I'm back!

After a semi-retirement that started as maternity leave, I am THRILLED to announce I'm returning to sleep consulting!  Teaching and mommy-ing are demanding jobs, and they've been keeping me busy as of late.  I have been helping friends with their babies along the way.

Recently, I got a text from of those friends who said: "I love you!  Our baby is sleeping twelve hours and we are back in action!"

The happiness I helped that family achieve made ME SO HAPPY.  I want to keep helping! 

aligoogoo.com

If you or anyone you know needs a little sleep consulting...let me know!  I'm back in business and it feels so good!!!

Stroller Strides

As moms, it's so important to take good care of ourselves, while taking good care of our kiddos.  I've found that Stroller Strides classes are awesome for working out without worrying about child care and amazing for satisfying my need to connect with other moms in my neighborhood.

San Diego has many incredible stroller strides groups.  The scenery just couldn't be better in La Jolla Shores...the group does sprints along the beach and different strength and cardio exercises in the grassy area by the playground. 

The Carmel Valley Stroller Strides class is large and friendly, so you're sure to find a friend who works at your pace!  The setting is pretty killer too.  What an awesome way to spend a morning getting energized, laughing, sweating (if you want), and all the while being with your little one!  :)

There are many Stroller Strides programs across the country.  If you don't live in San Diego, check out their website to see if there's one in your area, or be like my friend, Laura who lives in Greenville, South Carolina, and open your own!  :)

Do You Have a Little Houdini?

Swaddling can be tough when your baby spends a lot of his or her time trying to break out of the burrito instead of falling asleep.  The Miracle Blanket works like magic--simply follow the instructions, and voila!  Your  baby will not be able to wriggle out, giving both of you the gift of full naps and extended stretches between feedings in the middle of the night.

Client Success Story

My sweet friend Lyndsey just had a beautiful baby boy, Ford.  He is so precious, and they are so happy!  Lyndsey is an amazing mommy (being a neonatal nurse at one point in her life probably helps!), and she called last week with a question about sleeping through the night.  We talked out a couple of possible options.

I got this email the next day!  I've published it here with her permission, of course:

"Thanks so much for the tips yesterday! Ford slept from 11 until 4 and then I let him cry it out, and then he fell back to sleep until 530! I got up and fed him, and he was in a great mood!!! That was the longest sleep stretch that he has ever done. His paci was out at 4, but he still feel back to sleep. I told myself that I would let him cry for 10 minutes, and he fell back to sleep after 9 minutes!!!! It was hard to listen to him cry.  I know that I may have to do this for next couple of nights, but I think that he is on a path to sleep 11-7 soon!"




Woo hoo!  Way to go, Lyndsey!

is "just getting by" good enough?

There have been times when I've been "just getting by" as a parent.  Like the week this summer, when I put my daughter through "big girl boot camp" (lost the paci, crib, diapers, and learned how to swim) while my husband was on vacation.  Needless to say, it was too much.

She wasn't sleeping.  She wasn't eating.  She wasn't smiling.  We were in rough waters.

I realized during this incredibly difficult time that never before had I experienced such sleeplessness, such anxiety.  Neither had Mia.  Because we sleep-trained from the very beginning of her life, we never had to experience what many new parents go through--the crying it out, the late night call to the peditrician, the inability to fall sleep even when you can because you're so scared the other shoe is going to drop.

So, the question is:  is "just getting by" good enough? 

This attitude of complacency--that new parents just have to deal with the unpredictablity of a newborn, and put their lives on hold until the storm passes--is inconceivable to me. 

Research shows that not only does sleep deprivation impact the adult negatively, but it has a  tremendously detrimental impact on the baby's development, short and long term:

• cognitively
• behaviorally
• emotionally

I wonder if we dropped this attitude of complacency, how much better life would be?  I believe that parents need to take charge of their little ones' sleep patterns.  In so many areas of parenting, we are powerless, but not in this one.


No, it's not easy.  Sleep training does demand resolve and determination, but it is worth it.  Ask anyone who's successfully accomplished getting their baby into a routine--it is worth it. 

And, no, "just getting by" is not good enough.  Not for me, not for you.

A few tricks up my sleeve (products that make sleep happen)

These are some amazing products I've either used or heard rave reviews about that help keep baby asleep!

1.  Swaddle:

I am a big fan of Aiden and Anais muslim blankets (carried in many boutiques and even Target, but my personal fave is Amazon for all things baby...you can join Amazon mom and get all the privileges of being a Prime member (free two day shipping!) but without the $89 annual fee) AND you don't have to leave your house!

2.  Nap Nanny/Sleep Positioner
For colic-y and/or reflux babies, you have to try these two products:

Baby Stay Alseep allows you to position your baby in an elevated crib without worrying about the baby slipping or rolling into bumpers or the bottom of the crib.  And there's no getting out of this sucker because of its velcro features.


The Nap Nannyis a portable infant recliner that you can put inside the crib for comfortable sleep or place around the house for nap time. This makes a great shower gift!  You will love this product!



3. WubbaNub

A pacifier that stays put!  And your baby can learn to soothe him/herself  by easily finding the paci if it falls out and putting it back where it belongs.  Genius!

18 years without sleep

In a magazine, I recently read an interview with a new parent who laughed when asked how sleep was going.  She said something to the effect: "at this rate, I don't plan on sleeping for18 years."

Many new parents don't realize that they don't have to suffer through so many months (or years) of sleep-deprivation.  It's actually a choice; not part of the job requirement.

According to the APA:

"Sleep is essential for a person’s health and wellbeing, according to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF). Yet millions of people do not get enough sleep and many suffer from lack of sleep. For example, surveys conducted by the NSF (1999-2004) reveal that at least 40 million Americans suffer from over 70 different sleep disorders and 60 percent of adults report having sleep problems a few nights a week or more. Most of those with these problems go undiagnosed and untreated. In addition, more than 40 percent of adults experience daytime sleepiness severe enough to interfere with their daily activities at least a few days each month - with 20 percent reporting problem sleepiness a few days a week or more. Furthermore, 69 percent of children experience one or more sleep problems a few nights or more during a week."

With a solid plan in place and goals for your baby's sleep habits, caring for an infant doesn't mean you can never sleep again. There are ways to help your baby sleep soundly through the night at a very young age.