Consistency During Sleep Training

Consistency Counts When Sleep Training

Babies and toddlers learn the lesson of cause and effect very quickly. Baby cries, mom responds.

When you are sleep training, the most important ingredient is consistency. It doesn’t matter how gentle the sleep training plan is or how much crying is involved. Your success will be measured by how consistent your response is. If you are 100% consistent, you will be successful. Period.

When we give our children mixed messages, they remember the “one-time exception” and try to find a way to elicit that exception to your otherwise consistent responses. This causes your child to try different strategies (longer and louder tantrums) to get that desired response.

These occasional mixed messages make sleep training harder for both you and your child. Sleep training will take longer, and your child will be confused about what your expectations are.

Limit setting and boundaries communicate to your child that you love them and help them feel safe and secure not only in regard to sleep training but in other areas as well.

Baby Snooze Coach recommends these tips to stay consistent when sleep training:

• Have a plan on how you will respond to crying before sleep training begins.

• Use a timer.

• Remember the long-term benefits of teaching your child to fall asleep independently.

• Work with a trained sleep consultant who will keep you on track and provide accountability. Baby Snooze Coach understands that hearing your child cry is hard and we are there to support you.

• Commit to the process. It can take up to 1 week to see any changes in sleep patterns and up to 2 weeks for a consistent change. If you are consistent and there are no disruptions or setbacks you will be successful!