Like most things in life, nothing is 100% guaranteed. When you sleep train your baby or toddler and you go ALL IN, AKA, you give it your most committed effort, you are most likely to have long lasting results. If you are wishy-washy about sleep training, have trouble staying consistent, or not really committed to the process, you are more likely to have hiccups more often.
What does it mean to be ALL IN? It means you are committed to the process, even if it's not black and white. It means you are dedicated to the time it takes to get your little one sleeping better. For some, this happens quickly in just a few nights and for others its a slower process of a few weeks. Again, this depends on all the external factors that surround sleep training in your home.
Being ALL IN also means that when there ARE hiccups, you do not cave and revert back to old habits. If your child gets sick, you do not need to throw in the sleep training towel and go back to co-sleeping, bottles in the night, or a funky schedule. In fact, when your little one is sick and in need of extra TLC, it's when they need their routine and schedule the MOST. They need predictability, and not to have you throw everything off. Often times, parents think that reverting to old habits is comforting which it may seem in the moment, but in the long haul you are just going backwards.
Of course there are exceptions to this rule. For extreme illness or circumstances, sometimes "rules" need to be broken. But for the common cold, congestion, even a fever - things that can be cured by Tylenol... it's better to stay on course and continue to encourage your child to follow the normal routines.
Here are the most common reasons for sleep training to go awry, so you can be prepared for when they happen:
teething
illness
travel
birth of a new sibling
holiday parties
time changes
summer (sun going down later)
starting daycare/preschool
dropping a nap
eliminating bottles/weaning
potty training
If you are in the midst of any of these and feel you need a "tune-up", don't hesitate to book a 30 minute mini session with me so we can tackle it as soon as possible!
And if you are embarking on the potty training front, don't forget that Lullaby Magic offers potty training consultations as well.
Cheers,
Amanda
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