How Long 'Til Bedtime? | Sleep and Parenting Podcast

Oh the dreaded 4 month sleep regression. Or, as Allison prefers to call it, the 4 month sleep PROgression. While this can be a very challenging time for parents, it's also a sign of good things to come.  Today, Allison shares a slight perspective shift that she thinks will make all the difference to how you approach what can be a tricky time. She'll also share how you can set your baby up to avoid...

Never fails. Just when sleep is going well in your house, a sickness comes along and messes everything up. Even just a minor cold can wreak havoc on good sleep habits. Today, Allison shares 4 tips for navigating sleep when your child is sick and getting sleep back on track quickly once they are healthy again.  Extra tip : If there is any congestion involved, keep a cool mist humidifier in their ro...

Good news! The dreaded daylight saving spring time change is EASIER to navigate than the one in the fall. Today, Allison is going to share how you can have your child adjusted to the new time in ONE DAY. And, she's going to answer the common question about whether you can use this time change to switch to a later bedtime and later morning wake time.  She'll share why she doesn't recommend the meth...

Breaking up with the pacifier can feel like a big milestone—for both parents and kids. Many families worry that ditching the pacifier will lead to sleepless nights, big emotions, or a rocky transition. But according to Allison, it doesn't have to be that way. In this episode of How Long 'Til Bedtime? , Allison walks parents through her practical, step-by-step approach to weaning from the pacifier...

In today's episode, Allison has a conversation with Dr. Jo Cronly, a pediatric dentist and personal friend of Allison's. Their conversation touches on so many of the topics parents wrestle with when it comes to helping their children with dental issues. Dr. Cronly is also a mom of three, which makes her perspective even more interesting. She shares her professional advice, but also shares how she...

So many of us are spending much more time at home these days. Sadly, sometimes this means that we don't have access to the external ways we boost our mental well-being. Today, Allison shares six of the ways she takes good care of herself at home. She urges everyone to consider implementing these ideas to recharge and stay at your best. Here are links to the favorites she mentions in the episode: B...

February is American Heart Month. One of the best ways for us to lower our risk of heart disease is to move our bodies. In today's episode, Allison shares how she changed her approach to fitness 2.5 years ago and the tools she uses to ensure she continues to fit movement into her weekly schedule. The ways each of us choose to incorporate movement into our lives will vary, but her mindset and the t...

In our sweetest episode so far, Allison is joined by her 7 year old daughter, Ainsley, to discuss the importance of sleep. Ainsley has some very insightful thoughts to share about how being a good sleeper helps her in many areas of her life.  Allison advises parents to begin laying the foundation early for their child to think of themselves as someone who sleeps well, or as a "sleep champion".  Sh...

As you know, Allison is passionate about helping babies and children sleep. But what you might not know is that Allison is equally as passionate about helping moms with their wellness. And she holds an extra special place in her heart for moms with newborn babies. Those early weeks and months with a new baby are an exciting and special time, but it's also an exhausting time. Most new moms are stru...

In today's Q&A episode, Allison tackles a listener's question. Melissa's 3 year old child won't let Dad put her to bed. This is an issue Allison often helps families navigate. She knows this battle can put quite a strain on families. Typically it's children resisting having Dad put them to bed, but she's also worked with children who have a strong preference for their Dad to put them to bed. The g...

If you have a picky eater at home, you are definitely not alone. Many parents worry about what their child is eating, how little they seem to eat, or whether mealtimes will always feel this stressful. In this episode, Allison sits down with pediatric occupational therapist Alisha Grogan to talk about what picky eating really means, why it happens, and the simple strategies that can help expand you...

Happy New Year! It's that time of year - time to hang up that calendar and start those new year's resolutions. A couple years ago, Allison ditched the idea of resolutions and shifted her focus to setting quarterly habit goals. She's found it to be much easier to stay motivated for a quarter rather than a full year. Now, instead of one fresh start per year, she gets four! She's found success with t...

There are many effective approaches to potty training. Allison isn't in the business of advising you on which approach is right for your family, but she will teach you how to do it without disrupting your child's sleep. In this episode, she'll share her thoughts on how to know if it's the right time to potty train, whether it matters if your child is still in the crib or not, what language to use...

If you're looking for techniques to help your baby get more nighttime sleep and/or you're trying to get a longer first stretch of sleep yourself, chances are you've tried or are considering trying a dream feed. Virtually all of us know someone who swears the dream feed was key to getting their baby sleeping through the night. Sometimes it works. In fact, Allison often recommends it as a strategy t...

Having fears or worries about the dark is something virtually all young children will experience at some point. Setting your child up to confidently move past their concerns and preparing yourself to guide them through this phase can be the difference between a struggle requiring a couple of conversations or it taking weeks, months or even years for your child to overcome this fear. Today, Allison...

Have you ever wondered if the separation anxiety or anxious behavior your toddler or preschooler is exhibiting is "normal"? Or have you ever felt unsure how to help empower your child when they are anxious?  In this episode, anxiety and OCD therapist Natasha Daniels will help us understand what is typical and age appropriate anxious behavior, and she'll give us tools that will help us empower our...

Although her focus is on improving children's sleep, Allison cares as much about the health and well-being of moms as she does about the health and well-being of their babies. Moms matter. You matter. And it's important to remember that you can't take care of all those around you if you haven't first taken good care of yourself.  In this episode, Allison is going to share what happened to her when...

Each year as the holidays approach, Allison's clients begin asking for advice about navigating the opinions of family members and managing everyone's expectations. So many parents battle feelings of dread, guilt and family pressure this time of year. Allison's first ever podcast guest joins her for this important episode. She and her husband, Mike, have a candid conversation about how they approac...

This holiday season, many families are preparing to travel to visit family. Some of these trips will involve long car rides and some will involve air travel. Some families will go for a day trip and some will be away from home for days. Some will stay with family and some will stay in a hotel. Some parents will be sharing a room with their child. And some will travel to different time zones. Each...

Is bedtime a struggle in your house? Is it a battle to even get your child to start the bedtime process? Is your child the master of bedtime stall tactics? Does it take your child an hour to fall asleep after you turn off the lights? If you dread bedtime, this is the episode for you. Allison is going to share THREE SIMPLE CHANGES you can make so that bedtime will run smoother -- whether your child...

The dreaded fall time change is less than one week away. Cue the scary music! Parents fear this day and have nightmare stories about failed attempts at navigating through it in past years. Fear not, friend. Allison is ready to tackle this head-on with you. Once it's over, she'll have you thinking of it as a non-event! Tune in to hear what Allison recommends you do BEFORE the time change (hint: it'...

In this Q&A episode, Allison tackles a listener's question about transitioning down from two naps to one. Kelly's question is one that Allison hears from many parents. This is a roadblock a lot of us struggle with. Allison will give you SPECIFIC instructions on maneuvering through the necessary steps while keeping your child's sleep in alignment with their circadian rhythm. She'll walk you through...

Early bedtimes work. They help babies and children fall into their ideal sleep rhythm, which leads to higher quality, more restorative sleep. But parents can be a bit resistant to the idea of an early bedtime. In this episode, Allison will address WHY she's such an advocate of early bedtimes and HOW early bedtimes brought her household MORE joy and MORE quality time together. She can identify with...