How can poor sleep change his behavior? Sleep affects almost all of children’s functioning. Lack of sleep can cause irritability, over-activity, difficulty with attention and just an overall bad mood. While we (adults) might feel sleepy or lethargic if we don’t sleep well or enough, little ones [...]
He climbs – how can I keep him in the crib? Typically, I recommend keeping your little one in a crib as long as it is safely possible. If your little one has tried to climb out once, it may help to offer a small reward for staying in the crib. Once they’re climbing out consistently, it is not [...]
My toddler keeps standing up in the crib – what can I do? At around 9 months, little ones often start standing up in their cribs and sometimes they don’t know how to get down. If this happens at bedtime, help her get down a few times so she knows how, but then simply let her work it out on her [...]
Why doesn’t my baby sleep well? If your baby doesn’t sleep well, think about two main things: your baby herself and the environment around her. Regarding your baby, think about whether or not there is anything bothering her physically that could be disrupting her sleep. For instance, she might [...]
Is it normal for my newborn’s sleep to change daily? Yes! It is completely normal for a newborn’s (0-2 months) sleep to change daily! Newborns typically sleep for short periods of time (30 minutes to 3 or 4 hours); the amount of time your little one sleeps is largely driven by hunger. So, [...]
How should I talk to my child’s health care provider or doctor about his sleep? It’s important to discuss sleep with your child’s health care provider. Even if he or she asks many questions about other developmental milestones and safety and doesn’t happen to bring up sleep, feel free to do [...]
How can sleep help him during the day? A good night’s sleep is important for children at every age, but especially during the preschool years when children are learning early reading, math, and play skills that are important for transitioning to kindergarten. When your little one is sleeping, his [...]
When can he go all night without a feeding? Most babies are old enough to go the entire night without a feeding by 6-months-old. Sleep starts to consolidate at about 12-weeks-old and continues to do so as your little one develops. Your child may still wake and need to be fed to return to sleep [...]
How does sleep affect attention and learning? Good sleep is critical for helping little ones maintain their attention and focus throughout the day, and for helping children to regulate their emotions and their behavior. For little ones, who are just starting to learn how to control their behavior [...]
How do I help when she cries and screams at bedtime? It can be incredibly hard to hear your little one cry or scream at bedtime. Think about whether or not this is a new thing for your little one. If it is a sudden change, be sure to check with her health care provider since something could be [...]