Regardless of what some sleep 'experts' may argue, there really is no magic solution to solving a baby, toddler or young child's sleep issues.  The Baby Calmer  can confidently share with you that the majority of sleep solutions that are currently being peddled by largely unqualified 'baby whisperers' are not only harmful to the physical and emotional development of babies, toddlers and young children ... these methods also risk compromising the attachment and bonding process between parents and their children, and can contribute towards breaching the sense of safety, security and trust that all babies, toddlers and young children rely so heavily on their caregivers to provide.  Any person with an appropriate and qualified understanding of attachment theory and the neuropsychobiological development of infants, toddlers and young children would never recommend (to any parent) the inappropriate methods of distal and enforced infant and early years self reliance that currently seem to dominate popular parenting culture.

The Baby Calmer is also not in the business of making false claims, offering grandious success rates, or  promising you a 'perfectly' sleeping baby, toddler or young child at the conclusion of our time together!  And because I'm definately not in the business of  recommending unsafe, draconian, out-dated advice to clients, I won't be suggesting or recommending any forms of cry-it-out, controlled crying, controlled comforting, responsive settling, or whatever-else-term is the flavour-of-the-day.  When working with The Baby Calmer, every cry is acknowledged as an attachment behaviour that requires a response.  No crying baby, toddler or young child will be ignored ... you have my word!

So, how is The Baby Calmer different?  The Baby Calmer acknowledges that supporting a baby, toddler or young child to sleep well, relies on the long-term investment of a care-giver's time, energy, patience, understanding, empathy and loving presence.  The Baby Calmer also acknowledges that  every baby, toddler or young child, and their sleep issue, is unique in terms of their family context and how they are parented, as well as their developmental age and stage, temperament, pre-natal and birth experiences, and early life story, to name but a few contributing factors.  As such, when working with The Baby Calmer, a strong focus is placed on trusting and enabling your baby, toddler or young child to reveal what is needed.

The role of The Baby Calmer (during your in-home consultation) is to provide gentle and nurturing support, share research based, reliable information and resources, and facilitate and hold a therapeutically contained, emotionally-safe, flexible and responsive environment in which each baby, toddler or young child can take the lead in setting the agenda during the 'sleep well' in-home consultation.

The Baby Calmer also works flexibly and responsively with parents, towards developing and experiencing a heightened awareness and understanding of what their baby, toddler or young child needs to elicit better sleep.  The Baby Calmer assists and supports parents to begin to focus more on and fine-tune their observational and listening skills; trust what their baby, toddler our young child is revealing; and responsd to their child's underlying sleep needs in an empathic, emotionally connecting and responsive way.

It is important to understand that because such a strong focus is placed on  following your baby, toddler or young child's lead, it is difficult to articulate 'exactly' how  each in-home consultation might eventuate, or to predict what outcomes you might experience.  Every client's journey with their baby, toddler or young child is unique to them.  Sitting with and embracing the mystery that unfolds can be both challenging and rewardng ... beyond all expectations!

Whilst every effort will be made to incorporate each parent's goals and expectations, and to achieve The Baby Calmer's outcomes - as outlined here - some individual circumstances may require the facilitation of unforseen levels of support beyond that which could be  anticipated.  And because The Baby Calmer doesn't offer 'miracles', it is important for prospective clients to acknowledge that the long-term success of any of the "Sleep Well' packages is largely dependant on their realistic expectations, and capacity and committment to follow through with the advice, approaches and resources recommended by The Baby Calmer, as well as continuing to work towards meeting individual sleep needs as indicated by their baby, toddler or young child.

Before reading on, if you haven't done so already, you may wish to learn a little more about me, my philosophies, qualifications and professional frameworks and approaches.  Please click here to learn more about Anne Thistleton: The Baby Calmer ... and click here to learn more about Anne Thistleton Counselling.