Sleep training in action
Why should I work with a sleep consultant?
There is so much confusing and conflicting information out there about sleep training and what it means! I can help you cut through the information overload and focus on the specific needs of your child based on their biological rhythms and age-appropriate sleep requirements, as well as your parenting style.
The methods I use and information I provide are rooted in sleep science! Tailoring my recommendations to your unique situation is what makes working with a sleep consultant worth the investment. Plus, you will have me as that one person who can coach you through the whole process!
What will sleep training look like? What are the steps?
Working with me will proceed something like this:
Contact me for a free15-minute discovery call to meet me and discuss which sleep package is right for you.
Purchase your sleep package and sign a contract that I will send to you.
Complete a detailed intake form about your child’s sleep for me to review.
Schedule a time for a 1-hour video consultation (or a 1.5-hour in-person consultation) to discuss sleep philosophy and methods, your goals and much more.
I will then prepare and send you a Customized Sleep Plan, tailored to your child and your parenting style. We will discuss the best timeline to implement the plan.
You will implement the plan with daily support from me, as much or as little as you need, for 3 weeks.
We will adjust and tweak the plan as needed as we walk this road together.
You will begin enjoying more sleep for everyone in the family!
Why is it worthwhile to hire a sleep consultant?
To answer that question, you have to consider two things. How much time do I, as your sleep consultant, spend working with your family? And how much is it worth to you to have a family that is well-rested?
I spend anywhere from 10 to 20 hours working with you to develop and implement a plan that is tailored to your specific needs. This time will span at least a month, between first contact to full implementation.
Only you and your family can answer the second question.
Do I have to leave my baby to cry?
I use a variety of methods for sleep training that range from minimal to moderate to high parental involvement. At the consultation, we will discuss various methods and then together decide on the best approach for your family.
You should be aware that any time you introduce a change to your child’s way of falling asleep, there will be some “protesting,” which means there will most certainly involve some tears. This will happen no matter what approach you use. Crying is a way of expressing frustration, and no one goes through life without experiencing frustration at some point!
It is hard to listen to your child cry, but I will teach you how to recognize the signals that your child is LEARNING to fall asleep independently, and that will help you stay the course!
Won’t letting my baby cry (even just a little) damage our close bond?
When the scientific research was examined closely, no evidence of impact on the parent-child bond was observed.
Five-Year Follow-up of Harms and Benefits of Behavioral Infant Sleep Intervention Randomized Trial
As a caring parent who is in tune with your baby, your relationship will not be impacted by allowing them to cry moderately while sleep training. If your child was raised in an orphanage with little interaction from a caring adult, then yes, allowing them to fuss and cry could be damaging. But you are here because you CARE!
When will my child be sleeping better?
Most likely you will see your child’s sleep improve within a week, possibly two weeks, depending on what your child’s particular issues are. Toddlers and preschoolers usually take two to three weeks. Your consistency in the way you respond is a major component in your success.