Bella Luna Sleep Consulting & Behaviorial Blog

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When Do Sleep Regressions Happen Plus Tips

When you are a child sleep coach, your blog is a pretty popular place at night! And you know what people are googling about a lot? Sleep regressions. And also there are lots of inquiries about “what are the ages when sleep regressions happen?” Read on for the skinny on sleep regressions and tips on…

baby is feeding himself avocado and mom is helping him with baby led weaning

Is Baby Led Weaning Right For Our Family?

As an IBCLC, I get lots of questions about feeding in general. One of the most popular questions that I get once babies start to approach the age of introducing solids is “Is baby-led weaning right for our family?” Followed by, “Did you use baby-led weaning with your little one?” I’m going to share our…

newborn baby in a boppy pillow on a counter during the witching hour for babies

What Is The Witching Hours For Babies?

You may be thinking, “Why the heck is she sharing this dark picture with a half-eaten dinner?” I’m going to sum it up in 5 words: Witching Hour For My Babies. Let me tell you a little story! When my twin boys were around 4 weeks old, we were in the thick of it X2!…

Asian mom and baby boy feeling anxious about child's sleep

How To Feel Less Anxious About My Child’s Sleep?

Are you experiencing anxiety around your little one’s sleep? You are NOT alone! As a new mom struggling with postpartum depression and anxiety, my son’s sleep could affect my mood and ruin an entire day. It impacted my ability to enjoy motherhood and connect with my new baby. I was obsessed, but not in a…

4 Year Old Bedtime Battles And Night Wakings Case Study

When Laura reached out for help with her child’s sleep, her family was exhausted and at their wit’s end. Their 4 year old’s bedtime battles and night wakings, plus early morning wake ups were making parenting difficult and they knew there had to be a better way. She scheduled a discovery call with Bella Luna…

Can You Do Sleep Training While Breastfeeding?

Okay, you’ve made it this far… Breastfeeding on track? ✅ Showering is no longer a rare timed privilege? ✅ Sleep? ❌ When everyone in the house is ready for more sleep and you start considering sleep training, you may start to wonder if your supply will be affected and begin asking yourself questions like “Can…

picture of a mom holding her baby and the baby is resting their head on their mom's shoulder for an article about healthy sleep habits for children

What Are Healthy Sleep Habits For Children?

If you’ve been hanging around here for a while, you have likely heard us talk about healthy sleep habits for children. While we talk a lot about it, I think it makes sense that we dive into what is considered healthy sleep habits for babies, toddler and big kids. Plus, what we can do to…

picture of a baby sucking on its pacifier and rubbing it's eyes and is clearly overtired

How To Know If My Child Is Overtired & What To Do

Have you ever been exhausted, but you powered through and once your head hit the pillow, you couldn’t sleep? Overtiredness is to blame. This same thing happens with our children. So if we know our child is tired, but we miss the window to get them down, they move into an overtired state. Overtiredness makes…

An image with a coffee cup and a monstera leave that says self care isn't selfish

Why Self-Care For Moms Is So Important

We are excited to have our friend, Jennifer Khalaf at Thrive Hive Wellness, share her story and how she learned first hand (burnout) why self-care for Moms is so important. Selfless (adj.) having or showing great concern for other people and little or no concern for yourself (see also: Mom/Dad). I used to think being…

Picture of Kyle Mlasko, Bella Luna Family's newest sleep consultant

How You Can Improve Your Child’s Sleep Today

Hi! I am Kyle Mlasko, Bella Luna Family’s newest sleep consultant. I’m truly thrilled to be a part of the team and can’t wait to support families around the country! I decided to become a sleep consultant after sleep training my son had such a profoundly positive impact on my life. Once my son learned…

Sleep Tips For Daylight Savings Spring 2023

More sunlight. Longer days. More outside fun, especially for those of us who live in the North. It’s that time of year again…the start of spring and Daylight Savings Time Spring Forward. This means it’s time for our sleep tips to help with the time change! Daylight Savings starts in the US and Canada on…

A little girl is hiding under her covers because she has nighttime fears

How to Deal with Nighttime Fears in Children

It’s really hard to know what to do when our children have nighttime fears. We want to make sure that we are supporting and reassuring our little ones, while not creating any bad habits that we will have to undo. It’s a balance! Let’s explore nighttime fears first. Then I’ll provide you with tools to…

The Best At Home Date Night Ideas For Parents

Date night changes once you are a parent, especially if you have little ones and more than 1 child! The days of going out weekly to your favorite restaurant as just a couple or wild nights out, are few and far between. Going to restaurants with cloth napkins with kids is not fun! But I’m…

Image of a mom and her daughter sitting back to back angry with each other. Bella Luna Family

6 Questions To Ask Yourself When Parenting Feels Hard

I came up with the ‘6 Questions To Ask Yourself When Parenting Feels Hard’ checklist to help myself to stop the downward parenting spiral and now I am sharing it with you! When I meet with parents for sleep consulting or a child behavior consultation, parents are exhausted and a lot of the time, worn…

Avoid These Crib to Bed Transition Mistakes

Your baby isn’t a baby anymore (cue waterworks!) and now you may be thinking “should I transition my toddler from their crib to a toddler bed?” This is a HUGE milestone and one that you want to plan carefully! Why? Because sleep can quickly derail if you don’t go into it at the right time…

Picture of a baby dressed up as a a pirate for the blog post How To Get Longer Naps with Crib Hour

How To Get Longer Naps Using Crib Hour

If you’ve been Googling “how to get baby to nap longer” or “when do babies start taking longer naps”, you may have heard the term ‘crib hour’. That may be what brought you here! If so, welcome! First off, I want to say that I know how hard it is when your little one is…

baby asleep with arms up. Bella Luna Family blog post about baby keeps waking all night long

Baby Keeps Waking Up At Night? Here’s Why!

It can feel like your baby keeps waking up every 10 minutes at night when their sleep (and yours) is so broken! When my twins were babies, I was SO confused about why they were having frequent night wakings. So today, I’m going to share with you the top 10 reasons babies wake at night…

cute 6 month old baby smiling and looking at the camera | Bella Luna Family | Included in the blog post What Is The Best Age To Start Sleep Training

What Is The Best Age To Sleep Train A Baby?

I’m excited to answer a popular question that I get a lot, “when is the best age to sleep train?” I want to start off by saying that you can sleep train any time after your baby turns 4 month old, age adjusted for prematurity. This means that your baby is 4 months old based…

Top 2 New Year’s Resolutions For Parents

A few too many cookies and glasses of wine over the past month have left me feeling less than optimal! On top of that, with all the extra holiday magic making, I haven’t been working out as much or meeting my sleep needs. Yes, a child sleep consultant just admitted that I haven’t been prioritizing…

smiling mom sitting on the floor, in front of her toddler boy who is sitting on the potty.

Signs Of Potty Training Readiness

We’re ready to trade in diapers! Think of all the $$$ that can be saved! But first, you want to make sure that your child has the signs of potty training readiness. Think about this… Can you train a baby to walk before they are ready? No! So then why do all the most popular…

How To Create A Toddler Calm Down Corner

You likely just Googled “how to create a toddler calm down corner” or something like that and you landed here. Welcome! As you know, toddlers and preschoolers have BIG emotions. And because their sweet little brains aren’t fully developed until they are 25 years old, they can have a difficult time with emotional regulation. So…

image of a dad holding a thermometer and another dad holding a baby who is sick bella luna family

How To Help Your Baby Sleep When Sick

First off, I’m sorry your little one isn’t feeling well. It is tough when our children are sick or in pain and we can’t take it away. Hopefully our tips below on how to help your baby or toddler sleep when sick will help! I remember the calls from daycare to come and get my…

How To Transition From The Swaddle To A Sleep Sack Bella Luna Family

How To Transition From Swaddle To Sleep Sack

Sometimes it feels like you get the hang of swaddling, your baby starts to roll and swaddling is no longer safe! It can feel daunting to make this change! That’s why I’m going to share my top tips for how to transition from a swaddle to a sleep sack. When To Transition From The Swaddle…

picture of young parents with a baby for the 2022 sleep gift guide for the entire family

2022 Sleep Gift Guide For The Whole Family

It’s that time again! The holiday season is upon us and the hunt for the perfect gift has started. To help you with this hunt, our team of certified child sleep consultants have put together our 2022 Sleep Gift Guide for the entire family. The gift of better sleep is the ultimate gift! We’ve got…

Is Sleep Consulting Covered By Insurance, HSA or FSA?

“Is sleep consulting covered by insurance, HSA or FSA?” is a question our team answers frequently. Here’s some insight: Health Insurance For traditional health insurance, the answer is currently “no” unfortunately! Don’t click away just yet… Since I became a child sleep consultant 7 years ago, sleep consulting has become more mainstream. Yet the insurance…

Daylight Savings 2022 – Prevent A Super Early Morning

In September, I start getting questions about Daylight Savings… How do I prevent an early morning wake-up? Is this going to throw everything off? Should I adjust the schedule in advance? Why do we even do this? These are great questions and this article will answer all but the last one! Daylight savings is ridiculous…

Preventing Scary Halloween Sleep!

The Halloween costumes are bought and your kids are SO excited for trick or treat, but in the back of your head you’re thinking “trick or treat is going to kill my kids’ sleep!” If you are anything like me, you don’t want to be a scrooge (wrong holiday!), but you really want your kids…

When To Wake a Sleeping Baby

You may have heard to “never wake a sleeping baby.” Parents are often flabbergasted when we tell them during a sleep consultation that they may need to wake their baby up at times. We usually hear a popular baby sleep myth, “BUT, you should never wake a sleeping baby!” But as certified child sleep consultants,…

TOG Rating & How To Dress Baby For Sleep

As a parent, I was and still am always worried about my daughter’s temperature when she is sleeping. Keeping our little ones cool and comfortable can sometimes be hard to do, especially in the hotter months of the year. And the reverse is how to keep our babies warm enough in the winter months, without overheating.…

Do Babies Sleep Better In The Dark?

“Do babies sleep better in the dark?” “But I thought I wanted to have a bright bedroom so that my little one can figure out days and nights?” “My first child can sleep anytime, anywhere so I have no idea what to do to help her little brother.” As a child sleep consultant, I hear…

Ready For Nighttime Potty Training?

So your toddler is officially potty trained during the day! 🎉 Now the question is when to start working on nighttime potty training… During toddler sleep consultations, I get a lot of questions about how to handle nighttime potty training. My #1 piece of advice? I learned firsthand when it comes to potty training day…

When can I give my toddler a pillow or a blanket

When Can A Toddler Have A Pillow And Blanket?

When I meet with toddler parents for a child sleep consultation, one of the questions that I a lot is “when can a toddler have a pillow and a blanket”? Safe sleep says nothing in the crib until our little one’s turn 1, but after that, it’s hard to know when to time these milestones.…

Mental Leap 10 and Sleep

You are 17 months into the parenthood journey. You now have a full-blown toddler on your hands, and you’re thinking about birthday party number TWO! You crushed the 2-1 nap transition, and sleep is going well for you and your toddler. Then BAM! Your toddler isn’t napping anymore (RIP nap), waking up multiple times a…

The Power of Offering Children Choices

“I don’t want the blue cup, I want the red cup!” As parents, it’s amazing to us how quickly the wrong-colored cup can bring on full-blown temper tantrum, but here we are with a child melting down over what seems like nothing to us. When I hear stories like this during a child behavior consultation,…

Back To School Sleep Prep Tips

It’s that time again! Back to school for kiddos! This means we are sharing our back-to-school sleep prep tips! For parents that have been trying to keep their kids busy and from not being “bored” all summer, school starting is a huge sigh of relief! We’ll miss the lazy days of summer, but I don’t…

What to Expect for Newborn Sleep

I remember the day we brought our twin boys home from the hospital – as we were walking out of the NICU, I was flooded with emotion and thought “I can’t believe they are letting me leave with these two babies! I have no idea what I’m doing!” See the picture below to see how…

preschool-and-kindergarten-prep-tips-behavior

Preschool and Kindergarten Prep: Behavior

Last week, I wrote about helping maintain healthy sleep habits as your preschooler or kindergartener starts school. This week, we are going to focus on preschool and kindergarten prep, but focusing on behavior! While our sweet little loves are so smart, their brains won’t be fully developed until they are 25 years old. While their…

Preschool and Kindergarten Prep Sleep Tips

Have you seen the article floating around about children with good sleep habits adjusting better to kindergarten than their sleepier classmates? It just makes sense! Children who regularly get an adequate amount of sleep have improved attention, behavior, learning, memory, and overall mental and physical health. All of these factors will help children with the transition…

Safe Sleep For Babies 2022

Safe sleep has become a popular topic this year and we couldn’t be happier! Let’s call this year Safe Sleep for Babies 2022! In May 2022, President Biden signed the Safe Sleep for Babies Act into law. This law removes potentially dangerous baby sleep products from the market. In-bed sleepers, inclined sleepers, loungers, bumper pads…

Leap 9 and Its Effects on Toddler Sleep

You are on the edge of toddlerhood. I don’t need to tell you that time flies. Because your little one is 14 months old, the past year must feel like only days ago. Your little one is gaining more and more independence each day. They are smiling more, acting like they don’t need you as…

Bringing Zen Back To Bedtime – Zenimal Kids Product Review

One thing that I recommend for parents of toddlers or big kids who are experiencing bedtime challenges is to incorporate mindfulness into the bedtime routine. Most parents are game, but some don’t know much about mindfulness, why it is important or how to teach their children mindfulness. If you fall in that camp, let’s explore…

Crib Buyer’s Guide: A Sleep Consultant’s Perspective

Last week, Forbes posted an article about the best cribs and of course, I had to take a spin through the article to see what they recommend! And I wasn’t surprised to see that several of their recommendations go against what my team and I see works best for families. So I thought, “why don’t…

How To Avoid Derailing Sleep On The Fourth Of July

The Fourth of July always kicked off what I call the great debate in our house: fireworks or no fireworks for our twin boys. I was always team fireworks and you can guess what team my husband was on! (aka no fun😜) I always wanted the boys to be able to enjoy all that the…

How Dads Can Help With Sleep Training: Father’s Day Special Edition

“How can Dads help with sleep training?” is a question my sleep coaching clients ask me A LOT. When baby arrives, Dads oftentimes feel a little left out and like they can’t do much to help. I remember my husband sharing these feelings with me when our boys were newborns. Many Dads want to be…

Preserving Sleep While Camping with Your Baby

Summer is upon us, which means we are starting to plan all the fun and adventurous outings for our families! A memory that most parents love to create with their little ones is taking them camping in the woods. The thought of roasting marshmallows, catching fireflies at night, and spending the whole day swimming in…

What Temperature Should My Baby’s Room Be?

We get the question “what temperature should my baby’s room be” every single day! Why? Because the temperature of your child’s room can play into how well your child sleeps and also safety. Think about how you sleep when you are too cold or too hot… Not well, right? As adults, we can fix the…

Sleep and Summer Vacation: Tips For Your Family

Thinking about sleep & summer vacation can bring on a full blown anxiety-fest in parents. “What if my baby doesn’t sleep on vacation?” “How can our toddler nap when we are on vacation?” “Is this vacation going to completely derail sleep?” We want to enjoy ourselves, but as any parent knows, overtired kiddos can be…

Common Questions For Sleep Consultants

Seven years ago, my husband and I reached out to a sleep consultant to help with our daughter’s sleep. Before our consultation, my husband and I sat down and prepared a list of questions to ask our sleep consultant. I was recently going through my computer and deleting old files, and I found the questions…

Leap 8 & Sleep

Can you believe it?!?! Your baby is now 1 year old! I remember when Addie turned 1, I was a ball of emotions. It seemed like overnight she went from baby to this little toddler. Your little ones’ first birthday marks a huge milestone for all parents. It also comes with new set of challenges…

Tips For Working Moms Whose Kids Need An Early Bedtime

If you’ve been following us, you probably know that we are FANS of an early bedtime. We work with a lot of working Moms and Dads, so we hear a lot of feedback on this recommendation. The consensus is that working Moms find it difficult to balance healthy sleep habits for their children and their…

How To Survive The 12 Month Sleep Regression

If your baby is 11-12 months old and boycotting one or both of their naps or taking short naps, you may be thinking they are ready to drop to one nap. Slow your roll and read on! As a child sleep consultant, I get a lot of questions about transitioning to one nap. Your little…

How To Survive The 18 Month Sleep Regression

You made it through the infant stage and you are sailing into toddlerhood… Then WHAM – your toddler is all of a sudden waking up all night long again like a newborn! Likely he or she is also fighting naps, bringing the bedtime drama and maybe some early morning wake ups thrown in for added…

How To Survive the 8 Month Sleep Regression

As a certified child sleep coach, I spend a lot of time talking about the 8 month sleep regression and helping parents through it. I hear this a lot from parents, “my child has never been a good sleeper and I didn’t think sleep could get much worse, but when the 8 month sleep regression…

How To Survive The 4 Month Sleep Regression

As a child sleep coach, every day I talk about sleep regressions. The 4-month sleep regression, in particular, is a pretty popular topic! I have countless Moms say “my son was sleeping 6 hours at nights at 3 months and then all of a sudden at 4 months, he began waking again every 2 hours…

Your Child’s Sleep Needs & Ideal Bedtime

As a certified child sleep consultant, I am asked a lot about the best bedtime for babies and children. Right after that is how many hours of slumber children need each day to meet their sleep needs. It makes sense that parents want to make sure that they are providing their children with adequate rest…

An Early Bedtime Might Be Just What Your Child Needs

As a #girlmom with 3 young girls, I LOVE an early bedtime. They go to bed and then 7:30-9:30 is my time to read, watch tv and fold my never-ending pile of laundry and I mean NEVER ending. I know that my kids need that early bedtime because we are an active family and I…

How To Handle The Rolling Phase

You put your sweet baby down on their back, leave the room and check the monitor… Your little one flipped to their tummy. They appear stuck and they are crying mad about. Cue panic! “Safe sleep says all sleep happens on the back! I’ve got to rush in there and flip her back over!” Then…

Daylight Savings Spring Forward 2022

More sunlight. Longer days. More outside fun, especially for those of us who live in the North. It’s that time of year again…the start of spring and Daylight Savings Time Spring Forward. Daylight Savings starts in the US and Canada on Sunday, March 13, 2022, at 2:00 am. What this means is when we set…

How To Do Quiet Time

When my twins dropped nap at 4 years old, I was one sad mama. I treasured that alone time to work and get things done around the house. Plus, by that point in the day, I *really* needed a break from my sweet cherubs! <- it’s true! When they dropped nap, I attempted quiet time,…

Twin Baby Sleep Tips From A Twin Mom

If you are a parent to twins or triplets or more, sleep is not a luxury – it is a necessity! As a twin mom myself, I know that having twins means that you have to do *everything* twice. Having one baby is challenging, but having twins can be straight-up exhausting, even if you are…

5 Tips For Surviving Leap 6

Your sweet little baby is now 8 months old. Can you believe it?!?! You may be feeling comfortable with your baby’s sleep schedule and feeling like you are getting the hang of this motherhood thing! Yay! Hopefully your baby has started sleeping like a champ. Then all of a sudden, your baby hit another one…

Changing Time Zones & Your Child's Sleep

Changing Time Zones and Your Child’s Sleep

Traveling with your children can be so fun and exciting for the entire family, but let’s be honest, it can also be stressful! Add changing time zones and your child’s sleep to the mix and you may find your anxiety spiking as you prepare for your trip. If you are someone who likes to be…

Improving Your Autistic Child’s Sleep

I worked for the Ontario Autism Program in Canada for several years and I heard from many of my parents over the years that their child never slept. I could see the sleep deprivation in the parents and in the kids. I wished I could help! Hearing these same statements over and over from families…

Moving House With Kids

As a military family, we move pretty often. I’ve grown accustomed to the frequent moves and it’s always bittersweet. It is hard to leave friends and family behind but there is always excitement about what’s to come. Since having children, I have realized how much more complicated moving is. There are a lot of moving…

Leap 5 & Sleep: Your Baby’s Sleep at 6 Months

Wow! You’ve made it 6 months as mama to your sweet little baby! Way to go! Motherhood truly is the hardest job, but the most rewarding. You may have seen that your baby is changing yet again! There are likely lots of physical developments, but your baby is also going through major mental and emotional…

Talking To Older Kids About Sleep Training Their Sibling

When I started sleep training my youngest, my 7-year-old said,” Mom! Marlee is crying,” I brushed her off with a “she’s fine.” I went in, checked on the baby and then left. She started crying again and this time both of my older girls let me know she was crying. I gave them the same…

Overcoming The Toddler Bedtime Struggle

Any parent of a toddler knows the toddler bedtime struggle… I’m hungry Can we read another book? And another and another… What about one more song? I’m thirsty I’ve got to go potty Have I got a story for you! Stalling tactics galore! They know just how to push our buttons and drive us to…

Snoring and Mouth Breathing Are Red Flags

One of the questions I ask every single client I work with is “does your child snore or mouth breathe?” I know this may sound a little dramatic, but snoring and mouth breathing are huge red flags. Many parents don’t know this so they don’t think to talk about it with the pediatrician. Snoring and…

Taming Tantrums In Your Child

We’ve had some epic tantrums at my house. Like all-out kicking and screaming and the tantrums felt like they lasted FOREVER. Part of the reason I’m a child behavior coach is that I had no idea what the heck to do with these types of behaviors with my twin boys. I reacted in ways that…

Potty Training vs. Potty Readiness

Can you train a baby to walk before they are ready? No! So then why do all the most popular potty training books try to sell us the line that if we miss this once in a lifetime magical window our children are going to go to college in diapers and have a lifelong problem…

Nightmares Or Night Terrors? How To Tell The Difference.

As a child sleep consultant, I often talk with families whose children are experiencing night wakes. Usually, those night wakes are pretty straightforward (though not easy to cope with!) – but sometimes, they’re a little more complex, or downright stressful. Many parents will ask, is my child experiencing nightmares or night terrors? How do I…

Leap 3 & Sleep

Can you believe it? Your baby is 3 months old! Where did the time go? As a new mom, I remember people saying “cherish every moment because they grow up so fast!” At the 3 month period, I started to understand what they meant! I vividly remember when Adeline was 3 months old. One day…

daylight savings fall 2020 - baby orange towel

Adjusting Your Child’s Schedule After the Fall Time Change

Did you try to slowly adjusting for the Fall time change AND your little one had other ideas? Or maybe you couldn’t even try. Or the time change wasn’t even on your radar. (been there when my boys were little!) It’s totally ok – don’t fret! You won’t perpetually be stuck with a super early…

Halloween and Your Child’s Sleep

Maybe your children are like mine. They turn into gremlins when they are overtired. Add sugar and it can be a full-blown sh*tshow. So if this sounds a little familiar or if you just want to avoid the Halloween sleep scaries, let’s explore how to successfully navigate Halloween and your child’s sleep based on my…

Managing Bedtime Routines with Multiple Children

Hi, I’m Sarah and I am new to the Bella Luna team! I am a stay-at-home mom with 4.5-year-old twin boys, Lane and Jack, and a 2.5-year-old girl, Lola. Bedtime with multiple children has been an interesting journey. From the very beginning, I had to figure out managing bedtime routines with multiple children, since I…

Daylight Savings 2021 Sleep Tips

How To Navigate Leap 2 & Your Baby’s Sleep

Way to go! You’re two months into this journey of parenthood. You made it through Leap 1 and now your baby may be: Figuring out their days from their nights, meaning your little one is… Starting to sleep longer stretches at night Smiling at you, like really smiling at you! Finally, some feedback! Things may…

Tips On How To Reduce The Risk Of SIDS

October is SIDS Awareness Month, which is a topic that is very important to every member of the Bella Luna team. When offering advice to exhausted parents, we are always talking about safe sleep to help reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, commonly known as SIDS. The safety of you and your babies…

How To Talk To Others About Your Child’s Sleep

Making decisions about your little one’s sleep is hard enough on it’s own and is only made harder by conflicting opinions coming at us from all angles. That’s why today, we are sharing our suggestions on how to talk to others about your child’s sleep! It’s no secret that sleep and sleep training can be…

Your Newborn’s Sleep: Leap 1

Welcome to parenthood!!! The early weeks of parenthood are a total daze and just when you think you may be getting the hang of it, your baby starts being cranky more than usual, crying a lot, is extra clingy and not sleeping well. This leaves us wondering: What am I doing wrong? Is something wrong…

The Low-Down on Melatonin Supplements

As a child sleep consultant, a lot of parents ask me about giving their child melatonin supplements to help improve sleep. How amazing would it be if we could fix all sleep problems with a little pill!? We aren’t medical professionals so we can’t recommend or dissuade you from using melatonin. The purpose of this…

Period of Purple Crying Survival Tips

Hey new momma! In case no one has told you today, you are doing an amazing job adjusting to your precious little baby! I need to say this because I wish I heard this every minute of every day in those first few months after having Adeline. Especially, once she was two weeks old. My…

Toddler’s Parental Preference – Why Don’t You Want Me?

Would you believe me if I told you my 2-year-old likes his dad better than me? It’s true even with how cute this picture is! My toddler’s parental preference is all Dad. He behaves better for Dad, calms down faster with him when he’s upset and prefers when Dad does the bedtime routine. I couldn’t…

Science Says: Will Sleep Training Harm My Baby?

I remember being a new parent and feeling the exhaustion of sleepless nights. I was scouring the internet to find tips and support on how to create healthy sleep habits for my baby. During my research, there was no shortage of scary headlines about sleep training, like: “Dangers of Crying it out” (Psychology Today; Narvaez,…

Stop Your Toddler from Climbing Out of the Crib

There are so many things to worry about as a parent, right? My top worries when my boys were toddlers… Is my toddler eating enough vegetables? getting enough socialization? watching too much TV? getting enough sleep? You know what I wasn’t worried about? My toddler climbing out of the crib. It wasn’t even on my…

will sleep training destroy attachment with my child

Will Sleep Training Affect Attachment With My Child?

When deciding whether or not to sleep train my son, attachment was something that was at the forefront of my mind. I kept asking myself “will sleep training affect attachment with my child?” Maintaining healthy attachment with my son was a priority for me, as I’m sure it is for most parents. We all want…

Toddler Stalling Tactics at Bedtime: Calm The Chaos

Hi, I am Alex! I’m new to the Bella Luna team so you don’t know much about me yet! I’m excited to share more about my little one and some of the antics she has been up to lately, including typical toddler stalling tactics at bedtime! I am the proud mom to a beautiful, kind,…

Parent Sleep Tips

Even if we are laser focused and consistent on sleep for our little ones, sometimes we don’t prioritize sleep for ourselves! We just need a little alone time after the kids go to bed. Next thing you know its midnight and you know the next day isn’t going to be awesome. For me, it is…

Newborn Sleep Tips from Alex, Bella Luna’s Newest Sleep Coach

Hi! My name is Alex. I am so excited to join the Bella Luna Family, helping families with their children’s sleep! I know a lot about sleep now, but when I was a new Mom, I was confused, like everyone else. Today, I’m going to share how I cut through the confusion. I’m also sharing…

Parental Preference – Babies

“I am the only person who can put my baby to bed”. Or conversely, “my baby will not let me put them to bed”. As a sleep consultant, these are some of the most common things I hear. Parental preference can be challenging for everyone involved. The preferred parent can start to feel overwhelmed, burnt…

Picking A Sleep Training Method For Your Baby

When we are chatting with a family during an intro call, we get the same question a lot… “What sleep training methods do you use?” Great question! We are not one-size-fits-all sleep coaches and look at each family individually. During our 250+ hour certification training program, we were trained on multiple effective sleep training methods. Our…

4 Steps to Sleep Training Success

Have you tried sleep training and let’s say…it just didn’t go to plan? Keep reading for tips to help you become a sleep training success!

Creating the Ideal Sleep Environment for Your Baby

When I found out I was pregnant, I wasn’t thinking about creating the ideal sleep environment for my baby or how well they would sleep. I was on Pinterest, pinning a million gorgeous nursery design ideas for inspiration. It was all about the aesthetics and nothing about the actual purpose of the sleep environment. We…

What Are Sleep Associations?

Exhausted Parents: “Why is my baby waking up all night long?” Me, frequently: “There are a lot of factors that play into healthy sleep, but one of the biggest factors is something we call sleep associations.” A sleep association, also known as a sleep crutch or sleep prop, is anything your baby or toddler has…

Top 5 Reasons Your Baby or Toddler Is Waking Up Early

Nothing starts the day off on the wrong foot like a morning wake-up time with a 4 or a 5 in front of it! Early morning wake-ups are tough on our children and on us parents. We are going to look at the top 5 reasons your baby or toddler is waking up early. When we start…

The Pacifier & Sleep – Friend or Foe?

We talk a lot about the pacifier with our sleep consulting clients. We get asked a lot of questions like… “Should I keep the pacifier when sleep training?” “At what age should I take away the binkie?” Some babies LOVE the pacifier from the start. As much of a comfort the pacifier can be for…

Sleeping at Daycare

“I know they won’t be sleeping at daycare.” I remember when my twins were starting daycare. We had always had in home care and I worked from home so I could see them all the time. I was now trusting my heart and soul to someone else and that was scary. What worried me, almost…

Teething & Sleep

Teething gets such a bad rap and is often a “catch-all” for most common baby concerns. Extra fussy? Teething. Chewing on hands? Teething. Extra night wakes? Yep, teething gets blamed for this a LOT! It can be so stressful as parents to see our babies fussy, in pain, or otherwise uncomfortable. It feels safe to…

Daylight Savings Spring Forward 2021

Daylight Savings – Spring Forward 2021. More sunlight. Longer days. More outside fun, especially for those of us who live in the North. Does this also mean less sleep? It doesn’t have to! Daylight Savings Time Spring Forward starts in the US and Canada on Sunday, March 14, 2020, at 2:00 am. What this means…

Newborn Twin Sleep Tips From A Twin Mom

“I’ve never written about twin sleep.” As a twin Mom and a child sleep coach that’s helped hundreds of twin families in the past 5 years, I think it’s a little crazy that I’ve never written about twin sleep! So from today forward, that statement will no longer be true! I’m flashing back to those…

Sleep & Separation Anxiety in Babies and Toddlers

Separation anxiety in babies and toddlers can be intense. Your normally happy, (somewhat) adaptable child may start to act dramatically differently and have some very strong responses to being away from you. It can look like: Clinging and crying when it is time to be apart Crying when you are out of sight Fearful of…

The 2 to 1 Nap Transition

Ah, the Promised Land! One glorious nap! I absolutely loved this schedule when my son was a toddler. A single, long midday nap gives you so much more freedom and flexibility — two things that are not easy to come by in parenthood. Nevertheless, let’s slow down a bit. While the one-nap schedule is amazing…

Common Sleep Training Concerns

As a child sleep consultant, I talk with so many parents who are absolutely exhausted and struggling with their little one’s sleep. Many families are ready to sleep train so the whole family can be well-rested, but there are special circumstances that they fear will affect the sleep training process. We hear a lot of “I…

8 Tips to Stop Poop From Interrupting Sleep

At some point or another in our motherhood journey, most of us exclaim “how can I stop poop from interrupting sleep!?” If you are in this situation or have been there in the past, you know how challenging it is! That is why I call this “The Dreaded Poop.” Pooping at bedtime, during nap or…

3 to 2 Nap Transition Insight

Another nap transition? Already?! Parenting can seem like it’s just one thing after the next, especially with baby sleep and naps! Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, it changes. Two steps forward and one step back. It can be so frustrating and confusing trying to understand what is going on when your…

Baby Sleep Cycles Explained

Have you been asking Google questions like this? “Why is my baby waking up all night? I just fed her!” “Why does my baby take short naps?” “Why is my baby restless in the early morning?” Let’s stop the scroll and let me help explain what’s going on… Your Baby is Having a Hard Time…

Working with The Bella Luna Team

It’s New Year’s and a popular resolution is: GET MORE SLEEP! In fact, it was 6 years ago at this time that I began my journey to teaching my twins healthy sleep habits! Maybe you’ve been toying (obsessing) with the idea of getting help for your family’s sleep challenges. Maybe you’ve even been reading reviews…

#1 Tip For Sleep Training Success

Picture this: you’re in Vegas… you’re not big into gambling, but you found a slot machine, and you sit down to play. You pull the lever the first time, you don’t win anything. That’s ok, it takes a few tries, right? You pull again, nothing. Again, nothing. You’re about to get up and move on…

Are Babies Supposed to Sleep Through the Night?

“Are babies supposed to sleep through the night?” I have come across this question many times. Usually, it is presented as a reason why we shouldn’t sleep train. So let’s break it down… Literally, no one sleeps through the night. Average Night For A Baby All human bodies wake many times during the night, usually…

2020 Sleep Gift Guide for The Entire Family

It’s that time again! The holiday season is upon us and the hunt for the perfect gift has started. To help you with this hunt, we’ve put together our 2020 Sleep Gift Guide for the entire family. The gift of better sleep is the ultimate gift! We’ve got ideas for your… Husband who wakes up…

Keep Your Child Well-Rested This Holiday Season

This week in the US, we kick off the holiday season with Thanksgiving. For many families, the holiday season may look a little (ok, a lot) different this year due to the pandemic, but it can still be a busy time for families. I’m getting a lot of questions like, “how do I handle sleep…

6 Reasons Your Baby is Taking Short Naps

If your little one is struggling with short naps, it can start to feel like you NEVER get a break. It can also lead to a fussy, overtired baby who can barely make it to bedtime. You’re not the only one who wants your babe to take longer naps – their little body needs consolidated,…

Is Your Baby Ready For The 4 to 3 Nap Transition?

As a child sleep consultant, a lot of families are coming to me for sleep consulting services as their babies are ready for the 4 to 3 nap transition. Normally this is around the 4-5 month mark, which is a common timeframe for sleep challenges to become less manageable! I like to think the 4…

Halloween Sleep Tips

The Halloween sleep tips below will help you prepare your kids and yourself to have a lot of fun, but also preserve sleep this Halloween. Halloween is such a fun holiday! Costumes, candy and staying up late is kid paradise! As parents, we often have mixed emotions about Halloween. We want our kiddos to enjoy…

Daylight Savings 2020 Fall Back Sleep Tips

Parents dread nothing more than the end of Daylight Savings time change. Except maybe potty training!? Our friends without kids are psyched for the extra hour of sleep. And we are secretly envious of the days when we were “so busy and so tired” before kids! But we get snuggles and baby kisses so I’ll…

Soothing Your Baby With the 5 S’s

Babies are hanging out, baking in the womb, eating and sleeping around the clock. It’s dark, warm and snug. It’s also loud and there is a lot of jiggling from Mom moving around. Sounds like a pretty sweet place to be. Next thing they know, they are in the big, bright, overstimulating world and everything…

Is My Child Ready To Drop Nap?

Let’s talk about the dreaded 1-0 Nap Transition. Was anyone else in denial that their child was ready to drop nap?! My son was just shy of four years old when it was time to say goodbye to his last remaining nap. #RIPnap Honestly, I probably let it go a little too long because I…

5 Tips To Boost Your Child’s Immune System

It’s back to school, during Covid-19 and the winter months are quickly approaching…PHEW! Let’s take some deep breaths and chat about our 5 favorite ways ways to naturally boost your child’s immune system. Tip #1: Prioritize Healthy Sleep I know…you’re shocked this is my number one suggestion, right? But seriously, sometimes we all need a…

Back to School Sleep Tips – Covid 19 Style

Anyone else totally over the coronavirus? Glad I’m not alone. “Corona sucks!” My twin boys I can’t argue with them! I prefer they don’t use the work ‘sucks’, but I let it slide in this situation. I’m also over the back-to-school Mommy shaming about the choices each family is making for THEIR family. Whether you…

Thunderstorms and Fears – Tools to Help Your Child

Thunderstorms and fears seemed like the perfect topic for today’s post! As I’m typing this, there are loud rumblings outside and the sky is scary dark in the middle of the day. This morning, I had a call with a client whose child is having a difficult time at bedtime due to fears that arose…

sleep tips for managing your toddler and newborn

Managing Your Toddler’s Sleep and A New Baby

Many parents are trucking along, figuring out this parenthood gig and once we feel like we’ve got our sea legs, we decide to add a new baby to the mix. Let’s keep it interesting, right? While your toddler / preschooler may thank you later, some kiddos may not love the change at first. Sleep is…

Why Is Sleep So Important For Our Immune Systems?

My family’s health and safety are always on the forefront of my mind, and even more so now. These are unprecedented times during the COVID-19 pandemic, with still so many unknowns. We are dealing with physical risks, as well as a huge loss of socialization and stimulation, all while trying to establish new routines and…

Summer Vacation Sleep Tips For Your Family

Summer vacations are quickly approaching and as parents, this can excite us and/or bring out all the what ifs. Whether you are a winging it parent, a planner parent or somewhere in between, this article on summer vacation sleep tips will help you preserve sleep for your entire family. A well-rested family has a lot…

Top 10 Baby Sleep Myths & The Real Deal

This is how it goes, right? You have a baby. The advice comes pouring in from well-meaning family and friends and even strangers! (lucky us!) People ask “is she a good baby?” (what does that even mean?!) If you express your baby is having challenges sleeping, even more advice comes flowing in, usually around baby…