How Do I Know When it's Time to Sleep Train?

Whenever you are ready for it, mama!

That is the simple answer.

Sleep training is right for some families. It's not for others. I'd like to follow up this comment with the caveat that there are a few ways to sleep train - it is not leaving your baby to "cry-it-out" until they fall asleep. Part of my job as a sleep coach is to help parents identify a developmentally appropriate method that might best fit their child's needs in order to be successful. We look at a lot of different aspects when deciding how to best help each child - it's not a one-size-fits-all approach.

Most of my clients come from word-of-mouth referrals. I'm not surprised. I'm a mom, and before I was a sleep consultant, guess what? I would talk with my mom friends, and that's when I learned about sleep training and sleep consulting. I started following some consultants on Instagram and learned A LOT. And now I'm here online providing the same sleep education for tired parents everywhere.

I get a lot of Discovery Calls where I hear something similar to what I'm going to illustrate for you below...

This "I know a girl" conversation, or something very similar has happened time and time again over the past year and a half. People have shared...

"I was having lunch with a friend and she told me all about you and your services. She said you wrote an easy, step-by-step process for her and her husband to follow, and a few nights later her baby was sleeping through the night. I'm not kidding, she said you changed her life."

Or,

"My friend told me to follow you on Instagram - she said the tips you gave her solved her baby's 5:00 a.m. wake ups."

Or,

"I started following you after my friend told me to - she has a baby who sleeps. I have a toddler who still doesn't, and I think I need to hire you. I've tried everything and I'm exhausted."

That's what I'm here for - when you are ready!

When you might want to sleep train:

-if you're concerned whether or not your child is getting the sleep he/she needs

-if your child's sleep is affecting others in the household (siblings, spouse, mom, etc.)

-if you're suffering from Postpartum Depression or Postpartum Anxiety

-if you're ready for a change in your family's sleep situation

-if you're concerned about the overall wellness of your child

When you probably don't need to sleep train:

-if your baby is a "natural" at sleeping - you can lay them down and they go to sleep without much of a fuss

-if you don't want to

-if you feel pressured to do it

Some things to consider about sleep training:

-methods that may work best for your child, coupled with consistent responses, coupled with an age appropriate schedule are key to getting the best results

-having a plan and sticking to it

-BEING CONSISTENT (this is probably the biggest thing!)

-making sure you meet your needs during this time too

If you're not sure where to start, that's what I'm here for:

-to give you a step by step plan

-to support you

-to guide you

-to cheer you on

-to answer any questions you have

If you're still not sure if it's right for you, I'd encourage you to hop on a call with a sleep coach, or two, or three. Knowing there is a person who wants to help you on the other end might make all the difference for you. Ask all your questions and share your story. You'll know when you are ready.

If you're ready to hop on a Discovery Call with me to learn more, click here. I'd be honored to help your family get the sleep you all need to grow and thrive.