Sleep Isn't a Big Deal

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When I had my first baby, sleep was a huge deal. My life revolved around sleep.

Try to get sleep, try to get baby to sleep, try to keep baby asleep, try to fall asleep, try to sleep for long stretches, try to sneak in a nap. I was so tired that all I ever wanted to do was sleep. And I was so concerned that I wasn't getting enough sleep that I couldn't get it off my mind.

The interesting thing is that the more I worried about trying to get sleep and my lack of it, the less sleep I ended up getting--and the more anxious and depressed I got. It was one exhausting, horrible cycle.

With my second baby, I did things differently. I told myself it wasn't a big deal if I didn't get much sleep. It wasn't a big deal if it took me a while to fall asleep. It wasn't a big deal if I was up 10 times at night. It wasn't a big deal if my baby didn't go right to sleep after waking at night. It wasn't a big deal if I never got a nap during the day. And it wasn't a big deal if I was tired all day.

Daylight Savings - Time to Jump Ahead!

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I really, really don't like daylight savings. I think it is silly that we still have it, and I've seriously considered moving someone else, like Arizona, where they don't have this darn skipping back and forth each year. It was a little annoying when I was younger, but now that I've got kids, it's SUPER pesky!

Anyway, I haven't picked up and moved to Arizona yet, so I've got to deal with the "spring forward" (and, gulp, the "fall back" in 8ish months!) and most likely, you have to deal with it too so let's go ahead and have a chat about it. Maybe we'll both dislike it less afterwards :)

Is your baby a perfect sleeper?

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I am a bit of a perfectionist.

It's one of those things that, as Monk would say, is a blessing and a curse. I am dependable, organized, and don't just do an ok job, I do my best job. I like that I can be counted on with whatever needs to be done, whether it's in my own life, my family's life or for someone else.

But then there's the 'curse' part of this scenario. That happens when I move from doing my best job to a perfect job. That turns whatever I do into a never ending project--because it will never be perfect--or into a constant disappointment--because I just can't do perfect.

When Sleep goes from Bad to Good... in 12 days

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Right after my youngest, Nora, turned 2 my husband and I went on a trip to England. I wasn't pregnant, I wasn't nursing and we weren't moving around jobs (or houses). It was time for a vacation to somewhere I've always wanted to go (my husband was cool with it too). After reading and watching all things British for several years, I was going to experience it!

My in-laws were coming out to visit and we asked if maybe, just maybe they could stay a bit longer and watch our kids while we went to England. We have amazing in-laws that agreed to stay with the kids to make our trip possible. Because saving up and getting work off for a trip is hard, but finding a babysitter is near impossible!

Is there such thing as a magic sleep fix?

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A lot of the time when people ask me for sleep help, they are hoping for some sort of magical sleep fix.

What do I mean by magic? You know, something that doesn't require much time, effort, consistency or tears. Sounds dreamy, right?  Especially if you haven't slept long enough in the last few months to even get to the dream state.

Why Does My Baby Fight Sleep?

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My boys fought sleep from almost the moment they were born. Jacob didn't even make it out of the hospital without displaying to the world is undying hatred of all things sleep. When my boys got sleepy, they got fussy or cried. There was none of this --I'm tired so I'll just snuggly into mom (or, gasp, by myself in my own bed) and shut my eyes and snooze. No way, Jose!

As a first time mom this was really difficult for me. I'd dreamed about holding my baby in my arms and having him peacefully fall asleep. I'd seen it happen with my friend's and family's babies (even while I was holding them), and more importantly, I'd seen it happen on TV. When this didn't happen, I assumed

Perfect timing means no crying...or does it?

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If you've spent a good enough time dallying in the 'how the heck do I get my kid to sleep' circles, you've probably heard something along the lines of perfect timing equals no crying. It's one of those stand out ideas from a very popular baby sleep book that stands out because, well, it's repeated multiple times, and also because it's pretty significant. I mean, if you put your child to bed at just the right time they won't cry. Who in their right mind wouldn't want that?!

The thing is, this phrase is kind of like one of those emails or phone calls you get promising you all kinds of amazing things (like a free trip to tahiti WITH free babysitting) for filling out a 2 minute survey--it sounds a little too

IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SWING-CEED, TRY, TRY AGAIN.

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A baby swing can be a very magical thing. If you've ever had a fussy baby or a 'I like to wake up every 20 minutes all nap/night long' baby that drops to sleep for HOURS once placed in a swing, you know what I mean.

Wait. What? This hasn't ever happened to you? You thought swings were just suppose to be a baby decoration in the corner of your room? Well, you're not alone. Some babies are

The Key To Sleep Training Success - Consistency

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The worst thing a parent wants to hear when they're deathly sleep deprived, especially when they  have been putting every last bit of energy into teaching their child to sleep, is that they are making things worse, not better.

But it happens. And it happens surprisingly often.

You don't want to be this person, and I don't want you to be this person. So let's talk about one of the main ways to avoid

WHEN AND HOW TO DROP THE SWADDLE

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Stella recently reached the 3/4 month mark which made me contemplate how long we were going to continue the swaddle. For some reason, when it comes to dropping the swaddle,

Don't, And I Repeat, Don't Go In There!

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When your baby cries, especially a very young one, it's natural to rush over to her to see what she needs. This is generally a good thing, but when it comes to sleep, this can often backfire.

You see, not only do babies make all kinds of sounds during their sleep (some will even cry out for a moment--all while fast asleep!), but if left alone for a minute

Sleep is for the weak, or is it?

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image source

Today's post is from Natalie Wiles, mom of two and sleep guru. If you don't think sleep is important, a few minutes on the phone with her is sure to change your mind--and help you get more sleep! I highly value

How to Set the Stage for Good Sleep {tear free!}

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Wouldn't it be awesome if you could get your baby sleeping well without any drama, tears or methods that run you even more ragged than you already are? And this is for real, not just from one of your dreams you snuck in between those hourly, all night long wakings.

Um. Sign me up!

So how do you get to this this dreamy, near-imaginary state? You set the stage for

When is it safe for my baby to sleep on his tummy?

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I have seen more than one mom, myself included, get anxious when they find their young baby asleep on her tummy for the first time. We automatically check to make sure she's breathing and wonder how in the world she got there and what can we do to stop it!

Putting a baby under one to sleep on her back is drilled into us like crazy and many of us well, freak out, when baby is found anywhere else. The constant reminders about

Sleep Index - General Information and Problem Solving

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Sleep - General Info and Problem Solving

• Always check on the unexpected
• Attitude Is Everything
• Biological Rhythms And Sleep
• Changing Sleep and the Changing Seasons
• Common Sleep Myths
• Day/Night Confusion
• Daylight Savings
• Time to Jump Ahead
• Time to Jump Back
• Daytime Sleep - What's Average?
• Does he just need less sleep than most babies?
• Don't, And I Repeat, Don't Go In There?
• Don't forget to ask Mom
• Habits
• Half drunk from lack of sleep
• Head Banging, Body Rocking, Head Rolling etc
• How Do I Know If My Baby Is Getting Enough Sleep?
• How to set the stage for good sleep {tear free!}
• Is baby sleeping too much?
• Is There Such Thing As A Magic Sleep Fix?
• Morning Wake Time - The importance of consistency
• "Natural" Child-Rearing
• Night Time Sleep - What's Average
• Nightly Sleep Phase
• Partial Awakenings
• Poop, Poop, Go Away...
• Predictors of Sleep Problems
• Safety In Mind
• SIDS
• Signs of Sleep Deprivation 
• Sleep and Obesity
• Sleep Cues
• Sleep Hygiene (for the sleepless adult!)
• Sleep Inertia
• Sleep is for the weak, or is it?
• Sleep Props/Associations
• Newborns and Sleep Props
• What is a Sleep Prop?
• Sleep Transitions
• Some Babies Have it and Some Babies Don't
• Sharing A Room With A Sibling
• Swaddling
• When And How To Drop The Swaddle
• The only consistency with children is change
• The "Too Long in Bed Problem"
• Timing Morning Wake Time with Night Time Feedings
• Tips for helping your baby fall asleep in strange places 
• Top Sleep Tips
• Total Sleep - What's Average
• Transitional Objects/ Loveys
• Understanding Sleep Stages
• Waketime Length - How Long Should Baby Stay Awake?
• Waking up crying or cranky in the mornings
• Waking up happy
• When is it safe for my baby to sleep on his tummy?
• When Sleep goes from Bad to Good...in 12 days.
• Why Does My Baby Fight And Hate Sleep?
• Why Does My Child Appear Sleepy Throughout The Day

Related Indexes:
Naps
Night Sleep
Sleep by Age
Sleep Environment
Sleep Training
Sleep Safety
Understanding Sleep

Some Babies Have It And Some Babies Don't

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If your anything like 95% of the nation, you've been watching the Olympics.

The funny thing with the Olympics is that it sometimes gets you thinking funny. All of a sudden you find yourself thinking, maybe, just maybe if I practiced really hard, I could do that too. I, little old me, could be in the Olympics. Sure, maybe I'd end up

Why Sleeping in Darkness is Important to Your Health

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At some point in your life, you probably have wondered why we sleep at night in the dark. Why were we raised by our parents to sleep at night? Why do people sleep in darkness, and what would happen if we contradict this innate “ideal” habit?

In this article, we’ll answer these questions and discuss the importance of getting

Changing Sleep and the Changing Seasons

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My husband called me into the room the other day and I saw this little scene. Somebody couldn't make it through a short book--and it was in the middle of the afternoon.

Summer is here and my little 4 year old can't keep up with all the activities. He's running around from sun up to sun down (well, he's asleep by sun down, but you get what I mean). Where his sleep and daily routine were working before, now

Always Check on the Unexpected

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baby Jacob

Several nights ago my 1 year old, Jacob, woke up in the middle of the night crying. I waited a few seconds to make sure he wasn't just crying out in his sleep (remember, don't rush in!) and then went in to check on him. I tried to pat him and talk to him but this didn't help at all and only made him madder. I then decided to pick him up and

Tips for Helping Your Baby Fall Asleep in Strange Places

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New parents usually have enough problems getting their babies to fall asleep as it is, so the prospect of trying to get them to fall asleep in an unfamiliar environment can be a formidable venture. Despite how daunting this task may seem though, you can’t avoid