Cara shares her research-backed approach to sleep training after struggling with conflicting advice as a new parent. She developed a method that combines scientific evidence with emotional connection, helping her baby learn to sleep independently without abandoning responsiveness.
All I ever wanted to be my entire life was a mom. Wouldn't you assume a baby nurse and a pediatrician would be natural parents? Well, we were during the day. At night, those first several months, well, we survived. But by the time she was eight months old, our nights were a hot mess. I was exhausted. I was literally up every 45 to 60 minutes nursing this baby. Nobody was sleeping. We. We weren't functioning. Our marriage was suffering and motherhood wasn't at all what I imagined. This way of life wasn't working. Something had to change. So I asked my husband, how do you get this baby girl in her own crib and sleeping all night long? After all, he is a pediatrician. Come to find out this really isn't addressed much in medical school. So I kept searching for answers. I asked every mom friend I knew, how do you get this baby girl in her own crib and sleeping all night long? And I read and I googled and I asked more friends and I got answers all right. But the problem was all the answers were conflicting. And the methods I tried, they just weren't working. The ones I didn't try, I felt they just didn't sit well with me because of all the crying. But I knew there had to be a way. So I quieted all the voices in my head and I set out on a mission to get my daughter sleeping with no crying. My husband supported me, but he reminded me of the importance of evidence based scientific research. This resonated well with me because as a nurse, I knew how to use the medical studies to evaluate them and create a plan for real life. I researched and studied infant sleep on every level. I also researched the crying, and here's what I found. Crying doesn't always mean something is wrong. Crying can also be a way that a baby communicates, saying, I don't know how to fall asleep. What's going on here? Now I understood the truth that tears associated with sleep were simply an expression of change and a bit of frustration rather than desperation or sorrow. If I could go back and tell myself one thing that I know now, after having four kids and looking at all the research, I'd say, kara, it doesn't matter if that baby is 5 months old or or 15 years old. Those tears will pull at your heart. They're supposed to. However, as a parent, you must just step back and say, I know what is best for this baby. I'd say, kara, a day is coming when you're going to be driving down the road and that baby is going to be screaming in the car seat behind you. Are you going to pull her out and put her on your lap as you're driving? Of course not. That's not an option. I'd say this, Kara. Sleep is the same. Sleep is not optional. It's necessary for proper brain growth and development. Want to know how this story ends? After all the research, I came to the conclusion that formal sleep training after 5, 6, 7, 8 months of age was going to produce crying. However, I reminded myself of the scientific truth about the need for sleep. And. And I found ways to intervene to really make sure that my little one never felt abandoned or neglected. That was my biggest concern. But guess what? Those tears were temporary. She learned how to sleep and we remained emotionally connected throughout the entire journey. Our family began to thrive. I could be that mom I always wanted to be Mama. I can teach you how to do the same. Use that scientific research and remain emotionally connected to your baby as you help him or her learn the skill of independent sleep. This class can change your life. Please know a well rested family lends itself to the most effective bonding possible. And that's what we all really want.
