During my second pregnancy, my daughter was diagnosed with Down Syndrome and a congenital heart defect.  We were told that our daughter would need surgery within the first 6 months.  In the first year of her life, she was held in order to fall asleep due to medical issues and equipment.  As a result of this medical need to hold her upright to fall asleep, the situation did not allow her to comfort herself.  When her medical issues started to subside and improve enough, I found myself adding on more “techniques” to get her to sleep.  By 18 months she was waking 4-5 times a night!  My husband and I were severely sleep-deprived, struggling with concentration, were short on patience for our older daughter, and I felt like I was on a long-term post-partum emotional roller coaster.  I knew what needed to happen next; figure out a way for improved sleep.

My main concern was if it was “safe” to sleep train my daughter with special needs? I felt guilty that she was 18 months old and could not put herself to sleep.  I wondered if this unique situation was just something we had to deal with and couldn’t be helped?

I finally took the first step, started the research, and found Kim West's (a.k.a. The Sleep Lady) sleep coaching techniques to be a great fit.  These methods brought me peace of mind, gave me confidence in how I could help my daughter, and most importantly, worked great!

Through this experience, I felt relief knowing we could be helped despite the extenuating circumstances of our situation.

Since then I have felt called to make sure other parents do not feel like sleepless nights are just something they have to deal with.  You may be a new parent who has been told to get used to “no sleep”, or a family with ingrained sleep habits that you may feel are “too difficult” to overcome.  No matter what your situation may be, it IS possible for your child and your family to experience a full night of sleep now, and for years to come.

I am very passionate about meeting a family where they are at and helping them find ways to improve their lives with sleep skills they feel comfortable utilizing.

If your family is beyond tired due to a child that does not sleep well, and you are anxious about whether sleep training is the best answer for you, please reach out to me.  I would be honored to guide your family into restful nights.