Did you know that milk is often the culprit behind bedtime problems and early morning wake ups?

When it comes to sleep, I am a firm believer that milk should only be offered at mealtimes. And here’s why…

Milk has just enough sugar in it to give your toddler a burst of energy before bed that makes it harder to settle down and fall asleep! It is also a BIG motivating force behind early morning wake ups.

Alright, let me just start off here by saying, honestly and sincerely, no judgment for what might have gone down in the last couple of months. I know… I’m a child sleep consultant and you probably think that I’m going to harass you about the late bedtimes, unenforced rules, inconsistent schedules, or any number of things that may have taken place over your summer vacation. But that’s not going to happen. Because I get it. I really do

So….maybe that title is a little misleading. I’m not suggesting that you can remove yourself from baby’s bedtime routine altogether. Even if you could somehow say to your child, “Alright. It’s almost bedtime. Go have a bath, brush your teeth, get into your PJs, read yourself a story and tuck yourself in. Mommy will be out here watching The Bachelor with a glass of wine if you need me.”

This is a difficult question to answer without getting into some specific details, which is unfortunate, because when parents ask me this, I know they’re looking for a quick, concise, time-based answer. “Three nights from now,” or “Six months old,” are the kind of responses they’re hoping for, and the kind I wish I could give them, but there are a lot of factors to consider, and some things to understand before you can narrow down the timeline. The first thing I feel parents need to understand is this...