How will I know when I’m ready to sleep train?
How will you know when the right time is to get the whole family sleeping better?
This is a common question that floods my DM’s and my Inbox weekly. “But Bailey, I just don’t know if I’m ready. How will I know?”
If you’re asking questions like this, then I don’t think you’re ready.
The parents I mostly work with are 2 feet in the door, ready to tackle all of the sleep problems, and are highly motivated to succeed. I’m not saying that you can’t succeed if you’re feeling a little hesitant, but I know that you’ll know.
Here are a few signs you might be ready:
You outwardly complain about sleeping poorly on your social media. Showing pictures of your monitor screen saying “why aren’t you sleeping 😭”
You feel like coffee and caffeine are the ONLY 2 things keeping you alive throughout the day.
You’re actually not enjoying motherhood as much as you thought you would have…not sleeping is taking a huge toll on you.
Co-sleeping is no longer ‘fun.’ Your wiggly baby won’t stop hogging the bed, your neck is sore from not being able to move, and you just want some alone time with your partner.
Your mind is constantly telling you how tired you are throughout the day. You can’t shake the feelings of exhaustion no matter what you do.
You’ve started going to bed with some anxiety - not knowing when the next wakeup is going to be and how long it’s going to take to get your baby to sleep this time. The inconsistency is sending you for a whirl.
You are just plain old SICK N’ TIRED of waking up every night when you know your child is able to sleep through.
I can tell you for a fact, that I was the last point 😆 I was sick and tired of waking up, and I knew that my son was a-okay to be sleeping through the night, so that was my biggest motivation.
I want to share a few reasons on why sleep training is NOT the right fit for your family just yet…
You still want to co-sleep, in fact, you and your partner love having the extra little body in your bed.
You don’t know if you can fully commit to a sleep plan, maybe you’re just ready to implement a few items of structure…bedtime routine, establishing feedings, etc.
You and your partner are NOT on the same page. If one of you is adamant about sleep training and the other is NOT, then this is not the time to start. You both need to be on the same page because you are teammates! It will be way too hard for your baby to do one thing with you, and a completely opposite thing with your partner. Consistency is your friend.
You can actually function without complaining about the sleep deprivation…because believe me, no one wants to hear you complain if you don’t want to make any changes about it 😉 There is something called positive outlook, and by constantly telling yourself and the world about how tired you are, you are not doing yourself any favours.
You know you won’t be consistent because you like to live on the fly.
You just don’t feel comfortable with sleep training. I get it. It’s not for everyone. But before you write it off, you should have a free discovery call with a sleep consultant before making any assumptions about what sleep training ‘is.’
If it feels like you resonate with 1 list over the other, you have your answer. Just because you might feel like now is not the right time, doesn’t mean that it is never the right time. I have worked with newborns, babies, toddlers, teenagers, and even adults. There is always time to teach yourself how to sleep.
I also want you to know that whatever you choose, own it. I will never judge someone for not choosing to sleep train. It is everyone’s personal journey and I believe that forcing someone into something will not make the outcome great.
BUT, It truly is the gift that keeps on giving ❤️
Bailey
