What if it doesn't work?

That's actually one of the more common questions that I get from families (and I suspect many others are thinking it!)  Thankfully, my clients have found that it usually does work, but there are times when problems come up that seem to make no sense.  Maybe we make a lot of progress (sleeping through the night, taking pretty good naps, etc), but we can't quite seem to get rid of those 5am wake ups.  Other times, a child just can't seem to nap longer than 30 minutes.  These puzzles usually have one of two solutions.  Either the child is getting mixed messages of some sort or we are dealing with an underlying medical condition.

Let's start with the mixed messages.  As I've said before, consistency REALLY is one of the biggest keys to sleep coaching.  Unfortunately, being consistent is much easier said than done.  As human beings we don't see the world in black and white, and we even more likely to see exceptions when it comes to our kids.  When I was teaching my girls to fall asleep at night, I freely admit that my mind went to all sorts of places when they woke up.  What if she is hungry?  What if her tummy hurts?  What if....  The bottom line is, it's actually a lot more compassionate to NOT pick them up/nurse them/bottle feed them in those moments of weakness.  It just sends mixed messages, confuses them, and leaves them unsure of what to expect in the middle of the night.  That leads to more wake ups and more crying.

Underlying medical conditions are a topic close to my heart right now.  My oldest daughter seemed to be sleeping perfectly.  She went to bed on time, stayed in her bed all night without calling out or seeming upset, got up at a reasonable time, and took great naps.  Unfortunately, she also seemed tired and cranky in the evenings, often woke up cranky, and never seemed well rested.  About a month ago, after some testing, we determined that she had mild Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS).  Now that those conditions are being treated, she's a much happier little girl, and she's MUCH better rested.  Some other conditions that can really wreak havoc on sleep are acid reflux, allergies, asthma, and eczema.  Once we get those issues handled (by visiting the pediatrician), sleep success comes quickly!