Every parent wants their child to get healthy sleep. Not every baby will be a great sleeper. The majority need some help learning to sleep well. But how to go about teaching your child to be a great sleeper can be a hard decision to make.
Are You Feeling Guilty About Wanting to Sleep Train?
There are several reasons why you might be struggling to move forward with sleep training:
Is your partner on board? It’s so much easier when you and your partner are on the same page and can support each other during the process.
Pressure from friends and family. People love to share their parenting opinions - especially about sleep training. You don’t have to subscribe to only one parenting style. Take what you like from several and do what feels suitable for you and your family.
Lack of sleep makes it hard to regulate our emotions. Sleep deprivation can make the decision process feel very emotional. It’s all normal.
Worrying you are going to ruin the attachment with your baby. You will not ruin the attachment with your baby. A quote from this research sums it up perfectly.
“Studies have shown that sleep training does not threaten attachment. Sleep training is proven to improve baby’s sleep, maternal mood and sleep, has no long term stress(cortisol levels), no long term effects on the child’s behavior or emotions and is not linked to the attachment.”
Benefits of Sleep Training for Your Baby
When babies and children get 11-12 hours of uninterrupted sleep at night there are numerous health and wellness benefits.
A child’s brain grows and processes what was learned during the day when they are sleeping
Cell recovery occurs
Their immune system boosts
Their emotions regulate during nighttime sleep
Children who sleep well test significantly higher on cognitive tests
Benefits of Sleep Training for YOU
You matter, too. If you are well-rested you will be the best, healthiest version of yourself and enjoy motherhood so much more. Here are just a few of the benefits.
Lower cortisol levels
Less anxiety when you know what to expect each night and it’s excellent sleep
More energy during the day
Better relationships
Fewer sugar cravings
Why I Chose to Sleep Train
I’m a sleep consultant, but before that, I was a first-time mom. I’ve always known that I don’t function well without great sleep. When I became a mom, I knew I’d be waking multiple times at night for the first several months. What I wasn’t prepared for was several more months of night wakings, early morning wakings, and crappy naps. If I was exhausted, I knew my son also had to be.
I finally got him sleeping 11-12 hours through the night and taking great naps just before he turned 1 year old. It was months of trial and error.
When my daughter was born, I didn’t want to go through the first year of motherhood exhausted again.
So I reached out for help.
I decided to sleep train because it was not only going to benefit me and my daughter but also my entire family.
I started to sleep 7-8 hours at night
I had less anxiety as bedtime approached because I knew what to expect and that everyone was going to sleep well
I had more patience with my toddler
I started working out and eating well again
I began to make time for ME
My marriage was back on track now that my emotions were more manageable and I started staying up past 8 pm. I now had time and energy to connect with my husband.
Deciding to sleep train is a very valid choice. If you’re interested in learning more, find a program that is a good fit for you and your family and get the sleep you all need. Sleep is a necessity, not a luxury.
If you want to chat about working together, book a free 15-minute discovery call. Take the first step to better sleep - for everyone.