The Baby Sleep Connection: Holistic help for tired, responsive parents who don't want to sleep train
Ep 79: Sleep Challenges: Is it me or my child who’s having the challenge?
When sleep feels like a challenge, parents want to know what they can do to get their child to sleep longer. And to do that, many parents look at what needs to be changed in the child –what does their child need to do to make this feel better. But what if your child’s sleep is actually typical for their age? What then? In this episode, Heather Boyd explores some of the reasons why sleep can be atypical for children, and what to do if their sleep is actually typical but you are struggling with the wake ups, early rising, and short naps. Heather asks parents to reflect on: What is getting in your child’s way of sleeping? How are your child’s sleep patterns impacting you and the family? What are your perceptions of the problem? What else is making this hard (outside of sleep)? What are your perceptions of what this should look like? What needs to change (to improve your baby’s sleep and to increase your capacity for managing the current sleep situation)? Ultimately, you could ask yourself, “If I stopped measuring my child’s sleep against an ideal, what would I actually want to be different?”. Chances are your answer goes far beyond your baby’s sleep. Here’s to the coming months/season/stage of your parenting providing you with rest, connection, and meaning. Mentioned in this episode: Lyndsey Hookway has often said “It’s hard because it’s hard”. I quoted her spontaneously in this episode and didn’t give her credit. Lyndsey is the author of Holistic Sleep Coaching and co-facilitator of The Holistic Sleep Coaching Program. You can find her at lyndseyhookway.com . What you can do next: Subscribe to this podcast and share it with a friend! Provide a review on Apple Podcasts. It truly makes a difference to reaching families who would benefit from understanding their baby’s sleep better. Sign up for weekly baby sleep emails. https://heatherboyd.activehosted.com/f/1 Book a screening call with Heather (receipts provided for Ontario families) Credits: Music: Jordan Wood
