Westerville, OH -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/14/2014 -- Before children ever come into the picture, Valentine's Day is often about a night on the town with champagne and roses. However, the reality for many new parents it that making time for romance is not an option—even on Valentine's Day. Nicole Johnson, Founder of The Baby Sleep Site®, knows all too well the hurdles parents face when trying to keep the flame alive. She offers these tips to make parents' Valentine's dreams come true, whether baby sleeps through the night or not.

1.) Have a morning date: enjoy a nice breakfast or brunch during your baby's first nap of the day. Consider having it in bed (wink, wink).
2.) Enjoy a picnic in the living room (without the ants).
3.) Play cards and chit chat on the deck or patio (for couples in warmer climates!).
4.) Do some (quiet) dancing in the living room: Depending on how large your house is, play some music low and show him or her your best dance moves. Be silly or romantic, but have fun! If your house is too small, sing or hum quietly.
5.) Sit by the fire if you have a fireplace: roast marshmallows, drink some wine or sparkling water, and remember all the dates you had before you had your baby.
6.) Make sushi together.
7.) Play board games: loser has to get up in the morning with the baby!
8.) Do a jigsaw puzzle and chit chat—but no baby talk is the challenge!
9.) Find a new recipe and cook together.
10.) Do an in-home wine tasting.
11.) Play a food-tasting game: one of you gets blindfolded and the other give the partner foods to guess what they are.
12.) Have a theme night: dinner, dessert, movie all in one theme, such as 'Italian' (pasta, gelato and a foreign flick).
13.) Get artsy: draw or paint a picture of your partner as they model (with or without clothing)
14.) Play dress up and fashion show—strut your stuff wearing your old prom dress, football jersey or the funniest clothes in your closet.
15.) Work out together and then shower…together!
16.) Make it a massage night! Take turns!
17.) Wine, candles, bubble bath…enough said.

Whatever date night activity you choose, the main thing is to have fun, and to enjoy being together. Of course, once your romantic at-home Valentine's Day is over, you may want to think about working on your baby's sleep! "Having a sleepless baby at home is so challenging," says Ms. Johnson. "That's why, at The Baby Sleep Site, we offer solutions that fit your unique lifestyle. Whether you use The Baby Sleep Site® as a resource to solve your baby's sleep problems, or whether you just want to join our network of parents and find strong moral support, The Baby Sleep Site® is here to help."

For more parenting tips:
Web: http://www.babysleepsite.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/babysleepsite
Twitter: http://twitter.com/babysleepsite
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/babysleepsite/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/babysleepsite

About Nicole Johnson
Nicole Johnson is the President of Baby Sleep Site®, which was founded in 2008. She began her journey to help moms cope with their babies' sleep schedule by leading an internet-based message board. Her goal was for new parents to overcome their own sleeping challenges much quicker than she had. Following that, she created The Baby Sleep Site® (http://www.babysleepsite.com) and expanded her offerings to include e-books, articles, a blog, and customized sleep consulting. The feedback from around the world has been incredible. The Baby Sleep Site® enjoys over 500,000 visitors per month and has personally helped over 13,000 families overcome their babies' sleep challenges. Nicole and her team offer professional, sound support that works.

Nicole Johnson is available for interviews by phone, email and in-person. She can also offer supplementary content on various parenting topics.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

During Record-Setting Winter Temperatures: Nicole Johnson of The Baby Sleep Site® Offers Her Expert Advice

Westerville, OH -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/06/2014 -- The 2014 winter season has produced record low temperatures for most of the country. As temperatures drop, many parents become concerned about ensuring that their babies and toddlers are nice and warm at bedtime. The problem is, many parents will actually overdress their little ones for winter time sleep. And that can cause everything from restless sleep to an increased risk of SIDS. Nicole Johnson, President of The Baby Sleep Site®, is offering tips on how to keep babies and toddlers warm during winter sleep without overdressing them.

Children who are too warm won't sleep well. In fact, toddlers and preschoolers who are too warm at night may be more inclined to have nightmares or night terrors. Parents must be sure to avoid the urge to pile on fleece. In reality, the ideal sleep temperature for most children and adults is a bit on the cool side—right around 68 degrees. Parents who aren't sure if baby is warm enough can do a simple "skin check" - baby's skin should be comfortable to the touch and even a little cool (but not cold or frigid).

For newborns who are swaddled, Nicole Johnson recommends a onesie underneath a light sleep and play outfit (long-sleeved). Then, over the top of this, baby can be swaddled in a lightweight cotton blanket. Older babies can be dressed similarly, but do not need to be swaddled. For these babies, Nicole Johnson recommends a "sleep sack." It provides warmth without the suffocation dangers associated with loose blankets.

"Ultimately, the goal is to keep baby warm while still ensuring safe sleep," says Nicole Johnson. "For most parents, this will mean resisting the impulse to overdress baby, and to instead stick with a few light, breathable layers."

That said, Johnson also acknowledges that parents know their babies best, and should use their best judgment when it comes to dressing for sleep. "I cannot stress enough that every baby is different," says Nicole Johnson, "and every situation is unique. That's why, at The Baby Sleep Site®, we focus on personalizing and customizing our solutions, so that they provide maximum results for each individual baby and family."

For more tips on promoting safe and healthy baby and toddler sleep, visit:

Links:
Web: http://www.babysleepsite.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/babysleepsite
Twitter: http://twitter.com/babysleepsite
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/babysleepsite/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/babysleepsite

About Nicole Johnson
Nicole Johnson is the President of The Baby Sleep Site®, which was founded in 2008. She began her journey to help moms cope with their babies' sleep schedule by leading an internet-based message board. Her goal was for new parents to overcome their own sleeping challenges much quicker than she had. Following that, she created The Baby Sleep Site® (http://www.babysleepsite.com) and expanded her offerings to include e-books, articles, a blog, and customized sleep consulting. The feedback from around the world has been incredible. The Baby Sleep Site® enjoys almost 500,000 visitors per month and has personally helped almost 13,000 families overcome their babies' sleep challenges. Nicole and her team offer professional, sound support that works.

Nicole Johnson is available for interviews by phone, email and in-person. She can also offer supplementary content on various parenting topics.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Westerville, OH -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/25/2014 -- As many parents, both new and old, learn very quickly, a happy baby equals a happy family. And in some households, the equation looks more like this: sleeping baby equals rested mom equals happy family. Recently, "co-sleeping" has been a hot topic in the news. Nicole Johnson, Founder of The Baby Sleep Site®, has made herself available to clarify the true definition of co-sleeping and also to offer safety advice as it pertains to co-sleeping. Baby sleep is not an easy topic, but for parents of babies and toddlers, it is certainly an important one.

According to Nicole Johnson, if a baby is having sleep problems, continuing to co-sleep actually might be a good solution and can benefit a breastfeeding relationship. If numerous nighttime wakings are doing more harm than good for mom or baby, sleeping together may be a great option. Some babies take time to learn to self-soothe; until they develop the ability to learn those skills, a caregiver will need to provide the soothing babies need to get to sleep. Experts disagree about the relative risks and benefits of co-sleeping, but this is a personal decision for each family. It may not be suited for everyone, but Ms. Johnson does recognize co-sleeping as a viable solution in the quest of getting everyone some much-needed rest. Since so many parents end up co-sleeping regardless of AAP recommendations, it's important to know how to make the experience as safe as possible.

Here are some do's and don'ts:

1.) Do not co-sleep if you have been drinking, using drugs or are on medication that makes you drowsy.
2.) Do not smoke in the same room in which the baby is sleeping. This can cause an increased risk of SIDS.
3.) Do not co-sleep on a soft mattress or a waterbed.
4.) Do not co-sleep if you are obese.
5.) Do not place baby between two parents.
6.) Do not have baby share a bed with a non-parent.
7.) Do not swaddle your baby while bed-sharing.
8.) Never co-sleep on a couch or in a recliner, since baby could easily become wedged in a furniture crevice.
9.) Do not place baby to sleep next to an older child.
10.) DO sleep on a firm mattress with very little adult bedding.
11.) If sharing a bed with your baby, DO consider placing your mattress directly on the floor, as this reduces the risk that baby will fall and hurt himself.
12.) If your baby is young, born premature, or has respiratory problems DO consider using a co-sleeping bassinet that can be near your bed.
13.) If your baby is older and is moving around a lot, DO consider using a bed rail.
14.)DO be patient when the time comes to transition your baby or toddler away from co-sleeping, and into his or her own bed; it may take some time.

"Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all-approach to parenting or baby sleep," says Nicole Johnson. "Here at The Baby Sleep Site®, we trust parents to make good decisions and support them in making choices that are the best fit for their particular family. We are here to help you with YOUR baby's sleep, and we are committed to respecting your goals and desires as a parent. Our job is to help parents be fully informed, and that includes sharing AAP recommendations and safety recommendations for co-sleeping practices from expert doctors and researchers."

For more detailed information on co-sleeping, visit:
- http://www.babysleepsite.com/safety/co-sleeping-solution/
- http://www.babysleepsite.com/sleep-training/is-co-sleeping-dangerous/
- http://www.babysleepsite.com/newsletter-editorial/co-sleeping-right-way-to-sleep-with-child/

Links:
Web: http://www.babysleepsite.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/babysleepsite
Twitter: http://twitter.com/babysleepsite
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/babysleepsite/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/babysleepsite

About the Founder: Nicole Johnson
Nicole Johnson is the President of Baby Sleep Site®, which was founded in 2008. She began her journey to help moms cope with their babies' sleep schedule by leading an internet-based message board. Her goal was for new parents to overcome their own sleeping challenges much quicker than she had. Following that, she created The Baby Sleep Site® (www.babysleepsite.com) and expanded her offerings to include e-books, articles, a blog, and customized sleep consulting. The feedback from around the world has been incredible. The Baby Sleep Site® enjoys almost 500,000 visitors per month and has personally helped almost 13,000 families overcome their babies' sleep challenges. Nicole and her team offer professional, sound support that works.

Nicole Johnson is available for interviews by phone, email and in-person. She can also offer supplementary content on various parenting topics.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Westerville, OH -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/02/2013 -- Nicole Johnson, Founder of The Baby Sleep Site® and author of the new, timely e-book ESSENTIAL KEYS TO YOUR NEWBORN'S SLEEP (e-book, all formats: $9.99) offers some tips to help ease the anxiety of parents nationwide as we all prepare to "fall back." While the difference of an hour may not affect us adults much, it has a big impact on baby and toddler schedules.

-Falling back' presents early waking problems for lots of babies and toddlers -- particularly those who were already waking pretty early to begin with! For instance, a baby who has been waking pretty consistently at 6 a.m. may wake closer to 5 a.m. after the time change, since 5 a.m WAS 6 a.m. just a few days ago. The same is true for naps.

-Parents should watch for overtiredness after the time change. Trying to stick to your child's usual schedule may result in overtiredness, since you're effectively asking your child to nap and go to bed an hour later than they are used to. Remember, overtiredness actually makes it HARDER for babies and toddlers to fall asleep (seems counter-intuitive, but it's true!), so this can backfire in a huge way: baby gets overtired, has a tough time falling asleep for nap, wakes up early from nap, has an even harder time falling asleep at bedtime, etc., etc. It is a snowball effect that parents need to watch with caution!

-Parents who wish to shift their child's schedule back (if he or she is waking too late in the morning, goes down for naps later than parent would like, or has a bedtime that's too late), then they can use DST to their advantage, since DST will essentially shift their child's schedule for them.

-If a child is on a good schedule before DST, then parents need to understand that the schedule will be thrown off after DST, with earlier morning waking, and probably a need to go down earlier for naps and for bed.

"Remember…Happy baby equals a happy mom," says Nicole, "And sleep is the most essential part of the equation."

SPECIAL OFFERS:
SPECIAL RELEASE RATE:
For a limited time, the Baby Sleep Site® is offering users 15% off when purchasing the ESSENTIAL KEYS TO YOUR NEWBORN'S SLEEP e-Book as part of the bundle. The bundle package includes both a copy of the e-book as well as the Baby Sleep Site's most popular basic sleep consulting package. With the bundle package, parents get the benefit of all the information contained in the book, plus a chance to receive a Personalized Sleep PlanTM. Learn more at http://www.babysleepsite.com/essential-keys-to-your-newborns-sleep

LINKS:
Web: http://www.babysleepsite.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/babysleepsite
Twitter: http://twitter.com/babysleepsite
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/babysleepsite/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/babysleepsite

About Nicole Johnson
Nicole Johnson is the President of Baby Sleep Site®, which was founded in 2008. She began her journey to help moms cope with their babies' sleep schedule by leading an internet-based message board. Her goal was for new parents to overcome their own sleeping challenges much quicker than she had. Following that, she created the official Baby Sleep Site (www.babysleepsite.com) and expanded her offerings to include e-books, articles, a blog, and customized sleep consulting. The feedback from around the world has been incredible. The Baby Sleep Site® enjoys almost 500,000 visitors per month and has personally helped over 10,000 families overcome their babies' sleep challenges. Nicole and her team offer professional, sound support that works.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm