Precious little sleep, p.33
Precious Little Sleep, page 33
nursing, see breastfeeding; eating
object permanence, 51–53, 174, 214
older children, 231–64; introduction, 231–32; arrival of new siblings, 249–54; communication with, 234, 238; emotional connection with, 234–35, 243–44; giving control to, 245; inde-pendent sleep, 232–41; limit testing, 241–45; meaning what you say, 243; moving to big-kid bed, 246–48; nighttime upsets, 257–64; pacifier weaning, 203–4; parent as sleep pow-er tool and, 67; reverse alarm clocks, 228–30; room-sharing, 255–56; self-calming, 240–41; setting up for success, 245. See also toddlers
overheating, 11, 12, 74
overtired: bedtime too late and, 37, 43; effects of, 43, 83; in older children, 85; poor nap day and, 170; recovery from, 222; sleepy signs and, 85, 180
pacifiers, 74–77; introduction and overview, 74–75, 86; common concerns and problems, 74, 75–76, 95; ear infections and, 200; reasons for use, 74–75, 76; for reflux, 271; SIDS preven-tion from, 12, 201; sleep problems from, 75–76, 112, 124; techniques for introducing, 76–77; tooth problems and, 75, 200
—WEANING, 200–204; cold turkey, 202; for older child, 203–4; Pull-Out Method, 202; reasons for, 200; strategies, 201–4; timing, 200–201
pajamas, 30
parents/parenting: abandonment fears, 132; arguments between, 7; asking for help for self-care, 22, 24; encouragement for, 7, 131–33; meaning what you say, 243; newborns sleeping on, 26–27, 67, 94; nighttime weaning and, 167–68; responses to baby crying, 125; sleep, 24; sleep deprivation, xi, xii; as sleep power tool, 67–68; sleep training and, 122, 129, 131–33; vulnerability of, 131; white noise for, 69
partial arousal parasomnia, 257
patience, 249
pat transition, 100–101
pediatricians, 16, 279. See also American Academy of Pediatrics
plans, importance of, 8–9. See also sleep training; SLIP (Sleep Learning Independence Plan); SWAPs (Sleep With Assistance Plans)
position, sleeping: hunched, 79; premature babies, 278–79; SIDS risk from face-down, 11; swad-dling and, 71, 72, 73, 205–6, 207
power tools, for sleep, 64–88; introduction and overview, 65–67, 85–87; by age, 87; as allies for independent sleep, 88, 90; appropriate use, 31–32; baby swing, 77–83, 204–5; criteria for, 66–67; lighting, 87; lovies, 88; for More Soothing SWAP, 94–95; pacifier, 74–77, 200–204; parents as, 67–68; regressions and, 211–12; sleep schedule management, 83–85, 208; swaddling, 70–74, 205–7; weaning, 198–200; white noise, 68–70, 207
premature babies: overview, 278–79; co-sleeping, 17; eating requirements, 152; reflux, 270; SIDS, 11, 254, 278
prenatal care, 11
problems, sleep: growing into, 7; myth of “waiting out,” 60; parents’ reactions to, 64–65. See also setbacks, sleep
Pull-Out Method, 102–3, 202
punishment, 237
quiet time, 195, 249–50
reading, to child, 42, 215
reflux, 268–72; introduction, 268; author’s experience with, 4–5; cutting out dairy, 270–71; expla-nation, 268–69; identifying, 269–70; keeping baby upright, 271; sleep schedules, 272; soothing, 94, 271; strategies for managing, 270–72; terminology, 269; thickening feeds, 272
regression, sleep, 210–12
Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), 278
reverse cycling, 24–26
reward charts, 230, 236
room-sharing, 255–56
routines: bedtime, 41, 42, 56, 92, 138; letting child drive, 235, 245; naps, 173, 174, 177, 178–79, 197; newborns, 36; nighttime feedings, 145–46. See also consistency; schedules, sleep
Ruid, Rebecca, 119–21, 258–64
safety: baby swings, 78–79; big-kid beds, 247; co-sleeping, 17–18; cribs, 13; newborns, 31; re-search on, 78; room-sharing, 255–56; for SIDS prevention, 11–13; sleeping on furniture, 12, 68; SLIP (Sleep Learning Independence Plan), 124; swaddling, 73–74, 207; teething, 276–77; white noise, 70. See also SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome)
saliva, 271
schedules, sleep: naps, 182–84; reflux and, 272; sleep schedule management, 83–85, 87, 208. See also routines
self-calming, 240–41
self-care, for parents, 22, 24
self-talk, calming, 261–62
separation anxiety, 51–52, 174, 197, 213–15
setbacks, sleep, 209–30; introduction, 209; baby acquisition of new skills, 212; chronic sleep dep-rivation, 221–22; daylight saving time, 218–21; nap refusals, 222–23; night gaps, 224–25; separation anxiety, 213–15; sleep regression, 210–12; timing of, 90–91; too early wake-up times, 225–30; too much sleep, 224; travel, 216–18. See also problems, sleep
shaken baby syndrome, 81
shushing, 69
siblings: room-sharing, 255–56; SLIP (Sleep Learning Independence Plan) and, 256–57
—ARRIVAL OF NEW, 249–54; introduction, 249; after return home, 250–52; bed considerations, 247; New Baby Bed Bounce, 252–54; pre-baby arrival, 249–50; when giving birth, 250
SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), 10–13; introduction, 10; co-rooming and, 14; co-sleeping and, 16; crib wedges and, 78; in Hong Kong, 16; pacifiers and, 74–75, 201; premature babies and, 254, 278; risk factors, 11; steps to reduce risk, 11–13; swaddling and, 71–72, 73, 205–6; white noise and, 69
skin-to-skin contact, 279
sleep: introduction, xi–xiv; author’s experience, 1–5; bedtime, 34–46; conclusion, 265–66; essen-tials, 6–19; how to use book, xiii–xiv; medical complications, 267–79; naps, 169–97; newborns, 20–33; nighttime eating, 150–68; night waking, 141–49; older kids, siblings, and multiples, 231–64; power tools for, 64–88; sleep process and components, 47–63; sleep setbacks, 209–30; SLIP (Sleep Learning Independence Plan), 114–40; SWAPs (Sleep With Assistance Plans), 92–113; weaning off power tools, 198–208
sleep apnea, 277–78
sleep arousals, 68–69
sleep associations, see associations, sleep
sleep crutches, see power tools, for sleep
sleep cycle, 49, 190, 228
sleep deprivation, see deprivation, sleep
sleep drive, 51, 56, 148, 170
sleep hygiene, 39
Sleep Learning Independence Plan, see SLIP
sleep process and components, 47–63; introduction and overview, 47–48, 56–57; circadian rhythm, 25, 26, 49, 51; myth of “waiting out” sleep problems, 60; need for sleep training, 60–62; object permanence, 51–53; rewards of independent sleep, 62–63; sleep associa-tions, 53–56; sleep disruption scenario, 57–59; sleep drive, 51; sleep stages and cycles, 49
sleep regression, 210–12
sleep schedules, see schedules, sleep
sleep terrors, 257
sleep training: introduction, 60–61; attachment parenting and, 119–21; commitment, 122–23, 133; consistency in, 122; difficulty of, 65; evaluating effective of strategies, 115; parental agreement needed, 122. See also independent sleep; power tools, for sleep; SLIP (Sleep Learning Independence Plan); SWAPs (Sleep With Assistance Plans); weaning
Sleep With Assistance Plans, see SWAPs
SLIP (Sleep Learning Independence Plan), 114–40; introduction, 114–15, 121; checking on baby, 126–28, 129; common issues, 137–40; continued crying at bedtime, 137–38; co-sleeping and, 126; crying throughout the night, 139; deciding if appropriate, 121–23; extinction burst, 134–36; feedings and, 138–39; vs. Fuss It Out SWAP, 97; myths about, 116–18; naps, 123–24, 186–89; for nighttime weaning, 166; night waking, 138; parental fears, 129, 131–33; right time for, 133–34; siblings and, 256–57; standing game by babies, 139–40; steps for achieving, 123–26; swaddling and, 207; what to expect during, 128–29. See also sleep training
smoking, 11, 17
snoring, 277–78
solid food, 155
soothing: age-appropriate for naps, 177, 178; for early waking issues, 228; More Soothing SWAP, 94–95; newborns, 31; for reflux, 94, 271. See also power tools, for sleep
spitup, 268, 269
standing, by babies, 139–40
Star Trek, 169
stories, telling yourself, 240–41
stranger anxiety, 51
strangulation, accidental, 10, 12, 277
stress, xi–xii, 68
suckers: Gradual Weaning SWAP for, 101–4. See also pacifiers
sudden infant death syndrome, see SIDS
sudden unexpected infant death (SUID), 10
surface, sleep, 12, 14, 17, 78
swaddling, 70–74; introduction and overview, 70, 86; baby swings and, 80, 82; during eating, 154; for gradual weaning of cuddlers, 104–5; premature babies, 279; reasons for use, 70–72; safety considerations, 73–74, 207; SIDS and, 71–72, 205–6; during sleep training, 124, 207; “swaddle transition” alternatives, 206–7; techniques and options, 72–73; weaning, 205–7
SWAPs (Sleep With Assistance Plans), 92–113; introduction, 92–94; advantages, 93; commit-ment, 110, 111; common problems, 111–13; disadvantage, 93–94; Double Take, 97–98; evaluating progress, 109–11; failures, 113, 114; Fuss It Out (FIO), 95–97; Gradual Weaning, 98–109; More Soothing, 94–95; naps, 186–89. See also sleep training
swings, see baby swings
tears, see crying
technology, 11
teething, 167, 197, 275–77. See also tooth problems
teething gels, 276–77
terrors, sleep, 257
tickets, bedtime, 236, 238
timers, 52, 66, 113
time zones, 217
tiredness, see overtired
toddlers: lovies, 88; naps, 175–76, 193, 223; overtired, 85; pacifier weaning, 203–4; reverse alarm clocks, 228–30; teaching about separation, 215. See also older children
tooth problems, 75, 200. See also teething
training, see sleep training
transitions, 175, 179. See also routines; weaning
travel, 216–18
twins, 254–55
2-3-4 schedule, 183
upsets, nighttime, 257–64; night fears and nightmares, 257–59; partial arousal parasomnia, 257; strategies for dealing with, 259–64
visualization, 261
vomiting, 268, 269, 272
wake time, before bedtime, 39–40
Wake-Time Method, 180–81
wakeup time, too early, 225–30; introduction, 148–49, 225–26; changing bedtime for, 226–27; possible factors for, 227–28; reverse alarm clocks, 228–30; sleep pattern disruption for, 228; snooze-button feedings, 145, 149, 166, 227–28
water requests, 238
weaning
—GRADUAL WEANING SWAP, 98–109; introduction, 98–99; for cuddlers, 99, 104–9; for motion junkies, 99–101; for suckers, 99, 101–4
—NIGHTTIME EATING, 157–68; introduction, 157–58; baby age, 167; choosing starting point, 158–59; common issues, 165–68; daytime feeding and, 165–66; dream feeds and, 163–65; as endless, 167; inconsistency issue, 166–67; for inconsistent feeding schedules, 161–63; off bottle feed, 159; off breast feed, 160; parental guilt and, 167–68; responses to baby after, 160–61; snooze-button feedings and, 166; using SLIP (Sleep Learning Independence Plan), 166
—POWER TOOLS: introduction, 198–200; baby swing, 204–5; pacifier, 200–204; sleep schedule management, 208; swaddling, 205–7; white noise, 69, 207
wedges, crib, 12, 78
weight, low birth, 11, 279
“whatever works” strategy, xi, 42
What to Do When You Dread Your Bed (Huebner), 263–64
white noise: introduction and overview, 68, 86; for early waking issues, 227; how to use, 70; with older kids, 256; reasons for use, 68–69; safety considerations, 70; weaning, 69, 207
Witching Hours, 23–24
wonder weeks, 210. See also regression, sleep
About the Author
ALEXIS DUBIEF GAVE birth to her first child in 2006 and quickly realized that sleep – or a lack thereof – was suddenly the bane of her existence. Yet no book, website, or community seemed to have ready answers. Figuring that “this shouldn’t be so hard,” she spent the next five years researching and analyzing infant and child sleep. Combining scientific evidence with insights gleaned from working with thousands of families, she founded the Precious Little Sleep blog/podcast in 2011. In just a few short years, this passion project meant to demystify baby sleep blossomed into a popular online destination for sleep-starved parents from all over the world, garnering millions of hits annually and inspiring a loyal following. Dubief holds a Master of Finance and an MBA from the University of Colorado. A trail runner and Spartan racer, she writes and rabble rouses near Burlington, VT, with her husband and their two boys who are growing up faster than she would like.
Alexis Dubief, Precious Little Sleep
