Details
I graduated from Boston University with a BS in Athletic Training and then went on to Northeastern University for my BSN and became a registered nurse. I worked as a pediatric RN before becoming a full-time mom. I have maintained my RN license by taking current courses.
With three children, I have always made sleep a priority but, of course, I made mistakes and was sleep deprived frequently. “The Sleep Lady’s Good Night, Sleep Tight”, helped me address sleep issues as they came up with my children. It worked so effectively for me and my family that I felt inspired to share these techniques with families similar to my own and actively coach them towards a peaceful night’s sleep.
Accordingly, I completed Kim West’s Gentle Sleep Coach program, the most extensive and professional sleep certification program available. The program involved over 55 hours of training, a comprehensive exam and extensive participation in case supervision with Kim West, LCSW-C who has helped tired parents for over 16 years.
With Peaceful Sleep Solutions, I have combined my RN and Gentle Sleep Coach certification to provide a series of sleep coaching services based on extensive training/experience in the following areas:
• Basic counseling and child development
• Sleep science and behavioral modification techniques
• Secure attachment theory
• Supporting the breastfeeding mom
The program included lectures from top specialists in the areas of:
• Postpartum Depression from Dr Shoshana Bennett, author and leading specialist on Postpartum Depression
• Medical Conditions and Sleep Apnea in Children led by Dr Lewis Kass, Director of Children’s Sleep Center
• Sensory Processing Disorders related to sleep and Cranial Sacral Therapy by Jodi Jennings, OTLR
The GSC Program also includes an exclusive advanced training series directly centered around how to gently work with babies 4 and 5 months of age. This program which I have also completed consists of over 40 hours of instruction and mentorship.
Some of the curriculum training topics include:
• In depth knowledge of the delicate nature of infants under 6 months of age and how to consider all elements of their well-being.
• Current evidence based guidelines and instruction on how to evaluate the 4-6 month old child and family and determine if the child is ready for sleep coaching.
• Gentle sleep solutions and strategies that are effective and developmentally appropriate for the younger baby.
This specialty training is designed to give coaches the knowledge, education and all the tools and resources they need to successfully work with families of babies 4-6 months of age in a safe, healthy and developmentally appropriate manner.
I look forward to helping your family become well rested!
GSC Philosophy
Many parents ask “Are you a cry-it-out proponent or family bed advocate? Do I have to stop breastfeeding to sleep coach my child, do I have to choose between two camps: cosleeping/no crying or crib/cry-it-out?”
Child Soothing
You do not have to pick a camp; this isn’t about right or wrong. It’s about what is working for you and your family.
It is true that the CIO method and the starker extinction methods can work well and a bit faster than gentler methods IF you as the parent can follow through consistently and for long enough.
The Gentle Sleep Coach philosophy was developed by Kim West LCSW-C, The Sleep Lady® because she found so many parents had difficulty following through with a sleep coaching program that they feared will damage their child emotionally or filled them with so much guilt they couldn’t follow through.
The GSC approach is a gentler alternative for families who emotionally or philosophically resist letting their babies cry it out: for families who tried “Ferber” (controlled crying) and it didn’t work, and for families who let their baby cry-it-out earlier but now find it doesn’t help. It is also for families who believe in co-sleeping but find that their children aren’t really sleeping all that well, even nestled snugly with their parents. Or for families who did co-sleep for a few months to a few years and now want the family bed to revert back to the marital one.
Can you guarantee “no crying” you might ask? No, no one really can. For example, if you as the parent have taught your child that the way to fall asleep is to be held to sleep for all naps, bedtime and wakings and you decide that you want to change this; your child will naturally protest or resist this change. After all, they don’t know why you have changed your approach. If your child is pre-verbal then they will cry. My goal is to have as little crying as possible. I encourage parents to be loving and responsive but to allow the child the room to learn this vital life skill of putting themselves to sleep. The parent responds and stays with their child and offers physical and verbal reassurance without putting the child to sleep. This supports the development of a secure attachment between parent and child.
I will work with you to create an individualized, step-by-step sleep plan that will factor in your parenting philosophy, your child’s age, health and temperament, mother’s well-being and the related family dynamics. And most importantly I will support and coach you through the process from beginning to end- for night sleep and naps!
If you have any questions about the Gentle Sleep philosophy, please don’t hesitate to ask.
• Sleep consultations are conducted by phone or zoom. I will review a detailed history form of your child and their sleep patterns.
• We will discuss your concerns with your child’s sleep and together we will create an individualized plan that will be effective and that you feel comfortable with.
• Consultations can address daytime and/or nighttime sleep for babies from 6 months to 6 years old as well as gentle sleep shaping for infants.
Follow up calls are to provide support throughout the sleep training process including reviewing sleep logs, trouble shooting, answering questions and making adjustments to the sleep plan if needed. This process is usually completed within 2 to 3 weeks of starting your sleep plan.
Call to arrange a 15 min FREE consultation!
Website: https://PeacefulSleepSolutions.com
