Slumber Time Solutions

Slumber Time Solutions Have kids? Need more sleep? If your child is age 0-6 and sleep is a concern in your home – I can WHAT DO I DO? I work with families with children 0-6 years old.

I work 1-on-1 with families to create a customized gentle sleep plan that incorporates your parenting style, needs and goals as well as your child’s health, age and temperament. I will coach you step-by-step so we can help your children learn to fall asleep independently, sleep through the night and take restorative, age appropriate naps WITHOUT leaving them to cry it out alone. I provide sleep co

aching services to families in the Portland area in person and elsewhere in the world via phone / Skype. I offer services in English and French (sevices disponibles en français). CONTACT ME
- Call me for a 15-minute free consultation: 503-869-4103.
- Email me at [email protected]
- Visit my website at www.slumbertimesolutions.com

ABOUT ME
My name is Marie-Eve Gagnon. I am a certified Gentle Sleep Coach® who works with parents of children 0-6 years old, helping tired families get the sleep they need! I was a sleep-deprived mom for months with my youngest, and that period was hard for our family on many levels. When I finally found a way to help my daughter learn to sleep better, it was as if a dark cloud had been lifted from our family. That's when I decided I wanted to help other tired families get the sleep they need - because it does not have to be this way.

❤️Today is Grandparent’s day!❤️ ⁣If your kiddos have the chance to have some loving grandparents in their lives – either...
09/03/2026

❤️Today is Grandparent’s day!❤️
⁣If your kiddos have the chance to have some loving grandparents in their lives – either by blood or other adults that play a similar role, we want to encourage their relationship with your kiddo(s).​​​​​​​​

👵 Sometimes grandparents tend to follow their own rules (hmm hmm, in other words they do not follow what you ask them to do!). If the grandparents in your life insist on doing bedtime or naps their own way, it’s probably ok. As long as it does not impact your kiddo negatively after grandparents leave, let them have their own way. Kids are super smart and they quickly learn that different people/places have different expectations/rules!

This Saturday is National Read a Book day, so let’s talk about books today!👉Research shows that reading to children has ...
09/01/2026

This Saturday is National Read a Book day, so let’s talk about books today!

👉Research shows that reading to children has lots of benefits: increased vocabulary, social and cognitive development, listening skills, developing a love for reading, bonding with parent – to list a few!​​​​​​​​

👩You can read as part of your bedtime routine. I think it’s a lovely way to snuggle and wind down before going to bed. But if your kiddo is not into reading at bedtime, or reading gets them too wound up, you can you can also read at another time in the day. ​​​​​​​​

✨Also, some kiddos are VERY active during reading: touching the book, walking around, etc. And that’s ok! Keep reading – they are still enjoying it and benefiting from your reading. You can also tell stories instead of reading books, or look at a picture and talk about it.​​​​​​​​

So grab a book and read!

👉 What is your favorite kid’s book in the comments! I would love to hear what you're reading again and again these days!

Here's all the ways that we can connect this month!Note: My weekly Sleep Support group has a new time: we meet on Tuesda...
09/01/2026

Here's all the ways that we can connect this month!

Note: My weekly Sleep Support group has a new time: we meet on Tuesdays at 9:30 am on Zoom. DM me for link.
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💙 Let me know how I can support you this month!

👉POTTY TIP!👈 Potty training can be a journey, especially when your little one goes to daycare/preschool. Before you star...
08/28/2026

👉POTTY TIP!👈 Potty training can be a journey, especially when your little one goes to daycare/preschool. Before you start potty learning, ask your child care provider about their policies. I have found that some are wonderfully supportive and will accommodate those inevitable potty accidents while others have stricter policies, like requiring your child to keep their diaper dry for X days in a row before they are allowed to stop wearing diaper.

🚼 If your child will likely need to wear a diaper while at child care after you start taking the diaper off at home, it’s ok. Parents worry that wearing diapers at day care (but not at home) will be confusing to the child and slow down their progress – and it may be to a certain degree – but your kiddo can still master potty training!

🤩 But don't worry! Even if your daycare isn't as flexible, your child can still learn at home. Here’s how:
• START AT HOME: Begin potty training on a weekend when you have some uninterrupted time at home.
• EXTRA DAY HOME: If possible, keep your child home for an extra day to reinforce the learning.
• DIAPERS AT CHILD CARE: It’s okay if they need to wear a diaper - the real magic happens at home.
• CONSISTENT ROUTINE AT HOME: As soon as your kiddo comes home, take off the diaper and continue the training.
• COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR CHILD CARE: Ask how your child is doing and let them know what your child is doing at home. Share what works for you at home (language you use, timing of when they usually need to go, signs that your child needs to go, etc.).

It might take a bit longer, but if you stay patient and consistent at home, your kiddo will soon be able to show off their potty skills at home and at daycare/preschool!! 💪✨

If your child is pretty attached to their pacifier, and you’ve decided that it’s time to stop using it, we want to have ...
08/25/2026

If your child is pretty attached to their pacifier, and you’ve decided that it’s time to stop using it, we want to have a plan and make gradual changes.

1️⃣ INTRODUCE A LOVEY FIRST. Does your child have a lovey besides the pacifier? If not, pick something you think your child would like and start including the lovey in the bedtime routine and putting it with your child when they sleep. We can’t make them attach to the lovey, but it can become a familiar object that they turn to when the pacifier is gone.

2️⃣ LIMIT THE USE OF PACIFIER. If your child uses the pacifier throughout the day, transition to only using the pacifier in their room, and then transition to only using the pacifier in their bed. That will help them learn that the pacifier is not always available and help them learn to manage without it.

3️⃣ PICK A DATE. Give your kiddo 1-2 weeks to prepare to the idea. Talk about what will happen, and why. You can explain that your child is now too old for a pacifier and that it’s time to give the pacifiers to a baby. If you know a young baby, you could physically drop off the pacifiers at their house. Or the pacifier fairy can come take the pacifier and leave something in exchange, etc. Decide how you want to explain it, and remind your child regularly so they can prepare. Or the dentist can explain that the pacifier is now impacting their teeth, etc. Choose a way to explain the change based on your child’s interest and temperament.

4️⃣ DO IT! On that date, get rid of all pacifiers (based on what you explained). Your child may need more support than usual to go to sleep at first. Empathize and offer more support, but stay firm (it’s easier to stay firm if you truly got rid of the pacifiers and you can’t give it to your child). It’s ok to offer more support the first couple of nights, but don’t let it become a new habit.

When do we want to eliminate the pacifier? If you’ve already been through this experience, how did it go?

👉 SAFETY TIP! 👈​​​​​​​​​If your child is about to transition to a toddler bed, here are some important factors to consid...
08/21/2026

👉 SAFETY TIP! 👈​​​​​​​​​If your child is about to transition to a toddler bed, here are some important factors to consider to ensure your child's safety:

🛏️ SECURE THE BED: Make sure the toddler bed is sturdy and secure. Ensure that all screws, bolts, and fittings are tightly fastened. Check the bed regularly for any loose parts or signs of wear and tear.

🛏️ HAVE THE BED AGAINST A WALL: Even better if you can put the bed in a corner so there are walls on 2 sides of the toddler bed. The walls will keep your kiddo safe in their bed, and it can make the space feel more cozy as they transition from the confined space of the crib.

🛏️ USE BED RAILS: Consider using bed rails on the side of the bed that’s not against the wall to prevent them from rolling off.

💡 CLEAR THE SURROUNDING AREA: Create a safe sleeping environment by removing any sharp or hazardous objects near the bed. Secure furniture, lamps, and cords to prevent them from toppling over. Keep the floor clear of toys and clutter that could pose tripping hazards.

🧸 REMOVE SOME TOYS: You may also want to remove some toys from the bedroom at sleep time so that there is less temptation to get up and play!

🦺 SAFETY GATE: Consider using safety gates to keep your kiddo in their room or to block stairs if the bedroom is located on an upper level. This can prevent falls and keep the child in a safe area, especially during the nighttime.

👩‍👦 TEACH YOUR KIDDO TO STAY IN BED: Teach your kiddo to stay in bed during the night and call for you if they need anything (instead of coming out of their bed). Explain that you will come to them!

👉 TIP TUESDAY 👈 It's that time of the summer… when I have to ask you this question: Is your kiddo's sleep/wake up schedu...
08/18/2026

👉 TIP TUESDAY 👈
It's that time of the summer… when I have to ask you this question: Is your kiddo's sleep/wake up schedule going to have to change soon? ☀️🌙 ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

❇️ Sometimes during the summer schedules shift and we go to bed later and wake up later. But if your child is going to pre/school and will need to wake up earlier than they currently do, now is the time to start working on that... If you feel that bedtime's been too late lately, gradually move bedtime 15 min earlier every few nights. ⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀​​​​​​​​
👉OR if they’ve been waking up later, you can start waking them up 15 min earlier in the morning, shifting naps/bedtime earlier accordingly. Continue to shift the morning wake up by 15 min every few days until they wake up on their own at the right time..⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀​​​​​​​​
❇️ This is something that needs to happen with my kids. They’ve been waking later than they need to during school, so it’s time to start shifting that schedule earlier... I will start waking them up a little bit earlier in the morning AND start the bedtime routine earlier. Because if they sleep in later, they are not tired at the earlier bedtime. So I need to adjust wake-up time and the timing of bedtime.​​​​​​​​

Would you like some support to tackle this schedule change? Send me a message!

👉 POTTY TIP 👈 Here's my honest opinion: don’t start potty training if your child does not regularly sit on the potty.🚽 I...
08/13/2026

👉 POTTY TIP 👈 Here's my honest opinion: don’t start potty training if your child does not regularly sit on the potty.

🚽 If you can’t get your kiddo to sit on the potty with their diaper/clothes on, then it’s probably not the right time to start potty learning just yet. Here’s what could be happening:
• They are afraid of the potty
• They use the potty as a way to exert power/control, and it becomes a power struggle
• They don’t understand what it’s for
• They sense pressure around the potty and then want to avoid it

🩳 I would recommend that we work on sitting on potty with clothes on (or off if your kiddo prefers it) before we start potty training. It will make potty training easier and less frustrating.

👉 Think of how you get your kiddo to do some “non-preferred” activities. The same techniques may work to encourage your kiddo to sit on the potty. Because if your kiddo is not comfortable sitting on the potty when there’s no expectation, it’s going to be much harder to get them to pee/poop in it. 💩

👉 TIP TUESDAY 👈 One of my go-to techniques for 0-4 months is the SOOTHING LADDER. I recommend using this technique when ...
08/11/2026

👉 TIP TUESDAY 👈 One of my go-to techniques for 0-4 months is the SOOTHING LADDER. I recommend using this technique when baby wakes up in the middle of the night

🤫 Think of the support you can offer (shushing, patting, rocking, feeding, etc.) as steps of a “ladder”. We start with the first step of the ladder, offering the least amount of support and then gradually offer more support as needed.
Here’s an example of a soothing ladder:
- shush
- put hand on chest
- offer pacifier
- pick up
- rock to sleep
- feed

Using this ladder, I would start with shushing when baby starts to fuss/cry. At this point, baby is still on the mattress. If baby is not calming after a while (see below), move to the next step of the ladder: put hand on chest. Try that for a while, and then offer the pacifier, and so on.

⭐ The goal is to offer the minimum support that baby needs at that time. Because we don’t want to offer a feeding (which usually takes more time and energy) if shushing would have been sufficient to help baby go back to sleep!

NOTES:
- You may often get to the top of the ladder – and that’s ok!
- Your ladder can look different than the example above
- Check to see if baby’s diaper is dirty!
- You can decide how long you'll try each step. It can be 30 sec, 2 min, etc. You will need to experiment to see what seems to work best for your baby
- If your baby just slept for a long stretch and you know they are hungry, you can go straight to feeding them!

👉 How do your respond when baby wakes up at night? Will you give the soothing ladder a try?

👉 TIP TUESDAY 👈 ​​​​​​​​​Getting ready for bed with a 3+ years old often requires coaching kiddos to get through several...
08/04/2026

👉 TIP TUESDAY 👈 ​​​​​​​​​Getting ready for bed with a 3+ years old often requires coaching kiddos to get through several “steps” like: brush teeth, going to the bedroom, put on pj, going potty, etc.
👩‍👦 Research has found that giving too many directives can be counter-productive and lead to more resistance, less cooperation.
👨‍👶 Finding a way to turn the directive into a question or a choice can be a helpful alternative that allows kiddos to use their brain and think instead of just “doing what they are told”. Here are some examples:
• Instead of “Put your toy away” try “WHERE DOES THIS TOY GO?”
• Instead of “Brush your teeth” try “WOULD YOU LIKE TO HOLD THE TOOTHBRUSH TONIGHT OUR WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO DO IT?”
• Using a bedtime chart helps with this too, as you can say “WHAT’S NEXT IN YOUR CHART?”

You don’t need to turn everything in questions, but try sprinkling some questions and some choices during your routine tonight, and let me know how it goes!

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