How do I know if sleep training is right for us?
One of the top questions I receive is, "How do I know my child is ready for sleep training? How do I know your program is right for us?
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In response, I always ask the following:
-Does your child need to be fed/held/rocked to sleep?
-Does your child end up sneaking into your bed during the night?
-Does your child wake frequently throughout the night, often needing intervention from you?
-Does your child take short or infrequent naps (sometimes skipping them altogether)?
-Are YOU suffering from sleep deprivation which is taking its toll on your family?
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If you answered YES to one or more of these questions, then this program is right for your family.
Is this program a form of CIO?
What is your definition of CIO? If you see it as putting your baby in their crib/bed and shutting the door, leaving them to cry alone until the morning, NO my method is not a form of CIO. I would never be able to leave either of my children alone to cry and I would never ask you to do that (although I know many who have had success with this method). If I had a magic want that would allow you to teach your child how to sleep independently with zero tears, I would be retired on the beach somewhere. We are all protective of our sleep environment and we all like the same things every night. Making a change to anyone's current sleep habits will be met with some protest. the same will be true for your child. However, I will never ask you to leave your child alone to cry if that is not something you feel comfortable with. I will use a gradual withdrawal approach that allows for parent support so everyone feels confident in the process.
If I book your services, what can I expect to get?
After your initial FREE 15-minute assessment call and choosing the package that best fits your needs, I send a lengthy preliminary questionnaire that reviews your daily schedule, sleep needs, parenting style, child's behavior and development, and any questions that you may have. I then use your questionnaire to create a detailed, personalized sleep plan for each family that I work with. It will be a 10-day plan that lists the steps you will need to follow to help teach your child healthy and independent sleeping habits. Depending on the package chosen, I will be available for one-on-one support as you need it during this transition time.
Can I co-sleep while sleep training?
No. I will be available when you are your family decide that you're ready to transition your child into a crib/bed in their own room. It can be extremely difficult to teach your child healthy independent sleeping habits if you or your partner are right next to them. If you do not have the option of having your child in their own room, I can definitely help you if you want to room share.
What is your success rate?
I have worked with so many children from ages 4 months to 10 years and everyone has been successful! I have heard it all, "I've tried it all, my child just doesn't like sleep" or "It's too late for us!" No, it's never too late to teach healthy and independent sleeping habits. I work with you until your sleep goals are met.
What if I need help throughout the night?
I offer a few different options for overnight support. I have unlimited overnight text support and although I am fully confident in the fact that my sleep plans are detailed enough for you to carry out the sleep training on your own, I do also offer half and full night sleep support! Depending on which support plan you choose, I can come to your home before bedtime and help you through the first night (or more) of the sleep training process to help guide you with a hands-on approach. For half nights, I come before bedtime and will stay until midnight. If you want me to stay the entire night, I will stay until 6:00 AM. I would be on-hand to tend to your child during that time or just be available for you to ask questions while it is happening. These services are only available for families who live within 30 minutes of my home.
My child has acid reflux. Can I still sleep train?
I will only work with a child whose symptoms are managed and under control. If you and your child's pediatrician are still working on dosing/medication/remedies, I recommend waiting. This is because the pain from the reflux could (and most likely is) be causing the night wakings and it can be painful. I would never want to intentionally cause any child harm through my sleep training process and would need your child's pediatricians "all-clear!"
Can I continue breastfeeding while sleep training?
Absolutely! I am a huge supporter of breastfeeding and want to encourage you to continue to nurse as long as you'd like. I nursed my son until 9 months and my daughter until 15 months. What I will suggest during the sleep training process is cutting down how many times you nurse and really making sure your child is waking from hunger and not out of habit.
Do you offer a payment plan?
Yes! I ask that half of your payment be paid before I start working on your plan and the rest paid within two weeks (14-days) of initial payment. *Please request this prior to the invoice being sent. I do also offer a 10% discount to Military and First Responder families.
I don't live in the Buffalo area. Can you still work with me?
Yes! I have worked with clients all over the United States and even Canada! I work completely through Facetime/Skype/Zoom, phone calls, and email. The only thing you lose out on if you're out of the area is my half and full night support options.
Can my child keep his/her pacifier?
The short answer is no. If you child is over 4 months in age, I will ask that you ditch the pacifier when we work together. Why? Because the purpose of sleep training is to teach your child independent sleep skills. We want to ensure that they learn how to fall asleep independently and not rely on anything external to fall asleep. If we keep the pacifier in the picture, they will continue relying on it to fall asleep and won't learn how to self-soothe. Another reason I ask you to stop the pacifier use is because instead of moving from sleep cycle to sleep cycle in the middle of the night, you child is actively waking up enough to find the pacifier that may have fallen out of their mouth (or crying for you to come replace it) and rousing more than we want which can cause longer nighttime wake-ups and less restorative sleep.
My child has never slept in a crib. Will you help us transition to a toddler bed?
If you child is under the age of 2.5 years old, I will ask you transition from your bed to a crib before transitioning to a toddler bed. Children under that age don't have the impulse control or developmental understanding that they need to stay in their bed. It is helpful to use rewards and consequences to teach them to stay in their bed and they are just too young to understand. If your child has been co-sleeping and is over that age, I will happily help you make the transition into their own room and new bed! *If you have a child under the age of 2.5 in a toddler bed, I offer sleep plans ONLY without support to give you a plan to work on.