When I talk to Mom’s one of the biggest concerns they have is
“I’m not sure that now is the right time. Maybe I should wait...
-She is teething
-She may still outgrow it
-She's going through a sleep regression
There often is so many reasons why they are concerned right now isn’t the right time.
And it’s a very reasonable concern.
As a Mom, we want to make sure that we are doing things right and want to make sure we are doing everything at the right time.
Here’s what I tell Mom’s who have this concern.
There will never be a perfect time to sleep train. Your little one is constantly changing, going through developmental changes, growth spurts, getting new teeth, and so on.
Often these changes they are going through have far worse affects on your little one because they are already overtired and struggling to fall asleep on their own. You know how it is for yourself when you are overtired, everything seems far worse and you react way differently to situations.
And a little one that is well rested will sometimes hardly show any signs of going through these changes.
That being said there are some times that you will want to wait to start sleep training.
1- If your little one is sick
When your little one is sick, they need the extra comfort. They also sometimes need a little assistance in falling asleep depending on the situation. Wait until your little one is starting to get back to feeling themselves and playing normally. Then it’s ok to start.
2- If you are about to move
Give yourself about a month to sleep train before moving. There is usually a lot going on before you move. Packing boxes, making appointments, and a busy schedule. So, you will want to start the sleep training before all that begins. Your little one will sense the change and it will make it harder for them to settle on their own if they haven’t done that before.
3- If you are going to be travelling
If you know you are going to be going away, give yourself 2 weeks before travelling to begin sleep training. Most methods will take 2 weeks before you see complete results. This gives you enough time to have your little one sleeping independently before you go on holidays rather then have the process interrupted and have to start again when you get back home. Again, a new place, new surroundings will throw their sleep off a little bit.
4- If you just had a new baby
A new sibling is a huge adjustment for your toddler. They are going to have to get used to sharing Mom’s attention, sharing space (perhaps a room), etc. It will be exhausting for you, getting up so frequently but it will be so much harder on your toddler if they now have to do something new. It may even cause them to act out and resent their new sibling. If you have the time, I encourage you to teach your little one to sleep independently before the new baby arrives. It will be easier on you and your little one.
5- If your little one is under 4 months old
I don’t recommend sleep training before 4 months old. Yes, there are ways to start healthy sleep habits right from the beginning but it is NOT sleep training.
If this has helped you decide that now is the time to begin sleep training but you are still unsure about how you should do it, let’s set up your FREE 20-minute consultation and chat about your specific sleep situation and discuss some different options so that you can start your sleep training journey before something creeps in and takes that “perfect” time away from you. The sooner you start the easier it is.
Or if after reading this you feel like now is not the time, but you want to learn more about what sleep training will consist of so that you are prepared when you feel it's the right time, then you can purchase a copy of my "Sleep Easy Plan for DIY Moms" here.