It's no secret that having a baby often means some sleepless nights. But what if those sleepless nights have gone on for months on end? What if it feels like you're spending your whole day just trying to get your baby to nap? What if you're beyond exhausted and your mental and physical health are starting to suffer? 

For many parents, this the reality. They know they need to do something about their baby's sleep, but the thought of leaving their baby in the crib to cry doesn't feel like the right fit. 

So is there a way to sleep train without your baby crying? 

The short answer is no. But hear me out. It's not what you think! And there are  plenty of parent-present and gentle ways to support your baby through sleep changes.  Here's what I mean: 

No matter what method of sleep training you use, there's going to be some crying. This is how your baby is communicating all sorts of things such as: 

• I'm not sure what's happening right now because you usually rock or feed me to sleep

• I want to sleep but I don't know how to fall asleep without your help (yet!)

• I'm not used to this change

• I feel a little uncomfortable because this is new

All of these thoughts and feelings make total sense!

Throughout life, our kids are going to have moments where they feel a little uncomfortable as they try new things. This is how we grow! As parents, we get to choose how we support and guide our children through these changes. When sleep training, this might look like:

• making gradual changes 1 at a time to support your baby with sleep. Things like adjusting schedules, feedings, rocking to sleep vs. feeding to sleep, then slowly working to putting your baby in the crib fully awake and soothing crib side

• choosing a parent-present method of sleep training so you can support your baby as he or she learns to fall asleep in the crib

• changing your mindset around crying and tuning into what your child's cries are trying to communicate

One thing I always work on with clients is finding the method that feels right for their individual baby. Some babies really need a parent right there beside them to get through these changes. Other babies really struggle to fall asleep if a parent is in the room because being in the same room but not being held just feels to hard! In this case, parents often find their baby gets the hang of sleeping the fastest when they leave the room, tune into their baby's crying, and do some timed check-ins. Figuring out what works best for your baby can make a huge difference in sleep training success.

There are also lots of things you can do to set your baby up for sleep success before or without sleep training. Check out my free guide, "3 Things You Can Start Tonight to Improve Your Child's Sleep (Without Sleep Training)" to get these great strategies. 

As a Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant and an IVF mom, who sleep trained both of her kids using a parent-present and gentle method, I'm here to help you get those full nights of sleep and rock-solid naps using methods that feel right in your heart. If you're ready for your family to get the sleep you need to thrive, book a free discovery call with me and let's talk about how I can help you meet your child's sleep goals. We're in this together!