Navigating Sleep Regressions with Positivity and Practicality

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Navigating Sleep Regressions with Positivity and Practicality

If you’ve been a parent for any amount of time you’ve heard about the joys of sleep regressions. 4 months, 9 months, 12 months, 18 months… It’s fun, right?! But before you reach for that second cup of coffee, let's reframe the narrative. Sleep regressions, though challenging, are a sign of your little one's incredible developmental leaps. We’re here to share some positive and practical tips to navigating and surviving these sleep disturbances.

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Sacred Postpartum Rituals & Supporting the Mother-Baby Dyad

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Sacred Postpartum Rituals & Supporting the Mother-Baby Dyad

Becoming a mom is a deeply sacred and life-changing adventure and after 14 years as a doula, I’m increasingly convinced that postpartum care focusing on the mother-baby dyad is the most important work in the childbearing years. After experiencing a euphoric and fully supported 4th trimester myself, I am honored to introduce our Holistic Postpartum Recovery program —a spiritual and nurturing experience that deeply honors the mother-baby dyad, while drawing from ancient traditions to guide you towards an optimal 4th trimester recovery. If you’re looking for postpartum support in or near Oakland County, I have designed this program for you as a way to deepen your bond with your baby and help you tap into the timeless wisdom of your own maternal intuition.

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6 Ways to Support Restful Sleep for Your Family

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6 Ways to Support Restful Sleep for Your Family

When I tell people I’m a Pediatric Sleep Coach, I often get the response “Can you teach ME how to sleep better?”

My answer: “Yes, but you might not like what I tell you to do!”

That always gets a few laughs, mostly because it’s true and adults cognitively recognize that they don’t prioritize sleep as much as they probably should. But, I give the advice just the same because you never know what’s going to resonate with someone. It’s always possible that a simple tip surrounding sleep hygiene or nighttime routines will click and improve someone’s quality of sleep.

For clients, I tailor my guidance for each family’s own needs, routine, and lifestyle, but in general, here are the 6 most significant ways you can support restful sleep for the whole family!

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Our 3 Favorite Bedtime Books

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Our 3 Favorite Bedtime Books

One of my biggest pieces of advice as a sleep coach is to establish a bedtime routine early in your child’s life (or even in utero!) and to stick with it throughout their childhood. Creating a bedtime routine doesn’t have to be complicated. Keep it simple with a bath, maybe a little infant massage, and include 5-10 minutes of stories or sleepy songs depending on the age of your child. Picking 1-2 books for a bedtime routine with your infant is a good start.

Here are a few of our favorite bedtime stories that can enhance your family’s bedtime routine and help your little one drift off to a peaceful sleep.

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What to Pack in Your Hospital Bag for Delivery Day

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If your due date is drawing near, you’re probably thinking about getting your hospital bag ready to go. Packing your hospital bag well in advance will ensure you don’t forget any essential items at home on the big day — like your cellphone charger! That said, it’s also easy to go overboard and pack a lot of stuff you don’t need, adding unnecessary bulk to your bag. To help you keep it simple, Detroit Dreams Tonight shares some insights. Here’s everything you need to pack — and a few things that you don’t — for a comfortable stay in the hospital.

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Preparing your baby to "fall back"

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Fall is in the air! The days are feeling shorter, the sun is setting sooner, and things are cozier all around! And with the changing seasons, comes another change... the time change! I find this is something we all dread – not only because it means Summer is officially over, but because “falling back” often affects our mood and our sleep. And if it affects us as adults, you can understand how and why it would affect babies too!

As a Pediatric Sleep Coach, I help my clients and their babies adjust to time changes, address sleep regressions, and tackle any other major sleep issues. I find the easiest way to do this is to create a plan that you can execute with confidence.

So rather than losing an hour of sleep, I'm here to share some pro-tips and make this dreaded time change a easier on all of you!

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How to survive sleep deprivation with a newborn

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The concept of exhaustion takes on a new meaning when you have a baby. New parents are often surprised at how tired they feel or comment that they were totally unprepared for how it would affect their mood and their overall lives. We’ve experienced first hand how difficult it can be to take care of yourself when your baby is waking to eat every 2-3 hours around the clock, but hopefully these tips will help you get some more shut yet until your baby’s development allows for longer stretches of sleep.

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Surviving Sleep Regressions

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Raise your hand if you’ve been up at 2am googling “4 month sleep regression” or “why did my baby all of a sudden become a bad sleeper?” or “how to survive a sleep regression”. Yep, we’ve been there and oh my gosh does it suck! While sleep regressions are temporary, knowing that doesn’t make them any easier to handle! That’s why we’ve compiled this helpful guide to survive sleep regressions.

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