I remember being in the middle of newborn sleep deprivation, desperate for all the sleep tips I could get my hands on.
I’m so excited to share my interview with Samantha from Slumber babes! She’s a certified pediatric sleep consultant who provided so much insight that will be helpful if you’re navigating through getting your little one to sleep.
Whether you’re expecting, recently had a baby, or have a young child, there are sleep tips here for you!

Here’s a little bit about Samantha and Slumber Babes.

Hi! I’m Samantha! I’m currently a stay at home mama of 2. I have a 3 year old son named Beckett and a 10 month old daughter named Spencer. I was a preschool teacher in JCPS for the last 8 years, but recently decided to step away from teaching temporarily to spend more time with my kids. In doing so I found another passion for helping mama’s get their babies sleeping better.

I can remember back when my son was born how utterly exhausted I was – my thoughts were fuzzy, I was snippy with my husband, and quite frankly I was barely functioning. My postpartum anxiety didn’t allow me to “sleep when the baby sleeps” during the day. I just needed someone to tell me exactly when it was supposed to get better and to help me get my son to sleep more than 2 hours at a time. I followed a lot of well known sleep training accounts and even took a newborn course one of them offered.

After consuming all of that information, I felt overwhelmed not knowing who to listen to. I decided to take what I had learned and tweak it to fit the needs of my baby and our family. In doing so, I was able to help my 8 week old son sleep an 8 hour stretch at night! Then 2.5 years later when my daughter was born, she also began sleeping 8 hour stretches at 8 weeks old. 

My journey as a mama inspired me to ensure that no parent ever feels as alone as I did during those sleepless nights. It’s what drove me to become a certified pediatric sleep consultant through The Peaceful Sleeper.

I truly believe that parents and babies deserve the gift of peaceful, restorative sleep. We’re all unique, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to sleep training/sleep learning. That’s why Slumber Babes is here, ready to collaborate with parents, offering the precise sleep support each family needs.

Q. What is the most commonly asked question you get from mommas?

A. “Can my baby sleep through the night without having to cry it out (CIO)?”
My answer is always YES! The beauty of working with a sleep consultant is that we collaborate to create a plan that meets you and your baby’s needs and comfort level.

We can absolutely do CIO if that’s something parents are comfortable with, but we can also modify that by using timers for set lengths of time or we can modify that even more by using shortened timers that parents are more comfortable with. We don’t even have to use timers and parents can go in to soothe as soon as the baby starts to fuss. It all depends on how long families want the process to take and what they’re comfortable with. 

Q. What if baby prefers contact naps instead of the crib?

A. We can definitely work with that if mama also wants to keep some contact naps! Contact naps are such a sweet time between baby and mama. Baby wearing is a great way to allow mom to get things done while baby gets a nap in too! 

If you’re wanting baby to sleep in the crib rather than take contact naps, our first goal would be to practice 1 nap per day in the crib/bassinet. Assuming baby can fall asleep independently, I’d suggest trying to extend the nap once baby wakes up. Try patting baby back to sleep, rubbing his/her back or belly, gently stroking the nose. You can try to extend the nap for about 15 minutes or so. You might even find that at first you have to rock the baby back to sleep for a minute or two. With this process we would work together to gradually fade interventions until baby is able to put herself back to sleep and connect those sleep cycles. 

Q. Tips for independent sleep after co-sleeping?

A. This one is tricky since every family and situation is so different. A gradual approach might look like having baby lay next to you instead of on you in bed. Next, we would work towards baby getting their own sleep space in your room like a pack n’ play or a floor bed. Then finally transitioning to their own room. Baby steps!

Having consistent and clear boundaries when making this change will be important to avoid power struggles. Incentives might be helpful too like getting to pick out the sheets of their new bed or getting a special bedtime bear that’s just for sleeping away from mommy.

Like everything else parenting wise, the biggest tip is to just be responsive to your baby’s needs. This transition will likely result in pushback from the child at any age. You know your kiddo best so really tune into their wants and needs. And don’t be afraid to reach out for help. There’s no judgment or shame!

Q. When do you take an infant’s arms out of their swaddle? When do you stop swaddling altogether?

A. The AAP recommends to stop swaddling when baby shows signs of rolling which is usually between 4-6 months, however you may notice signs earlier or later. I recommend taking one arm out of baby’s swaddle when you start the sleep learning process around 4 months so baby has one hand to help soothe herself.

Personally I used the Zipadee-Zip Sleep Sack and Snuggle Strap when I moved both of my kiddos to their own room around the time we started sleep learning at 4 months. I recommend this sleep sack to all of my friends and clients! *The AAP also recommends room sharing with baby for the first 6 months. 

Q. If you could give an expecting momma one tip, what would it be?

A. Probably to start laying those good sleep foundations early. It makes “sleep training” or as The Peaceful Sleeper method calls it “sleep learning” a lot smoother for everyone. A good sleep foundation looks like ensuring baby is getting good full feedings during the day (rather than constantly snacking), using a swaddle and white noise for naps and bedtime, watching baby’s sleepy cues to prevent baby from getting overtired, keeping wake windows short for the first several weeks (think 60-90 minutes max), and don’t stress about creating bad habits because you CAN NOT spoil a newborn.

Q. How can mommas see what services you have to offer and reach out to you for more sleep tips?

A. Mommas can visit www.slumberbabes.com to book a consult or send me a message on any of my socials!
Instagram: slumber.babes
Facebook: Slumber Babes

I hope these sleep tips were helpful to you! Hang in there, mommas! It’s hard, but you aren’t alone. Reach out to Samantha for a consultation, more sleep tips, and to see what you can be doing to facilitate that sweet sweet sleep.

Are you searching for a Louisville photographer to capture your sweet memories?

I’d love to tell you a little more about what I have to offer! I have a carefully curated studio wardrobe with beautiful dresses for mommas, and adorable complementary options for babies and children. I can connect you with the best hair and makeup artists in Louisville to make your session as simple and stress free as possible. All you need to do is show up and have a great time with your family!

To learn more about the effortless experience I have to offer, click here!

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Get in touch if this is something you would love for your baby and your family! I’m currently reserving all 2024 sessions. If you would like to reserve your Louisville area maternity, newborn, or family photos, in my studio in Louisville, or at one of my favorite outdoor locations, I would love for you to contact me here.

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