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November 25, 2023

5 Tips to Improve Your Sleep as a Parent

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a person laying in bed, getting better sleep based on their unique temperament

November 7, 2023

How Temperament can Influence Sleep Needs

Not all sleep needs are created equal: temperament can significantly…

a person laying in bed, getting better sleep based on their unique temperament

November 7, 2023

How Temperament can Influence Sleep Needs

Not all sleep needs are created equal: temperament…..

4 times waking a sleeping baby can better their sleep

November 7, 2023

4 Times Waking Your Sleeping Baby Can Improve Their Sleep

The old adage, ‘never wake a sleeping baby’, is one…

4 times waking a sleeping baby can better their sleep

November 7, 2023

4 Times Waking Your Sleeping Baby Can Improve Their Sleep

The old adage, ‘never wake a sleeping baby’,…..

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October 19, 2021

Being responsive is not a bad habit

October 19, 2021

I’m here to normalize 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹 infant sleep

October 19, 2021

On Eat, Play, Sleep…

October 19, 2021

𝙉𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖 𝙗𝙖𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙣.

October 19, 2021

On trying to separate breastfeeding from sleep…

October 19, 2021

Gentle is not the same as supportive

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Sleep training is NOT the only answer. Resigning

Sleep training is NOT the only answer.

Resigning yourself to never sleeping again doesn’t have to be the answer, either.

And yet, when we finally came to our senses and fired the sleep trainer who didn’t respect our requests for gentle sleep support, we were told that we would never sleep again.

Here’s why that’s total BS:

👉🏼 we can be responsive and still change sleep associations

👉🏼 we can identify underlying causes for sleep disturbances without touching the schedule

👉🏼 babies and kids can sleep well, regardless of the “habits” they have (✨PRO TIP: there is no such thing as a bad habit when it comes to sleep)

👉🏼 We can work on wake windows and nap timing to optimize your baby’s sleep capabilities

👉🏼 We can hold age appropriate boundaries within loving limits without ever using separation

Are you tired of being tired but unwilling to compromise on your child’s needs? You’ve come to the right place. I can help.

⭐️ What’s your biggest sleep struggle? Share in the comments below
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👋🏼 Hi, I’m Cayla. I’m a sleep coach and I help families go from tired and stressed to rested and confident without any sleep training. I support client from birth through adulthood
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#sleepwithoutsleeptraining #sleeptraining #firsttimemom #rookieparents #tiredmom #tiredbaby #responsiveparenting #attachmentparenting #parentingtips #sleeptips #sleepybaby #instaparenting #babysleeptips #tiredasamother #momof3 #babysleep #bettersleep #sleepsupport #sleepdeprivation #toddlersleep #fourthtrimester #sleepregression #sleepproblems #sleepconsultant #gentleparenting #motherhoodlife #motherhoodunplugged #parentinghacks #lifewithlittles #sleepsupport

Anyone else notice the Freudian slip where I said

Anyone else notice the Freudian slip where I said my husband was on vacation instead of at a conference? 🤷🏻‍♀️

Follow along if you want to learn more about getting better sleep for the whole family - no sleep training BS, just evidence based support from birth through adulthood
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#Sleepwithoutsleeptraining #sleeptraining #responsiveparenting #attachmentparenting #connectedparenting #sleepcoach #parentcoach #sleepconsultant #babysleep #babysleeptips #sleepspecialist #sleepsupport #sleeptips #adultsleepcoaching #adultsleep #adultsleeptips #holisticsleepsupport #holisticsleepcoaching #holisticsleepcoach

When my oldest was 6 months and we made the mistak

When my oldest was 6 months and we made the mistake of going down the sleep training rabbit hole, the sleep trainer we worked with told us that the only way we would ever get "good naps" was to do something called crib hour, which went something like this:

* Do nap routine, put baby in crib, walk away
* Set a timer for 60 minutes
* Retrieve baby from crib at the end of the timer
* If baby did not nap, wait 30 minutes, and begin again

I probably don't have to tell you, but this was actual TORTURE. I was literally chained to the house, unable to leave because my entire day revolved around attempting to get a screaming, anxious baby to separate from me, and regardless of how she reacted, I was to walk away and come back an hour later. If she woke after 40 minutes, I was to leave her until 60 minutes were up.

It was cruel. I regret every. freaking. second. of it. And the worst part? It was all for nothing. It didn't work to get better naps, but it did create an incredible amount of stress and anxiety for both of us.

Moral of the story? Your baby is not a rotisserie chicken where you can just "set it and forget it". They are human. They have needs. They are not a robot who will perform in the exact manner you prescribe, when you decide they should. And, forcing them to nap under certain conditions will NEVER result in "good naps" unless they are biologically ready for longer stretches of daytime sleep.

Let's take the stress and the BS out of naps. Let's follow our babies leads, and know that if they wake happy, that was the right amount of sleep for them. And if they wake tired or upset, and you're not sure what to do next, I can help 💕

Have you tried crib hour or any other insane sleep training methods? Tell me about your experience in the comments!
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#sleepwithoutsleeptraining #sleeptraining #responsiveparenting #attachmentparenting #connectedparenting #sleepcoach #parentcoach #sleepconsultant #babysleep #babysleeptips #sleepspecialist #sleepsupport #sleeptips

There is nothing written in stone as to when the '

There is nothing written in stone as to when the 'right' age is to wean a child. It's your body and your baby, and for as long as nursing feels like the right approach for you, you should continue to do so.

When the time comes to make the change, weaning a toddler from nursing is a much more emotional process - for them and for you! - than weaning a baby.

Toddlers are able to clearly communicate their wants, needs and emotions, and all of these need to be taken into consideration when formulating a plan.

Here are some tips to help you with the weaning process:

🤱🏼 Talk to your toddler and prepare them for what is to come. There are some great books that help explain this in an age appropriate way, including My Milk Will Go, Our Love Will Grow by @jessicaelderauthor.

🤱🏻 Begin with the feed your toddler seems least attached to. It is often easier to wean daytime first, then bedtime, then middle of the night/early morning. During the day, keep your child busy and offer snacks and water at times when they typically nurse.

🤱🏽 Removing nursing is a big change for a toddler and they will have big emotions around this change - this could be anger, sadness, frustration and anything in between! Empathize with your toddler's emotions- you can say things like, "I can see you're feeling sad, I feel sad about this too, but we're going to do it together and I am here for you."

🤱🏾 Despite the big emotions, your toddler needs to see you in the role as their caretaker, which means continuing to hold the boundary, when appropriate. They are up against something they cannot change, and allowing them space to experience their big emotions within the parameters of this boundary will help them to create coping strategies for similar situations in the future.

🤱🏿 Replace nursing sessions with other way to connect with your toddler - this can mean physical connection, or emotional connection through an activity that strengthens their bond with you.

Are you preparing to wean your toddler? What has been your biggest challenge, and what is working well for you?
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#Sleepwithoutsleeptraining #sleeptraining #attachmentparenting #sleepcoach #breastfeeding

Night weaning is a popular topic because it can be

Night weaning is a popular topic because it can be challenging to know if your baby is ready to drop some or all of their night feeds. Many parents are led to believe that dropping night feeds will be the solution to all of their sleep problems. However, many babies and children are not ready to drop feeds until well into their toddler years, and that is well within the normal range. The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding until at least age 2, so it is not atypical to have a toddler who is still nursing at night. Remember, breastfeeding is about more than just nutrition, it is often about comfort as well - and comfort is a valid nighttime need.
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Attempting to night wean before your child is ready can result in more frequent wakes, so be sure to consider all options before moving forward.
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Swipe through to learn everything you need to know about night weaning, and if you're nursing a toddler, come back for part 2!
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👋🏼 Hi, I’m Cayla. I’m a sleep coach and I help families to find sleep solutions through responsiveness, while building connected relationships. I am passionate about helping families improve sleep without resorting to behavioural methods. I work with struggling sleepers of all ages, from infancy through adulthood.
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#sleepwithoutsleeptraining #sleeptraining #responsiveparenting #attachmentparenting #connectedparenting #sleepcoach #parentcoach #sleepconsultant #babysleep #babysleeptips #sleepspecialist #sleepsupport #sleeptips #nightfeeds #nightweaning #nightwakes

There is a lot of information purporting that slee

There is a lot of information purporting that sleep training is life changing.

This is one area where sleep trainers and I actually agree - but not for the reason you'd think.

Sleep training is life changing because it inherently alters the relationship between parent and child.

As Gabor Maté has said, "There is a whole school of thought in North America that teaches mothers to help their baby sleep by ignoring their crying. Nevermind the mother's milk, the infant just wants to attach, because the only way the infant can attach is physically. When he's not being held, he's not being attached to them. When that's done night after night after night, that's traumatic. And we’re still telling mothers to do that... there is nothing more normal than a child sleeping in the arms of a parent."

Sleep training can be life changing for parents, too. For every parent who claims "sleep training saved my sanity", there are equal, if not growing numbers of parents who say that cosleeping saved their sanity.

For us, this was absolutely true. To undo the damage we felt we had done by sleep training our daughter, we coslept. In hindsight, our actions were still warped by sleep training culture (we slept holding her in a chair because we were conditioned to believe she needed to stay in her sleep space - very unsafe), but our instinct was to provide contact, closeness, and connection.

When we knew better with our second, and then third, cosleeping helped me avoid much of the stress and anxiety I felt during the months of sleep training, which was worse for my mental health than almost anything else in my parenting journey.

Cosleeping truly saved my sanity. It gave me the peace of mind to be close and connected to my child; it allowed my child to sleep more soundly in close proximity to me; and ultimately, it also led to more sleep for our entire family.

If safe cosleeping feels right for you - then go for it. Block out the noise and do what instinctually feels right - ignoring your gut may have lasting negative implications that you never would have intended.
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#sleepwithoutsleeptraining #sleeptraining #attachmentparenting #sleepconsultant #babysleep #babysleeptips

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