Author: Joan Becker Friedman

How to Deal With Sleep Regressions

Joan Becker Friedman Baby Sleep, Common Sleep Challenges, Nighttime Sleep, Toddler Sleep ,

Undoubtedly, you’ve heard of sleep regressions. If you’re reading this, chances are you’re experiencing it first hand. The word regression suggests a setback- something abnormal. Unfortunately regressions aren’t abnormal. They are frustrating, exhausting and overwhelming.

Just when you think you have a great sleeper, your great sleeper stops sleeping well. A sleep regression might look like difficulty settling down or falling asleep, nap resistance and night wakings. All of this can lead to overtiredness. In turn, overtiredness can result in fussiness and crankiness. For you and your child. 

Here’s maybe the most important part: sleep regressions usually only last one or two weeks. This will pass.

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Eliminating Naps for Your Preschooler

Joan Becker Friedman Common Sleep Challenges, Naps, Toddler Sleep , , ,

How do you really know when your preschooler is ready to eliminate naps? It’s the first question we have to answer as we head down this path.

While some parents feel their preschooler is ready to go without daytime sleep before the age of three, they’re just not ready before three. Sure, there may be an occasional day when “life” gets in the way and they seem to manage without a nap, but don’t let that fool you into believing they can go nap-less on a regular basis. According to the National Sleep Foundation, 50% of kids are still napping at age four and many still at five.

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Reasons to Put Sleep First

Joan Becker Friedman Parenting

As a busy parent, good sleep may seem like a luxury- the kind that’s out of reach. As we kick off the new year, this is the perfect time to shift that mindset. Here’s the thing: Sleep is not a luxury! It’s a necessity if you hope to stay healthy. If you’re making resolutions for this new year, think about moving sleep higher up on your priority list. We’d argue you should put sleep first. After all, if you’re not getting enough sleep, it impacts your kids, your partner and your day-to-day family life.

So, why should you prioritize sleep on your list of needs?

Sleep helps you maintain your physical health

  • Sleep is vital to a healthy immune system. Sleep helps prevent infections and fight them off when you do get one. Getting enough sleep also reduces your risk for chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease.

Sleep helps you manage stress and improves mental health

  • We’ve all been there. Two hours of sleep, an early (pint-sized, screaming) alarm, then a bowl of cereal spills at breakfast. If you’re not getting enough sleep, small stressors can turn into big ones. Healthy sleep helps you stay calm and flexible when things don’t go exactly according to plan. 

Sleep helps you focus and learn

  • Whether you’re studying, working, volunteering or parenting, sleep enables helps your brain take in new information, process it and retain it. When you haven’t slept enough, I don’t think we need to tell you, you’re more likely to forget things and make mistakes.

Sleep helps you maintain a healthy body weight

  • Early morning and late night fitness fanatics, this one is especially for you! Skimping on sleep makes it harder to maintain your weight or take off those few extra pounds you’ve been wanting to lose. Adequate sleep is crucial for healthy metabolism and fat loss.

With these well established benefits of good sleep, kick off the new year by doing your best to put sleep first. Life is just a little bit easier when you’re getting the quantity and quality of sleep that you need. If your kids’ sleep habits are the reason you’re getting less than adequate sleep, we’re happy to help!

When Your Baby’s Head-Banging- And not the Rock & Roll Kind

Joan Becker Friedman Baby & Child Health, Baby Sleep

Thump, thump, thump. You check the monitor. You see your baby bumping his or her head against the crib. Yikes! It’s understandably upsetting and worrisome. Here’s the good news; this baby head-banging, where babies or young children repeatedly hit their head against a crib, mattress, wall or pillow, looks painful, but in a healthy child, it is a form of self-comfort. 

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White Noise For Your Baby

Joan Becker Friedman Baby Sleep

Cutting through the noise

Inside the womb, it’s noisy!  Before birth, babies get very accustomed to sleeping while listening to the sound of your heart beating, your blood circulating and your stomach digesting. During that last trimester, babies can hear sounds outside of the womb. After their arrival, it’s no wonder that babies struggle sleeping in total silence.

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