Overview of Gentle Sleep Coaching Part 3. Nap Strategies. Importance of Naps. Daytime Sleep is Essential. Nap Expectations

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1 Overview of Gentle Sleep Coaching Part 3 4 and 5 Month Olds Heather Irvine, PPD, CLEC, CGSC Andrea Strang, LD, CBE, PPD, CGSC Intro to Sleep Coaching the 4-5 Month Old Infant Part 3 class overview Nap strategies for the younger baby Temperament & its relation to sleep at this age Review of 4 techniques useful for sleep coaching infants Nap Strategies Night sleep develops first A child may not be ready for nap training until closer to 6 months Don t have to do nap coaching at same time Importance of Naps If day sleep is not good, night sleep will start to fall apart Cortisol levels fall dramatically during a nap reducing stress in the body Not taking a nap leaves the body stressed Short naps are better than no naps Daytime Sleep is Essential Make day sleep a priority however baby needs to get it Watch wakeful windows/tired signs to avoid overtiredness Nap intervals for this age are 1-2 hours. Nap Expectations Not all babies are equal nappers Some sleep more than others Most babies will be on 2-3 naps a day at this age Naps become regular at 16 weeks Morning nap first Afternoon nap second 1

2 Assisted Naps are Acceptable Motion sleep is better than no sleep Can continue on with sleep associations (like nursing down) in the day as long as it continues to work. Getting babies to bed in the optimal sleep windows will help them fall asleep quicker & stay asleep longer If naps are short watch for sleepy signs sooner than 2 hours. Important to get daytime sleep! Gentle Nap Coaching Strategies Try to phase out motion sleep at this age Encourage parents to put babies down in quiet room Nap routines are short & quick but parents can start to develop a consistent nap routine with baby at this age Getting baby to sleep in the optimal windows will help improve naps Gentle Nap Coaching Strategies Can try to extend short naps give it 5 to 10 minutes If short nap go down for next nap sooner, watch for sleep signs Get an emergency back up nap at the end of the day if needed. Under 5.5 mos the cat nap can be longer as long as the baby is wake by 5pm After 5.5 mos awake by 4:30 and 30 min max Nap Review for 4-5 Month Olds Naps are essential to healthy sleep! Night time sleep regulates first & can be advisable to wait to work on naps 2 weeks after night sleep has improved It s more important to nap than not nap at all Encourage parents to pay attention to optimal sleep windows & get babies down when they show signs of sleepiness Temperament & Sleep Temperament can greatly impact what kind of sleeper the baby is Matching appropriate sleep strategies to infant temperaments can help make the sleep training process smoother This will also help to set realistic expectations for parents during the sleep coaching process Easy & More Difficult Babies Easy babies have longer sleep durations & better ability to soothe themselves Babies with difficult temperaments have shorter sleep durations & need more soothing help to fall asleep 2

3 Sleep Strategies for Easy Babies Tend to adapt quickly to routine changes & sleep coaching efforts More adaptable & easier to change routines Relatively fast improvement No cry sleep solutions are likely to work Difficult Temperament Babies Less adaptable & more difficult to change sleep routines Even if parents put forth great efforts, improvement may be relatively slow No cry sleep strategies are not likely to work Sleep Strategies for Difficult Temperaments Parents should work diligently to set consistent & predictable routines for these babies Spend more time soothing before sleep time Make sure sleep is taken in a quiet, nonstimulating environment Do what you can to maximize sleep & minimize crying at this stage Aim to have these babies to sleep after brief intervals of wakefulness (1-2 hours) Sleep Coaching Techniques Wake and Sleep Modified Sleep Shuffle Method As a method alone or with other methods Benjamin Focal feed or Sleepy feed 3

4 Modified Sleep Shuffle Kim West Fading No visual Stimulation Violet Wake and Sleep Harvey Karp Calming Baby Keeping babies calmer with this younger age is more productive in sleep coaching and preferable Review of Gentle Sleep Coaching Parts 1, 2 & 3 4

5 Review Part 1 Review Part 2 Prepare as a Sleep Coach Parent preparation is important Implementing simple sleep basic steps can help sleep coaching go smoother Encourage parents to begin to phase out negative sleep associations Wake and Sleep Modified Sleep Shuffle Method Review Part 3 Naps are essential part of healthy sleep & necessary to ensure good night sleep Babies should get daytime sleep in whatever manner necessary Easy babies respond quickly & easily to sleep coaching efforts Difficult babies need more assistance & have slower progress Important to provide more soothing with babies in this age range when sleep coaching Sunderland M The Science of Parenting. New York: DK Publishing. Owens JL, France KG, and Wiggs L Behavioural and cognitive-behavioural interventions for sleep disorders in infants and children: A review. Sleep Medicine Reviews 3(4): Mindell JA, Empirically Supported Treatments in Pediatric Psychology: Bedtime Refusal and Night Wakings in Young Children. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, Vol. 24, No6, 1999 Mindell, Jodi Sleeping through the night. Harper Collins Resources Deacon, C Babycalming. Thorsons Hollyer, Smith Sleep The Secret of Problemfree Nights. Ward Lock Books Ford, Gina From Contented Baby to Confident Child. Randon House Douglas, Ann Sleep Solutions for your baby, toddler and preschooler. Wiley Sadeh, Avi Sleeping Like a Baby. Yale University Press Pantley, Elizabeth The No-cry Sleep Solution. McGraw-Hill Weissbluth, Marc Healthy Sleep Habits happy child. Ballentine Books 5