Needing to nurse to sleep, multiple wake ups & re-actively bed-sharing: Meet Krystle and Andrew

Krystle and her 10-month-old son Andrew were like many sleep-deprived families, struggling to get a good night’s rest. Andrew needed to nurse to sleep and would wake up multiple times during the night, which resulted in Krystle bringing him to her bed to sleep. But that arrangement didn't last for long as Andrew grew and started to move around in the bed.

Krystle found a solution after participating in the Your Dream Plan Program. She was hesitant about trying the program at first, given that they lived in a one-bedroom condo, and Andrew had some blood sugar issues in the past. But with Lily's help, she was able to overcome her doubts and learn new methods to help Andrew sleep.

Lily and the other moms in the group calls and Facebook group made a significant impact on Krystle, who tended to overthink things. She found the support and information provided to be incredibly helpful.

Andrew was 9/10 months old, needed to be nursed to sleep, and ended up co-sleeping in our bed after the first wake up at night. We were all tired! I was skeptical that it could improve because we live in a one-bedroom and Andrew had some blood sugar issues when he was first at the hospital. Could he really sleep through the night? The answer was yes. Lily provided us with the information, and it just clicked. It took use just a few nights for him to be able to go to sleep independently and sleep throughout the night. We are now one happy and rested family!

By tweaking his schedule, making sure it was appropriate for him and his age, ensuring his sleep environment was set up properly, getting him on a weaning plan to slowly reduce feeds at night and coaching them through a sleep training approach that felt comfortable and do-able for them. All in one easy plan that had everything set up for them…

In just a few nights, Andrew learned how to put himself to sleep independently, which was a huge breakthrough for the entire family. With a pacifier and sound machine, Krystle still nurses Andrew before placing him in his crib awake. The family wakes up at 7:30 am, feeling well-rested and happy.

Krystle's experience with the Your Dream Plan Program is inspiring, and she encourages other parents to try the program too. The success story is a testament to the power of finding the right support and using effective methods to improve sleep patterns.

“We are all well rested! YAY! Andrew knows how to put himself to sleep and that is amazing.” - Krystle

Your Dream Plan Full support program - start today for just $116!

Skepticism and a soother: Meet Katherine and Sofia

At only 3.5 months old, Sofia was waking up every 2 hours and could only fall back asleep with the help of a soother or a bottle. Her parents were exhausted and finding it hard to give 100% to their baby throughout the day. 

They worried that this was their new “normal” and that sleep was a thing of the past.  With her little one being so young, Katherine also had concerns that Your Dream Sleep may not be a good fit.

“As a mom, I was a little skeptical given the 

high needs my baby has and her still being 

very young.”

Your Dream Plan Mama

Katherine

At Lil Baby Sleep, we believe that giving up sleep should NEVER be your new normal and that it is never too early to prioritize your entire family’s rest.  

We started by offering this hard-working mama hope during a bonus free call. Any and every baby is able to sleep well, and we want to remind parents of this at the beginning of any journey! From there, we got to work on making a custom plan with a focus on weaning off of the soother and learning to sleep independently.  Mamas like Katherine always have the added support of our facebook group. 

You never have to do it alone.

By night 3 of sleep training, Sofia was sleeping 11-12 hours a night!  She was falling asleep within 5-8 minutes and was able to put herself back to sleep independently.  On top of that, the soother was taken away cold turkey.

What’s more?

The family was able to get these results with a plan that fit their lifestyle.

“I just want to share for all the parents that 

this program has flexibility! It wasn’t a strict 

schedule you had to follow and being trapped 

at home.  My baby was able to nap on the go.  

It fit my life perfectly!”

A Well Rested Mama

Katherine

The best sleep products for babies: A parent's guide

It's no secret that good sleep is crucial for parents and children alike. With so many sleep gadgets and solutions on the market promising the world, it's tempting to think that there's a magic solution that will work for everyone. Unfortunately, like most things in life, there's no one-size-fits-all approach to sleep.

While it's natural to want a quick fix, relying on a single product or method is not the answer. In fact, it may lead to more frustration and wasted time and money.

So, what can you do to improve your family's sleep quality?

In my experience, there are only three key products that you should invest in to help get better sleep:

sleep schedules and nap guides by age click here

1. Blackout Blinds: A dark environment is essential for sound sleep, and blackout blinds can help create one. However, not all blackout blinds are created equal. Make sure to choose a product that effectively blocks out all light.

   I tell my clients to make the room dim before bed and then completely dark once you put your baby in their crib. Any light that sneaks its way through is going to hit the skin and wake up your baby.

   Also try darkening the room for at least one nap a day!

   Honestly, I can’t say enough good things about blackout curtains. Here are my favourites: 

   Sleepout Portable Blackout blinds (discount code: lilbabysleep)

   Gro Anywhere Black out blinds

   Black out window film

   Slumberpod discount code: LILBABYSLEEP$20 for $20 off (#1 for travel)

2. White Noise Machine: White noise can be beneficial for all ages, especially infants. It helps soothe and calm the mind by masking background noise, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.

   You want one that plugs into your wall and one that you can take on the go. The plug in one is key for overnight sleeping. It needs to last the whole night long because your baby WILL wake up when it turns off.

   So how loud should it be? About as noisy as a vacuum cleaner in the room, or 55-60 dbl. 

   Here are a few options I like:

   Portable white noise machine

   Plug in white noise machine

3. Sleep Sack/Swaddles: So first, let’s outline the difference between the two. 

   Swaddles are for newborns and mimic a womb environment. It prevents newborns from startling themselves awake.  

   After eight weeks, we need to transition to a sleep sack with the arms out. This is because babies could potentially roll over. In a swaddle, that is so dangerous, since babies will need their arms to hold their heads up. 

   Sleep sacks are also warm and cozy and snug. They can even become a positive sleep association. Putting on their sleepsack at bedtime can signal that it's almost time for sleep and make them drowsy. 

   Find the right swaddle or sleep sack here

These products if used properly can help your baby sleep better however, they won’t work unless you have a solid game plan for sleep. They are just tools. This is where an expert can help.

A sleep consultant can help you develop a customised sleep plan that takes into account your baby's age, temperament, and your comfort level. With their guidance, you can navigate the complex world of sleep and receive ongoing support and motivation.

What are the benefits of getting a personalized sleep plan:

• You don’t know what you don’t know. Knowing what to expect is critical.

• Coming up with a step-by-step response that you feel comfortable implementing is important.

• Knowing exactly what to do and feeling confident with your plan is key.

• Having support to ask questions, get guidance and have someone always there holding your hand- priceless.

If you don’t have a sleep plan it’s not possible to stay consistent and see lasting results.

By prioritizing your family's sleep, you're investing in your physical and emotional well-being and your child's development and quality of life.

Skip the expensive bassinets and gadgets and invest in a proper plan, knowledge and confidence in sleep. You won’t regret making it a priority.

Reach out and I can help get you started xx

Your Pediatric Sleep Consultant,

Lily

Multiple wake-ups- Meet Michelle and Della

At 13 months old, Della was still not sleeping for long stretches of time. She would wake up 1-5 times every single night and was not able to fall back asleep on her own. 

Michelle, tired from long (often nap-less) days, needed to breastfeed her back to sleep after each and every wake-up. This exhausted mama was worried about how this lack of rest would harm her daughter, while also being concerned with how sleep training could have a negative effect.

At Lil Baby Sleep, we know how confusing and overwhelming all of the advice about sleep training can be. We also know that you always want what is best for your little ones. We hear from so many parents who, like Michelle, are scared of causing any discomfort to their kids through the process. Lily and Jen sort through the unnecessary noise and ease your mind by finding what works specifically for YOU and YOUR family.

We began with a one-on-one call to really get to know this family’s unique needs. From there, we were able to create a personalized game plan on how to best start the journey! 

We provided them with all of the tools and strategies they needed, while coaching them the whole time.

“It was validating to know that we weren’t going to cause any damage to my daughter by doing this and that it was the right thing to do for all of us.”

Your Dream Plan Mama

Michelle

The determined parents immediately applied the suggestions they were given and saw quick results! Right away, Della was down to only one wake-up a night.  Within 2-3 weeks of diving into Your Dream Plan, she was sleeping through the night and napping so much better. 

This mama’s only regret?

Not starting sooner!

“Super thankful for you both!  Don’t wait until your baby is over a year old (to join the program)!”

A Well Rested Mama, Michelle

Big Feelings at Bedtime -Guest Post: Tara Gratto - Raising Resilient Children

Our emotions are such an important part of who we are, but let’s be real, they also make our parenting journey SUPER HARD! If I were to pick a time of the day that parents consistently tell me their child’s feelings are most difficult to handle…. It’s at bedtime.

Do you ever feel like this?

Let’s dig in a little into what’s happening so that we can make your life easier. 

As the world shifts away from things like “suck it up” and “cry it out” and moves into a space where feelings matter and we want to help children feel validated in their hard moments, there’s a missing piece. Without understanding feelings and building effective tools and strategies, the feelings tend to take over. 

They take over the moment, they take over our thinking, they take over everything.

Here’s the tricky layer, most of us didn’t grow up with tools for our feelings. In fact, historically we have supported the idea that suppressing our feelings is a sign of strength and we are learning this isn’t the best path.

This layer might be what is making your parenting extra hard because it can leave you second guessing a lot things, especially at bedtime. It’s the time of the day when many caring adults struggle. 

You are trying to comfort your child while also thinking about how they need to go to sleep because they are over-tired.

All this while also thinking about how you need to do some things before you can sleep and so on… We’ve all been there wishing our child would just go to sleep! 

There’s an important connection to make here. This situation is creating a big feelings moment for you which makes getting your child to sleep harder because you’re caught in a stress storm. One of those moments you never learned tools for.

https://www.taragratto.ca/TeamBrain

A key part of building your tools and skills for handling big feelings moments is understanding how emotional regulation works. There is a module on this topic in my parenting support package because it’s a key component of understanding tricky moments, like bedtime. One of the things I highlight in that module is the picture book I wrote called The Adventures of Team Brain. This book makes learning about this stuff accessible, relatable and fun. 

In the book you are introduced to the Brain Control Centre Team: Thinking Brain, Body Brain and Emotions Brain. Now, everything is pretty good when those three work together and that’s when we can do a great job of regulating our feelings, but there are times when Emotions Brain has a really hard time with this. This is the key to what is happening in really BIG FEELINGS moments (emotional dysregulation). When Emotions Brain takes control, this is what triggers a stress response. In the story I call it DINO Brain and the 3 F’s: Flight, Fight, and Freeze. 

We all have DINO Brain moments and what they look like is different for different people. Understanding the difference between expressing your feelings and a full on DINO brain moment is key to validating feelings in a way that doesn’t allow them to control situations. A really important part of this process is working on tools and skills in moments of calm and connection to support keeping the team working together to prevent that full DINO Brain takeover. 

When we are thinking about bedtime, this helps us to understand the difference between feelings that are being expressed to show disappointment, frustration, boundary testing, annoyance, sadness… as different from a DINO Brain moment.

This will help you navigate your parent feelings of overwhelm, stress, annoyance, guilt, frustration etcetera while implementing effective tools, limits and boundaries that will reinforce the goal of rested sleep for everyone.

Tara Gratto M.S.Ed, MA, OCT is the Founder of Raising Resilient Children. 

Tara has been working with children and families for 20+ years as an educator, former preschool owner, picture book author and social emotional expert. She is also the parent of two middle school children. In her role at RRC, she helps parents and caring adults learn the tools and skills they need for the hard and messy parts of parenting, and everything in-between. 

Children don’t come with manuals, parenting isn’t a cookie cutter and trying to navigate information in the digital age is nearly impossible. Her proven frameworks and systems will provide you with clear paths to support you and your unique family’s needs.

Website: https://www.taragratto.ca/

Book: The Adventures of Team Brain

Where to purchase: https://www.taragratto.ca/TeamBrain  or on Amazon Worldwide