Sleep Parenting

Join me as I team up with Espace Reverie for some FREE workshops this coming week!

Nurturing Sleep: Understanding Infant Sleep Patterns
For babies under 18 months
Thursday, August 22nd at 11:00AM

Growing Together: Sleep Solutions for Toddlers and Preschoolers
For 18 months - 5 year olds
Saturday, August 30th at 11:30AM

Sign up HERE: https://www.espace-reverie.ca/workshops

Remember, it's FREE, but spaces ARE limited! So sign up soon

🌟 Exciting Announcement! 🌟

I'm back and ready to help parents within the GTA find attachment-based sleep support and solidarity.

👶 Introducing my Summer Group Sleep Session Special! 👶

Gather a group of 5+ families and host a FREE 1-hour sleep session with me as your guest speaker! I'll tailor the advice to your group's needs, from newborns to preschoolers.

🎁 As a host, you'll enjoy a 50% discount on a private consultation, and all attendees will receive 15% off too!

📝 Ready to get started? Fill out our quick form and let's set up your group session today! https://www.sleepparenting.com/free-group-session

For interested daycares and schools, please visit https://www.sleepparenting.com/tour

We're still celebrating Mother's Day here at Sleep Parenting 🤩

Get 15% OFF of any Sleep Parenting service (including packages and pay-as-you-go consultations) when you use the promo code MAMA15.

Offer valid until the end of the month.
www.sleepparenting.com

Go check out our new website with updated free resources, new support options and more accessible coaching help!

Also, for a limited time, get 15% off all Sleep Parenting packages 🎉

Link in bio

Repost from .ashley
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I am frequently asked if weaning overnight feeds might be the magic key to better sleep. It's a logical assumption considering that when babies wake, they usually take a feed. But this is often not the result. ⁠
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Once weaned, many babies continue to wake multiple times overnight because the root of their wakings wasn't addressed. When I work with a family, there are several areas that I look at before turning to overnight feeds:⁠
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🕰️ an inappropriate sleep schedule can absolutely contribute to extra wakings overnight due to insufficient sleep drive or excess cortisol in the body⁠
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🍼 dependent sleep associations can be disruptive to overnight sleep because the environment has changed from when baby fell asleep, and they need their sleep association to come back in order to fall back to sleep⁠
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🩺and underlying medical conditions like tongue ties, sleep apnea, eczema, etc. can create more wakings due to discomfort⁠
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Once those areas (plus more - sleep is part of a larger, unique context that needs to be understood) have been addressed, I often see a significant improvement in night wakings without even touching overnight feeds. I do help parents wean overnight, but I always want to make sure that we have developmentally appropriate expectations and that there isn't something else getting in baby's way. It doesn't have to be all or nothing. Most families can handle a feed or two overnight. But waking 4+ times for months on end absolutely takes a toll. ⁠
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Night feeds are biologically normal for babies, and many continue to feed overnight until somewhere around 12+ months of age if left to wean on their own.

What do overnight feeds look like in your house? 🍼🤱🏻😴⁠
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Our Coach Ashley is pretty spectacular. ✨ If only every family could have her in their back pocket!

If you’re looking for some support, reach out to her, or any of our other coaches. (Link to book a free 15-minute intro call in our bio!)

ashley will be hosting a FREE🤰🏿Newborn sleep class on December 2nd. (Registration link in bio)

🗓 Stay tuned for our FREE classes for babies 6 months + coming in 2022!
And don’t forget about our special pricing for LGBTQ+ 🏳️‍🌈 and BIPOC families in need of support.

Repost from .ashley
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Just a little encouragment for my fellow parents/caregivers out there...⁠
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Build that village. Say yes to the help. Ask for the help. Do your research and find your qualified experts. Create a community of support around you. Parenting should not be done in isolation.⁠
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But with that help can come a thousand unhelpful "suggestions". Heck! Even walking through the grocery store sporting a bump or a baby and the unsolicited advice comes rolling in. The pressure to "do it right" and please the crowd can be unbearable. ⁠
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~ "Is baby sleeping through the night yet?"⁠
~ "Oh you're not bedsharing, are you?"⁠
~ "Formula, huh? You sure you don't want to give breastfeeding another try? Breast is best, after all."⁠
~ "If you pick that baby up everytime she cries, you'll spoil her."⁠
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Remember that the only person you owe a thing to is the tiny creature in your care. And you are exactly what they need. ⁠
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I have been a people pleaser my whole life. I hate conflict and I hate disappointing others. The birth of my daughter heralded an incredible amount of growth in my ability to say yes and no. To set boundaries with respect and conviction. To search out and invite in so that we could survive the roller coaster of life with a baby, while at the same time not abdicating my power. ⁠
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How are you doing these days? Are you drowning in a sea of opinions? Have you found your inner voice? Don't give up your power. You know your baby best ♥️

Repost from .ashley
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How's everyone holding up this week? 🥱⁠
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Funny story. I was lamenting to my family in our group text thread, and my college-aged brother asked, "and why do we hate an extra hour of sleep?"⁠
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I couldn't decide if I wanted to laugh or cry as I thought of my 6am start to the day. Aaaaahhh, the ignorant bliss of the child-free life.⁠
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If you're on the struggle bus this week, know that you're in good company. I'm an infant and child sleep coach so believe me, we prepped for this weekend. Had a beautiful wakeup that was moving later and later leading up to sunday. But my daughter still decided to wake up at her usual, now one hour earlier, time. Cue the mommy tears 😭 (I am not a morning person, btw.)⁠
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A few tips for you to survive and adjust this week:⁠
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📺 Do your best to avoid the electronics until your ideal wakeup time. That light exposure and stimulation is going to reinforce your new, unfortunate early rising. ⁠
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🍳 Breakfast normally at 8? Try to keep it as close to 8 as you can. In the same way that early light and stimulation will reinforce that early rising, so will food. ⁠
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🙅🏻‍♀️ Don't move bedtime up too early. We can only sleep so much in a 24 hour period, so an extra early bedtime often results in an early rising because that's all the sleep your little one needs. ⁠
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❤️ Be patient. With yourself. With your child. It's a messy week. We've had extra meltdowns all around this week because everyone is tired. If you stay consistent, your child will adjust to a more reasonable time in the next few days. ⁠
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I help families get to the root of early risings all the time. If things don't settle, don't suffer those 5am wakeups. Reach out! I'd love to help.

Join our coach Ashley this Thursday November 4th for our FREE online Newborn sleep workshop!

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/newborn-sleep-fundamentals-registration-130519650789 🤩

Follow for attachment based parenting and sleep tips, tag a friend who might want to join and let us know what newborn questions you have. 👇👇

Can’t wait to see you there!

SleepParenting.Ashley

Follow us for more attachment-based sleep tips! ⠀
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Starting daycare tips recap:⠀
1️⃣ - Don’t worry about making any changes ahead of time to prep for the separation that occurs with daycare⠀
2️⃣ - Start gradually, if possible⠀
3️⃣ - Introduce your child to their new caregivers through the context of your attachment with them.⠀
4️⃣ - Have realistic sleep expectations and prepare for a few more night wakings temporarily as your baby adjusts⠀
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And finally, tip #5: Be the calm in your child’s storm.⠀
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It’s no secret that many babies have trouble leaving daddy’s arms on that first day of daycare. You are your baby’s safe place and your reaction to the world is what helps them know if something is safe or not. ⠀
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Excessive worry, picking baby up over and over, lingering at the door, all convey a message that you aren’t sure they’re going to be OK. ⠀
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We as parents can be empathetic to our child’s feelings without portraying a sense of overwhelm from them. In fact, our ability to be OK in the face of those big feelings is what shows them that they are safe. ⠀
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And this is one of those moments. ⠀
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You know your little one will be OK. This is one of the first of many changes they will encounter in life. And they are capable little creatures. They’ve got this. You’ve got this. 💜⠀
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Once you leave after dropping them off, THEN you let those tears flow. Go find a friend for a comforting hug. Spend the day looking at newborn photos of your little one. Or head straight to work to keep your mind occupied. Whatever you need to do to take care of your heart. It will get easier, we PROMISE. ⠀
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Follow us for more attachment-based sleep tips! ⠀
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We’ve got two more tips for starting daycare. This one is about setting realistic expectations. ⠀
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Whether breastfeeding, bottle feeding, pumping or not—up until now, your baby has likely been able to connect with you throughout the day. On demand. ⠀
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This is going to be an adjustment for them.⠀
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It’s common for babies to feed less while away initially. For a couple of weeks, while your baby is settling into their new reality, you may see some reverse cycling (getting more calories overnight) & increased night wakings. This can occur for two reasons mainly: one is for the calories, and the other, for proximity. ⠀
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Our kiddos need to fill their attention and attachment buckets, so if that is not occurring as much during the day, nighttime is good enough for them. ⠀
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THIS IS OH-SO-COMMON. ⠀
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Our advice? Go with the flow and fill that bucket. In a couple of weeks and as baby settles in, things should return to normal. ⠀
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Those of you who have already been through this process, what was your experience like with sleep those first few weeks of daycare? ⠀
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