believe "bad sleepers" are either hungry, over-fed and gassy, or overly-tired; and therefore, have trouble falling or staying asleep. The tools I have provided in this guide will help you to understand how to respond to your baby’s cues and set you both up for successful sleep.

You’re always going to wonder if you’re doing things wrong, but that’s what it means to be a mom, to care so much about someone else that you just want to be as perfect as possible. - Naya Rivera

Babies who are physically comforted to sleep (rocked, nursed, held) are more likely to have a persistent sleep problem through childhood (Morrell & Cortina-Borja, 2002)

10-12 hours of nighttime sleep is crucial for children in the first 3 years of life (Touchette et al., 2007)

Behavioral sleep problems affect 20-30% of children in the first 5 years of life (American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 2005; Carter, Hathaway, & Lettieri, 2014)

30% of babies with sleep problems go on to have persistent sleep issues throughout childhood (Byars, Yolton, Rausch, Lanphear, & Beebe, 2012)

20-40% of toddlers have sleep problems that disrupt the lives of their families (Zuckerman, Stevenson, & Bailey, 1987; Archbold, Pituch, Panahi, & Chervin, 2002; Ramos & Youngclarke, 2006)