It’s shocking how little sleep most people get. It’s the trend in today’s busy, electronic, always-on culture. It’s almost a badge of honor. But it’s not healthy for anyone.

For many parents, especially new parents the night-after-night routine of 2 a.m. (and 4 a.m. and 6 a.m.) wakings goes from “missing a little sleep” to sleep deprivation. In my practice and here at DrGreene.com, I hear from parents that it’s one of the things they are most concerned about — and for good reason. When we sleep our bodies heal from the days’ workouts and injuries and our minds have time to carefully log all that’s taken place since the last time we slept.

The good news is, there are natural ways to encourage a good night’s sleep. They include the right light and temperature at the right time.

In this video, I discuss how you can work with your own (or your child’s) body rhythm to help your body and mind fall asleep and stay asleep.

These tips are not the cure for every sleep issue. Newborns will still wake up to be fed. There will still be trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night. But working with nature makes it easier to fall back asleep when night time sleep disturbances do happen.

When was the last time you felt truly rested? How would having natural energy that comes from a good night’s sleep change your life?

For more information on sleep:

When Baby Won’t Go to Sleep on Her Own
When Children Can’t Sleep
Adolescents and Sleep
Sleep Deprivation and ADHD
Sleep Well. Do Well.

We’ve come upon a great solution for night terrors in my house (OK, my wife actually came up with it :) that worked with our son and thousands of others. If you’ve ever run in to this with your child, you’ve probably noticed that your kids are stuck in a state of unfamiliarity, making it not only scary for them, but for you as well.

One night when this was happening to our son, it occurred to Cheryl (whom may of you have chatted with in the comments – she’s ‘MsGreene’) that the issue may be related to potty training. The two often occur in toddlers at around the same age, there was certainly a decent chance they were related.

So we ran a little test, and of course she was right. Her idea solved our son’s night terrors instantly. It was pretty awesome. Watch the video below for our ‘secret’ solution to night terrors!

If your kids are experiencing night terrors, give this a try. It’s an easy, effective solution to night terrors without incident.

Has this tip helped you? Let us know in the comments. If your kids are having other sleep issues, feel free to drop us a question about those as well.

Until next week!

At 3am a triangle of light slices the darkness in two, and a child’s tired, raspy voice whispers “Mom? Moooooom?” It’s now that you realize, this will not be the night of restful sleep you’ve been fantasizing about since your water broke.

Many parents find it tough to send their kids back to their own room when this happens. After all, your child is simply asking to be close to you. Tough to say no to that.

But the truth is, parents need space, privacy and alone time, and it’s important for your child to learn to comfortably sleep alone.

There’s a method I developed with my kids when they were youngsters that helped my wife and I to rediscover restful nights. I call it the “free pass.” In this week’s video, I teach you get your kids to chose to sleep alone, and feel safe and secure in that choice.

Sounds pretty crazy, right?

Well, watch the video below, and try the “free pass” with your kids for just a few days, and I’ll bet you’ll find your kids make the same choice.

If you do decide to give it a shot, leave us a comment below and let us know how the experience went for you. If you’ve tried it with your kids to no avail, let me know, and I’ll try and provide some additional tips!

As your baby becomes a toddler, chances are they will give you some sleepless nights. In this week’s post I’ve got your solution.

But first a little fun fact.

Strange but true: whether or not your toddler awakens you, each night you’re almost certainly waking up about every hour or so – nearly everybody does. The difference is that most of the time you go right back to sleep.

Why, oh why, doesn’t your baby do the same?

A couple of things are at play here: The first is that your baby is just about to learn to walk, and secondly, separation anxiety generally peaks around this time.

Since your baby is just about to enter toddlerhood, they eagerly want to try walking at every opportunity. This includes when they stir at 4am. And when they do wake up, they become frightened because they realize that for the first time in their life, you aren’t there with them.

It’s a growing pain for the whole family.

Lots of my patients have rediscovered the bliss of a good night’s sleep using my simple method. Watch the video below where I talk about how to do exactly that (spoiler alert: you don’t even have to pick them up or feed them).

This is a simple, effective solution to help everyone get a sound night’s sleep (yourself included). Give it a try with your child, and I’ll bet that in just 3-4 days you’ll find it works for your family as well.

If you do decide to give it a shot, leave me a comment telling me how this method has worked for you.

Or, do you have a method that’s been particularly helpful share it with the community!

Baby massage may seem superfluous or silly to some people, but it’s popularity is growing in the U.S. and it has actually been practiced for centuries in many cultures around the world. But, does it have any significant health benefits? You might be surprised at how much it does. In fact, touch plays a much more important role in human development than scientists first imagined.

Consider these facts:

• Skin is by far the largest of all of our sense organs.
• It develops early in utero – at less than 8 weeks, when the fetus is less than an inch long, the sense of touch is already highly developed – before there are eyes or ears.
• Between the pulsing of the amniotic fluid and the contracting and expansion of the walls of the womb, the uterine environment is a space of constant massage.
• When a baby is born, his vision is still fuzzy, but touch is a primary way he can interact with the world for the first few months.

Just from these basic biological facts, it becomes clearer that touch must be important for infant development. But, to what extent? Here’s a snapshot of the myriad medical benefits researchers have discovered over the years.

• In 1986. Dr. Tiffany Fieldand her colleagues gave preterm infants a 15-minute massage, three times per day, for ten days resulting in 21-47% greater weight gain than standard care alone. Those infants were also discharged six days earlier on average than control infants, saving approximately $10,000 in hospital costs per infant. Since then, they’ve also found:
  • Infants who experienced massage therapy cried less and had lower cortisol levels, suggesting lower stress.
  • Touch stimulation can positively affect physiological, behavioral, and social development among infants.
  • Young children with eczema who received daily massage from their parents saw symptoms decrease.

• Dr. Kathryn Barnard at the University of Washington found that infants who were held more showed superior cognitive development as long as eight years later.

• Research by Theodore Wacks, a psychologist at Purdue, showed that infants who experienced more skin-to-skin contact had an advantage in mental development in the first six months of life.

 
It turns out infant touch benefits pretty much all systems of the body – nervous, circulatory, digestive, respiratory, endocrine – the impacts are profound.

And, the benefits aren’t just for babies. You can probably guess that parents sleep better when babies sleep better (which they do with infant touch). And, it reduces parental stress levels, too! Field found that mothers who do infant massage report lower levels of depression, they seem to be more sensitive to their baby’s cues and the babies are more responsive to the mother through the whole first three months.

Still question whether touch is as important as eating and sleeping? Consider one more landmark study.

In the 1960s, Dr. Harry Harlow separated infant monkeys from their mothers at six to twelve hours after birth and substituted “surrogate” mothers made either of heavy wire mesh or of wood covered with cloth. Both mothers were the same size, but the wire mother had no soft surfaces and was equipped with a bottle from which the baby could “nurse”while the other mother was cuddly, covered with foam rubber and soft terry cloth, but had no food. Despite the fact that only one surrogate mother could feed them, the infants still spent more time cuddling with the cloth mother. (They also found that the monkeys“raised” by wire mesh moms were very aggressive as adults.) These results led researchers to believe closeness and affection are as imperative to healthy development as food.

In today’s busy world, it’s all-too-common for parents to give a child a pacifier or put them in front of a video screen to keep them calm and quiet. But, those convenient moments of calm may be having subtle impacts on your child’s development. Take time to slow down. Take time to touch. Take time to cuddle. They aren’t babies for long and your investment of time and touch is a priceless investment in their health and well-being.

Countless homes in America face this every evening with their children.  How often have heard the frustrated cry of parents everywhere?  “My children just hate going to bed”  “It’s a battle every night and we are exhausted!”Have a conversation with your child as to why they don’t like bedtime.   Look for signs that might give you a clue.  Did something happen during the day that might have upset them?  Are they worried about something?  Are they afraid of the “monster under the bed”? Sometimes it’s just about creating a positive routine. Here are some suggestions that might help and certainly worth try.

1. Give children a 5 minute warning before you want them to start getting ready for bed.
2. Create a routine around bedtime so they know what to expect.  Children like and respond well to familiar routines.  What is your process of getting them ready for bed?
3. Make sure they have a snack before they get into bed. This avoids the need to come back out of their rooms after they are settled into bed.
4. Washing their face and brushing their teeth should occur right before they hop into bed.
5. Reading to them before they go to bed provides an activity that you can do together.  This is a great cuddle time.  A funny or silly story will be welcoming and will put them in a happy mood as they drift off to sleep.

The more relaxed you are,  the more relaxed your child will be.  If you begin to see bedtime as a routine that you look forward to, because it is fun and enjoyable, chances are your child will begin to feel that way too. No one said parenting was going to be easy but hopefully these tips will help ease the bedtime routine.

CRIB/BED FRAME

Cribs and bed frames are often made of pressed wood or particleboard. These engineered wood products and their finishes can contain formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Formaldehyde was recently classified as a known human carcinogen by the National Toxicology Program (an arm of the US Department of Health and Human Services).  VOCs off-gas easily from particleboard and the fumes can cause headaches and other symptoms in the short-term – and potentially worse in the long-term.

The easiest way to save money on a safer crib or bed frame is to buy second-hand. (Note: If you’re buying a used crib, be sure it meets the latest Consumer Product Safety Commission Crib Standards.) To avoid risks from the chemicals mentioned above, Jennifer Taggart (aka The Smart Mama) and Healthy Child Parent Ambassador makes these recommendations:

1. Skip composite wood products.

2. Go for non-toxic finishes. If you are buying wood furniture, make sure the coating is non-toxic. Look for natural finishes made with plant oils (although this includes d-limonene), tree resins, minerals and beeswax, or low or no-VOC finishes.

3. Just say no to formaldehyde. If you are buying furniture made with manufactured wood products, look for formaldehyde-free products. Avoid bare, uncoated urea-formaldehyde pressed wood products that can emit relatively high amounts of formaldehyde.

4. Let it off-gas outside. Buying green can be expensive, and sometimes difficult to find. If you can’t find formaldehyde-free particleboard, then let the furniture off gas outside of the nursery, and preferably the home, before bringing the furniture inside. Make sure that the area has fresh air passing by so the formaldehyde will be removed.

5. Control climate. The amount of formaldehyde released is increased with increasing temperature and humidity. Keep the humidity and temperature low, and you can reduce the amount of formaldehyde released.

6. Seal bare urea-formaldehyde wood products with multiples layers of water resistant sealants. Research indicates that sealing bare urea-formaldehyde wood products can reduce formaldehyde emissions for months to years after application. Seal all unfinished edges of finished furniture. Of course, the sealants themselves may release other VOCs, so check labels carefully. Use a no or low VOC sealant.

BEDDING

Conventionally-grown cotton is one of the most pesticide dependent crops. While there’s not pesticide residue on the resulting fabric, by purchasing conventionally-grown cotton products, you’re contributing to pesticide pollution (which could wind up in your own drinking water if you live near a farm.) Also, most conventional textiles are treated with a variety of chemicals to make them stain-resistant, anti-wrinkle, color-fast, etc. Even organic cotton bedding can be finished with a formaldehyde derivative, so look for formaldehyde-free.

Here are some tips for finding safer, budget-friendly bedding:

• Avoid textiles labeled “permanent press,” “stain resistant,” “antibacterial,” or any other type of signal word that implies the fabric has been treated.
• If you buy new, conventionally-grown cotton bedding (without the aforementioned treatments), simply wash it a few times to get rid of any temporary sizing that has been applied to the fabric.
• Look for gently used bedding made of natural textiles. It’s much more affordable. It’s likely been washed enough times to significantly reduce or eliminate any chemical treatments. And, it’s more environmentally-friendly. You can find beautiful (and even organic) options quite frequently on eBay.

GENERAL TIPS

Whatever products you end up using, follow these easy tips to keep your family’s sleeping spaces clean and healthy.

1. Wash and dust everything regularly.
2. Ventilate. Opening windows and using fans to circulate the air will improve indoor air quality.
3. Grow plants. Choose non-poisonous and be sure not to over-water, which can promote mold and fungus growth. Here are eight awesome options.

I hope that helps! Please share your own tips in the comments!

At Healthy Child Healthy World, we get asked almost weekly about how to find safer mattresses on a budget. And, it’s no wonder when you look at the premium prices on organic and eco-friendly options. Sticker shock is amplified to sticker stupor.

Of course you want the safest sleeping situation for your family, but what can you do if it’s simply not financially feasible to buy all organic stuff? Read on to learn how to prioritize the specific risks and how to reduce them on a dime.

MATTRESS

Conventional mattresses are made using polyurethane foam, treated with flame retardants, sometimes covered in PVC, potentially treated with more flame retardants, and then maybe some stain guard for good measure. Thus, this seemingly benign sleeping surface potentially exposes people to toluene, styrene, ethyl benzene, isopropylbenzene, antimony trioxide, vinylidene chloride, lead, phthalates, and other chemical nightmares.

Clearly, exposure to toxic chemicals in mattresses is a legitimate concern, but it’s also very complicated. It’s difficult to find out exactly what’s being used in most products; every individual can have unique reactions; and, there’s little research on potential health hazards.

For the sake of brevity (in an already long blog post), my recommendations are focused on baby and kids’ mattresses. You’ll find a link to a more thorough assessment at the end.

Since babies and children are more vulnerable and since they spend more time with their faces buried in it’s fibers, the mattress should be a priority. If there is one organic product to splurge on, this is it. If you can’t, don’t despair – here are two ideas:

1. Make one request for your baby shower or child’s birthday; have everyone pitch in on an organic mattress.

2. Make do with a conventional option.

• Look for a mattress that is not covered in PVC and has as few chemical treatments as possible.
• Air out a new mattress until there’s no longer any hint of chemical smell. This is no guarantee that all the chemicals have off-gassed, but it should be significantly less.
• Flame retardants are released from the mattress as it breaks down, so you’ll want to try to encapsulate the dust. A tightly woven cotton barrier cloth meant to keep in dust-mites can help with the dust.
• If you’re worried about on-going off-gassing, you’ll need an impermeable cover. There are mattress pads and covers made from a special food-grade polyethylene plastic that not only do not off-gas themselves, but also reduce off-gassing from mattresses. I know many moms may cringe at the idea of encapsulating their child’s bed in plastic, but this solution will reduce chemical exposure and it is very affordable.
• Look into a simple cotton futon that’s been treated with boric acid instead of the nastier flame retardants often used.

Find more ideas for everyone in the family at Healthy Child Healthy World.

And no matter how hard it is, remember…

Tip 6. This Too Shall Pass

Our kids are only little for such a short period of time. It isn’t always easy dealing with night wakings or sleep deprivation and I know it is frustrating for a lot of parents. I think it is important though to realize that it will pass, things will get better. You do not need to teach your child to self-soothe using cry it out. Your child will learn that skill with time on their own. In the meantime, if these tips are not working and you are frustrated, get some help. Certainly spouses/partners should help each other and find a way to share nighttime parenting wherever possible. Beyond that, find someone that can help you out during the day so that you can take a long nap when things are really rough.

I’d love your questions, comments, and suggestions on the topic of gentle ways to get baby and toddler to sleep. You can find additional tips on my original article – Gentle Baby and Toddler Sleep Tips.

While some of the tips I’m suggesting require mom and dad to make sacrifices – Like Watching Baby’s Diet – I’m convinced that any effort you make to keep your baby and toddler healthy and happy pay off in the number of hours of sleep you will get. Here are two more tips.

Tip 4. Consistent Napping

Good sleep promotes good sleep. A lot of parents whose children do not sleep well at night mistakenly think it would be a good idea for them to give up naps. Instead, parents should try to institute a consistent nap routine. The baby’s last nap should not be too late in the day either to ensure that it doesn’t interfere with nighttime sleep.

Tip 5. Comfortable Sleep Environment

Wherever your baby sleeps, ensure that it is comfortable. That doesn’t mean adding all sorts of blankets and pillows (which can be dangerous). Instead, it means making sure that your baby is dressed appropriately for the temperature in comfortable pajamas. It may mean using things like white noise to help your baby to sleep. It certainly involves ensuring a smoke free sleep environment, not having smokers sleep in the same room as the baby, and ideally a smoke free home altogether.