Sleep Coaching FAQs

Is this sleep training?

Everyone has a different definition of sleep training, so that's a hard question to answer. If sleep training to you means helping your child learn to fall asleep with less support from you, then yes. If it means shutting the door and letting your baby cry it out, then no.

What does a sleep plan include?

Every plan is personalized to your family and looks at the full picture of your child's sleep. This includes circadian rhythm protocols, daytime schedule adjustments, sleep needs guidance, feeding suggestions, activity and regulation support, a sleep approach for nights and naps, mindset coaching, and even parent sleep suggestions. On top of this, you get daily WhatsApp support and coaching from me for 2 weeks while you make changes!

Every family also receives a bonus attachment guide, which can be especially helpful for parents who are feeling anxious about crying and attachment.

At the end of our two weeks together, your family also receives a personalized sleep roadmap for the months ahead.

Do I have to night wean?

Nope, you do not need to night wean to make sleep changes. I fully support parents keeping a feed (or two) at night. I can also help guide you in the night weaning process if that is your goal and it is appropriate for baby.

Do you use "Cry It Out" (extinction)?

No. The majority of my work with families involves parent-present support, where babies are not left alone to cry as they learn new sleep skills. I also meet families where they are at, and sometimes that does involve a frequent check-in approach (not Ferber). With any of my approaches, your baby knows that someone is close by and they are safe and supported through this process.

Will my baby cry?

Yes, likely. It's impossible to promise a tear-free experience when we're helping a baby or child learn a new sleep skill that's different from their preferred way of doing sleep- or anything for that matter! Babies and children are allowed to express their big feelings about a change, and you can be right there to love and support them through those emotions. Secure attachment is not built through never experiencing tears and frustration. It's built by the way we show up for our children when things feel hard, over years and years.

How long does it take?

My approaches are designed to move families through the hardest part as quickly as possible, while being as responsive as possible. If the plan is followed with consistency, the hardest days come early and we usually see substantial improvement toward your sleep goals within 5 days.

My plans are not designed to be super gradual where parents are stuck making changes for months. That's unsustainable for both parent and child, and while it may feel more "gentle," in the moment, it often creates more frustration for parents, more confusion for baby, and more overall crying, just spread over a longer period of time.

How do you work with co-sleeping/bed sharing families?

Most bed-sharing families come to me wanting longer stretches of sleep, fewer night wakes while still bed sharing, or support transitioning into baby’s own room.

If you plan to continue bed-sharing, we help your child use their own body to find sleep rather than relying on their caregiver to make sleep happen, so baby no longer needs to be on top of you, frequently latched, or needing assistance an feeds every time they wake, which will greatly reduce night waking.

If you're ready to move away from bed-sharing, we take a multi-step approach to avoid a sudden shift from months or years of close contact to fully independent sleep. Instead, we focus on building a strong sense of safety and foundational sleep skills before transitioning into their own sleep space.

I take a harm-reduction approach and teach safer bed-sharing practices based on the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine's Protocol #6. While this differs from American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations, my focus is on helping families reduce risk and get better sleep within the choices they are already making, without judgment.

For babies under 12 months, I work with bed-sharing families who are fed exclusively human milk. If your child is over one year, I work with bed-sharing families regardless of feeding method.

How do I get started?

Book a free 15 minute discovery call with me so we can both get a sense if it’s the right fit! Look forward to chatting. :)