Sleep training: Start when they are in utero!

Okay parents, I’m about to be opinionated here. I beg you to sleep train your child as soon as you can handle it! I’ve read all the books and there is no data to prove that not sleeping training your child is any benefit over sleep training your child. I want to remind you that you’re exhausted, the moms are hormonal and your decision making capacity is skewed by your love of your angle. I believe the love and desire to be close to your child is almost like an addiction that may need a mild intervention. I have seen families fall apart from exhaustion, including my own.

I played with the sleep training concept but did not get serious about it until he was a year and a half old and all I did was exhaust all three of us. I’m a naturalist and along with the midwives, the breast feeding at night seems so appropriate that no one should tell you to stop. But I’ve met the moms and the dads, I’ve done the research and I want to remind you parents that you must take care of yourselves during this journey and with this sleeping training is a very important step towards your health.

I promise your child will still be smiling in the morning and will have less over all hours of crying and high cortisol if trained to sleep. An important quote that motivated me was: “Quality time is more important than quantity time with your loved ones.”, if you don’t get everyone in the family sleeping you will sacrifice the quality of your experience parenting. When you first rest again you will realize how much more present and loving you can be to each other, to your child and most of all your longevity. If you want to walk down the aisle at your child’s wedding, you must not let your health fall off of a cliff. Go away, hire a nurse, and be strong… just get sleep training done as soon as you can.

I’ve had moms break down in my office, I’ve seen their blood tests and I want to remind you that postpartum, anxiety, depression and exhaustion is very real. Though as incredible as parenting is, it takes its toll on us. So please mediagate the potential effects by getting your child to sleep.

GOOD LUCK!