Enter any keyword(s) to search our Blogs.
The Difference Between Sleep Training and Sleep Coaching
Revelations From A Mother… who loved her sleep coaching experience.
Please know there is a BIG difference between SLEEP TRAINING and SLEEP COACHING!
The entire process of Gentle Sleep Coaching is about an evidence based, proven system to promote a gentle, reassuring, gradual change that results in healthy sleep habits.
Going to sleep independently and peacefully—and staying asleep—is a learned skill. As parents, we sometimes assume that sleeping is a developmental milestone that comes naturally, yet healthy sleep habits are a learned skill. Like any skill, its mastery requires coaching, practice and time. We parents are coaches in countless ways every day, so it is perfectly appropriate to gently and safely coach your child on this skill, too. In teaching it, you give a lifelong gift to your child.
Sleep Coaching is NOT “this terrible awful thing.”
In fact, it is one of the most important and supportive actions you can provide to your child.
Below are some important reflections and revelations from a mother that successfully sleep coached her 18 month old daughter. She shares about overcoming the “sleep coaching bias” and judgments in “the mommy world”
“I was one of the moms that would never let my baby cry. If she hated being held by someone (and in my case, it was anyone besides me), I would take her back right away. I quit my job to be with her, I would do anything for her. I read all the books, and I mean all of them. I was active in a huge moms group and frequented parenting websites.
I started to notice that there were different camps when it came to sleep. It felt very binary- either you let your child cry to sleep and ignored them all night no matter what happened, or you tended to every peep your child made and woke up 3 times a night til they went to kindergarten. I think this is a shame, and Joanna was a nice middle ground in a confusing sleep training world.
I started to learn and understand that change is inevitable, uncomfortable, and good. And children are constantly changing. My daughter might not like riding in a car seat, going to the doctor, learning to sleep, going to school, or being cared for by anyone except mommy, and she may cry because of these transitions. There is no way to avoid some discomfort, and sometimes short term discomfort is okay. Short term stress actually helps brain development. There is a big difference between a child being mad (“I don’t want to put myself to sleep! I want to breastfeed to sleep!”) and traumatized. I had to become comfortable with the fact that my child may be mad sometimes at necessary change, and that may lead to some crying. It was so obvious from the first day that my extremely sensitive daughter was not being traumatized by being taught to sleep, and I frankly resent that there was a huge group of people that pushed that message.
Not to say it wasn’t extremely hard. I had to leave the house. Even Joanna’s gentle methods were hard for me to handle, I had never done something my daughter didn’t like. I was so worried. But with a few weeks my daughter who used to wake up 5 times a night started sleeping 11 hours a night, and has never had issues since. She is growing better, she was in the 5th percentile for height and is now in the 75th. Her attitude is 100% better. My attitude is 100% better. And I came to realize my anxiety about her discomfort had been in the way of my daughter being as healthy and happy as she could be”
-Kate C. Austin, TX. Child was 18 months at time of guilt-free, gentle sleep coaching
Solve your child’s sleep struggles once and for all — so everyone finally sleeps again.
I help sleep-deprived families get where they need to be: well-rested.
There Is No Need To "Cry-It-Out"
I Offer Guilt-Free, Gentle Sleep Coaching
Easy and calm bedtimes, quiet, peaceful nights, reliable naps and confident parenting are yours.
With proven, evidence-based methods, an expert, signature process, and full-service support,
I help you tenderly teach the “skills of sleep” to your child.
I’ve Helped Over 800 Families Sleep Through The Night.
That’s More Than 2,400 Family Members Now Sleeping Better.
Let Me Help Your Whole Family Sleep Better, Too.
Click the button below to schedule a live 45 minute Sleep Strategy Session where you can gain expert insights into how to tackle the sleep struggles once and for all! (small fee applies)
Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching Recognized as Pediatric Sleep Expert
Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching is proud to be recognized as a Pediatric Sleep Expert in the Healthy Living section of Gate House Media. Joanna Clark was interviewed by a top journalist. Joanna's knowledge and her perspective on guilt free, gentle sleep coaching has reached more than 23 million readers in 37 states.
Solve your child’s sleep struggles once and for all — so everyone finally sleeps again.
I help sleep-deprived families get where they need to be: well-rested.
There Is No Need To "Cry-It-Out"
I Offer Guilt-Free, Gentle Sleep Coaching
Easy and calm bedtimes, quiet, peaceful nights, reliable naps and confident parenting are yours.
With proven, evidence-based methods, an expert, signature process, and full-service support,
I help you tenderly teach the “skills of sleep” to your child.
I’ve Helped Over 800 Families Sleep Through The Night.
That’s More Than 2,400 Family Members Now Sleeping Better.
Let Me Help Your Whole Family Sleep Better, Too.
Click the button below to schedule a live 45 minute Sleep Strategy Session where you can gain expert insights into how to tackle the sleep struggles once and for all! (small fee applies)
Meet Angelina: A Pregnant "Mama on a Mission" who found the solution to her 1st child's sleep issues!
This is an empowering success story from a pregnant "Mama on a Mission" who is now enjoying calm bedtimes and solid sleep for her first child before expecting her 2nd baby!
Meet Angelina, a working mother who was expecting her 2nd child and was worried that her first child's sleep was not on track. The bedtime drama and struggles and lack of sleep was starting to affect the whole family and especially her own energy levels. This mom needed her sleep to have a healthy pregnancy and keep up with the demands of her profession.
After working with Joanna at Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching, now her whole family is sleeping beautifully. Everyone feels grounded and well-rested and ready to welcome their 2nd child!
Watch this video testimonial below on Angelina's detailed account on her guilt-free, gentle sleep coaching journey.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGJggocziU0&w=460&h=315]
Solve your child’s sleep struggles once and for all — so everyone finally sleeps again.
I help sleep-deprived families get where they need to be: well-rested.
There Is No Need To "Cry-It-Out"
I Offer Guilt-Free, Gentle Sleep Coaching
Easy and calm bedtimes, quiet, peaceful nights, reliable naps and confident parenting are yours.
With proven, evidence-based methods, an expert, signature process, and full-service support,
I help you tenderly teach the “skills of sleep” to your child.
I’ve Helped Over 800 Families Sleep Through The Night.
That’s More Than 2,400 Family Members Now Sleeping Better.
Let Me Help Your Whole Family Sleep Better, Too.
Click the button below to schedule a live 45 minute Sleep Strategy Session where you can gain expert insights into how to tackle the sleep struggles once and for all! (small fee applies)
Getting Ready to SPRING FOWARD!! Tips and Tricks!
Spring Forward: March 11, 2018: Tips and Tricks to Ease the Transition.
Getting Ready for the Spring 2018 Time Change: Tips and Tricks to Ease the Transition
It’s that time again: the “Spring Forward” 2018 Time change. In the US, we will turn our clocks ahead one hour at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, March 11th, 2017.
I am looking forward to the extra daylight and a dose of Vitamin D from the sunshine. As with all time changes, the family should be prepared and expect some sleep disruptions and have tips and strategies on how to tackle it all.
If you employ these tips, it will be easier for your to support your little ones through their own transition
Tips for Parents:
Eliminate all caffeine after 1:30 p.m. the week of March 5 in order to make it easier to go to bed earlier.
If possible, also avoid alcohol the weekend of March 10/11 which negatively affects sleep.
Go to bed 15 minutes earlier than usual on the Thursday 3/8/18
On Friday 3/9/18 go to bed 30 minutes earlier than usual.
On Saturday try to go to bed 45 minutes earlier than your usual bedtime (notice a pattern?).
This time change can often be very difficult for children. After all, imagine being used to a 7pm bedtime and now it’s been moved to what your body feels is 6pm!.
Be patient as it does take the body 7-9 days for the natural circadian rhythm to get back on track.
To make the transition easier, I have outlined some tips to help your baby or toddler make a gentle change. Don’t worry. There are a couple of ways to tackle this transition and you can choose the one that suits your style and your child’s needs the best.
Before the time change…be diligent that your child is getting adequate naps so that they aren’t overtired.
Be prepared for your baby’s bedtime to feel earlier, since it actually is earlier. Remember, we’re jumping ahead a full hour, so what used to be 6:00 p.m. is now 7:00 p.m. (but it will still feel like 6:00 p.m. to your baby).
Exposure to morning light can help the body “reset” the circadian rhythm. If it’s too cold, open the windows and let in some natural light. Try to get at least thirty minutes of sunlight first thing in the morning for that initial week to help your body tune into the time change.
I recommend that you choose between two transition methods for Daylight Savings Time.
Transition Method 1: Pretend that Nothing Has Changed.
Best Method for Families with children with “early rising” tendencies (up before 6am)
Best Method for busy Parents who already feel “rushed” at bedtime.
If you have a child that actually wakes up before 6am, then this may be the right method for you. This method is probably the easiest for most families, as you will follow your daily routine according to the clock, but everything will be pushed ahead one hour.
If you choose this method do the following:
Move your clock ahead an hour on Saturday night, and proceed with your normal day Sunday.
Note: be aware that following this “do nothing approach” means your child will lose an hour, which has the potential to create a struggle at bedtime, because bedtime will be a full hour earlier than it was last night.
Because your baby or toddler is not aware that the time has changed, they will wake up at their normal time (hopefully), but instead of 6:00 a.m., it will be 7:00 a.m. (see what I mean about solving that pesky early rising issue?).
However, don't let your child sleep past 7:30 or 8am or else bedtime will be harder.
Proceed with your normal day, and be sure that your meals and naps, and bedtime are at the appropriate time (you may have to watch the clock).
Remember that your baby will be going to bed at their “regular time”. For example, if your baby is used to a 7:00 p.m. bedtime, put them to bed at the NEW 7:00 p.m. (which was previously 6:00 p.m.). It is very possible that meals and naps will fall into place naturally with this method, but be prepared that your child may not actually be tired at bedtime yet. Remember, they don’t understand why they’ve lost an hour, and it’s suddenly still light out at bedtime, so you may have to be a bit flexible or now might be the time to install those room darkening shades.
This method of adjustment seldom takes more than a week!
Transition Method 2: Make DAILY adjustments
Best for families that know the time change will be hard on their kiddo
Best for families who feel more secure when they “plan in advance”
About 5-7 days before the time change, begin putting your child to bed 10-20 minutes earlier, moving the time back every day or few days until you reach a full hour. So, if your child has a 7:00 p.m. bedtime, you want to begin with bedtime at 6:40 p.m. ,then 6:20 p.m., then 6:00 p.m.
Be consistent as possible with your baby’s food and sleep schedule. This means that you need to shift all meals, snacks, and naps a half hour earlier as well.
Watch the clock to stay on the new schedule of 30 minutes earlier.
Don’t forget to wake your child a bit earlier to help with this transition schedule.
After about a week, your child should be back at their 7:00 p.m. bedtime.
Adjust all meals, snacks, and naps to fit the “new” schedule on the same day that you shift to your child’s new, fully-adjusted bedtime.
Here is an example: If your baby or toddler’s bedtime is 7 pm, it will look like this:
Tuesday 3/6/17 : 6:50 pm bedtime
Wednesday 3/7/17 : 6:40 pm bedtime
Thursday 3/8/17: 6:30 pm bedtime
Friday: 3/9/17 6:20 pm bedtime
Saturday 3/10/17: 6:10 pm bedtime
Sunday 3/11/17: 7 pm bedtime (new time—old time will be 6 pm)
Keep in mind that the goal is to be back to your baby’s normal bedtime (and routine) in just a few days (some children may take a bit longer, so don’t fret if your child takes a week or so).
Whichever method you choose, it’s important to remember that your baby’s internal clock is used to Standard Time. You may need to revert to some sleep training methods for a few days to help ease the time change. “Springing forward” also means that nights are shorter, which may be an issue for some children who are used to dark winter nights. Remember, every child is different, and your little one will adjust, but don’t fret if it’s not overnight (some toddlers can take a few weeks to adjust!). Prepare for the transition to take a few days, and watch for those sleep cues that will tell you when your child is tired and ready to sleep!
Overview On How To Handle Daylight Saving Time:
Decide which Daylight Savings sleep transition method you want to use to help your child adjust.
Take your baby’s internal clock into account and watch for sleepy cues.
Check to see if light is an issue, and consider purchasing room-darkening shades for bedtime, but also expose them to morning light in that first week to “reset” their internal clock.
Most importantly, be flexible and patient. A time change is often hard on kids and adults alike. Readjustment can take about 5-7 days. Just be mindful of the clock and your schedule.
Keep evening plans calm and watch for sleepy cues. Dim the lights in house and avoid screen-time that can be too stimulating.
If needed, use your preferred sleep training method to help encourage sleep and help your baby get the rest he/she needs.
Solve your child’s sleep struggles once and for all — so everyone finally sleeps again.
I help sleep-deprived families get where they need to be: well-rested.
There Is No Need To "Cry-It-Out"
I Offer Guilt-Free, Gentle Sleep Coaching
Easy and calm bedtimes, quiet, peaceful nights, reliable naps and confident parenting are yours.
With proven, evidence-based methods, an expert, signature process, and full-service support,
I help you tenderly teach the “skills of sleep” to your child.
I’ve Helped Over 800 Families Sleep Through The Night.
That’s More Than 2,400 Family Members Now Sleeping Better.
Let Me Help Your Whole Family Sleep Better, Too.
Click the button below to schedule a live 45 minute Sleep Strategy Session where you can gain expert insights into how to tackle the sleep struggles once and for all! (small fee applies)
Good News!! The Evidence Is Confirmed: Sleep Coaching Is Safe and Restores Harmony to the Household
Got Kids? Need Sleep?: Evidence Proves Sleep Coaching Is Safe.....Its Time To Make Sleep A Priority for All Family Members.
All evidence is now confirming that all sleep coaching methods and interventions work to improve sleep. The studies have validated that there are no concerning levels of stress and cortisol. The studies have also confirmed that there are no negative long-term outcomes. This is great news because it now gives parents freedom to choose the RIGHT METHODOLOGY FOR THEIR PARENTING STYLE AND VALUES. I personally prefer Gentle Sleep Coaching, which is also known as the Sleep Lady Shuffle or also known as Fading. Gentle Sleep Coaching is a proven methodology that offers parents the opportunity to be in the room with their child while offering verbal and physical assurances. Gentle Sleep Coaching has been proven to minimize tears and frustration. Gentle Sleep Coaching provides substantial Parent Education and insight into the temperament of their child and how that relates to sleep. Peaceful Nights are Possible with the expertise of Joanna Clark of Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching, a trained and certified Gentle Sleep Coach. Below is an article form Aaron Carrroll, Professor of Pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine that further explains the different sleep training methodologies and options.
Putting Your Baby to Sleep: Some Advice and Good News
Aaron E. Carroll is a professor of pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine who blogs on health research.
For many new parents, a baby who sleeps peacefully through the night is more aspiration than reality.
I remember thinking, after my pregnant wife’s water broke minutes after I went to bed, anguishing really, over one thought as we drove to the hospital: “I’m never going to be well rested again.”
If there’s one thing all new parents wish for, it’s a good night’s sleep.
Unfortunately, infants sometimes make that impossible. They wake up repeatedly, needing to be fed, changed and comforted. Eventually, they reach an age when they should sleep through the night. Some don’t, though. What to do with them continues to be a topic of a heated debate in parenting circles.
One camp believes that babies should be left to cry it out. These people place babies in their cribs at a certain time, after a certain routine, and don’t interfere until the next morning. No matter how much the babies scream or cry, parents ignore them. After all, if babies learn that tantrums lead to the appearance of a loved one, they will continue that behavior in the future. The official name for this approach is “Extinction.”
The downside, of course, is that it’s unbelievably stressful for parents. Many can’t do it. And not holding fast to the plan can make everything worse. Responding to an infant’s crying after an extended period of time makes the behavior harder to extinguish. To a baby, it’s like a slot machine that hits just as you’re ready to walk away; it makes you want to play more.
A modification of this strategy is known as “Graduated Extinction.” Parents allow their infant to cry it out for a longer period each night, until infants eventually put themselves to sleep. On the first night, for instance, parents might commit to not entering the baby’s room for five minutes. The next night, 10 minutes. Then 15, and so on. Or, they could increase the increments on progressive checks each night. When they do go in the room, it’s only to check and make sure the baby is O.K. — no picking up or comforting. This isn’t meant to be a reward for crying, but to allow parents to be assured that nothing is wrong
Babies cry for a reason. They come from warm, enclosed, snug wombs where they feel their mothers' constant protection. They exit the womb...
It appears this study had no control group. Was there a "no intervention" group, where families just kept doing what they'd been doing --...
There are pros and cons to the "family bed" solution, but I can tell you one thing from experience. Everyone sleeps. The baby doesn't have...
Another choice is “Bedtime Fading.” The point of this plan is to teach your children how to fall asleep on their own at bedtime, in the hope that if they develop this skill, when they wake up in the middle of the night they’ll choose to employ it rather than call for you. With fading, you temporarily set bedtime later than usual and preface it with a good bedtime routine. Your babies learn that bedtime is fun, and have little trouble falling asleep because they’re more tired than usual. Then you move their bedtime earlier and earlier, so that infants learn how to put themselves to sleep when they are less and less tired.
A fourth method is “Scheduled Awakenings.” In this method, a parent tries to disrupt spontaneous awakening by getting up in the middle of the night to wake children 15 to 30 minutes before they usually wake up on their own. They then help the baby fall back asleep. The scheduled awakenings are later phased out.
Of course, even with fading and scheduled awakenings, it’s possible that your baby will wake up in the middle of the night, screaming. Then you face a choice: Go to them or wait it out?
Some people always choose to comfort the child. They think that making a baby cry it out is inhumane and could even lead to psychological problems. Others feel that giving in to babies prevents them from learning needed skills and leads to later problems.
A final thing doctors can do is “Parental Education,” which is closer to prevention. It involves talking to parents about many of these options, especially training infants to fall asleep on their own, before problems develop.
As a pediatrician, the first thing I do with parents who are experiencing problems is calm them down. Sometimes it feels as if it will never go away, but I try to remind them that few teenagers have this issue. They go to bed fine, and if they wake up in the middle of the night, they go back to sleep without anyone’s help. This almost always, eventually, gets better.
On the other hand, I don’t want to minimize the short-term problems for parents. Nor do I want to do nothing. Sleep deprivation leads to significant and serious consequences in adults. A 2008 study published in Pediatrics found that mothers of infants with sleep problems, in which no intervention was tried, were more likely to report symptoms of clinical depression when their child was 2 years old. Sleep problems also lead to significant parental stress, and, potentially, physicalpunishment.
The good news is that almost all interventions work. In 2006, a systematic review was published in the journal Sleep that examined all the relevant research on the efficacy of these interventions. Ninety-four percent of the 52 reviewed studies found that the interventions led to improved sleep, and more than 80 percent of children who were treated improved significantly.
The strongest evidence supported the extinction method and parent education (i.e., prevention). Still, there was evidence that also supported the graduated extinction, fading and scheduled awakenings methods.
People become surprisingly heated about which method to use. This isn’t just because they think one works better than the other, but also because they think some are harmful. They worry about the long-term effects of some methods. Those concerns may be overblown, though. A small study published recently followed children who were randomly sorted to use graduated extinction, fading or parent education. Besides looking at the effectiveness of the intervention on sleep, researchers measured the cortisol hormone in infants’ saliva (as a measure of stress) as well as mothers’ moods and stress.
Again, all of the interventions worked to improve sleep. More important, none caused any concerning levels of stress. This confirmed the findings of two previous studies that found that infant sleep problems, and the interventions used to remedy them, do not predict long-term outcomes, even at 6 years of age.
Parents become stressed about infants who don’t sleep well. That’s understandable. What they don’t need to stress about is that fixing it will cause more harm or have long-term negative consequences. A good night’s sleep makes almost everything better.
Aaron E. Carroll is a professor of pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine who blogs on health research and policy at The Incidental Economist and makes videos at Healthcare Triage. Follow him on Twitter at @aaronecarroll.
Solve your child’s sleep struggles once and for all — so everyone finally sleeps again.
I help sleep-deprived families get where they need to be: well-rested.
There Is No Need To "Cry-It-Out"
I Offer Guilt-Free, Gentle Sleep Coaching
Easy and calm bedtimes, quiet, peaceful nights, reliable naps and confident parenting are yours.
With proven, evidence-based methods, an expert, signature process, and full-service support,
I help you tenderly teach the “skills of sleep” to your child.
I’ve Helped Over 800 Families Sleep Through The Night.
That’s More Than 2,400 Family Members Now Sleeping Better.
Let Me Help Your Whole Family Sleep Better, Too.
Click the button below to schedule a live 45 minute Sleep Strategy Session where you can gain expert insights into how to tackle the sleep struggles once and for all! (small fee applies)
ANOTHER WELL-RESTED MOM TELLS HER STORY
Well-Rested Mom Tells her Story of Gentle Sleep Coaching
Well-Rested Mom Tells her Story
Parents in Texas came to me utterly exhausted and overwhelmed after their pediatrician was no longer to help them. That same pediatrician referred them to me. The now well-rested, happy mother and father describe their story!!!
Before Gentle Sleep Coaching, list 2-3 most difficult issues that resulted in your child not sleeping.
Just weeks after Ella was born she developed what specialists called “extreme colic.” She was very uncomfortable and would scream and cry for hours and hours on end day and night inconsolably. So much so she would shake and choke and even momentarily stop breathing. Doctors don’t fully understand colic or what causes it but pretty much they just say “ they will grow out of it.” In addition to this, she developed reflux and would throw up constantly and was in pain from the reflux. Coupled with these medical conditions she is a very highly sensitive and high alert baby and was not able to regulate herself and she was waking up every 1-2 hrs at night crying hysterically and needed mom to put her back to sleep with either bottle or rocking or both. With reflux being the #1 sleep disrupter, this was leading to Ella not sleeping well at all along with babies just not knowing how to regulate and self soothe themselves to sleep.
How were the above problems impacting your life.
As a mom and a protector, this was devastating because I felt there was nothing I could do to help my baby girl. I felt like a failure and even developed post-pardum depression and had anxiety every evening leading up to the night time because I knew it would be a long dreadful and painful night. Even the little bit Ella would sleep at night, I still was not able to sleep due to anxiety. I began to unravel physically as I started getting sick from no sleep. I also came apart emotionally and psychologically due to lack of sleep. This affected my marriage to my wonderful loving and supportive husband.
What finally had your say “enough is enough” that inspired you to reach out for help by working with a sleep coach.
Even with my husbands support I was at the end of my rope and I didn’t think I could take another day because I wasn’t sleeping at night or during the day for weeks and months on end. I called Joanna out of pure desperation and prayed she could help my family. Then in the midst of all of this when Ella was just 5 ½ months old, I found out I was pregnant with # 2. While babies are always a miracle and a blessing this one was not planned and unexpected. While I reached out to Joanna just a couple days before we found out this news, the news of #2 led to an even more desperate and critical situation
What was one your favorite aspects of Gentle Sleep Coaching and working with Joanna Clark of Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching.
I was really impressed and appreciated more than anything how much time and effort Joanna took to understanding our story and my baby and the entire puzzle pieces of our situation. She became a team member on behalf of “ Ella’s team to her sleep and therefore give everyone the gift of sleep. You will never fully understand how vital sleep is until you are deprived from it. She had me fill out a lengthy series of questions to understand every detail of Ella and her demeanor, her health and background. The questions also included questions about me and my husband who play a big part of the puzzle fitting together. I felt assurance and very comfortable knowing Joanna was going to help us train Ella until we reached our goal. I didn’t think twice about the money spent because it is nothing compared to the gift and the knowledge and strength it gave us. I felt supported by Joanna and I appreciated the follow up calls every day. I always had questions and she never hesitated to answer with confidence and sincerity. Also, nothing was set in stone as we tweaked the plan as we went depending on how comfortable we felt as parents and how Ella did the night before. There is a true science behind babies sleep and having a knowledgeable professional like Joanna coach you through it and hold your hand while you are falling apart at the seams is life saving and life changing and you can’t put a dollar amount on that. Little Ella had a lot of “challenges” stacked against her from the start. She had colic, reflux, very alert and hard to calm down, met her milestones very early, and also rejecting the sleep crutches that used to work. All of these are big time sleep disrupters. Even with all of this, with the help and gentle coaching of Joanna, Ella was sleeping through the night and sleeping 11-12 hours without feeding or any sleep crutches in just 2 weeks! All in her own crib. This is all truly mind blowing but Joanna helped us by giving us a plan that we felt comfortable with and could trust. It was very gentle which is huge for a mom who can’t stand to hear or let her baby cry. Teaching and training your baby to teach themselves to self soothe themselves back to sleep and sleep through the night without mom and dads help is critical for their health and development as well as the parents and other siblings in the house. It’s the best gift you can give your baby and yourself and spouse
Now that your child is sleeping well, what are some of the tangible and specific results you have experienced in your life.
Since Ella has been sleeping through the night, I am sleeping so well and my marriage is restored. Ella now goes to bed at 6:30 pm and we even have our nights back to enjoy a meal and each other. I am not irritable or over whelmed any longer and I also no longer need medication for post pardum depression. I feel like a new woman and also like myself again. I can enjoy Ella so much more now and she is so much of a happier baby during the day!!
The plan worked so well that we had some time left to nap train which is crucial for babies night time sleep. The nap training went well and Ella is taking 3 solid naps a day while putting herself to sleep in her crib and sleeping 1-2 hrs per nap!
I can say I’m a big believer in Joanna’s approach to Gentle Sleep Coaching and highly recommend her for anyone struggling with their newborn, infant, or toddlers sleep!
Solve your child’s sleep struggles once and for all — so everyone finally sleeps again.
I help sleep-deprived families get where they need to be: well-rested.
There Is No Need To "Cry-It-Out"
I Offer Guilt-Free, Gentle Sleep Coaching
Easy and calm bedtimes, quiet, peaceful nights, reliable naps and confident parenting are yours.
With proven, evidence-based methods, an expert, signature process, and full-service support,
I help you tenderly teach the “skills of sleep” to your child.
I’ve Helped Over 800 Families Sleep Through The Night.
That’s More Than 2,400 Family Members Now Sleeping Better.
Let Me Help Your Whole Family Sleep Better, Too.
Click the button below to schedule a live 45 minute Sleep Strategy Session where you can gain expert insights into how to tackle the sleep struggles once and for all! (small fee applies)
VOTE PLEASE!! Finalist for Mommy Poppins Bestie Award
Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching is super proud to be a finalist in the @MommyPoppinsHouston Bestie Awards!
VOTE NOW!!! BEST NEW BUSINESS
Voting Page: https://mommypoppins.com/HoustonBesties
WHY VOTE???? 2 reasons:
1. VOTE NOW because your vote not only supports a "mom-preneur", but this business offers hope, help and expert support to parents whose are experiencing sleep deprivation due to their child's sleep challenges.
2. VOTE NOW because you can win awesome Prizes! Prizes! Prizes!
How about a two-night getaway for four to the Marriott Marquis Houston courtesy of Sublime Travel? How would you and your kids like a one-year subscription to StemBox, the STEM activity box for girls? Or perhaps you'd prefer 4 tickets to see PAW Patrol Live! "Race to the Rescue" at the Hobby Center in November? Or maybe a Family Portrait Session from Sweet Pecks Photography would really make this year's holiday cards sparkle.
Offer 5 minutes and your expert opinions and you'll be automatically entered to win one of these fabulous prizes—it's a win-win for everyone!
Prize Page: https://mommypoppins.com/houston-kids/best-of-lists/houston-besties-2017-prizes-and-sponsors
Visit www.mommypoppins.com/HoustonBesties and vote NOW for BLISSFUL BABY SLEEP COACHING FOR BEST NEW BUSINESS to help us WIN.
#MPLovesHouston @MommyPoppinsHouston
Solve your child’s sleep struggles once and for all — so everyone finally sleeps again.
I help sleep-deprived families get where they need to be: well-rested.
There Is No Need To "Cry-It-Out"
I Offer Guilt-Free, Gentle Sleep Coaching
Easy and calm bedtimes, quiet, peaceful nights, reliable naps and confident parenting are yours.
With proven, evidence-based methods, an expert, signature process, and full-service support,
I help you tenderly teach the “skills of sleep” to your child.
I’ve Helped Over 800 Families Sleep Through The Night.
That’s More Than 2,400 Family Members Now Sleeping Better.
Let Me Help Your Whole Family Sleep Better, Too.
Click the button below to schedule a live 45 minute Sleep Strategy Session where you can gain expert insights into how to tackle the sleep struggles once and for all! (small fee applies)
2017 Fall Time Change: Simple Easy Tips for a Smooth Time Change Transition
2017 FALL TIME CHANGE ON SUNDAY 11/5/2017
The weather is turning and the days have been getting shorter since the summer solstice on June 21. For 2017, the end of daylight-saving time will fall on Sunday. Nov. 5, in the United States and Canada, we will set our clocks back an hour.
The good news is that you will get a “bonus hour” of overall sleep and a “bonus hour” of light in the morning, so waking up will definitely be easier. In the evening, it will be darker one hour earlier, so often the day feels really short. You will find yourself wanting to “get cozy” and you and the kids will likely get drowsy earlier—and therefore bedtime will hopefully be easier.
To get ready, see my two strategies for the fall time change for children 6 months-5 yrs of age. Please know it can take up to 2 weeks for a child to make the transition to the new time change, so be patient and mindful of your child’s sleepy cues.
Be proactive and begin making changes to your routine 3-7 days prior to the time change (babies 6mo.-5yrs). This option is best for children that tend to be early risers or children that tend to be sensitive to schedule changes. These children usually benefit from gradually changing their schedule on the days leading up to the time change.
How to do it:
Start putting your child to bed 10-15 minutes later than his or her normal naptime or bedtime and of course, make similar changes to the nap schedule.
Every other day/night, try to “bump up” naptime/bedtime by 10-15 minutes. Do this until the night of the time change.
The goal is to complete shifting your child’s bedtime schedule up by an hour by the time the clock changes. For example: your child’s normal nap time is 8:45am, bump it to 9am and do this for 2 days and then, bump to 9:15am for 2 days and so on. If you would rather “work” the bedtime angle than if bedtime is normally 7pm. During the days leading up to the time change, push bedtime to 7:15, 7:30, 7:45, 8pm…then when the time change happens, the 8pm bedtime will “FALL BACK” to 7pm and your child will already be in the mode for the new bedtime.
If you try this method and your child starts waking before 6am, then STOP and go back to your old schedule. You will need to adjust to new time change in the “Just in time” method.
Use the “Just in Time” option: Sync with new clock times on November 5, 2017. If you don’t have the time or inclination to plan ahead, then you can simply respond to your child’s needs once the time change has happened. This means that all naps, meals and bedtime will automatically switch to the new time. This might also mean your child may wake earlier in the morning for the first week or so, but soon things will normalize.
How to do it:
If your child starts to wake before 6am, (which is considered early) than it is imperative that you attend to this early rising or else it will persist.
If you experience early rising, go to your child’s room, remind him or her it is still time for sleeping and try to soothe him or her back to sleep. (can use a tot clock for children 2.5 yrs of age and older)
If the child does not go back to sleep, then use this strategy to make it “morning:” keep the room dark until 6am, then exit the room for 10-20 seconds, then re-enter the room and turn on the lights and open shades and then get your child out of bed.
In this way, you will not be reinforcing early rising and eventually your child’s circadian rhythm will get back on track. If you have ongoing issues with early rising after 10-14 days after the time change, then I highly recommend reading my post on early rising (http://www.blissfulbabysleepcoaching.com/blog/2016/10/5/why-does-my-child-wakes-before-6am-every-daytips-to-tackle-early-rising
In either case, it is important for children to get their daily dose of Vitamin D with morning light exposure. Turn on the lights, open your shades and, most importantly, try to give your child morning sunlight for at least 20-30 minutes a day during that first 7-10 days of the time change. This will help to reset your child’s circadian rhythm.
It’s also important to protect your sleep! Here are my time change tips for adults:
Since you are gaining an hour of sleep, it is often easier just to go to sleep at your normal time on Saturday night and then allow yourself to sleep in on Sunday morning. Then for the first couple of days, please know that your body will be busy regulating to the new time change, so light exposure in the morning will really help your body adjust.
Like jet lag, time changes take about a week to resolve and so it is wise to be patient and try to adhere to a flexible schedule and you will begin to see it all normalize. Happy Fall!!
If after 2-3 weeks, you are still experiencing difficulties, than it might be time for a “time change tune-up” Mini-Sleep-Consultation. I am now offering 15-60 minute “mini consults” to address immediate sleep concerns. Please visit my Services page to buy 15 increments of time to brainstorm and find solutions to your sleep concerns. http://www.blissfulbabysleepcoaching.com/coaching-services/
Solve your child’s sleep struggles once and for all — so everyone finally sleeps again.
I help sleep-deprived families get where they need to be: well-rested.
There Is No Need To "Cry-It-Out"
I Offer Guilt-Free, Gentle Sleep Coaching
Easy and calm bedtimes, quiet, peaceful nights, reliable naps and confident parenting are yours.
With proven, evidence-based methods, an expert, signature process, and full-service support,
I help you tenderly teach the “skills of sleep” to your child.
I’ve Helped Over 800 Families Sleep Through The Night.
That’s More Than 2,400 Family Members Now Sleeping Better.
Let Me Help Your Whole Family Sleep Better, Too.
Click the button below to schedule a live 45 minute Sleep Strategy Session where you can gain expert insights into how to tackle the sleep struggles once and for all! (small fee applies)
Mega Success Story: Family Life Improves With Proper Sleep.
A Mega Success Story...Find Out How This Family's Life Changed with Gentle Sleep Coaching
I had to share this incredibly inspiring success story about a family that had a premature baby and many sleep crutches. This is a wonderful example of all the benefits of Gentle Sleep Coaching with Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching.
Before Gentle Sleep Coaching, list 2-3 most difficult issues that resulted in your child not sleeping.
Our child was born three months prematurely and as a result his sleeping and eating cycle stayed on a three hour rotation for almost 6 months. Because he was born so early he was not able to breast feed, so I exclusively pumped for about nine months and my husband and I would be up all night long to either pump (me) or feed (him) our son. This routine created many unique sleep challenges and crutches for our family that took a severe toll on our sleep and overall wellness after all of those months. Our breaking point occurred when we found ourselves in a desperate 1 to 2 hour cycle at night of crying jags and arousals. We offered bottles, rocking, holding, midnight car rides, our bed...anything to get our baby to sleep. It seemed that a new tactic would work for a short period of time, but eventually would fail. Fletcher was obviously over tired, but lacked the ability to rest and we did not know how to soothe him beyond the crutches that we had already tried. We were insistent that we did not want him to 'cry it out' in any way and that we would 'love him to sleep', but after months of regression and worsening sleep issues it became apparent that our methods were not what our son needed. Day time sleep was also a problem. Our baby would only sleep if he was held, being driven around, or at times if I was running with him in a jog stroller (but I could not stop or he would wake up) and at best a nap would last about 30-45 minutes. The whole routine was exhausting!
How were the above problems impacting your life…list as many as you can.
My husband and I were extremely sleep deprived as a result and lived in a constant fog. We were short with one another and found ourselves functioning in a day to day survival mode just to get through. I also developed an anxiety around sleep and I especially began to fear night time because I knew too well the desperate feeling of getting through another long night with such broken sleep. I felt helpless to soothe my baby and I just never knew what would work or for how long it would last. When we would start the day I felt defeated because I was just so tired already. We wouldn't leave him with a babysitter because we didn't want to put anyone through his crying jags and because he couldn't be put down --it would just be too difficult. We were isolated and it was very lonely.
What finally had your say “enough is enough” that inspired you to reach out for help by working with a sleep coach.
We hit rock bottom - we needed to be able to sleep. Our son was doing well and growing and thriving, but we were still stuck in a terrible sleep cycle. We ran out of ideas and simply were exhausted. We had a rough month of colds and three to four total hours of sleep per night stretches and knew we couldn't hang on. We also had a cross country move quickly approaching and wanted to get through this issue before we had new changes and an extended time of transition.
What was one your favorite aspects of Gentle Sleep Coaching and working with Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching.
Joanna is awesome! She is funny and bright and offers a sparkly light at the end of the tunnel (it was a long tunnel for us :). I immediately had hope after speaking with her for only 15 minutes. She is so knowledgeable and explained the science behind sleep cycles and gave us concrete information regarding how much sleep our baby needed, his sleep windows, and what to expect throughout the sleep training. She is empathetic and supportive and her confidence is contagious. We were so exhausted in the beginning that we needed someone to tell us exactly what to do, how to do it, when to do it and why and Joanna absolutely did all of these things.
Now that your child is sleeping well, what are some of the tangible and specific results you have experienced in your life.
Our baby has been sleeping in his crib from 7 pm until 6 am! We decided to continue one feeding at night so he does wake for that around 1 AM, but it is quick and predictable and lasts about 10 minutes total. He has hit new milestones this week (standing and crawling) so he has had a few new arousals but we approach these with our tools from sleep training and have seen progress already. I no longer have anxiety about the night because I know what to do should this situation arise and for the most part our evenings are very predictable these days. We have time to ourselves once he goes to bed at night! I feel So relieved to watch him fall happily asleep in his crib by himself ... it is an amazing feeling.
Solve your child’s sleep struggles once and for all — so everyone finally sleeps again.
I help sleep-deprived families get where they need to be: well-rested.
There Is No Need To "Cry-It-Out"
I Offer Guilt-Free, Gentle Sleep Coaching
Easy and calm bedtimes, quiet, peaceful nights, reliable naps and confident parenting are yours.
With proven, evidence-based methods, an expert, signature process, and full-service support,
I help you tenderly teach the “skills of sleep” to your child.
I’ve Helped Over 800 Families Sleep Through The Night.
That’s More Than 2,400 Family Members Now Sleeping Better.
Let Me Help Your Whole Family Sleep Better, Too.
Click the button below to schedule a live 45 minute Sleep Strategy Session where you can gain expert insights into how to tackle the sleep struggles once and for all! (small fee applies)