Sleep is such a crucial component of a healthy body and in the context of how to thrive as a woman (not only survive), we need to talk about sleep, or how to get it back. Sleep deprivation is almost guaranteed with motherhood, especially with a newborn. I find many parents choose to suffer through this stage in hopes that it will get better soon. However, eventually these sleep-deprived weeks turn into months and sometimes even years, and you find yourself sleep deprived for way too long. Sleep is non-negotiable for me and as a result, I sleep trained all three of my girls, since then I don’t have issues with sleep. Without sleep, we literally cannot function as our entire hormonal system is being thrown off and out of whack which leads to other health issues.
Sleep deprivation has also been linked to health effects such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, and cancer. Depression and anxiety disorders are also adversely impacted by lack of sleep. Not only that lack of sleep leaves you cognitively impaired which means that you are potentially putting yourself and your baby in danger. We’ve all heard the stories of the moms who forget their babies in the car or leave the stove on, etc. Really, this madness is actually preventable and I personally think you owe it to yourself and to your family. Other than having an opportunity to sleep enough hours, the fact that our kids were sleep trained allowed me and my husband to connect and literally save our marriage. You know how the trenches of parenthood can corrode even the best of love and romance, so do yourself and your loved ones a favor and hire a sleep coach!
Today on the show I am talking with Rachael Kullmann who is an infant and child sleep coach and the founder of Sweet Babydreams Sleep Coaching. She specializes in responsive and gentle sleep methods, working with children ages newborn to 5 years old. As a mother of 2 lively active children, Rachael knows what it means to experience sleepless nights and post-partum depression, as well as all the joys and laughter motherhood brings. Her passion is to see families thriving and well-rested, by empowering parents with the specific tools they need to encourage healthy sleep habits in their little ones for life.
Here’s what we talk about on the show:
- Why is crying actually a good thing for the baby?
- I want to ask you what’s the difference between a crying newborn and an older baby? Are there any differences in terms of how we should respond to the cry?
- When is a good time to start sleep training?
- Why is rocking baby to sleep not a good idea?
- How to cope in a case when mom or dad cannot stand the sound of a crying baby?
- How should parents respond to a crying baby?
- What can parents do in order to minimise the crying?
- When should you hire a sleep coach?
Show notes
I Want To Sleep Train My Baby But My Husband Can’t Handle A Crying Baby – What Do I Do?