Most clients come to me thinking that they are about to embark on an experience to train their little one to sleep better. This, for many, is the reality that ensues...babies lack the skills to sleep properly and we, the adults, are great at helping them learn! Typically when a client works with me, we set up an intake call, followed by me creating a sleep plan for their family. After we touch base about the plan, the sleep training begins. Within days or weeks, progress is always made. But one of my most interesting findings with clients has been how much more the parents need to be trained than the babies themselves. They realize, upon talking to me, that their habits are impeding the baby's successful sleep and they just need a little tough love to set them straight.
What, you're surprised? Come on... you know that as a new parent, you were probably guilty of doing something that wasn't great for your baby's sleep. Let me jog your memory of some of the most common parental mistakes I find when working with a new family:
Going in the room to check on the baby (or their temperature) frequently while sleeping
Keeping baby up later hoping they sleep later in the morning
Bundling the baby up into too many layers to stay warm
Rushing into the baby's room at the first squeak they make instead of giving them a minute to settle themselves and fall back to sleep
The list goes on! It's nothing to be ashamed of or feel badly about. Parents are just loving and protective and want to make sure the baby is okay at all times. But in reality, these are all examples of things that are preventing your baby from getting a good rest either during nap or at night. They are hard habits to break, but really the parents are the ones who need the training.
Working with a pediatric sleep consultant will help you identify two things:
1- what you (and the baby) are doing to stand in the way of getting great sleep
and
2- identifying methods that will help you fix the problems
Having a frame of reference for the "no-nos" on the list and knowing how to approach sleeping from A to Z in a healthier way will make everyone in your home better-rested and happier overall!
I look forward to working with you!
Comments