You Don't Have to Let Them Cry-It-Out

Sleep training is a set of strategies and techniques parents use to help their babies learn to fall asleep independently and stay asleep through the night. The ultimate goal is to ensure both the baby and the parents have a healthy, restful night’s sleep.

We like to categorize sleep into 3 areas. Newborns are born with a blank slate, and how they ‘learn’ to fall asleep is how they believe they fall asleep as the skill grows and develops during their first 3 months of life. You can sleep shape a newborn, so you never need to sleep train them out of props later without them needing to cry.  

Infants typically have learned how to fall asleep, in many cases, with the help of someone or something, that we refer to as a prop or crutch. At this age, we are ‘training’ them out of a bad habit, with slow, deliberate, and gentle coaching that, over time, builds the skill of independent sleep and minimizes the need for support or assistance. 

Toddlers generally, at this point, know how to fall asleep but begin to have a certain preference or behavior they like to get to sleep. There is also an aspect of independence and empowerment. Here we help families reset expectations, build boundaries and confidence and teach these little ones they can sleep well and feel great.

Our goal for this program was to ensure it was set up to support a community of tired parents, with a level of customized support that isn’t available anywhere else in this capacity. If you follow along with the program and implement the changes, sleep will happen in your home. Plus, through coaching in the program, we can help you through sleep speed bumps as they come up. Our risk-free guarantee is also helpful, which allows you to apply the price of a month of Sleep Steps towards private sleep coaching with a member of our team, should you find you prefer more 1:1 accountability and coaching.

YES!! There are many babies who do still need to eat at night, but can also have really good sleep habits too! I will show you how to achieve this balance, recognize it’s time to eat, and provide consolidated sleep that is so crucial to their long-term health (& yours).

Change for anyone is hard and if anyone tells you that making changes and adjusting your child’s sleep habits could be done without tears, they are lying to you. (Sorry….setting the right expectations here.) My goal is to tell you to MINIMIZE tears because there are a lot of factors that play into how your child will change habits and behaviors, but I lay it all out there for you. If it was simple you wouldn’t be here.

There are many methods of sleep training, so let’s start there because everyone teaches SOME variation of these methods in their programs.

{remember, the method is only a fraction of the formula for success. We educate in the program on the whole picture, the why’s and the hows.}

Cry It Out (CIO): This method involves putting your baby to bed and letting them cry until they fall asleep without intervention. We don’t teach this.

Ferber method (or Check-Ins): Developed by Dr. Richard Ferber, this method is a gentler version of CIO. Parents gradually extend the time before going to their crying baby, offering brief comfort but not picking up or feeding them.

Chair Method (or Sleep Lady Shuffle): The parent sits in a chair next to the baby’s crib and slowly moves the chair further away each night until they are out of the room. The idea is to provide a comforting presence while encouraging independent sleep.

No Tears Method: This approach, advocated by Elizabeth Pantley and Dr. William Sears, involves soothing techniques that prevent crying. Parents might nurse or rock babies to sleep or offer a pacifier.

We take a more holistic look at things here because no child is one size fits all, and we explain in the program how to determine the best needs for your baby. Every child is unique, responding differently to various methods based on age, temperament, and developmental stage.

Rather than enforcing a one-size-fits-all method, we prioritize the individual child’s needs and responses, respecting their emotional wellbeing while gradually fostering independent sleep habits.

No, “Cry it out” is placing a baby in a safe space, allowing them to cry until they fall asleep on their own, without engagement from you or without you in the room. We teach you about how to identify the best method to align with your personality and your family’s sleep goals.

Yes, not all children respond to sleep training in the same way. There are many reasons why sleep training might not work, including a baby’s age, temperament, or any underlying medical conditions. 

Additionally, inconsistent application of sleep training methods can also lead to poor results. If one method doesn’t work, it may be worth trying another, or addressing any other potential issues that may be disrupting your baby’s sleep with a healthcare provider.

Consistency is key. Show up to the calls, ask questions, and engage in the community. We want you to win and are here to coach you through it.

Additionally, inconsistent application of sleep training methods can also lead to poor results. If one method doesn’t work, it may be worth trying another, or addressing any other potential issues that may be disrupting your baby’s sleep with a healthcare provider.

There are many popular self-guided sleep coaching courses and eBooks available today. Two of the more popular ones we see have a lack of sleep coaching unless you pay for the next ‘level’ package. The problem, most people need COACHING. They have questions, their child is unique, and they are unsure as they progress through the program. That’s where we are different. You have UNLIMITED access to hot seat Zoom calls we host every week at multiple times. You have access to chat threads as well, and our team of Sleep Coaches will get back to you and help you transform your sleep in a few days.

Of Course! You will have the option to book a private call with me or the team, at an additional cost, if you would like some additional 1-on-1 support, but based on how I set up this program, with your success in mind, it should not be necessary. You have weekly access to live calls, where all of your specific questions are answered.