Tired versus Sleepy

Adults often say that “I am tired [drained of strength and energy]” when in fact, they are sleepy [sluggish, drowsy, or ready to fall asleep]. It is more common to use the word “tired” because it implies that effortful work caused this feeling. There is something not quite right about saying the truer word “sleepy” perhaps because it sort of implies that we are lazy or lack stamina. It’s clear that when we expended physical energy and are tired we need rest. But often when we are short on sleep and are sleepy, we use caffeine to keep us going.

If we fail to recognize this distinction in ourselves, we might not appreciate how our children are actually feeling when they become sluggish or slow or fussy especially near the end of the day.

Three talks On YouTube Channel are easy to watch now

Marc Weissbluth’s three main talks on our Weissbluth Method YouTube Channel should be much easier to view. Simply click on one of the three “playlists” and it should cycle through an entire talk as if you were watching a movie-please let us know if it is not user-friendly as we are always trying to make the educational content more accessible. Enjoy! -Daniel Weissbluth

The Weissbluth Method Weekend Treat

I understand that the following link has nothing to do with children’s sleep or media usage, however… I was on TV! CBS news was doing a story about the H1N1 vaccine shortage and came to our office. Have a nice weekend. –Dan Weissbluth

Interview on Babble

An Interview with Dad on Parent Misinformation and Common Mistakes

Nap Facts

Here are some helpful facts about naps.

Babies who are not allowed to learn self-soothing have nap problems.

If the interval of wakefulness is too long, a second wind develops and messes up naps.

If the bedtime is too late, naps don’t go well.

Some babies but not all, need a dark quiet environment to nap well.

Naps automatically develop between 12-16 weeks of age, counting from the due date.  After this age, watch both your baby and the clock to determine when his naps are best.

The morning nap develops first.

If a nap is missed, try to go to the next sleep time to keep the schedule even if the next nap or bedtime is a bit earlier than usual.

Naps become more regular between 12-16 weeks of age but they may be less than an hour in duration.

Between 4-6 months (6-9 months for post colicky babies), the duration of naps lengthen.

After 12-16 weeks, if you know your child needs to nap, then put your child down to nap and if he cries, leave him alone for an hour to see if he will fall asleep unassisted.  This will not work if the bedtime is too late, night sleep is fragmented, the interval of wakefulness is too long, you never allowed your child to learn self-soothing at night, or the room is too light or street noises are too loud.

“Digital Distraction” might make you miss subtle drowsy signs.  TV on in the background, being on the computer or on the phone might interfere with good timing for naps because you miss the rising wave of sleepiness. 

 

Marc

www.sweetbabies.com, www.drweissbluth.com

“Sleep Smarts” at the 92nd St. Y–11/6/07–Parts 1-11 on YouTube

Parts 1-11 of Marc Weissbluth’s Talk, “Sleep Smarts” at the 92nd St. Y on 11/6/07 are now up on our WeissbluthMethod YouTube Channel There are a lot of age specific sleep problems adressed-let us know what you think!
Dan

Great Sleep Debate On Nightline on our YouTube Channel

We put an interesting 2008 Nightline segment, the “Great Sleep Debate” “There Will be Tears” up on our YouTube Channel today. Let us know what you think!

Swaddling & Pacifiers

Swaddling should be attempted if it appears to help your child sleep better. If you have to reswaddle a baby once or twice a night to get great sleep, it’s worth it. Ditto for replacing a pacifier. But if swaddling or replacing pacifiers occurs many times throughout the night then one or both parents is going to get short on sleep and this is not good. It’s time to allow your child to learn some self-soothing.

When your child appears to want to kick free and not be swaddled, then stop. When your child throws the pacifier out of the crib, but a dozen plus one on a ribbon that is substantially shorter than the circumerfence of the neck that has an aligator clip so you can attach it to the pajama. Then do extiction, graduated extinction, or check and console.

Marc
www.sweetbabies.com, www.drweissbluth.com

Mehmet Oz Interviews Marc Weissbluth: Oprah Radio Clip

Here is a clip from Oprah Radio with Dr. Mehmet Oz interviewing dad:“fathers are sometimes the culprit” -Dan

DOES SLEEP TRAINING EVER END?

The answer is both yes and no.

As one mother described the situation, if the foundation for good sleep is established, only infrequently will there be tweeks following illnesses or vacations. Adjustments naturally might occur when 2 naps go ton 1 nap or the single nap goes away. So, in this way major sleep training is not something that has to be repeated over and over again. Major sleep training can be done once to establish the foundation and minor tuneups occur now and then. This situations is common when the routine bedtime is sufficiently early to prevent common night sleep issues.

However, there are families where the routine bedtime is a little too late and the child is chronically slightly sleep deficient. Usually, it’s not a big problem but little issues always occur that are slightly upsetting. Then, when there are nap transitions (2 go to 1 or 1 goes to 0), illnesses, vacations, or special events that naturally disrupt sleep schedules, the chronically slightly sleep deficient child totally falls apart. Major sleep training has to be reinstituted and parents become frustrated because from there perspective, major sleep training never ends and has to be done over and over again.

Have any of you had either of these experiences?
Marc
www.sweetbabies.com, www.drweissbluth.com