The best time to sleep train is when you, the parent, are ready to sleep train. Studies show that week-by-week a newborn is gaining self-soothing skills naturally. You’ll see this as their night sleep is regulating (they’ve got to connect sleep cycles which entails self-soothing as they emerge from a sleep cycle!). Studies also show that by 12 weeks old an infant’s circadian rhythm is developed to create more predictable patterns, and they have the ability to suck on their hand or pacifier to self-soothe.

Sleep shaping can begin as early as a couple of weeks old with sleep routines up to the age of 4 months.

Sleep Training: 4 months to 6 year olds

Some crying is often part of the sleep training process. While many parents hope for a “no cry” method, the truth is that all children respond to change differently—and with change often comes protest. Crying is a natural form of communication, and research shows that when a child’s core needs are met, crying during sleep training is not harmful to their development or attachment.

Sleep training doesn’t mean leaving your baby alone to cry. You can absolutely be present and offer reassurance —through your voice, touch, or presence—even if it doesn’t always stop the crying in the moment. What matters most is that your baby feels safe, supported, and has the opportunity to begin learning self-soothing skills, which are valuable not just for sleep, but for emotional regulation in everyday life.

The goal isn’t to eliminate all crying, but to approach it with calm, consistency, and compassion.

Yes, it’s completely normal for babies and toddlers to experience sleep disruptions—even after sleep training. Teething, illness, travel, and developmental milestones can all temporarily impact sleep.

That said, not every baby regresses at the same age or in the same way. Sleep isn’t a straight line—there will be ups and downs, and that’s okay. The good news is that once your baby has developed strong sleep habits, it’s much easier to get back on track after a rough patch. Sleep training isn’t a one-time fix —it’s the foundation that helps your family navigate future changes with more confidence.

For infants 16 weeks old until your little one moves to a toddler bed, I typically use one of two methods. The first method is a check and console method, where you will be offering reassurance to your baby in set intervals. The second method allows you to sit next to the crib and slowly get farther away each night. I like these two methods with a toddler in a crib as well. Once the toddler is in a bed we have to have incentives to stay in bed. A “stay in the room” approach that turns into “I’ll be back in a minute!” works great for this tough transition.

Though these methods sound easy peasy, they can’t quite be summed up in one or two sentences. There will be lots of troubleshooting during our time together to reach our goal of a consistent, independent sleeper.

Yes! In fact many of the newborn and infant clients I work with are breastfeeding. We will continually keep an eye on your supply and ensure that you are emptying your breasts the amount of time that your body needs to keep making the amount of milk your baby needs.

I have not found sleep training to be effective if continuing to co-sleep. This is because the baby or toddler will still have an association present, YOU, which can cause lots of crying with no real progress, or continual regressing in self-soothing skills. Our first step in working together, will be to move the baby into a crib or bassinet as part of your tailored sleep training plan.

Room-sharing is a YES! Whether you aren’t ready to move your baby into a different room or you don’t have any option for moving the baby into another room, room-sharing is an option that should not cause lasting problems with the sleep training process. It may be a tad harder at first, but we always reach our goals even with room-sharing. I know all the tips and tricks that work to ensure that your little one can fall asleep and stay asleep, even in the same room as you!

I don’t offer a money-back guarantee, and here’s why: sleep success depends on both of us showing up and staying committed. Babies aren’t robots—sometimes things take longer or look different than expected. It’s not about perfection; it’s about consistency, flexibility, and trust in the process.

What I can guarantee is that I will be right there with you. I’ll support you until we reach the goals we outlined together in your customized sleep plan. While most families see solid progress within the two-week support window, some little ones need a bit more time due to milestones or schedule shifts. I’ll make sure you feel confident and equipped to keep going, even after our final consult.

There is a philosophy of sleep training that involves working on night sleep before moving onto naps. However, I have not found that to be the most efficient method and with some babies you will not see success at night until you remove all sleep associations, both during the day and at night. If you think about it, it isn’t very fair to your baby to rock, feed your baby to sleep, or hold your baby all day for naps, but come bedtime put your baby in the crib and expect him to use his self-soothing skills. There will often be ongoing protest and night wakings, rather than just protest the first couple of nights when we work on nights and naps together. We will start the plan on night #1 at bedtime, and move to naps the following day.

Yes! Sleep challenges aren’t just for babies – I absolutely work with toddlers and children up to 6 years old. Whether your child is struggling with bedtime battles, frequent night wakings, early rising, or needing a parent to fall asleep, it’s never too late to improve sleep.

Yes! It’s a different approach. With older children, we use more communication, age-appropriate expectations, and often involve your child in the process. It’s less about routines alone and more about helping your child feel safe, secure, and confident falling asleep independently.

Bedtime resistance or anxiety; needing a parent to fall asleep; multiple night wakings; transitioning out of crib; early morning wakings; dropping naps and managing overtiredness. Each plan is customized to your child’s developmental stage, personality, and your family’s values.

If you are struggling through the night feel free to text me those questions so you don’t forget and I will get back to you in the morning.

My job is to work myself out of a job so when our time together is over you should feel confident and ready to do it on your own. You can always schedule an Ask Me Anything call if you still need some guidance.

Yes! Many Lincoln/Omaha and surrounding areas families choose to add an in-person overnight on the first night of virtual support. I’ll be there to guide you through bedtime and night wakings in real time, so you’re not doing it alone. It’s a great option if you want hands-on help, extra confidence, or a smoother start to your sleep plan.

Absolutely! Most families choose the Virtual Support package (Friends Package). It is designed for families anywhere. See what it entails on the “sleep services” page.