This post is sponsored by MomSelect. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A good sleep routine is just not something we’ve been able to get right for our children. Blaire was always hit or miss. Ben still has trouble putting himself to sleep. Both still end up in our bed at some point most nights. We want to do better this time around and we know the sooner we start with good sleep habits, the better. Third time is a charm? When the opportunity came to try the Little Ones Sleep Program for Sloane, I was definitely intrigued and couldn’t wait to give it a try.
On top of not being great at getting our kids to bed, both of our older kids were in daycare full time once they turned 12 weeks old. They were on a schedule there and we just kind of continued it when at home on the weekends. Sloane was already four months and we just kind of did whatever each day. Deciding what the best schedule is for your baby can be daunting. So having a pro guide me through it based on my baby’s age sounded like the best option for us.
Sloane was four months old (almost five months) when we started, so we are using the 3-12 month program. I am very impressed with how detailed it is. I purchased the program and then was I could immediately access it through their free app on my phone and iPad. I read all of the prefacing information in less than an hour. Don’t worry, if reading isn’t your thing, there are videos, too. It was eyeopening to see what we should have done better with our other two children.
There are so many chapters that easily explain what you should hope to accomplish, why babies wake, how to settle them, or help them self-settle (without cry it out), etc. it also has a comprehensive sleeping and feeding guide for your baby that changes from month to month as your baby continues to grow and develop. I have it printed off and hung up on the fridge to easily refer to. The scheduled focuses on getting the awake times right for your baby’s age, the right naps and giving your baby the best daytime routine to lead to a more settled night for baby (and you!).
One of the most helpful pieces is the “trouble shooting.” It breaks down any of the pieces that could “not work” for your baby. It’s so helpful to help while transitioning baby to their new schedule. From early waking, to sleep regressions, it covers anything your baby could have problems with. On top of the trouble shooting information, there’s also the Little One™ Village included with your program. The “village” is made up of thousands of families around the world, as well as certified sleep consultants, to help with your, I mean your baby’s, sleep journey. ;)
For us, putting Sloane on a schedule did take a bit of getting used to. Our schedule was somewhat dictated by Blaire’s school schedule (and Ben’s on Friday’s). And then when it’s the weekend, our schedule usually went out the window! It has definitely been a good reminder to slow down and make sure she is getting good, restorative sleep. Making sure she’s taking the majority of her naps at home in her bed (instead of on the go in her car seat) definitely gives her the chance to self-settle and I have been really impressed at how well she’s done. After a few weeks, we decided to transition her out of her bassinet and into her crib, which we put in our room in place of her bassinet.
In less than four weeks, Sloane has gone from wanting to be held the majority of the night, needing to be nursed to sleep and waking every other hour to nurse, to only doing two dream feeds overnight. In this time, we’ve also transitioned her from sleeping in a Dockatot and swaddled, to sleeping in her crib with no Dockatot and both arms out. Yes, she still eats twice overnight, between the hours of 7pm-7am. This is completely normal for a baby who hasn’t started any solid foods yet. Thankfully they’re dream feeds, so she’s still most of the way asleep and is right back to sleep once she’s finished eating.
If you want to try the Little Ones Sleep Program for yourself, you can use my discount code to save! Use code TRISTA to receive 15% off your purchase from Little Ones.
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