October 14th, 2020

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Clearing the Sleep Training Confusion: How, When and What?

Let me start this blog by addressing some of the most commonly asked questions that I often come across – is it right to sleep train a baby? Our parents never did it? Isn’t parenting about no sleep? Will sleep training have long term negative emotional impact on my baby?

The answer to everything above is that they are a myth! Parenting, specially motherhood, has long been established as a role for which you have to sacrifice everything – to ensure that you take care of your baby. The fact, on the contrary, is that you need to be happy to raise a happy baby and you need to be well rested to take care of the baby as well as your other relationships
😊
 
How do I calm my nerves?


 
  • Seek a certified sleep consultant
  • Speak to your sleep consultant before booking
  • Get your partner onboard
 


We have all been and its completely natural. I mean its your baby after all and you want nothing but the best for them. I remember when I was looking to sleep train my baby, I was a nervous wreck myself. What helped me though was to know the fact that I was trusting my baby with a certified/trained sleep expert who is qualified and has suitable experience.

Once you have established that you have a qualified sleep consultant, the next step should be to have a conversation with them to explain your points, parenting philosophy and how do they approach sleep training. This conversation should help clear a lot of your doubts regarding baby sleep training and what to expect.

Lastly and most importantly, ensure you and your partner are onboard the idea. Get your partner on the call with the sleep consultant so that all your doubts are resolved collectively, and you approach this process together as a team.

 
OK, so when should I start sleep training?

  • You can start sleep training your baby as young as 8 weeks old but I prefer starting the training at about the 4 months mark when they have established a good sense of day and night
  • Your baby should weigh >5 Kgs
  • You must rule out any medical conditions by a pediatrician
  • Most importantly, you must be ready to sleep train by committing to the process


What should I expect during sleep training?

Let me be very honest – Sleep training is NOT magic (as much as we would like it to be 😊). It takes time, effort and consistency to see results. However, one thing is certain - if you implement the plan as expected and remain consistent, you will see results quickly.



“Sleep training is not magic, it takes time, effort and consistency”



When you start off, there will be a few rough nights (and days) as your baby is exposed to change. You will want to give up, but you will have to hold it together to see results.

There will be a little cry involved (though much lesser than what they usually cry every night – oh remember the multiple night-time waking every hour?)

However, the most exciting thing is that your baby (and you too
😊) will be able to sleep through the night or sleep longer during the night (age dependent), if you implement the sleep training process as expected! Wouldn’t you love to get back your me time to spend time with your partner / friends or just yourself? I bet you would!!

Let me end this by saying that you will have to sacrifice a zillion things during your parenting journey, don’t let sleep be one of them!

Not ready to sleep train yet? You can start off by downloading this free guide to help your baby sleep longer.

Sweet Dreams,
Meenakshi
Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant

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