http://babesinsleepland.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/logo-new.jpg
Helping the overtired moms and children sleep like a baby!
Find Your Perfect Sleep Success Plan
  • Home
  • About
    • Meet Angela
    • Philosophy and Values
  • Working Together
    • Approach
    • Sleep Success Plans
    • Group Seminars
    • Purchase Here
  • Media
  • Testimonials
  • Products
  • Blog
  • Events
  • Contact

November 15, 2016 by Angela Walsh Leave a Comment

Thanksgiving Sleep Tips

 

 

 

dreamstime_s_4610822

Fall is flying by and the holiday season is quickly approaching. With Thanksgiving only a week away, now is the time to confirm your family’s travel plans and get organized. Whether you are hosting family in your home or traveling to visit friends and relatives, Thanksgiving can mean interruptions to your family’s sleep schedule if you do not plan well in advance. Sleep is key to your family functioning well, and this can be the difference between a happy holiday and a not-so-happy one.

The best way to ensure that your child’s sleep stays on track through the holidays is to adhere to your usual schedule, fitting the celebrations around naps and bedtimes. As parents, we have to be disciplined to get our children to stick to a sleep schedule, and holidays may make this particularly challenging, but it is worth it. Your child will be refreshed for a visit if it happens after a nap rather than instead of a nap. Skipping nap time will lead to cranky children and stressed-out parents in the short term and will mean you have to spend the days after Thanksgiving getting back on schedule.

Bedtime can also be tricky, particularly if you are sharing a house with children of different ages or adults who are still entertaining when it is time for your child’s bedtime routine. The most important thing to do is to allow for more time for your children’s bedtime routine. They have probably eaten differently than usual and may be excited by all of the activity. Some may be sleeping in an unfamiliar place. Even in the best scenario, it can take longer to get them to sleep, so it is best to be prepared.

If you are traveling over the holidays, here are a few suggestions for you to help with sleep and overall enjoyment.

  • Think through sleep arrangements in advance.
  • Bring any special security blankets or stuffed animals with you. You may think your child doesn’t need them every night, but in a new place, they can become extremely important.
  • Get your child involved in the packing. Toddlers love picking out their own pajamas for a trip and adding a few special things to their suitcase.
  • Travel during a time that works for your child’s schedule, avoiding drives or flights late at night.
  • If you are driving during a time when your child is usually very active, plan to stop along the way at a playground to give your child a break and a chance to run around.
  • If you are flying, pack your carry-ons carefully with extra clothes and supplies.
  • Check airline regulations in advance for rules about strollers, booster seats and other gate-check items.
  • Most importantly, give yourself extra time for everything: time to pack and prepare, time for travel, and time between activities. Holidays should not feel rushed and stressful.

    Let me know if you found this article helpful.

    Angela Walsh is a Family Sleep Institute, Certified Infant and Child Sleep Consultant and the founder of Babes in Sleepland. She helps sleep deprived babies, children and families, get back on track and get the sleep they need and desire. To learn more about Angela and how she can help you, visit her website: babesinsleepland.com.  Also get sleep tips, the latest research on baby and child products, and be part of her weekly Q and A at her Facebook page: Babes in Sleepland and follow her on Twitter

    dreamstime_s_16834236

 

 

Filed Under: Child Sleep, Child Sleep Schedules, Sleep Schedules, Thanksgiving Sleep Tips

November 10, 2015 by Angela Walsh Leave a Comment

Sleeping Well Through the Holidays

dreamstime_xs_11012602 Halloween has come and gone which means Thanksgiving is just around the corner. As we begin to decorate the house and stock up on groceries, you may already feel the excitement rising. Although we love everything that comes with the holiday season, it can mean additional difficulties when it comes to sleep.

As a mother of four, I understand the holidays can be challenging with regards to proper sleep hygiene.  Therefore, my suggestion to the parents I work with is, do your best to get your child onto a solid sleep schedule prior to the start of the holidays, and do your best to stick with it. Children who are overtired may become cranky and hyperactive. Not the lovely, adorable side of them you hope to show while visiting grandparents. Having your child well rested will be to everyone’s benefit.  

Don’t let visits cancel out nap time
During the holidays, your house may be buzzing with family and friends. If people are in the house during your child’s regular nap time, it can be easy to begin pushing back your child’s nap to a later time, or skipping it all together. Also, with extra people and noise in the house, your child may find it more difficult to settle down. If possible, do your best to schedule these visits after their regular nap schedules. Keep sleep a priority which will keep everyone happy and more importantly, healthy!

If no one else is going to bed yet
If your holiday includes sleepovers with older cousins who have later bedtimes, your child may resist going to sleep for fear of missing out. You know FOMO (don’t we all experience it at times?) If this is the case, take more time with the bedtime routine. Expect that and plan for it. If your child senses that you’re in a hurry to get back to the activity, they will want to as well. They also might feel slightly displaced if you’ve had to give a lot of your attention to others, so they may demand more of your attention than normal. Spend time reading them their favorite story (maybe more than once!) discussing the day’s events, an extra cuddle, and reassure them that the older kids will be going to bed soon. Remember, extra time spent with them at bedtime and a longer soothing routine will help your child relax and fall asleep much easier. There’s bound to be more noise than usual in your house with the added people, so turn on two sound machines to block the noise. One in your child’s room and the other just outside their bedroom door.  

Trying to sleep in an unknown place
If your holidays are taking place at another family’s home, your child may find it difficult adjusting to a different bed. Bring along a stuffed animal, favorite blanket, and sheets from your child’s bed at home to provide some familiarity and comfort for bedtime. If you’re unsure how dark the room will be, you can make your own black-out shades using dark green or black garbage bags and masking tape. You want to create as dark a room as possible, in order to promote the production of melatonin (the sleep hormone,) in your child’s body, 

Visiting family in a different time zone
If your holidays include traveling to friends or family in a different time-
zone, you may need to start making an adjustment to their schedule beforehand, so that they can smoothly ease into the time difference. Begin the process a few days to a week before, (depending on how many time zones you’ll be crossing.) Progressively pushing sleep time slightly ahead or behind by 15 minutes per day.

Planning ahead

Preventing your child from becoming overtired, staying on a regular nap and bedtime, will make things pleasant and enjoyable for everyone. But it can easily happen that during this special time of  year, bedtimes can be later than normal and naps can be missed. If your child is well rested from the start, they will be able to handle these schedule changes much better.  So try to plan ahead and make sure your child is getting the restorative and consolidated sleep they need before the celebrations begin!  

dreamstime_xs_33330589

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Adjusting a child's bedtime, Child Sleep Schedules, Pediatric Sleep Expert, Thanksgiving Sleep Tips

Featured On:

healthy-life-logowiox-logoitsyourhealthnetworkNEW LIVING LO-2pp-logo

Meet Angela

My name is Angela Walsh.  I am a Child Sleep Consultant Certified by the Family Sleep Institute, and the founder of Babes in Sleepland.  As the mother of four grown children (three boys and a girl), my mission is to help parents like you enjoy every … (READ MORE)

What Our Families Are Saying

Kate, NY, NY

"After putting Angela’s techniques to use, we had a baby who went from several night wakings to only one waking a night! Angela was a great help, and was sensitive to my beliefs as a...
Babes in Sleepland
2014-02-06T17:16:34+00:00
"After putting Angela’s techniques to use, we had a baby who went from several night wakings to only one waking a night! Angela was a great help, and was sensitive to my beliefs as a parent.  We are so lucky to have worked with her!"
https://babesinsleepland.com/testimonials/1/

Deb, Comox British Columbia

"Angela helped my daughter make the transition to sleeping in her bassinet, and also helped to clarify the basics of baby sleep cycles. Her sleep habits have greatly improved and she is an alert and...
Babes in Sleepland
2014-02-06T17:16:59+00:00
"Angela helped my daughter make the transition to sleeping in her bassinet, and also helped to clarify the basics of baby sleep cycles. Her sleep habits have greatly improved and she is an alert and happy baby. I am so grateful for Angela’s help and would recommend her services to anyone who has questions or problems around their baby’s sleep."
https://babesinsleepland.com/testimonials/2/

Viney, Ny,Ny

"Angela was so helpful to me in my early attempts to sleep train my daughter; she was quick to respond, reassuring, empathetic and incredibly patient! Since I was dealing with my own sleep deprivation, I...
Babes in Sleepland
2014-02-06T17:17:52+00:00
"Angela was so helpful to me in my early attempts to sleep train my daughter; she was quick to respond, reassuring, empathetic and incredibly patient! Since I was dealing with my own sleep deprivation, I appreciated that she always sent me a recap of our conversations in an email after we spoke."
https://babesinsleepland.com/testimonials/3/

Brenda, Milwaukee, WI

"Working with Angela from Babes in Sleepland, our daughter Violet has gotten so much better in just a week’s time.  She’s been so full of smiles and I feel liberated.  Now we can fall head-over-heels...
Babes in Sleepland
2014-02-06T17:18:02+00:00
Testimonials
"Working with Angela from Babes in Sleepland, our daughter Violet has gotten so much better in just a week’s time.  She’s been so full of smiles and I feel liberated.  Now we can fall head-over-heels in love with her. When you are sleep-deprived, it’s hard to be truly happy to see your child in the morning when you have been hanging out with them all night!  Angela, thank you for your support during all these changes. Your business certainly fills a gap that sleep-deprived moms, dads, babies and families need.  With your training and expertise, you are able to take care of moms to get them and the whole family sleeping."
https://babesinsleepland.com/testimonials/4/

Brandi, Rye, NY

"I didn’t think anyone could help, but then I called Angela.  She was great!  After working with her, my son can now self-soothe, doesn’t eat at all throughout the night, and sleeps so much better!!...
Babes in Sleepland
2014-02-06T17:18:13+00:00
"I didn’t think anyone could help, but then I called Angela.  She was great!  After working with her, my son can now self-soothe, doesn’t eat at all throughout the night, and sleeps so much better!!  AMAZING!  Angela was so helpful and it was so great to be able to contact her with the smallest question or concern."
https://babesinsleepland.com/testimonials/5/

Cynthia, Old Greenwich, CT

"What I also found so appealing about Angela, is that she respected me as a mother. Her guidance kept me empowered. And she has the sweetest most soothing voice!"
Babes in Sleepland
2017-05-03T13:51:05+00:00
"What I also found so appealing about Angela, is that she respected me as a mother. Her guidance kept me empowered. And she has the sweetest most soothing voice!"
https://babesinsleepland.com/testimonials/cynthia-old-greenwich-ct/
0
0
Babes in Sleepland

Featured On

healthy-life-logo
wiox-logo
itsyourhealthnetwork
NEW LIVING LO-2
pp-logo

DOWNLOAD A MEDIA KIT

fsi_logo-cert-latest
iacsc-member

© 2023 Babes in Sleepland • Disclaimer • Site Design Graphic Design By Emily