Precious Little Sleep Parenting Podcast

Looking to help your child sleep better? Well I’ve got the solution for your sleepless woes! Step right into my tent here and take a gander at my surefire remedy for whatever sleep problem you have. Baby can’t fall asleep? Try essential oils! Lettuce baths! Teething got you a bad case of the crabby kiddo? Give amber beads or homeopathic teething tablets a try! Is baby hungry all night? Put a little cereal in their bedtime bottle! What? You don’t believe these will work as well as I claim? Well maybe you’ll believe Ashby and Alexis who separate fact from fiction in a podcast dedicated to myth busting popular sleep remedies. In this podcast we unpack the fact and fiction behind some of the most popular sleep remedies used by parents today. Which ones work? Which ones don’t? And which ones are potentially dangerous to your child’s health? Sleep Remedies Covered We dig into the evidence supporting the following popular approaches: * Amber teething necklaces * Homeopathic teething tablets * Essential oils for sleep * Lettuce baths * Thickened feeds or cereal in the bottle Do some of these work? Surprisingly, yes! Give it a listen to find out which ones do. And which ones we encourage you to avoid entirely (hint: there’s more than one). Additional Reading The science of amber beads FDA Warnings on Hylands Teething Tablets The FDA and homeopathic remedies Lavender oils and sleep What are lettuce baths anyway? The Effect of Thickened-Feed Interventions on Gastroesophageal Reflux in Infants Use of Thickeners in Milk for Healthy Infants Sleep and schedules How to make bedtime awesome As always, feel free to share any questions or comments regarding this podcast with podcast@preciouslittlesleep.com. You can find this and all of our other episodes at: Or share your perspective in a comment below!

Got a question? Great – we have answers! We recently asked parents for questions and got ~70 but only had time tackle 12. Luckily, when you manage a Facebook group of 20,000 people you get a really good sense of the types of questions that are common to MANY PARENTS. So we guarantee that at least one of the questions addressed in today’s podcast is something you’ve wondered about too. Reader Mailbag Ashby and I tackle the following questions (they’re all great questions, but #7 is my favorite!). We also discuss sad mornings, nap yoga, and a number of other strategies that will help if you’re feeling panicky. 1:02 What to do when arm/legs get stuck in crib slats? 4:01 How do I get rid of the dreaded snooze button feed? 7:20 How to handle a baby who exhibits concerning behavior (vomiting, banging head, falling asleep standing up) at bedtime? 12:07 How to you foster independent sleep AT bedtime while maintaining a few feeds during the night? How do you know when to feed? 16:10 Why is my independently sleeping child up and screaming in the middle of the night for 2-3 hours!? 18:40 How do you salvage days when sleep is off to get baby back on track? 21:21 Baby has 3 hour wake time before 7:30 PM bedtime. Baby wakes up from last nap between 3-3:30. Now what? 23:00 How do you approach sleep with a late pre-term baby? 24:50 When do kids’ sleeping issues really end? 29:05 Why do babies persist with sleep associations even when they’re no longer part of bedtime!? 31:12 My 11 month old goes to in the crib fully awake 40 minutes after nursing and a consistent bedtime routine of nurse, bath, book, song, bed. No crying. He is still waking up at least twice to nurse. What gives!? 34:01 What do you do when your baby hates sleep so much that she starts to hate her bedtime routine? Additional Reading & Listening Why Night Weaning Isn’t Working Bedtime Associations and SleepWhy Your Child Isn’t Sleeping Understanding Sleep Schedules and Wake Times Wake Times – Targets by Age Should we make answering reader mail a regular thing? Yes? No? Let us know in the comments! If you have a question you would like to see answered in a future podcast, share it with us at podcast@preciouslittlesleep.com. Don’t miss out on future episodes, subscribe on iTunes!

There’s been a theme running through our podcasts and no it’s not my propensity to say “um” a lot. It’s that establishing independent sleep is crucial. Not easy, but essential. While there are many methods to foster independent sleep, this episode focuses on two: the swing method and Pick Up Put Down (aka PUPD). The Swing Method Baby swings for sleep are not sanctioned by the AAP and shouldn’t be used for preemies or particularly small newborns, so check in with your pediatrician first. But for parents of older babies, the swing can be an invaluable tool to help your child sleep better. This is hugely effective for motion junkies (hint: if you spend 6 hours a day bouncing your baby on the yoga ball, your child is a motion junkie). And while improving the quality of your baby’s sleep is a laudable goal, the swing also provides a solid path to teaching your child to fall asleep without you. Pick Up Put Down Popularized in the book No-Cry Sleep solution, this method involves doing whatever you normally do to help calm your child but putting them down before they’re actually asleep (this is the “pick up” portion). If they get upset you pick them back up (aka the “put down” portion). Repeat until they fall asleep without you. This podcast will provide a detailed overview on: * How to use these methods * When to use these methods * Which one might be best for you * What you should expect to see happen * How to tell if it’s not working for you Additional Reading Dr. Karp on babies sleeping in swings How to wean your baby off the swing Tools to make the swing even more awesome More on making gradual changes to your bedtime routine Let us know what you think and leave us a comment below! If you have a specific question or issue you would like us to tackle in a future podcast episode, feel free to drop it in a comment or email us at podcast@preciouslittlesleep.com. Don’t miss out on future episodes, subscribe on iTunes!

Before you had a child, you were probably vaguely aware that kids woke up early. I mean, kindergarten starts early and children must get dressed because nobody is naked on the school bus. Then you had a baby. And you realized that early meant four in the morning. And this? This is too #$%* early. What can you do when baby wakes up too early? Why does baby wake up too early? Why does your toddler wake up too early? When does this nonsense end and what can you do about it? In this podcast, we wanted to share the magic secret to get your kids to sleep until 9 AM, but we’re saving that for the folks who send in 12 easy payments of $19.99 (KIDDING). Instead we’ll be talking about the primary causes of early wakings and tactics to eke out a little more sleep in the morning. Wakes Up Too Early Topics Covered * What are realistic expectations for morning wake time. * How independent sleep affects early wakings. * How sleep schedules and nap duration impacts early morning. * How and why to use snooze button feeds. * How and when to use toddler alarm clocks. * How to modify bedtimes and naptimes and light to shift the morning schedule later. Additional Reading What You Need To Know About Sleeping Through The Night Part 1 The Secret to Sleeping 12 Hours at Night Are You Keeping Your Baby Awake Too Long Baby Sleep What Is Normal How To Use A Toddler Alarm Clock Your Secret Weapon For Fall Daylight Savings Time Let us know what you think and leave us a comment below! If you have a specific question or issue you would like us to tackle in a future podcast episode, feel free to drop it in a comment or email us at podcast@preciouslittlesleep.com. Don’t miss out on future episodes, subscribe on iTunes!

This podcast is essential listening. Full stop. If you want to figure out why your child isn’t sleeping this podcast is going to provide the foundation in sleep to diagnose your specific issue. The world is awash in baby sleep advice. You probably have 3 baby sleep books in your home as of this second. This is the 5th baby sleep website you’ve visited today (YES I KNOW YOU ARE CHEATING ON ME, I’VE MADE MY PEACE WITH IT). Facebook groups, Babycenter, Reddit, etc. we are drowning in resources providing us with insights into our baby sleep woes. Put them down for naps every 90 minutes. Pick up, put down is a lifesaver! It’s definitely a sleep regression! Probably teething? Maybe they need more exercise. Have you tried cutting out all products with sugar? Push bedtime earlier. Later. Nurse more! Nurse less! Offer a bottle! Put rice cereal in the bottle! The answer is co-sleeping! No. The answer is that you need least a general understanding of how sleep works, biologically, so you can wade through the piles of advice to figure out which applies to your particular situation. This podcast will provide you with a crucial understanding of sleep including: * How sleep develops from birth into a more mature sleep pattern around 5-8 months. * How nap sleep works and how it’s different from night sleep. * Why wake times are crucial and how to use them to maximize naps. * What is object permanence and how it’s keeping you up all night. * How to identify the sleep association that is leading to night waking. * Why “wait it out” doesn’t work. * How to use light exposure to help your child sleep better. In a nutshell, it’s everything you need to wade through the oceans of sleep advice and accurately identify which applies to your particular situation. If you find this podcast useful and you want to encourage us to keep it up, ratings and reviews on iTunes are always welcome!

This podcast is a continuation of the Baby Sleep Power Tools Part 1, focusing specifically on sleep schedules and wake times. Many parents will bemoan the fact that in giving birth, they’ve become full-time Nap Police, a job that is unpaid, unrewarding, and unwanted. Being the Nap Police is also enormously isolating: you can never leave the house because it’s always time for the next nap. If being the Nap Police is such a terrible job, why would you agree to become one? Because it’s essential to good sleep. Wake Times Matter You can use all the Power Sleep Tools but if you are trying to get them to sleep when they’ve been awake too long/short they’re going to struggle to sleep and no amount of swaddling or white noise is going to change that. Mastering the when of baby sleep is foundational to getting them to sleep. In this podcast we break down everything related to sleep schedules including: * Why naps happen. * Why wake times matter. * Cat naps/car naps/boob naps, beneficial or bane of your existence? * When are crap naps a problem vs. just a bad day? * Why you want your child waking up at the same time every day. * Should you be using wake times or “by the clock” strategies? * What will happen if you blow off bedtime? Links and further reading: We don’t specifically outline wake times by age in the podcast, but that issue is covered in great detail in these posts. Baby Sleep What is Normal? Are you keeping baby awake too long? Bedtime what time? Ultimate guide to vanquishing short naps If this is helpful to you please head on over and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes! Additionally in future episodes we’ll be answering reader mail, if you would like to submit your question, feel free to drop us a line at podcast@preciouslittlesleep.com. Cheers and thanks for listening!

Raise your hand if you are or have been a new parent who is surprised at how hard it is to get your newborn baby to fall asleep and stay asleep. I thought newborns were like a loaf of bread, you carry them around and they’re cute and squishy and they just sort of…fall asleep periodically. (I was wrong about a great many things.) The truth is that for most of us, getting a newborn to sleep is enormously difficult. However it becomes vastly less difficult, when you embrace the Baby Sleep Power Tools. I realize your time is limited so I’m going to use this graphic to indicate those podcast that are essential listening. Which is not to say you shouldn’t listen to all of them, but if cuts have to be made, don’t cut this one! This is a huuuge topic so we’ve broken it up into two parts, this one will cover: * What are the criteria to be a Sleep Power Tool * YOU are the ultimate Sleep Power Tool (which gives you a great and terrible power) * Three Power Tools all parents of newborns should use * One Power Tool that some parents of newborns should use * A fantastic resource on sleep Power Tools – Dr. Harvey Karp (more on that here and here) * Which Power Tools are for newborns and which are for babies of all ages Baby Sleep Power Tools is a 2-part series. Most of the tools discussed in Part 1 apply to younger babies (newborns up to 6 month olds) however Part 2 applies to all kids, including toddlers and preschoolers. You won’t want to miss out on this series so make sure you subscribe on iTunes so you get notified when the next episode is available (approximately 2 weeks from now!). In the meantime let us know what you think in the comments below, or share a question or topic idea for future podcasts with us at podcast@preciouslittlesleep.com. We are live on iTunes so please subscribe and leave a kind review! We’re new to this but have great plans and we hope you’ll join us. Tally ho!

I often do sleep consultations with families who are literally not sleeping. Like at all. Nobody is sleeping and everybody is crying. And yet when I suggest a change of strategy, that they need to do something different from what they’ve been doing, they balk. “Oh no, we can’t do that.What if things get worse.” Because no matter how bad things are, we’re terrified of making things worse. So I launch into the intellectual argument, “There is no worse, you’re living worse.” Which I, as a non-postpartum impartial person who sleeps soundly, can see clearly. But for the people who are in it, making change is terrifying. This isn’t specific to sleep, it applies to starting daycare, traveling with babies, really anything that causes a deviation from the fragile little groove we create as new parents. And it can be terrifying. And fear of change locks us into patterns, often exceedingly unpleasant patterns, for ages. However when you’re a parent, change is both necessary and inevitable. And as the Borg says, resistance is futile. Finding the Confidence to Make Change This podcast will cover: * Common changes and decisions we’ve faced or are going to face as parents. * How to know when it’s time to make a change. * Strategies to find the confidence to move through those changes. Let us know what you think and leave us a comment below! If you have a specific question or issue you would like us to tackle in a future podcast episode, feel free to drop it in a comment or email us at podcast@preciouslittlesleep.com. We’re still new to podcasting and the whole team here hopes you’ll continue on with us on this parenting podcast journey. The easiest way to do so is to head on over to iTunes and subscribe. Positive iTunes reviews are always welcome

In this episode we discuss newborn sleep, although why would be because let’s be honest here, newborn babies don’t sleep. At least not in the way you might hope. Newborn Babies are Mysterious When my first was born I was given the advice, “Follow his lead! He’ll let you know what he needs!” Really? Because he was generally fussy and I could never tell if he was hungry, tired, bored, gassy, or some combination therein. Truthfully the whole thing was baffling and I spent my first few months as a new Mom exhausted and confused. If you’ve ever felt this way or are currently feeling this way, join us for our Newborn Sleep Podcast where we demystify newborn sleep by breaking down: * What exactly is normal for newborn babies? * Do you have a loaf of bread baby? * What is colic and when does this hellishness come to an end? * What is this reverse-cycling you keep hearing about? * Why is newborn sleep so challenging? * What are your key strategies for navigating the the newborn phase? * Plus pro tips from experienced Moms! Take a Listen! Let us know what you think and leave us a comment below! If you have a specific question or issue you would like us to tackle in a future podcast episode, feel free to drop it in a comment or email us at podcast@preciouslittlesleep.com. Cheers and tally ho!

We’re podcasting people!!! (*Drops Mic*) (*Picks mic back up because it’s needed for podcasting*) Welcome to the Precious Little Sleep Parenting Podcast! We’re podcasting because it’s 2016 and all the cool kids are doing it. And also because it’s not always easy to read when you’ve got your hands full with a baby or two. So now you can choose to read or listen, or both. Because podcasting content won’t entirely overlap with the blog. What will we be podcasting about? Lots of fun stuff including: * Sleep * Parenting * Interviews with best-selling authors * Breaking down research * Anything else we find interesting and/or funny You’ll notice I keep using the word we. No, this isn’t the royal we but an acknowledgement that the podcast is a collaborative effort. I’ve asked some of the most smart and funny women I know to join me. We represent a range of cultures, continents, religions, and parenting philosophies. Our goal is to share different approaches and experiences in a conversational way while also staying true to our roots and evidence-based philosophy. You can read up on the Parenting Podcast crew here. Check Out the Inaugural Podcast This is a fun first episode. You’ll learn about: * Who we are * A sneak peak into our unique adventures with kids and sleep * What topics will be covered in the coming months * Our individual parenting philosophies, in haiku format Actually the haikus are my favorite. Because everything is better in haiku format. Like Elisabeth’s… Oh I can’t wait for you to grow up And then I think No I’m not ready Take a Listen! Let us know what you think and leave us a comment below! If you have a specific question or issue you would like us to tackle in a future podcast episode, feel free to drop it in a comment or email us at podcast@preciouslittlesleep.com. Cheers and tally ho!