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What Are the Best Baby Products for Sleep? Here’s What I Recommend…

As a baby sleep consultant, I’m often asked by parents which products I recommend introducing to babies to help get them to sleep. And the truth is, there are actually a lot more products that I would say are NOT necessary (no matter how they’re marketed) for helping your baby to sleep better or longer, or fall asleep faster. Check out my blog post on my recommended bedtime routine and how it can help your little one fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep longer, over time!

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Baby’s Wake Windows or Tired Cues: Which is More Important?

If you’re familiar at all with baby sleep training or baby sleep terms, you’ve likely heard of “wake windows” and “tired cues”. You’ve been told to pay attention to both of them, but which one trumps the other?

Do you put your baby down as soon as you notice those very first tired cues? Or do you wait until the end of their wake window? The truth is, they should be used together, AND in conjunction with an eat-play-sleep flow.

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Not putting your baby down awake? Here’s why you should

I recommend practicing putting your baby down completely awake. Mastering falling asleep independently takes lots of practice for babies (and parents!), but if a baby is never exposed to falling asleep on their own, they may not be able to fall back to sleep between sleep cycles - leading to more night wakings, short naps, and early morning wakings. Babies that are able to fall asleep independently also sleep more soundly, which is important so that many of their essential developmental needs (cognitive and physical) are able to be met as they grow!⠀

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How to Prevent an Overtired Baby: Wake Windows vs. Tired Cues

Have you ever found yourself struggling to get your baby to sleep when they are overtired? I know how frustrating this can be. The truth is, when babies are overtired, it can be difficult to get them to fall asleep, and then stay asleep! Helping your baby to become an amazing sleeper overall takes lots of effort and practice; but making a few tweaks to prevent over-tiredness can be quick and extremely beneficial!

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Hunger or habit? How to know why your baby is waking in the night

Night wakings can be stressful and exhausting; especially when they are frequent and recurring nightly long after the first few months of your baby’s life, where they are to be expected. We talk a lot about getting babies to “sleep through the night,” but did you know that your baby isn’t actually expected to sleep straight through the night? Even as adults we have night wakings!

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Top 4 Newborn Sleep Tips from a Baby Sleep Expert

It’s no secret that the days and nights with a newborn baby can feel hectic! If you’re feeling overwhelmed at trying to find a rhythm between all the feedings, diaper changes, and lack of sleep, you are not alone!

To help you find some balance in these first few weeks of your little one’s life, I’ve put together my top 4 tips for navigating life and sleep with a newborn baby. These tips are not meant to be stressful, but to help provide some semblance of structure if that’s what you’re looking for! You can’t put a newborn on a schedule, but you CAN feel prepared for newborn sleep needs.

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What is an Eat-Play-Sleep Schedule for Babies and Why is it Useful?

An Eat-Play-Sleep schedule is one of the most common phrases floating around when it comes to recommended daytime routines for babies. To some, it can seem overwhelming to implement a “schedule” when adjusting to life with a newborn or young baby; but actually, Eat-Play-Sleep should not be thought of as a “schedule,” but an “order of operations” for the day. This flow does not mean you should be scheduling the exact timing of feeds or naps, but rather structuring your day in that order of activities, which can happen according to your baby’s needs and cues!

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6 Proven Ways to Calm a Fussy Newborn Baby or Infant

If you’re a new parent, you’ve probably noticed that babies can cry a lot. Crying is how your baby communicates frustration or discomfort since they aren’t able to speak! Whether they are overly tired, overly stimulated, hungry, have a dirty diaper, are bored, (or have other possible reasons), they will let you know by crying!

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How Sleep Affects Brain and Physical Development for Babies

Did you know that most of your baby’s brain development happens while they’re sleeping? Not only that, but sleep also plays a vital role in your baby’s behavioral and physical health!

This may go without saying; but when your baby sleeps well, they are more likely to be in a better mood, socialize more, eat better, and process important information more efficiently.

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5 Signs Your Child Needs Better Sleep

I don’t believe there are good or bad sleepers. I believe all babies and children have the ability to sleep well, but some children just haven’t learned how to fall asleep and get back to sleep independently yet. If you’ve fallen into the belief that “my child just isn’t a good sleeper” please know that doesn’t have to be true and there’s absolutely hope!

So, how do you know if your child could benefit from better sleep and if sleep intervention might be useful for your family?

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5 Tips to Get Your Baby Sleeping Through the Night

When it comes to your baby sleeping through the night, there are multiple factors that come into play. Does your baby have a bedtime? Are they overtired? What type of environment are you providing for them to sleep in?

These are all things to keep in mind when putting your baby to bed, in order to get the most out of their nighttime sleep.

To give you a head start on what may seem like a daunting task, I’ve put together my top 5 recommended tips to help get your baby sleeping through the night.

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How to Set Up Your Baby Nursery for Better Baby Sleep

Whether you’re a new mom or a seasoned mom, you’ve most likely experienced the joy that comes from setting up your baby’s nursery. But as exciting as it is to pick out new furniture and decor, did you know that there is so much more to your little one’s room than just the Pinterest-worthy look?

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