The Sleep Trainer
The Sleep Trainer by popular Indianapolis mom blogger Seersucker + Saddles
"Calvin wants to sleep just like you and me. He just doesn't know how. We have to teach him." And it was with those words that I knew, Ashley was going to be the sleep trainer for our boy. Up until this conversation with whom I now refer to as my little Sleep Angel, I was waking up every 2-3 hours to feed Calvin (he was 6 weeks old at this point). And while I was (barely) trucking along like us Zombie Moms do...sleep deprivation is no damn joke. I remember talking to my dad perplexed as to why the sleep deprivation felt sooooo intense this go around...much more so than with the girls...."Beth, you're TEN YEARS older now...no wonder it's a pistol." Thanks dad...but the big guy did have a point.
Onto how Ashley changed our family's lives, specifically Calvin's, for the better by becoming his sleep trainer. Now before I leap into some of the specifics, let me express how important I think sleep is for children. I've always felt this way. Still to this day, I like the girls to get NO LESS THAN 10 hours a night. And it was obvious that Ashley's passion for sleep mirrored mine so I was pretty certain we were going to gel right outta the gate!
Upon chatting over the phone, she quickly diagnosed that Calvin had his days and nights mixed up....kid loved to sleep all day and party all night. She shared some easy tips to help him distinguish between the two. When to swaddle, how to swaddle, lights out, lights on...you get the drift. She also discussed a S C H E D U L E. I utilized a schedule with the girls thanks to Babywise and knew it benefitted them immensely so I was already on board with getting Pip scheduled as well. Ashley has read and researched pretty much every sleep training manual known to man and has taken a little of this and that to create a program that has not only worked for her two kiddos, but a boatload of others, too!
And while I was already reading and researching as much as I could....I was exhausted. I wasn't objective. I was delirious. I needed help. I needed someone who was an outsider, objective, and experienced to say, "Beth, you're going to do A, then B, then C." And that's exactly what Ashley did. She emailed me a customized play by play for Calvin. What his days and nights would look like. What we should do if and when he did this or that. And I have to tell you, gang, it was HEAVEN SENT. Two days of implementing Ashley's strategies, and our little boy was sleeping THROUGH THE NIGHT. Yes. Praise the Lord. Through the damn night.....with
NO CRYING IT OUT!!!
I do not take this for granted trust me when I say...I feel so very fortunate this sleep trainer came into our lives and delivered this wonderful gift for our family. He was such a jolly little critter before, but that kid is the happiest little clam....and PREDICTABLE. And predictability with a newborn is priceless.....I can read that kid like a book because he has a routine and is well rested. The whole family has a routine and is well rested. And it's glorious.
I shared her information previously on InstaStories and was blown away by the response....I mean to tell ya, there's a lot of us sleep deprived moms out there. And since Stories disappear, I wanted to have a devoted post to share my experience and how you can work with Ashley, too. I cannot properly express how invaluable my time with Ashley has been--homegal is worth her weight in gold---and I'd be remiss if I didn't share her expertise with y'all as well. Several things worth mentioning before potentially contacting Ashley:
1. Ashley has trained both breastfed and bottle fed babes. Calvin is breastfed just for your reference.
2. If your baby is a little critter and is sleep trained early on, there shouldn't be any "crying it out." Calvin did not "Cry it Out" at all.
3. Conversely, if baby is in the habit of sleeping with the 'rents.....depending on the age, there may be some self soothing involved aka crying it out.
4. No shame in your co-sleeping game, but this one ain't for Ashley. If you wish to co-sleep with your bundle, she ain't the sleep trainer for ya!
5. In an effort to manage expectations, please note this is not her only gig. She has a full time job and will be certain to respond to your inquiries in a timely fashion; however, it may not be a same day situation.
6. And finally, and most importantly, if you would like more information on sleep training, please feel free to
email Ashley at ashleyjeanneb@gmail.com.
As always, gang, I am available for questions myself...but she truly is the guru. I can only speak to my experience and every baby is different! If you, too, are at your wit's end and wish to give your bundle the gift of sleep, she's definitely your sleep trainer gal! Cheers to your evening, gang, make it a (hopefully) restful one! Sharing some of my fave sleep essentials below:
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