Raymond Parenting

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When Naps Are Still a Challenge

Posted January 12, 2012

Even after successful night sleep training, naps can remain problematic for a baby or toddler and, hence, - for parents.  If only we could tell these young kids that naps play a vital role in providing them with energy and curiosity to bring to their playtimes, helping them make it gracefully to the end of the day and in helping them spend an easier night sleeping.  The better the naps, the better the nights.

Toddlers around age 2.5 years are notorious for trying to convince the parent that they do not need naps any more.  For several days they may play or protest throughout the entire nap, convincing themselves and parents that naps are a bad idea.  Parents should not be swayed.  The best practice is to continue to put your child down  by 12:30 PM and plan for a break of two hours.  You are not in charge of whether your child sleeps or not, only that you are following practices of routine and regularity (same every day). Most likely your toddler will return to accepting the nap in just a few days.  Continuing with this practice even after the 3rd birthday provides an opportunity for sleep or, if by then no sleep is needed, a chance for quiet play and a routine that still includes a good break for you.

A new study on the effects of toddlers not napping has just been released from the University of Colorado.  Take a look.

 

Next Sleep from Now On seminar: Tuesday, February 7, 2012

 

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Baby Refuses to Nap?—Five Tips for Better Naps

Posted August 22, 2011

Naps are important. Most parents will agree that naps are not optional -- though it's hard to convince some babies of that! All young babies and toddlers require consolidated, refreshing daytime sleep just as they require good nighttime sleep. When a baby misses a nap or only takes  cat-naps  the result is a fussy, hard to settle baby who seems always hungry but may only want to suck it's way back to sleep for another cat-nap.  Your toddler may become cranky, have a short fuse, and want to be carried constantly.  The whole family's balance is affected when a baby won't nap or a toddler stays awake all day.  Exhaustion for everyone!

Self-Regulation  Think of your napping efforts as helping your baby learn to self-regulate. The ability to self-regulate is a lifetime skill.  This skill enables babies, toddlers and children to know when they are hungry and know when they are full. Self-regulation means avoiding overstimulation, knowing when your body is tired, and knowing how to get oneself to sleep independently.  It also allows a baby to learn to stay asleep for a refreshing length of time.  Learning the art of self-regulate is hard work for some babies. Knowing the importance of this, however, will give parents the courage to step back -- and allow the child the privacy they need to master this skill.

 

Five Tips for Better Naps

1. Keep the bedroom cool. Room temperature for optimum sleep is 17-18'.  Clever use of fans will help you maintain a cool temperature during naptimes. 
2. Allow the child freedom to cry.  Allow your baby/child the freedom to cry when she needs to, to get to sleep or get back to sleep. Crying is a very effective tool your baby uses to get rid of gas and to calm themselves.
3. Put your child down for a nap 15 minutes earlier than usual.  Some babies become overtired very quickly without even yawning or rubbing eyes.  They should already be in bed while they still feel good instead of waiting until the fussiness starts.  This allows them to go to bed and then gradually come sleepy. 
4. Have a short nap routine.  Diaper change, read one book or sing one song while in the child's room, then put child to bed fully awake (not "drowsy but awake" as many books would recommend). Leave and stay out.
5. Leave your child in bed for most of two hours.  Even if a wake-up happens, leave it up to your child to talk or cry in their effort to get back to sleep and finish off the nap.

If your baby or toddler continues to resist taking well-timed naps, I can help.  Book a Telephone Counseling appointment with me in September.  See available dates below.

 

Raymond Parenting Services

Seminars

• Sleep from the Start (prenatal)      Thursday September 1,
  
• Sleep from Now On                            Tuesday, September 6
• Setting Healthy Limits                        Tuesday, September 13   (Discipline seminar)
  

Telephone Counseling

Use this link to see available appointment times ($130/55 minute session, plus email follow-up)

"Ask Kitty" Email Question

• Short question $25.00
• Detailed question $45.00

 

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Ferber, Sears, Weissbluth - A Triangular Controversy on Baby, Toddler Sleep

Posted May 26, 2011

Dr William Sears advocates the family bed for babies and toddlers and endorses "night time parenting."  Mark Weissbluth advises parents of babies that allowing their child to cry is an effective baby sleep training method but to wait until 9 months or more before removing night feedings.  Richard Ferber suggests that babies will cry during sleep training but parents should enter the room to comfort the baby after 5 minutes, then 10 minutes, then 15 minutes, etc. Who is right?  Do all these methods work equally well? What does the research on children's sleep tell us?

While these men are well educated and no doubt well-intentioned, their main way of communicating advice to parents is through the books each one has written on sleep training methods for children.  Parenting books are a good vehicle to diseminate information but a parent never has a chance to ask a question.  What if I don't want a Sears - style family bed?  Will my baby have an insecure attachment as a result?  Why does Weissbluth say to wait until 9 months before I stop overnight feedings?  What is Ferber's answer if my baby doesn't stop crying after the 15 minutes and, in fact, cries harder every time I enter the room?  

Parents who are desperate for a good night's sleep for their baby or toddler and therefore for the whole family, require research-based information that is easily tailored to their children's ages and the family situation.  The best sleep training method for them should rank high for effectiveness in pediatric sleep journals, be quickly applicable and produce good results in the shortest time possible. 

Of course we are prejudiced toward the Raymond Parenting method of sleep training because it has been working well for families for 27 years.  Our method combines the very best, tried-and-true approach - tailored to your family - and is based on practices found to rank the highest for sleep training effectiveness in pediatric sleep journals.

Raymond Parenting sleep training advice for infants, toddlers and preschooleres can be obtained via a Seminar (Calgary) or through a Sleep Consultation Telephone Appointment, available internationally.

Infant Sleep from the Start (Prenatal Seminar) June 2 or August 4 ($60 per family; low income fee available)

Baby, Toddler Sleep from Now On June 14 or August 9 ($85 per family; low income fee available)

Infant, Baby, Toddler Sleep Consultations by Telephone ($150 for a 55-minute consult with one free follow-up email)

Appointments available on Mondays or Wednesdays. (Some evening appointments available.)

 

 

 

 

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