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10/18/2018
By: Tonja Bizortonjabsleepconsulting.com
I can clearly remember, like most mothers I'm sure, the very moment I gave birth to my first child. I was absolutely buried in feelings of love and gratitude. And then, about ten to fifteen seconds later, I was equally buried in advice, suggestions, and information. This was all thrown at me with the best intentions, but it was overwhelming nonetheless. So today, I want to focus on my area of expertise, that being sleep, and try to dispel some of the more popular myths I've seen in parenting forums or heard from Mom groups I've talked with.
- Sleeping too much during the day will keep baby up at night.
What keeps babies awake at night, more than anything else, is overtiredness. You might think that an exhausted baby is more likely to sack out for a full night than one who slept all day, but it's actually just the opposite. The reason we refer to it as being "overtired" is because baby has missed the "tired" phase and their bodies start to kick back into gear, which keeps them from falling and staying asleep.
- Sleeping is a natural development and can't be taught.
Sleeping is natural, absolutely. Everybody wakes up and falls back to sleep multiple times a night, regardless of their age. So no, you can't teach a child to be sleepy. What can be taught, however, is the ability to fall back to sleep independently. The typical "bad sleeper" of a baby isn't less in need of sleep, or more prone to waking up. They've just learned to depend on outside assistance to get back to sleep when they wake up.
- Babies will naturally dictate their own sleep schedule. Our babies need extensive care and help in their development, and their sleep cycles are unbelievably erratic if left unregulated. If they miss their natural sleep cycle by as little as a half hour, their cortisol production can increase which causes a surge in energy, and things quickly spiral out of control. So as much as I wish babies could just fall asleep when they're tired, it simply doesn't work that way. That's not to say that you shouldn't respond to their cues, but you shouldn't rely exclusively on them either.
- Sleep training is stressful for the baby and can affect the parent-child attachment.
Nope. And this isn't just me talking here. This is the American Academy of Pediatrics. If there's a more reliable source of baby health information, they're astoundingly bad at marketing themselves. And according to a 2016 study conducted by eight of their top researchers, behavioral intervention, (A.K.A Sleep training) "provide(s) significant sleep benefits above control, yet convey(s) no adverse stress responses or long-term effects on parent-child attachment or child emotions and behavior."
- Babies are not "designed" to sleep through the night.
Our little ones need our expertise and authority to guide them through their early years, and probably will for decades after that. This is especially true when it comes to their sleep. Some babies are naturally gifted sleepers, for sure, but don't rely on the advice of those who tell you that babies should dictate their schedules. You're in charge because you know best, even if it may not feel like it sometimes.
Remember, there are endless posts on social media and websites that portray themselves as factual. Regardless of their accuracy find peer-reviewed scientific study on all things baby-related, and trusted sources like the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Institutes of Health, Britain's National Health Service, Canada's Hospital for Sick Children, the World Health Organization, and other national children's health organizations are excellent sources of information you can feel confident about using to answer questions about your baby's health.
Tonja Bizor is the Owner and Certified Sleep Consultant at Tonja B's Sleep Consulting. She utilizes evidence-based practices to help parents teach their children to sleep 12 hours through the night. She offers her families a peace of mind as they navigate sleepless nights. Follower her on Facebook and Instagram.Visit her website at tonjabsleepconsulting.com and book your free 15 minute consultation.Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
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