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Setting Your Kids Up for Sleep Success with Melissa Brown

February 26, 2021

LISTEN ON: APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY

Melissa Brown is a sleep consultant who’s developed a sleep training approach through her company Sleep Shop, which is tailored to each individual family’s unique goals and parenting style. Having worked with hundreds of families both locally and internationally, Melissa has become a go-to resource for new parents and seasoned veterans alike. Whether helping a family welcome a newborn or implementing a sleep schedule tuneup for a toddler, Melissa is always there. As a mother of multiples, she is particularly ready to ensure sanity for parents who are welcoming multiples themselves.

Show Notes:

Melissa started out as a chaplain in a hospital, walking families through the bereavement process
When Melissa became a mom she began testing different sleep training methods and starting consulting with others
Melissa goes through a questionnaire with clients and then creates customized sleep training plans which she personally walks them through by providing support and answering questions
The earlier you start with sleep training with your baby the easier it is, but you can find benefits by starting at any point
The biggest goal of sleep training is teaching a baby to put themselves to sleep, parents are helping, but the emphasis shouldn't be on "putting them to sleep"
Over tired babies don't sleep as well, good sleep during the day begets good sleep at night
Make sure that baby has a full meal to get them to sleep longer and have better quality sleep
The basic schedule is a full feed, age-appropriate playtime, wind down, and sleep. Ideally they sleep for 2-3 sleep cycles as a time so they can get a healthy amount of
Ideal room temperature for baby's sleep is 68-72 degrees
Prioritize making the sleep environment as dark as possible
Sound machines can help babies get into deeper sleep cycles by blocking outside noise
When baby can roll it's time to move them out of a swaddle
The cortisol and stress response in babies is higher for a sleep deprived baby than a baby crying at bedtime
Each time that baby eats offer them a full meal to help them sleep better and go longer between feeds
Kids who are very verbal and quick to develop often have shorter wake windows because they are taking so much in throughout the day
At nighttime try soothing your baby with a pacifier for 15-30 min to encourage them to get back into a sleep cycle, if they persist they might be hungry and need to eat
A consistent sleep schedule is going to have great benefits for baby's development, and gives parents better windows of time to get things done!