My toddler is d/Deaf or hard of hearing and transitioning to bedtime is a struggle. What can I do? It’s no secret that young children thrive on routine and predictability. Like most toddlers, children who are d/Deaf and hard of hearing benefit from clear communication and predictable transitions [...]
Is my toddler having a sleep regression? Changes in sleep patterns are normal and not necessarily “regressions.” Those changes interact with developmental changes, environmental changes, and things like sickness or changes in routine. They’re also different for every child. That said, helping [...]
Troubleshooting: how can I help my older toddler sleep? Consistency and predictability are so important! But, there’s no one size fits all fix. Predictability and choice are important to many preschoolers. Putting the bedtime routine on a visual schedule for your child (and you) can help keep [...]
Can I change my baby’s “disaster naps”? Short naps of 30-45 minutes (“disaster” naps or “cat” naps) are quite common in infants younger than 9 months. They are often completely normal, as some young babies are simply short nappers. Infants that are “short” nappers can [...]
How can I help my toddler nap? There are several things that you can do to help your child nap. Keys for a good naptime A good routine for naps will help your child to learn to sleep well and on their own. • Keep naptime at about the same time every day • It’s best to make your [...]
How do I help my toddler keep napping as he gets older? Virtually all 2-year-olds and about 87% of 3-year-olds nap, while only about 8% of children still nap at age 5. A number of things influence the transition from a having a nap plus nighttime sleep, to nighttime sleep only. We know that a [...]
I think my newborn sleeps too much – should I worry? It is normal for newborn babies to sleep a lot, often 16 to 18 hours per day (24 h period). In fact, babies sleep a lot because they need sleep to grow and develop their bodies and brains: sleep is essential for their growth and [...]
Is it ok for my toddler to watch a video or play games on a screen during his bedtime routine? It may be intuitive to think that introducing technology use into your child’s bedtime routine is an emphatic ‘No’. This may be based on your own experiences of using a device before [...]
How do I help my baby who fights sleep at bedtime? It can be exhausting when your baby puts up a fight to go to sleep at the end of a long day! You are tired, and chances are your baby is too! If your baby fights sleep in the evening, here are a few things to consider. First, there’s a chance [...]
How can my baby learn to connect sleep cycles? A sleep cycle is when the brain cycles from wake through the stages of sleep including non-REM and REM sleep. In little ones sleep cycles are shorter than in adults, ranging from about 45 to 60 minutes for newborns, to around 90 minutes by school-age. [...]