FAQs
Is this a "cry it out" type program?
People always ask me whether my solutions involve “crying it out,” I think it’s a great questions and something that should be addressed!
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Crying is your child’s way of protesting change, and you can expect that making changes to his or her habits will result in some protest. That’s why I’m always sure to tell parents that my program will likely involve some amount of protest on the child’s part.
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Please know that I would never ask you to leave your child to cry alone, nor ask you to ignore his cries. The reason the Sleep Sense Method is so effective is that it lets you develop a plan that you feel comfortable with, based on your child’s personality and temperament.
How old does my baby need to start sleep training?
Sleep training is the process by which babies develop independent sleep skills and healthy sleep hygiene by reducing their total dependence on sleep associations i.e. feeding to sleep, rocking to sleep, bouncing to sleep, or needing a parent's presence in order to sleep.
I believe five months or later is the ideal time to start as by that time nursing or bottle feeding is established, baby should be gaining weight well, and any early health concerns have been addressed. At five months + it is also a reasonable expectation to have zero to one night feeds which helps the sleep training process be more efficient.
Explain how this process works?
I offer an initial free 15-minute consultation where you share your child’s sleep challenges. It’s a good way to see upfront if I can help you and if we are a mutual fit.
From there I ask you to complete an extensive questionnaire about your child’s day to day sleep habits. Based on this information and our prior conversation I create a sleep plan specifically tailored to your child.
Next, I have a consultation with you, your spouse, and anyone else involved in the daily care of your child where we carefully review the sleep plan.
After our meeting, I ask you to identify a two or three week time period of “normal activity” where we can commence our time together. We choose a start day (typically a Friday night for working parents) and we get going!
​How long will it take for my child to sleep through the night?
The honest answer to this question is, "it depends!" The age and temperament of the child play into the equation, along with the commitment and consistency of parents implementing the sleep plan. The majority of my clients start sleeping through the night in ten days or less.
Can I breastfeed and do this program?
Absolutely! Breastfeeding and sleep training are not mutually exclusive.
I am not located in the Houston area. Can you still help me?
Yes! Coaching is conducted via the Zoom video conference app, regular phone calls, and email. Sleep principles are the same regardless of your geographic area. If you have an internet connection, I can help you!
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