Sleep counseling for babies and children.
Blog Layout
Sleep Training, Is It a Right Fit for My Family?
August 9, 2024
Let's Talk Sleep Training
First, what is sleep training?
Sleep training is a process that teaches your child how to fall asleep unassisted and fall back to sleep without help when they have a natural waking (we all wake up multiple times a night). The goal of sleep training is to give your child the tools of being able to self soothe as they fall asleep and fall back to sleep without assistance. This allows children to get the restful and restorative sleep that is essential to overall health and well-being.
There are different methods of sleep training that can be used. Often when parents hear sleep training, they only think of the Cry It Out Method, but there are other methods available as well.
No matter the sleep training method, the key ingredients are consistency and patience as your child learns this new skill.
Is Sleep Training for Everyone?
No! Sleep training is a personal decision. It is a choice, and it may or may not be the choice for your family. There is no right or wrong answer to that question. If what you are doing works for your family, then that is perfect for your family. If, however, your family is overtired and nobody is getting the sleep they need, then sleep training might be the solution.
What Can You Expect?
As I mentioned, there are different methods that you can choice from. However, it is important to note that there is no such method as a no cry method. One way a child communicates with you is to cry. If a child is learning a new skill (and learning to fall asleep unassisted is a skill), they will cry. When sleep training, there are also tools that you can give your child, and they are all as equally important as choosing a method. You want to give your child the tools of a consistent and conducive sleep environment, a consistent sleep routine and an age-appropriate schedule. All these tools will support a sleep training method and pave the quickest way to help you reach your sleep goals.
When Is the Best Time to Sleep Train?
A child isn’t biologically ready to do a formal sleep training plan until the age of 4-month-old adjusted. Before that time, your child doesn’t have the biological maturity to have the expectation that they can put themselves to sleep and back to sleep consistently.
After the age of 4 months, your child is biologically ready to have a sleep schedule and the ability to self soothe. Any time after that age it is up to you if/when it is the right time. Often parents ask me, “Is it too late” for older children? My answer to them is NO, it is never too late to set up a healthy sleep foundation that results in restorative sleep!
Does Sleep Training Work?
Unless your child has a medical issue that needs to be address first, the answer to this question is………Yes, Yes, Yes! If you are consistent and patient with the plan it will work. If you are not consistent with the plan, it won’t work. It is really as simple as that. It does take work but if you are consistent your child will sleep better, and you will wonder why you waited (if you waited).
Can Working with a Sleep Consultant Help?
First, what is a sleep consultant? A sleep consultant helps families set up age-appropriate sleep schedules including naps, teaches parents how to help their little one to fall asleep unassisted, supports parent through the process, and guides parents in setting up a conducive and consistent sleep environment and routines involved in putting their baby to sleep.
You want to do your homework in hiring the right sleep consultant. The Sleep Consultation business is not regulated. There are no guidelines in opening a sleep consulting business. Anyone can read a few books and open a business. So, you need to do your homework to make sure the person you are hiring to help your family with sleep has proper certifications, training, and background. A certified sleep consultant uses evidence-based strategies when working with families to help infants and toddlers learn the skill of falling asleep unassisted. It is also important that the sleep consultant you work with follows all the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for safe sleep.
Working with a seasoned sleep consultant can help answer each question that comes up along the way. It also helps keep you on track and accountable with the plan. A sleep consultant will work with your family to personalize the plan to your parenting style, your child’s personality, and not give you a one size fits all sleep plan.
How Can Backtozzzs Help?
Let me tell you about myself! My name is Lynn Matuszewski. I am a wife, mother, and grandmother. I have been a sleep consultant since 2019. I was certified through The Family Sleep Institute (FSI). The sleep consultant certification program at FSI offers is intensive and thorough. This is a six-month training program with over 250 hours of training. To maintain this certification there is also a requirement to take yearly courses to keep up to date with the latest research regarding sleep.
Backtozzzs can help support you every step of the way! By writing an individual sleep plan, having daily support, answering questions along the way, tweaking the plan when needed, and giving you support and guidance each step of the way. Backtozzzs will also give you the resources you need for the future as your child’s sleep needs will change as they grow! You will not be alone in your sleep training journey if you decide to work with Backtozzzs.
Since graduating in 2019 I have worked as a consultant for several companies and recently decided it was time to start this journey as my own boss. So Backtozzzs may be a new company, but you will be getting a seasoned expert in all things sleep!
I mentioned, I was certified through FSI. I am also a graduate of Buffalo State College with a BS in Elementary Education and a concentration in Learning and Behavior Disorders.
Where Can I Learn More?
If you have specific questions for me, please reach out! I offer a free 15-minute call where I can answer your questions about my sleep training process, tell you about the services I offer, and give you the opportunity to see if I would be a good fit for working with your family. You can send me an inquiry here
or email me at Backtozzzs@gmail.com.
It is coming. March 9th the time will spring one hour ahead. The springtime change means that your child’s sleep may need some adjusting. When we change our clocks on March 9th we will move our clock forward one hour. Your child’s schedule will be off one hour which could result in sleep disruptions and bedtime battles. If your child usually wakes up at 6:00 am, that now means they will be waking up at 7:00 am. This may appear to be a good thing, but that also may mean your child will want to go to bed an hour later. This can easily start the cycle of going into an overtired state. Adjustments will need to be made to prevent this from happening. The good news is your child will adjust to the time change. You just need to prepare, be patient, and be consistent. Here are a couple of methods to help your child deal with Day Light Saving Time. Method One: The Ease into It Approach When daylight savings time is approaching, you can prepare your child ahead of time by adjusting everything little by little. We have to adjust for one hour in their schedule. To do the gradual change, you shift your day forward in 15-minute increments. You can start this a week or more ahead of time allowing for a couple of days at each interval change. We would start the bedtime about 15 minutes earlier each day. For example, if your child’s bedtime is 7:00 PM you would put them down to bed at 6:45 PM for a couple of nights. After a couple of days of the 6:30 PM bedtime, you would bump it up to 6:15 PM. You would adjust the time every two to three days until you reach the one-hour mark. You also want to adjust the morning wake-up and all naps and meals, so everything is in place. In using the gradual method, your child will be adjusted by the time the big day arrives. Method Two: The “Just Do It” Approach For this method, you just rip off the band-aid on D-Day. On the day of the time change, you shift everything accordingly. We also want to keep in mind that your little one might be tired for up to a week as they adjust. If they lose sleep due to the time change then compensate for the lost sleep by offering an extra early bedtime so that they do not collect a sleep debt. Tips For Both Approaches Make sure the room is extra dark for each sleep cycle to help the body shift the production of melatonin as your child adjusts to the new time change. The better rested your child is going into the shift in time, the better they will adjust. Choose a method that fits your child’s temperament best. If your child has a hard time with change or is sleep-sensitive, then the “Ease Into It Method” might work best for your family. If your child is flexible and handles change rather smoothly then the direct “Just Do It Method” might be the option for your child. Help your child adjust to the time change as well as any other disruptions to the sleep schedule by being consistent It is important to have a consistent soothing routine. The sleep routine is a wonderful cue to your child that it is time for their bodies and minds to start to relax and get ready for sleep. It may take about a week until your little one has completely adjusted, so be patient with the process. Consistency is also important when we respond to wakings and protests. While your child adjusts to the disruption in the sleep schedule your consistent response will remind them of the sleep rules and help get them back on track. It may take about a week until your little one has completely adjusted, so be patient with the process. You got this! If you need help with your child’s overall sleep. I offer a free 15-minute introductory call. I can share with you how I work with clients to see if sleep training might be a good fit for your family. Email me at Backtozzzs@gmail.com to set it up.
The 80/20 Rule, for When Life Happens! If you have ever worked with me on sleeping training with your little one, you will know my #1 tool to reach success. It is to be consistent. Being consistent is the key to getting and keeping sleep on track. It is important while sleep training to offer dedicated time with that consistent message so that your little one will have the opportunity to learn the new skills and routines that are needed for successful sleep training. Once you have your little one consistently sleeping well, then what? Does your child’s schedule mean that you can’t celebrate holidays, have day outings, or take vacations? Does that mean you have to decline all offers for fun activities? The answer is no. You can make exceptions and still keep your child well-rested. This is where the 80/20 Rule comes in. What is the 80/20 Rule? The 80/20 Rule means that you stick to your healthy consistent sleep schedule 80% of the time. You then can make exceptions to your schedule 20% of the time. I want to highlight that this rule is for children who are already well-rested and have healthy sleep habits. The 80/20 Rule allows you to “live life” and enjoy those special moments with your family. If your family is celebrating a birthday, a holiday, going on vacation, or has a doctor’s appointment during nap time these are times you can use this rule. 80% of the time you stick to the well-established healthy sleep schedule and then 20% of the time, when you have an event, you have the option to skip naps, go off track on the timing of sleep, take naps on the go, or have a later bedtime. Each child is unique, and their sleep needs and temperaments are different. Some kiddos that are flexible and able to handle change will bounce back without issue. Other children are more sensitive to change and have a harder time dealing with any deviation in timing. For these little ones who are sensitive to change, you might want to consider that the 80/20 Rule isn’t always worth it and be very picky about when you push the limits. You might want to think about a 90/10 Rule. Here are some tips when using the 80/20 Rule: Get right back on track as early as possible. Your child may push back a bit but be consistent. You already know that your child knows what to do. They just need the reminder and the security of their usual routine. Offer early bedtime so that any sleep debt is quickly replenished. Enjoy 20% of your time with your family. Make memories, relax, and know that the healthy sleep habits that you have previously established will allow for more enjoyment during your special family time. I am here to help. If you need help getting your child’s sleep on track so that you can enjoy the benefit of the 80/20 Rule, let’s talk! Email me at backtozzzs@gmail.com to set up a free 15-minute introductory call where I can tell you more about how I work with clients.
It is coming. November 3rd will be the time to move the clocks back one hour! The fall time change means that your child’s sleep will need to be adjusted. Just when you got your little one back on a schedule after the summertime fun, here comes another bump in the road that can mess up your hard work. Your child’s schedule will be off one hour which could result in early wakeups and bedtime battles. If your child usually wakes up at 7:00 am, that now means they will be waking up at 6:00 am. It can also mean that your child will fight when it comes to bedtime as they may not be ready for the usual 6:30 pm bedtime if their bodies are telling them, it is only 5:30 pm. The good news is your child will adjust to the time change. You just need to prepare, be patient, and be consistent. Here are a couple of methods to help your child deal with Day Light Saving Time. Method One: The Gradual Approach You can prepare your child ahead of time by adjusting everything little by little. We have to adjust for one hour in their schedule. To do the gradual change, you can begin to shift your day back in 15-minute increments. You can start 8 days ahead of November 3rd, allowing for a couple of days at each interval change. We would start bedtime about 15 minutes later each day. For example, if your child’s bedtime is 6:30 pm, you would put them to bed at 6:45 for a couple of nights. After a couple of days of the 6:45 pm bedtime, you would bump it up to 7:00 pm. You should adjust the time every two days until you reach the one-hour mark of 7:30 pm (which will be the new 6:30 when the time changes). You also need to adjust the morning wake-up and all naps and meals, so everything is in place. In using the gradual method, your child will be adjusted by the time November 3rd comes along. Method Two: The “Jump Right In” Method For this method, you just rip off the band-aid on D-day. On the day of the time change, you shift everything accordingly. We will want to make sure the room is extra dark for each sleep cycle to help the body shift the production of melatonin as your child adjusts to the new time change. We also want to keep in mind that your little one might be tired for up to a week as they adjust. If they lose sleep due to the time change then compensate for the lost sleep by offering an extra early bedtime so that they do not collect a sleep debt. The better rested your child is going into the shift in time, the better they will adjust. Choose a method that fits your child’s temperament best. If your child has a hard time with change or is sleep-sensitive, then the gradual approach might work best for your family. If your child is flexible and handles change smoothly then the direct approach might be the option for your child. A tip to help your child adjust to the time change as well as any other disruptions to the sleep schedule is to be consistent. It is important to have a consistent soothing routine. The sleep routine is a wonderful cue to your child that it is time for their bodies and minds to start to relax and get ready for sleep. Consistency is also important when we respond to wakings and protests. While your child adjusts to the disruption in the sleep schedule your consistent response will remind them of the sleep rules and help get them back on track. It may take about a week until your little one has completely adjusted, so be patient with the process. You got this!!!