As a first time mom, I am a worry wart

I remember the first time my son slept through the night… I slept like crap. Surprisingly, my restlessness had nothing to do with my overly full boobs or the fact that I was laying next to my snoring husband. I slept like crap because I was worried about safe sleep.

I was a mombie for the first year of my son’s life because I was always so worried that something would happen to him in his sleep.

What if his sleep sack + PJ combo left him too hot and he overheated? What if he didn’t get enough to eat the hours prior to bedtime and his blood sugars dropped? What if he rolled over and was so sleepy that he forgot to lift up his head to take a breath? What if he needed me in the night, but I was so exhausted that I didn’t hear his struggle?

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I didn’t have anything to worry about, but I was still nervous about safe sleep

I was THAT worried about his sleep, even though his sleep space was what the American Academy of Pediatric (AAP) recommended. He was in an empty crib with a fitted sheet over an approved mattress, we always laid him down on his back and there was nothing loose in his crib.

Heck, he will be three in June and still wears a sleep sack because we didn’t introduce a blanket until WELL over one and a half because even at a year old, I was still a worried mama.

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What if we weren’t practicing safe sleep?

I can’t even imagine the fear racing through my heart or the constant rumblings of my mind if he had been sleeping in a “non-recommended” space.

What if he had become dependent on a Rock N Play? What if he needed a Doc-A-Tot to sleep in? What if he would have only slept while being held on the couch?

As a first time mom, I was constantly worried about the safe sleep of my kiddo, and now I worry about the safe sleep of little ones that I work with every day.

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Why I’ll make you ditch the Rock N Play

I’ve supported hundreds of families all over the world in making behavioral changes to get better sleep.

I help “veteran moms” transition babies, toddlers and children from their beds when they are done with co-sleeping, I help twin moms get their littles sleeping in their own room once they are too big for the bassinets, I help parents when their 5 month old no longer fits in the Rock N Play. And in ALL of these cases, I practice safe sleep.

I will not work with you if you demand that your baby sleep in a Doc-A-Tot. I will not work with you if you are unwilling to give up the Rock N Play. I will not work with you if you refuse to get babe out of your bed.

This isn’t me being a picky business owner, this is me being an educated and cautious mom.

I would NEVER want to recommend a sleep environment that wasn’t safe for your family. PERIOD.

Sleep safety will always come first to me as a mom, friend and a sleep consultant.

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You do you, mama

I’m all about the “you do you” parenting movement.

If you want to breastfeed, bottle feed, pump, formula feed or combine all of the above, great.

If you want to work from home, work at an office or stay at home with the babes, great.

If you want to parent with discipline or choice or positivity, great.

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Unless it comes to sleep

But if you want to use a non-recommended sleeping product or placement, I will tell you exactly how I feel.

It’s not that I am judging you. It’s not that I am shaming you. It’s that I am educating you because that is my JOB. Safe sleep one part of my job that I take very seriously because your family depends on it.

Safe sleep is not something that I am willing to back down on especially when there are products on the market that are being sold despite the risk they carry. This isn’t a scare tactic but rather a chance for education.

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7 things you can do TODAY to promote safe sleep TONIGHT

Give your babe LOTS of tummy time practice to strengthen their necks. You can make this fun and interactive by getting down on the floor with them, enticing them with bells, books, mirrors and new noises.

Make sure that there are no loose items in their crib or bassinet. This includes blankets, bears, bunnys and bumpers.

Set the thermostat of your house between 68 and 72 degrees to ensure proper temperature regulation.

Always lay your baby down on their back to sleep.

Use a properly fitted sheet on the bassinet or crib mattress.

If you are using a sleep aid product such as a Rock N Play, Doc-A-Tot or swing, please note that these are NOT recommended for prolonged sleep periods or for unattended situations. These products are intended to be a space to lay baby when you are cooking dinner, doing a workout or taking a shower yet nearby and able to check on them.

Take some steps towards teaching sleep independence to your little one so they are no dependent on outside props or products for sleep. A simple Pinterest search will pull up different sleep teaching techniques if you are in DIY mode. And if you want a customized plan, unlimited support and expert advice, you know where to reach us!

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