It’s no secret that the field of sleep consulting is highly unregulated - which is why it was important to me to get a certification credential from a respected, evidence-based program. I am a certified newborn, infant, and toddler sleep consultant through the Collective for Family Rest and Wellness. For information about the program, click here.

Sleep training is a hot button term that gets thrown around in a lot of different ways depending on who’s using it. When I use the term “sleep training,” what I’m referring to is a holistic approach to supporting your child as they learn to fall asleep independently. In other words, sleep training to me includes all of the factors of environment, timing, technique, responsiveness, warmth, and boundaries that go into helping children sleep their best. I DO NOT consider sleep training to be synonymous with “cry it out” or “controlled crying.”

I’m trained in a huge range of sleep training methods, from the most gradual and responsive to the quickest and most hands-off. Because of this, I can often take components of various different methods to create something completely customized to you and your baby based on what I learn from your intake form. I always strive to honor YOUR desires and values in the process so that you are fully comfortable with the approach we choose.

In a word, YES! Scientific evidence overwhelmingly supports the safety and efficacy of sleep training for healthy babies. In fact, research has shown that supporting children through their big emotions (which is a principal component of sleep training) is hugely beneficial for developing a secure attachment between parent and child. I’m happy to share peer-reviewed studies with you if you’re looking for more information!

Crying is the part of sleep training that parents dread the most, and I totally understand why. Listening to my own babies cry is so hard! It’s important to remember that crying is communication, and it’s okay for your baby to communicate with you how they feel. Crying itself is not harmful, nor is it evidence of harm. I always strive to offer sleep plans to my clients that best fit their babies’ temperaments and situations so crying can be minimized, but it’s not realistic to avoid it altogether. I have a whole handout on crying in my Prep Guide to help you understand why your child cries and what they may be telling you through it!