Getting a good night's sleep

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This is one a series of frequently asked questions about babies and sleep answered by Ann Douglas, author of Sleep Solutions for Your Baby, Toddler, and Preschooler: The Ultimate No-Worry Approach for Each Age and Stage. For answers to other baby sleep questions, consult the archives of this blog and the baby sleep questions FAQ [...]

by Ann Douglas What you’re dealing with here is a very common (and also a very frustrating) problem. Some parents of newborns find that their babies won’t nap at all. Others find that their babies nap for 20 minutes maximum — barely even a catnap. So what’s going on? Your baby is still a baby. [...]

Nap times are special times for parents. That’s because it is the one time during the day that you have a break and can relax or do some much needed cleaning up. Parents go to extremes to keep naptime sacred. They post notes on the door telling visitors to go away until a certain hour [...]

It depends on why your baby’s naps are being cut short. If she’s waking up after she’s had the rest she needs — even if it’s before you’re ready for her to be up — there’s not much you can do. But if your baby’s waking up for another reason, you can take the following [...]

HELP! My Baby Won’t Sleep! Remember when you used to lay down, close your eyes, and just sleep? Remember when Saturdays meant you could sleep in? Remember when you were woken up by an alarm clock rather than a crying baby? When baby doesn’t sleep, no one sleeps, and while it is natural for young [...]

Naptime at our house is a recurring mystery: What time will Lucy go down today? I’m on the lookout for clues all morning and remain suspicious through the dim lights, the books, and her droopy eyelids as she finishes her bottle. The plot thickens whenever there’s a deadline — a music class or a pizza [...]

Nap-Happy Newborns? Back when I was pregnant with my first child, I labored under the misconception that getting a baby to nap was a no-brainer. I simply assumed that each day at 1 p.m., I’d put my baby in his crib, where he’d sleep peacefully for several hours. I would straighten the house, return calls, [...]

Afternoon naps, short naps, and more “Getting my baby down for her afternoon nap is such a struggle. Help!” In the wise words of my friend Samantha’s pediatrician, “When your daughter really needs to sleep, she will.” Some babies, like Samantha’s adorable 1-year-old, Ava, thrive without much daytime sleep-though the lack of shut-eye can be [...]

6 Sleep Saboteurs Of course, as every new parent knows, life happens, and even the most diligent parent can be thrown off schedule. Here, some of the most common situations that sabotage your hard-won nap schedule and what to do to avoid them: No nap. You’re crazed with errands, your sitter forgot the routine, or [...]

When She’s Too Attached to You He can’t nod off without you. Whether you rock him or pat his back until he drifts off, your baby has become dependent on your presence to fall asleep. Sleep solutions: Don’t abandon him entirely. Instead, gradually spend less time in his room each night and use a transitional [...]