Not-So-Sweet Dreams: What Causes Children’s Nighttime Bruxism?

Teeth grinding, also called bruxism, is a common condition where you grind or clench your teeth. While some people find themselves unconsciously grinding their teeth during the day (called daytime bruxism), nighttime bruxism is a type of sleep-related movement disorder. Surprisingly, this condition is especially common in kids. In fact, according to experts, up to three out of every 10 children experience nighttime bruxism. But what exactly causes bruxism and how can you help keep your child from damaging their teeth? What causes bruxism? There's no one direct cause of bruxism. However, there are a few factors that can increase a child's risk for this disorder. The first is that your child's top and bottom teeth may not be properly aligned and so they grind their teeth in response to … [Read more...]

The Wonders of Sleep

I'm nice right now.  And um, still a teensy bit brain dead.  I have good days and bad days and in the past two weeks more bad than good.  When I realized this my little PPD nerve center went on alert and I found myself standing in the middle of a room wondering if this was the other shoe dropping.  Was postpartum depression going to hit me again a third time?  The very thought of it made me weepy.  Then angry.  Then yup, you guessed it. Weepy again. I wanted to crawl under the covers and hibernate. I felt twitchy and snappy evil.  My eyes may or may not have glowed red once or twice.  I wanted to talk to someone, anyone about this, but then no one at all.  Call it a case of being sick of dealing with this type of shit.  The third time would not be the charm.  Then an interesting thing … [Read more...]

A Case of the Monday’s

I think my head exploded in my sleep last night. I keep hearing "sounds like someone has a case of the Monday's..." in my head and my cranky pants are already chafing me. It is barely 9 a.m.Hooray for days without sleep! Watch out world! Mummy is feeling crazy and has already gone off the rails! I'm a single parent for a few days and all TD can say is, "I want my Daddy." Probably because tired, ass-dragging, non-working out Mommy has become 'Mean Mommy' full of deadlines, tasks and little patience. I have the hardest time going to sleep and staying asleep these days and yet I'm exhausted beyond belief. I wouldn't even let myself watch 'True Blood' last night in fear that it would further inhibit my sleep mojo. As it was I fell asleep reading 'My Booky Wook' on my chest. I'm sure … [Read more...]

Tuesday Night Sleep Smackdown

I'm awake! I slept! OK. Not all night but like a lot of the night and man it's as if I've taken speed and mainlained an entire carafe of espresso mixed with Jolt cola. I can totally thank this awesome lady for it too. She's a life saver! The only snafu came around 3:30 a.m. when H decided he was going to stake claim on the whole bed, wife be damned.3:31 a.m.-Me: Whhaatt... uuhh... OW! (H's knee has just well, knee'd me.) I try to roll over and realize that he has pushed me all the way to the edge of the bed and I just catch myself as I start to fall overboard. I practically impale my left breast on the nightstand. Ouch.H: Snuffling sounds.Me: Damn it! I cannot reclaim my spot. WTF! H has just shoved a pillow in my face and I am slowly being suffocated. I wrench it away and … [Read more...]

Tiny Dictator Institutes New Regime

What fresh hell is this? I must have asked myself this question more than once last night. We are dealing with something new here and I don't know what it is, but it scares me. After a Sunday filled with a whiny, non-napping toddler who seemed on the verge of a complete meltdown/revolt. Her totalitarian regime was going full-tilt in her mind as she marched about the house screaming orders to her less than cooperative minions. OK her one "minion", the dog. The dog who looked just as freaked as us by this evil twist of events. Sure. Sometimes the kid doesn't nap. Sometimes. And it's not fun but screaming in terror at night? That's new. I felt like we were back at the six months mark or something and we can't find the dog. I fear the worst.7:30 p.m.- Bedtime. She goes down seemingly easy. … [Read more...]

The Amazing Race

The moments between nap time and wake time always seem precious and few. We Mom's cherish them. Rarely though do we take time out for ourselves. Instead, it's a race against the nap clock with an ear always listening for the sounds of our waking child.11:34 a.m.- T.D. is down! What should I do first? Shower? Clean? Work? I'm dirty-shower!! 11:36 a.m.- In shower- Still hear T.D. babbling- that buys me another few minutes. Let's get crazy and shave pits and legs today! Sure it could be a few minutes wasted, I'll think about that later. 11:45 a.m.-Emerge from shower fresh and clean. Silence in the house. Ooh she went down fast. Must work faster! No hair drying today. Apply fun new self-tanner though and dress quickly. Must clean floors! 11:51 a.m.- Dump baking soda and vinegar into toilet- … [Read more...]

Product of the Week!

This week's product is a book. A book I can safely say kept us sane in the last few weeks. I don't normally do this type of thing either. I don't like reading childcare books. I find that I'm usually already doing what they say and I have a few "Duh!" moments and throw the book to the wayside or I just don't agree with their methods. The book, 'Good Night, Sleep Tight: The Sleep Lady's Guide to Helping Your Child Go to Sleep, Stay Asleep and Wake Up Happy' (Sheesh!) actually did do all those things. I bought the book out of desperation and had a friend suggested it. Her child wasn't sleeping through the night. She read the book. The kid sleeps like magic. We were on month three of that after an almost entirely blissful year of angel baby sleep through the night nights. We removed … [Read more...]