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The Sleep Sense Show

A weekly podcast offering expert advice on a variety of parenting issues, focusing primarily on helping babies and toddlers who are having trouble sleeping through the night.
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Now displaying: 2018
Apr 6, 2018

Toddlers are very curious creatures, as I'm sure anyone who has one already knows, and they are constantly testing to see where the boundaries lie regarding their behavior.

Although it may not seem like it, toddlers absolutely crave structure and rules. They test the limits all the time, but they don't actually want to see anything change.

But those tests are often accompanied by tears, shrieking, and meltdowns. So how can you enforce the rules while avoiding the temper tantrums? Well, not to sound like an internet ad, but I have one simple trick that, although it may not "solve" your toddler's outbursts when they don't get their way, will certainly help to minimize them.

You can hear all about it in this week's episode of "The Sleep Sense Show."

Mar 30, 2018

I'm super excited today to have Dr. Keira Barr on the show to tell us all about the role sleep plays in the health and well-being of our skin.

As you probably already know, our skin is our largest organ, but you may be surprised at the information it provides into our overall health.

You may also be interested (I know I was!) to learn how sleep and our skin are interconnected, and how the benefits of a good night's sleep can show up in a very real and noticeable way, all over your body.

You can find Dr. Barr's website at www.chooseresilience.com and you can pick up a copy of her book, The Skin Whisperer: A Dermatologist Reveals How to Look Younger, Radiate Beauty and Live the Life You Crave on Amazon.

Mar 23, 2018

I just want to start off here by saying that The Sleep Sense Program is not what is considered a "cry-it-out" approach.

But having said that, I think it's time that we took a look at the term and what it really means. Given all of the negativity and false information that has been thrown around about allowing babies to cry, I think new parents are often overwhelmed at the thought of even a few nighttime tears and the damage they might cause.

So today, we'll take a look at what people really mean when they refer to the cry-it-out method, the short and long term effects it has on your little one, and whether or not the criticisms that surround it are valid.

 

Mar 16, 2018

Today, I'm going to try something a little different. I'm going to leave the kids out of the show altogether and focus specifically on you.

Because even though we may forget it from time to time, your sleep is every bit as important as your little one's, and grown ups tend to have issues getting to sleep and staying asleep just as often as their babies.

So today, I have three easy, effective tips for you that you can implement tonight to start improving your own sleep routine, on a special "Adults Only" edition of The Sleep Sense Show.

Mar 9, 2018

After conquering their baby's persistent night wakings, many parents take a "Hey, that's good enough" approach if their little one insists on getting up at 5 in the morning.

And if it really is good enough for you, if baby's gotten enough sleep through the night, and you're ready to start your day at 5 AM, power to you.

But for those of you who are aching for that one extra hour in the morning, I want you to know that it's possible, and I'm going to tell you everything you need in order to help your baby learn the glorious art of sleeping in.

Mar 2, 2018

"There are two things life doesn't prepare you for. Twins."

There's no question that twins present a unique challenge to sleep training.

Do you keep them on the same schedule, even if they don't seem to want to sleep at the same time?

Should you keep them in the same room if one tends to wake the other up?

Today, I have (hopefully) all the answers that you're looking for when it comes to sleep training twins. How to synchronize their routines, what to do when one of them starts crying, and everything in between.

Feb 23, 2018

How many times have you finished up your little one's bedtime routine, kissed them goodnight, tucked them in, turned out the light, only to see their adorable little face appear in the hallway five minutes later? And then five minutes after that? And again, and again, until bedtime ends in a series of tears and ultimatums.

Keeping kids in their rooms is a tricky challenge. We can't just lock them in there, and they are oh so clever when it comes to figuring out which excuses get them a few extra minutes of awake time.

But I have a very simple, and very effective, solution to this problem, and it works almost all of the time. I won't lie, it's probably going to provoke a bit of a protest, but it will solve the problem quickly and permanently, and allow you to get back to enjoying your evenings without the surprise visits.

Feb 16, 2018

"The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams."

So said Oprah Winfrey, one of my biggest inspirations when I decided to start my own business, and she was absolutely right. And although I have realized my dream of being a mother and and entrepreneur, there are still moments that I wouldn't describe as especially dreamy.

Combining a family and a small business has been an adventure like no other, and as more and more women are taking the brave, exhilarating steps into the "Mompreneur" field, I thought I would take the opportunity to share some of the highs and lows of the experience in today's episode.

Feb 9, 2018

If you have kids and a sense of humor, chances are you're already a big fan of my guest today.

Jill Smokler is the creator of the "Scary Mommy" blog, and the author of the New York Times bestsellers, Confessions of A Scary Mommy and Motherhood Comes Naturally (And Other Vicious Lies).

Jill's honest, unfiltered, and hilarious take on parenthood has helped millions of parents, myself included, to accept the less-than-glamorous side of child-rearing with a smile, and reminds us all that we don't need to be perfect parents in order to be great ones.

 

Jan 26, 2018

Every parent I  know has relied on the magic soothing abilities of a pacifier at one time or another, and for good reason. There's no arguing their effectiveness. Nothing quiets a crying baby faster with as little effort as popping a soother in their mouth.

Now, I'm not anti-pacifier, but I do think they should be used in certain circumstances, and that they can have a negative effect on sleep if used at bedtime.

In today's show, I'll tell you my thoughts on when is the right time to use them, when you should avoid it, and when is the right time to do away with them for good.

Jan 19, 2018

According to a 2013 analysis by the NHIS, nearly 10% of children aged 4-17 will be diagnosed with ADHD at some point in their lives.

The trademark symptoms, hyperactivity, lack of focus, and forgetfulness, are easily attributed to the disorder, but my guest today has shown compelling evidence that many kids who display them are actually not suffering from ADHD at all, but actually from a lack of sleep.

Dr Vatsal Thakkar, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine, and author of the New York Times opinion article Diagnosing the Wrong Deficit, joins me on today's episode to discuss why the two conditions are so easily mistaken for one another, and how a renewed focus on your little one's sleep habits might just be the solution to the problem.

Jan 12, 2018

Some parents love the experience of sleeping next to their baby, whereas others end up doing it out of necessity, enduring the inevitable fingers in the nose and late-night kicks to the belly in exchange for an otherwise peaceful night.

But at some point, the time comes when your little one has to move into their own room and stay there, which, as many parents know, can be cause for a series of midnight meltdowns.

In today's episode, I have a bunch of useful tips for deciding if it's the right time to make the switch, explaining it to your child in a way they'll actually understand and (hopefully) embrace, and setting rules and rewards that will stop those middle-of-the-night visits and get your child sleeping on their own for good.

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