FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT IS THE IDEAL AGE TO START SLEEP TRAINING?
It is never too early to start implementing healthy sleep habits. While we wouldn’t ‘sleep train’ a newborn baby, I can still offer some gentle techniques and tips you can start from the beginning to set your baby up for success down the road.
6-8 months is typically the ideal age where we see the quickest success, although all children are different and you know your little one the best.
It is also never too late. If your toddler, pre school or even young school aged child is still not sleeping well, don’t worry...there’s still hope! I offer a variety of packages for all different ages so check out my services to see which one is best suited for you and your family, and contact me for your free 15 minute evaluation call.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIRING A SLEEP CONSULTANT VS USING A SLEEP TRAINING BOOK?
There are countless books on sleep training methods out there and I’m sure you’ve read at least 1 or 2 of them at this stage. While they all provide helpful information and have similar approaches, they simply don’t seem to work for most families. Every child is different which is why it is impossible for a book to solve all sleep scenarios.
Working with me, you will receive a customized sleep plan created just for your child that suits your family’s needs. In addition to the personalized sleep plan, I will provide ongoing support with scheduled phone calls and daily email check ins. I will be your biggest cheerleader along the way!
WHAT SLEEP TRAINING METHOD DO YOU USE?
I offer several different methods that are based around the fundamental principles of the Sleep Sense™ program. Once I learn more about your child, your family and your goals, we will decide together which method will suit you best. During our daily follow ups, we will measure our progress together and I can provide adjustments and suggestions if needed.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE FOR MY CHILD TO SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT?
There are several factors that will determine the length of time it will take your child to sleep through the night - your child’s age and temperament, your child’s current sleep struggles and the biggest one of all….the parent’s commitment to the program and consistency! Most of the families that I work with who are fully committed to the sleep plan see improvements in 2-4 days, however all children are different and some take longer than others. You have my support and guidance for 2 weeks for babies, and 3 weeks for toddlers and older children for us to reach your goals.
WILL MY LITTLE ONE CRY?
This is by far the most asked question, and for good reason. Nobody likes hearing their precious little ones cry. It is important for you to know that I do not include the CIO (cry it out) method in my sleep plans. Crying is your child’s way of protesting change, and you can expect that making changes to their sleep habits will result in some protest. I imagine if somebody took your favourite pillow away one night, made you sleep on the other side of the bed, or on a different mattress that you’re not used to, you’d probably be a bit thrown off. While you may not cry about it, there would most likely be some protest from you. Change is never easy and is usually met with some protest - whether it be a child or an adult. My method will most likely involve at least some amount of protest on your child’s part. Please understand that I will never ask you to leave your child to cry alone, nor will I ask you to ignore their cries. The reason that the Sleep Sense™ Method is so effective is that it lets us develop a plan that you feel comfortable with, based on what you know about your child.
CAN I CONTINUE TO BREASTFEED WHILE SLEEP TRAINING?
Absolutely! We will incorporate an appropriate feeding schedule into your customized sleep plan based on your baby’s age.
WILL YOU COME TO MY HOME?
You bet! If you prefer, the 60-90 minute consultation prior to starting your new sleep plan can be done in the comfort of your own home. Please note for homes outside of the Greater Vancouver area, additional travel fees will apply for in-home consultations. In addition I offer add-on services for in-home support during the sleep training process if you feel like you need a little bit of extra encouragement and guidance. See my packages for more details.
WHAT KIND OF COVID PROTOCOLS DO YOU HAVE IN PLACE?
The health and safety of your family and mine is of the utmost importance so please be assured that I will be taking all precautions to make in-home visits as safe as possible. I will conduct a health assessment for myself on the day of our meeting and I will ask that you do the same for your family and sign a health assessment waiver. Upon arrival, I will sanitize my hands prior to entering your home. I will be masked and I ask that all adults in the home wear masks as well. We will maintain social distancing at all times when possible during our visit and I will not touch anything in your home. Please note in-home visits will not be available should there be any Provincial restrictions in place at the time of our appointment. Safety protocols are subject to change based on the Provincial restrictions.
I DON’T LIVE IN THE LOWER MAINLAND REGION, CAN YOU STILL HELP ME?
Absolutely! While I do love meeting families in person, luckily we have wonderful technology now to thank for the next best thing. My services are available via phone or video calls. During a video call I can do a nursery assessment as well which many of my families find helpful. No matter where in the world you are, we can work together!