Sleep Training
How to help your toddler sleep in bed, and stay there!
Let’s set the scene: It’s 2.30am, you’re woken from a lovely deep sleep by a not-so-inconspicuous little person jumping into bed with you. Amongst the heavy breathing, random elbows to the ribs, balancing on the bed edge and limited doona, you manage to salvage what little sleep you can until morning. Sound familiar? Why? * Their room may…
Read MoreWhy I choose connection over cry it out
By the time we contemplate seeking help to get our beloved little ones the sleep they so desperately need to thrive, we are so extremely sleep deprived that we are struggling to function and our ability to think has all but diminished.This often leads us to copious hours desperately researching for answers; how much sleep…
Read MoreBreaking sleep habits and encouraging self-settling
Children of all ages seek comfort in movement (rocking, car, carrier), sucking (breast, bottle, dummy) and closeness (touch, holding, parental presence) to fall asleep, and back to sleep when they wake from a nap or overnight. Although these actions are helpful when satisfying neonatal reflexes during the fourth trimester, a child’s ability to sleep independently…
Read MoreWhy I don’t do cry it out (CIO)
Whether you opt for cry it out, no cry, or no sleep training at all, is a personal decision, and one which should be made for the ‘greater good’ of the whole family in mind. It can be a contentious topic, so let me first start by stating: whilst I don’t endorse cry it out professionally, personally,…
Read MoreGentle Sleep Training / Sleep Improvement Strategies: What, When, and How…
There is a plethora of sleep training methodologies and advice available at our fingertips; so much so, that the decision of which one is right for you and your family can be overwhelming. Which one is best suited to your parenting style? your time commitments? your child’s temperament? or the most effective solution for the particular sleep difficulty you…
Read MoreConfessions of a Sleep Consultant: The Jett Diaries; Week Eight
Sleeping through the night (STN): is there such thing when you become a parent? Or is it just a fallacy? ..Well, yes, and no. See.. The more kids you have, the lower your probability of STN; and as Muphys Law would have it, the nights all of your kids sleep through without a peep, you’ll be awake, wired and unable…
Read MoreNight weaning: when and how?
Many professionals claim that a baby is physiologically “ready” to sleep through the night without feeds from six months of age. Professionally, I find that this largely depends on the child; their current health, weight, developmental stage, whether they are breast or formula-fed, if they were born premature, if solids have been well-established and if…
Read MoreSleep training for beginners
Many people ask me: “when is it appropriate to start sleep training”? Although I no longer do any “sleep training”, I felt it was still fair to offer my take on the popular methods; what, why, and when. If you have decided that sleep training is for you and your family, my rule of thumb…
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