Meet baby Sierra and her amazing mother, Tanya
Tanya had struggled with the challenges of managing multiple sleep schedules and dealing with those relentless frequent night wakings.
"I can confidently say we are all sleeping, have so much confidence in our abilities and are a happier household because we know that our bubba is getting the rest she needs.”
When Sierra turned seven months old, Tanya was caught in a sleep-time tango, trying to juggle the routines of her energetic 24-month-old toddler, Sabrina, and her precious little baby. It was no easy feat!
Sierra had developed a strong reliance on being fed to sleep for all her naps and bedtime. And during the night, Tanya resorted to feeding and co-sleeping in an attempt to catch some shut-eye. Unfortunately, Sierra’s sleep was interrupted every two hours, which meant Taynya needed to constantly feed her back to sleep.
As you can imagine, Tanya’s lack of sleep left her feeling completely drained and exhausted each morning. It made caring for her two adorable bundles of joy a true challenge. But Tanya had reached her breaking point and knew she needed to make a change. She longed to regain her energy and be the best parent she could be while taking care of herself.
Tanya opened up about her struggles, sharing, “As a mother with two little ones, I felt overwhelmed trying to manage their sleep schedules, daily activities, meal planning, and settling a baby with a spirited toddler running around the house.”
Time to take action
Determined to find a solution, Tanya decided to join my sleep program. Together, we took the first step of building a solid foundation and improving Sierra's sleep environment.
The results of working together
Tanya transformed the nursery into a cosy sleep space, creating a darker room and introducing white noise. These small changes significantly improved Sierra’s ability to settle down, find calm, and drift off to sleep quickly.
Two magical things happen when babies sleep in a dark, low-stimulation room. First, it helps them relax to get ready for sleep and triggers the release of melatonin, the sleep hormone. And second, it signals that it’s time to sleep, activating their calming reflexes and helping them drift into sleep.
Next, Tanya committed to following an age-appropriate awake time for Sierra. By establishing a consistent nap routine based on these specific times and incorporating a gentle wind-down routine, Tanya made planning her day with two kids much more manageable. Sierra’s daytime sleep became more consistent, bringing some well-deserved order to their bustling household.
In the past, Tanya had relied on feeding Sierra to sleep, unlatching her when she was dozing off, and carefully transferring her to the cot. However, Tanya realised it was time for Sierra to self-settle to sleep in her own cot. With my program’s hands-on and gentle settling method, Tanya gradually transitioned away from feeding to sleep. She created a safe sleep environment where Sierra could fall asleep independently for naps and bedtime. No more co-sleeping meant more parenting battery recharge time for Tanya.
As Sierra adjusted to her new sleep patterns, Tanya noticed that settling her to sleep in the cot became easier and quicker. Sierra’s naps became more predictable, bringing a sense of ease to Tanya’s daily routine with her two adorable kids. And here’s the best part—on the third night, Sierra started sleeping longer stretches throughout the night. She would wake up for a feed, easily drift back to sleep, and peacefully sleep until morning.
Sierra had been experiencing night waking every two hours, otherwise known as the 4-month sleep regression. It’s a normal change in sleep patterns, with babies experiencing full awakening between sleep cycles. The key to navigating this regression and achieving longer stretches of night sleep lies in guiding your baby toward self-settling.
Tanya embraced the settling-to-sleep method outlined in the program, and to her surprise, Sierra quickly mastered the art of falling asleep independently. Once Sierra consistently self-settled at the beginning of sleep, she effortlessly resettled herself between sleep cycles. This resulted in longer naps during the day and more sleep for the whole fam at night.
Ensuring Sierra’s awake times were appropriate for her age was essential in preparing her for naptime. Tanya made the self-settling process a breeze by knowing when she was ready for sleep and consistently following the routine. Remember, focusing on the start of naps and bedtime with a consistent approach is key. The drive to sleep is at its highest during these times, and the more consistent you are, the quicker your little one adapts, making settling easier.
Sierra’s self-settling skills flourished within just a week. And within two weeks, she was an absolute champion at resettling herself between sleep cycles. Her naps were like clockwork, and she peacefully slept through the night.
Having access to troubleshooting advice through the online sleep program has been a lifesaver for Tanya. The four weeks she dedicated to improving Sierra’s sleep have paid off in ways she couldn’t have imagined. Tanya now enjoys uninterrupted sleep at night, feeling refreshed and confident that Sierra will sleep soundly, allowing her to embrace the joys of parenthood day and night fully.
The incredible impact of quality sleep has created a happier family life.
You can’t be the cOoL pArEnTs if you’re constantly feeling burnt out & asleep on your feet
With the right steps, education and gentle methods to get your baby to sleep, a set of realistic expectations, and the support (and pep talks) you need to actually trust your parenting-gut, you’ll finally get the sleep you and your baby deserve, and feel like a fully-functioning human-snack maker again (#goals).
