When I tell people that I’m a sleep specialist/sleep consultant, I often feel the need to follow it with a caveat about how my approach is different than most. The term “sleep consultant” usually calls to mind an individual who prescribes a particular protocol (usually some form of behaviorism-based sleep training) with the goal of getting the child to sleep through the night.
This is radically different from my approach as an Infant & Family Sleep Specialist (IFSS).
I became an IFSS for several reasons:
- I believe biological infant sleep is a fundamental human right.
- I believe parents are the experts on their babies, and deserve to be empowered to follow their intuition and instincts when it comes to parenting.
- I believe non-judgmental, evidence-based information around child development (especially around infant sleep) can improve the well-being of the entire family.
What Does an Infant & Family Sleep Specialist Do?
As an Infant & Family Sleep Specialist, my goals when working with a family are:
- To clarify what is developmentally normal behavior related to sleep – including (but not limited to) the number of night wakings, total sleep duration, nap lengths and frequency, and more.
- To identify any elements of a child’s sleep that could be better supported with developmentally appropriate changes to sleep hygiene, sleep environment, sleep location, daytime habits or activities, and daily rhythm/schedule.
- To identify any elements of a child’s sleep behavior that are not normal – including abnormally frequent wakings, restlessness, pain, colic, or discomfort – and connect the caregiver to appropriate resources or treatment.
- To maximize the rest and well-being of the child’s caregiver(s) through a comprehensive and holistic lens. This takes into account the parent/caregiver’s sleep needs, but also their emotional well-being, support network, and overall health history.
You’ll notice that I mention nothing about a guarantee of a child sleeping through the night. That’s because we have ample research demonstrating that children are meant to wake at night throughout and beyond the first year of life – and responding to our children at night is just as important as responding during the day.
However, that doesn’t mean that as parents or caregivers that we are doomed to exhaustion for the early months and years of our child’s life – we just have to toss out the old playbook and reframe our thinking about sleep. And as an Infant & Family Sleep Specialist, that’s what I’m here to do!
So – if your goal is to get your child sleeping through the night through whatever means are necessary – I’m afraid that my services may not be the right fit for you.
However, if your goal is to improve your own rest and well-being as a caregiver while respecting your child’s unique developmental needs – I am here to help.
If you think you might benefit from support, or want to ask further questions about my approach, you can book a free 15-minute discovery call with me anytime.
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