Frequently Asked Questions
Why work with a sleep consultant?
Maybe you’ve tried all of the free resources online and you’re tired of googling and getting conflicting advice. You have all the books but your little one is still waking multiple times throughout the night. Or maybe you’ve reached your breaking point and need more than 3 hour chunks of sleep at night.
A certified pediatric sleep specialist knows the science and research behind sleep-needs and the tools to make it happen. My work as a Psychiatric Social Worker and Behavioral Interventionist provides unique support for struggling families but my experience as a sleep-deprived mama helps me empathize and inform knowing just how sensitive this period of life can be.
Do you offer a no-cry sleep training solution?
Young babies know how to communicate their wants and needs by verbalizing, fussing or crying. Our job, as their parents, is to differentiate between their wants versus their needs. We hold the bigger picture and purpose; a well-rested family and a healthy child whose brain needs a lot of sleep to function well and develop. There is kindness in being confident in our approach with clear and predictable responses, while always keeping the BIG PICTURE about sleep hygiene clear in our hearts.
The majority of babies will have to be gently taught how to self-soothe, connect their sleep cycles and will need our assistance to recognize their sleep cues and provide them a calming and safe sleep environment. There’s no need to let your baby cry it out, but by providing them the space, trust and opportunity to self-soothe, we can provide lifelong sleep skills.
Our family bed-shares. Can we still hire you?
Yes! And no. Here’s the deal…
You’ve made the decision to get more rest as a family and you need the support, so let’s get you on a better path to better nights and days of independent naps. If bed-sharing was working for you, I doubt you’d be here right now. Many parents who choose to bed-share are doing it out of fear of missing out on those amazing snuggles, desperation or because they felt it was just plain easier in the beginning. But the honeymoon is over and you and your partner want more sleep. Let’s choose a method together that suits your needs and take that gentle journey together.
If you have a baby under the age of 12 months and plan to continue bed-sharing because it is working so well, then you must have accidentally stumbled on my page! For liability reasons, I cannot work with families who would like to continue bed-sharing under the age of 12 months.
What sleep training methods do you use?
I use the method that makes you, dear parent, feel the most confident! We will discuss a range of respectful approaches, from the gentlest, gradual methods to ones that are tried-and-true as the faster ways to go. These will all be discussed in great detail and determined collaboratively.
At what age can we begin sleep training?
Sleep foundations can begin from birth but my sleep training packages are intended for babies 4 months and older (adjusted age).