When we finally spilled the beans to friends and family that we were pregnant, we were flooded with obligatory Facebook messages and texts from well-wishers. ?Congratulations!? they said. ?We?re so excited for you!? Then two of my well-meaning friends who were already parents got on the phone and ditched the pleasantries for some real talk. ?Hey girl, we know you like to sleep and, well… babies don?t. Start reading now.?
So I did. I read everything I could about baby sleep, and when my kiddos arrived I immediately started putting all the good sleep habits I?d read about into action. After making sleep a huge priority for our family, I currently have a five-year-old and a seven-year-old who are amazing sleepers. And I?ve read and studied so much that I now make a living helping families with their sleep. Along my path, I?ve come across so many sleep myths that have put a wrench in determined parents’ attempts to get their children sleeping well. And look, a tired parent will understandably try anything for the promise of sleep, am I right" But some of these ?guiding principles? are just plain wrong.
So let me save you the hassle of finding that out for yourself and outline the biggest myths the internet is serving you about your baby?s sleep?and what to do instead.
MYTH #1: If your baby sleeps too long in the day, they will be up all night
FACT: This is mostly untrue. You?ve probably heard the saying ?sleep begets sleep,? and that?s because babies need a lot...