| 1. | How is what you do different than all the books?
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| 2. | Who should call Sleepy Family?
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| 3. | I don't want to let my baby cry. Will this still work?
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| 4. | What is self soothing?
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| 5. | Will hiring a night doula disrupt the bond with my baby?
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| 6. | Won't my baby learn how to sleep on his own?
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| 7. | If I am breastfeeding my baby, should I still work on sleep training?
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| 8. | I am tempted to let my baby cry it out. Should I?
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| 1. | How is what you do different than all the books? |
| | Books can be confusing. Sleepy Family individualizes our approach to your challenges. We always gather background information and work with your family's values to help you, as the parent, establish your own goals. A book can't do that. |
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| 2. | Who should call Sleepy Family? |
| | - new parents
- co-sleeping parents
- anyone with questions about how much sleep a baby/school age child needs
- parents who are sleep deprived
- parents who want meal delivery
- parents who are fighting
- anyone with questions about sleep training
- parents who notice a sleep regression in their baby
- parents looking to potty train their toddler/preschooler
- parents interested in positive approaches to discipline
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| 3. | I don't want to let my baby cry. Will this still work? |
| | Sleepy Family specializes in alternatives to the "Cry It Out" solution. We recognize that there is always some struggle when children are on a learning curve, but we have seen, over and over, how sensitively responding to a baby in distress and learning the lesson of self soothing can co-exsist. We also work with many parents who are not trying to teach their child to self soothe; they merely need to acquire more ways to get their children to sleep aside from nursing or taking a bottle. |
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| 4. | What is self soothing? |
| | The popular term "self soothing" is often referred to as a baby left to cry until they figure out how to calm them self down without assistance. Sleepy Family sees self soothing as child's ability to suck his thumb, twirl his hair or use a security object to soothe himself to sleep. |
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| 5. | Will hiring a night doula disrupt the bond with my baby? |
| | There is no reason why a night doula, who practices according to the ethics of doula work, would disrupt the bond between mother and baby. A doula cares for a mother so she can care for her baby. If that means helping the mother get much needed rest and meals, she has done well. |
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| 6. | Won't my baby learn how to sleep on his own? |
| | Many babies eventually do learn to sleep, but all need to be taught in one way or another. Getting help with your night time challenges can help you speed up the process through education, solutions and connection to the right resources. |
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| 7. | If I am breastfeeding my baby, should I still work on sleep training? |
| | A fully breastfeed baby needs to eat in the night. Having realistic expectations, while working on sleeping skills, insures good sleepers. We can help you determine when your baby's physiological need to eat has passed.
Many breastfeed babies also enjoy receiving cuddles throughout the night. We at Sleepy Family see no need to change this, until you the parent, tell us your burnt out and are looking for change. |
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| 8. | I am tempted to let my baby cry it out. Should I? |
| | Research shows babies under 4 months of age simply do not have the ability to calm themselves yet. It is recommended that babies over 4 months be given opportunities to fall asleep on their own. Many babies left alone will fuss. If a baby with an easy temparment is left to fuss in a regular sleep environment he will probably learn to fall asleep easily. This may not be as easy to achieve with babies who have moderate to high need temparments (see below).
Sleepy Family promotes positive approaches to sleep training. We specialize in alternatives to the cry it out method. You should call us for a free 10 minute phone consultation if you are questioning whether the cry it out method is right for you. We believe our methods are a better fit with the temparments of moderate to higher need babies*.
We base our suggestions on your own beliefs and values. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable with the method you choose. If you are not trying to promote self soothing techniques in your little one, we see no need to let your baby fuss at all. Most babies we work with are able to fall asleep, without crying, because we help parents first relieve their sleep deprivation then establish a regular routine, a consistent sleep space for their baby and help babies develop the skills they need to fall asleep unassisted. *if you have a high needs baby and are in need of a support, check out "The Fussy Baby: How To Bring Out the Best in Your High-Need Child", Dr. Sears, Signet 1989
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