“Sleep Training” the Baby Sleep Science Way
Meg Casano BSN MA and Erin Evans PhD ALM
We hope that by now you’ve browsed through our website and gotten a sense of who we are and our style – which is that we don’t have a set style! There is no magic formula or magic strategy for a successful sleep consult because every family, every baby, every personality, temperament, and lifestyle is different – and we are open to and welcome them all!
Here is an excerpt from our pre-consultation information package:
With us, “Sleep Training” is any thoughtfully and consistently implemented series of actions that results in a change in your baby’s sleep. Typically parents prefer this change to include achieving more consolidated sleep by exchanging a parent-led sleep association for a baby-led sleep association. Parent-led sleep associations (such as nursing, rocking, bouncing, and holding, to name a few) are wonderful and natural ways to put your baby to sleep, but they can sometimes lead to trouble when your child expects that same soothing at each sleep cycle wake-up during the night. The age of your baby may affect what type of intervention is appropriate for her.
Some parents choose a sleep intervention that helps them reach their goal very quickly, and other parents prefer gradual changes. Some parents are comfortable leaving their child’s room, and others prefer to be with their child at all times. Because current research doesn’t tell us which way is “best,” we are neutral when it comes to a particular sleep intervention or parenting style. We know that there is more than one “right” way to accomplish your family’s goals for improved sleep, and we don’t force or even recommend a one-size-fits-all approach. What works for your first baby may not be right for your second, and what was best during one developmental stage may not be best during another.
Our loyalties lie with our little customers, so we strive for changes that fall within the realm of baby sleep science and age-appropriate expectations, keeping in mind what each family feels is the best fit for their baby’s temperament, the realities of their family life, and their parenting style.
Here is another way we like to think of Sleep Training:
Change is hard, even wonderful change can be hard (think: bringing that little bundle home from the hospital and adapting to your new life with him or her!). When you make a change with your baby, she will probably resist it. This is quite a normal and predictable response. Most babies will resist their sleep drive as long as they possibly can on the first night you ask them to fall asleep in a new way, and for many it may be a good 40-60 minutes. Although we can’t always control how long it will take your baby to achieve sleep in a new way, what we CAN control is WHAT YOU WILL DO, during that time. Do you want to be in there with her cheering and supporting every step of the way making small gradual changes, or do you feel this is very frustrating to your child and she’ll do better with something faster paced. We offer many techniques from in room, out of room, and a combo of both; some you may have heard about and some we’ve created and molded on our own! We feel good about the repertoire of options we offer families and we hope if you are struggling, you’ll give us a call!