Sleep Training. Uuuuurrrrrgggggghhhhhh!
So, we have all heard the dreaded term ‘Sleep Training’. To me the word ‘training’ itself sounds so rigid, militant and so incredibly hard. Anyone else? I remember it well when I faced the challenge of my own non-sleeping eldest daughter. I literally put off the conversation with the Health Visitor for months as I just knew what the advice was going to be, and how trying to implement it would make me feel.
I recently put the term ‘Sleep Training’ out to my followers on social media to gage what it was about it that puts parents off. Many, many reasons came back. Fear and dread being top of the list, alongside the cost and the ‘cry it out’ method that is so commonly seen among other practitioners.
A follower then came up with this wonderful suggestion;
‘How to be calm and confident, whilst being responsive and loving, to your child’s sleep needs’.
A beautiful description that I won’t take credit for, but actually completely sums up everything that I stand for when it comes to the ethos of sleep.
I am here to take that feeling of fear and dread out of bedtime and sleep. My whole philosophy is around reducing stress and really enjoying your evenings again.
When you have had a difficult bedtime with your child, it is really hard to unwind and enjoy your evening afterwards. This is something that all of the Sleep Fixer families I have supported have commented on, and is an extremely common theme in the work I do.
I am not one to give orders from a text book. I prefer to discuss what is happening and look at options to suit each individual family. Firstly, to reduce the stress and fear around bedtime and to find and suggest options that are going to benefit you as a family as a whole.
The Sleep Fixer works each case personally using scientific knowledge and evidence with a mix of compassion and understanding. I am a parent too, and I have been in your shoes.
My strategies are based around helping everyone in the house, as let’s face it, we are all affected when it comes to a disturbed night sleep. Therefore, put simply, we will all hugely benefit from a good nights’ sleep too.
I will never, ever ask you to do anything that you are not comfortable with, ever! Every step we implement will be based on what you are comfortable with as a parent and as a family.
My plans are not designed to ever take over your life, only to improve it!
Let’s take the stigma out of sleep and make this journey beneficial to all involved. It really can be life changing! Let’s make bedtime the best time and take our evenings back!