Yep you read it right.
Get rid of the concept that sleep training means leaving a baby in their cot to cry until they fall asleep!
Sleep training with me involves:
Pin pointing what is causing the issue
Setting up the perfect sleep environment Optimizing nap timing
Organising feed timings
Ensuring there are no contributing factors to poor sleep (nutrition/ reflux/ snoring)
Encouraging baby to fall asleep independently or with less intervention (dependent on age)
Discussing age appropriate expectations and sleep requirements
Meeting emotional needs of toddlers using games and activities
Helping babies out of overtired cycles
Poor sleep is just as damaging to the body as poor diet. If a young baby was feeding poorly, we would work really hard to support them as much as we could to help them to feed better. If a toddler was only eating breadsticks and rice, we would support them as much as we could to ensure they consumed a more nutritious diet. Yes, both COULD survive on a sparse diet. Would they be thriving to their full potential? No.
This highlights the benefits of sleep ‘training’ for babies. What about the rest of the family? Instilling healthy sleep habits benefit the whole family. Mental health and relationship breakdowns are major consequences of sleep deprivation. I always discuss this with those who publicly protest the sleep training movement. How dare someone reproach a mother for asking for help when she herself is on the verge of a mental breakdown.
The final message here is: If you are not happy and if your baby is unhappy, I encourage you to seek help. Find a sleep coach who shares similar values as you, work together to find a routine and a settling method that you are comfortable. Your baby’s childhood is too precious to be a blur!
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