In my many years in pediatric practice, one of the most common issues I find parents are having difficulty with is sleep.

I found that often it would be the main concern at a wellness exam, and sometimes it would only be after I asked how the baby is sleeping that that truth about how much of a concern this is for parents would come out.

It became apparent that many parents are almost afraid to admit they are having a problem with sleep. But why? Why do we get into bad sleep habits in the first place? And why is it so difficult to create good ones?

The answer to this is quite simple.
Most parents who come to me for help admit they are in some way to blame for the bad habits that have been created.

The number one reason for bad sleep habit creation is by far…

“I am tired and just need sleep.”

I totally get it. As a mom of four who has difficulty dealing with interrupted sleep myself, I thank my lucky stars that I was not able to sleep if my babies were in my bed, because I might have fallen into the same “comfortable” path that many parents are unhappy they have fallen into.

So why not change it? If it is the most common complaint and most are unhappy with the solution why is it so hard to change?

Well, making the change, no matter what the sleep training method that is right for your family, requires effort during the night, and parents are already so tired. In the moment, the short-term benefit of sleep right now often takes priority over the long-term benefits of sleep training.

While I can completely understand and appreciate the motivation behind giving in, I challenge you to think about the long-term rather than the short-term. Like many things in life, the short-term hard work (loss of your sleep) has a huge long-term payoff (lots of well-rested nights!). Imagine the feeling of having a quiet household at night and lots of uninterrupted sleep for you.

Imagine how amazing you and your child will feel after a few nights of good sleep!

If you need help developing a strategy to help you and your child get more sleep, please schedule a call with me. I would love to help you feel more rested.

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