Nursing to sleep and back to sleep is normal and healthy, but what happens when your baby or toddler just won’t unlatch! It’s one of the patterns I see push so many parents over the edge into not coping. In this episode I’m talking you through some tips for unlatching from night feeds. I share some specific tips for the moment of unlatching and also some bigger picture tips for how to manage over the course of the night.

Connect with Kim

Grab the free guide busting common sleep myths and learn more about working with Kim: https://intuitiveparentingdc.com/

Instagram: instagram.com/intuitive_parenting_dc
Facebook: facebook.com/intuitiveparentingdc

Over the years I’ve worked as a sleep coach, I’ve seen long-term logging sleep become more and more common. But have you paused to reflect if logging sleep is helpful or harmful to your sleep or mental health? Is all that data actually useful? In this episode I’m talking you through the pros and cons of logging sleep. I hope this episode encourages you to be more intentional with logging, or even to stop all together if you notice some of the potential negative impacts.

Connect with Kim

Grab a free sleep myth busting guide and learn more about working with Kim: https://intuitiveparentingdc.com/

Instagram: instagram.com/intuitive_parenting_dc
Facebook: facebook.com/intuitiveparentingdc

As a parent, you are surrounded by all the shoulds, should nots, and strong opinions on how you should parent. When you are a responsive parent, it can feel like all that noise doesn’t align with your values. In this episode I’m joined by Claire Felps, a counselor specializing in acceptance commitment therapy, to talk about showing up as a responsive parent in a world that isn’t always supportive. We talk through a few different scenarios, walking you through some of the things we’d each consider with a client. Our conversation focuses on rules verses values, how values can open up your experience, and the need for flexibility in how we approach situations. We also talk about self compassion and the trial and error part of parenting as well as the nuance that makes parenting littles around sleep so messy.

About Claire

Claire Cavos-Felps is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Maryland and Virginia, the founder of Metamorphosis Counseling, and a Postpartum Support International trained therapist. She specializes in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and applies that framework to the very real, very exhausting experience of early parenthood. A parent of four herself, Claire understands that knowing the “right” answer and actually feeling okay at 2am are two very different things — and she’s passionate about what happens in that gap, and what actually helps.

Connect with Claire

Website: www.metamorphosiscounseling.org

Connect with Kim

Grab a free sleep myth busting guide and learn more about working with Kim: https://intuitiveparentingdc.com/

Instagram: instagram.com/intuitive_parenting_dc
Facebook: facebook.com/intuitiveparentingdc

It’s time for a safety focused episode. When can a baby sleep on their stomach? So many babies sleep better on their stomach, but when is it safe? In this episode I’m walking you through the safety guidelines and some things you can do to encourage baby to meet the milestones needed for safe tummy sleeping.

Resources related to this episode

Pediatric PT /milestones IG accounts: @mommyandme.pt @nextsmallstep @milestones.and.motherhood

AAP on tummy sleeping: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/sleep/Pages/a-parents-guide-to-safe-sleep.aspx

Connect with Kim

Instagram: instagram.com/intuitive_parenting_dc
Facebook: facebook.com/intuitiveparentingdc

Learn more about working with Kim: https://intuitiveparentingdc.com/

What does a baby need headed into a nap? Do they need a pre-nap routine just like they need a bedtime routine? In this episode I’m answering some common questions about pre-nap routines, how they can help, and how to make sure they aren’t limiting your nap flexibility.

Connect with Kim

Instagram: instagram.com/intuitive_parenting_dc
Facebook: facebook.com/intuitiveparentingdc

Learn more about working with Kim: https://intuitiveparentingdc.com/

What does your baby’s tongue position have to do with their sleep? Actually, quite a bit. In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Alison Sigal, a pediatric dentist and airway specialist, for a conversation about airway health and sleep. I find this to be a really important and under talked about reason for frequent waking, feeding challenges, and unsettled behavior. We discuss:

• Why tongue ties matter.
• What is good resting oral posture?
• Why is good resting oral posture important?
• How does mouth breathing affect sleep and development more broadly?
• What should parents look for when trying to find an airway knowledgeable provider local to them?
• Basics that make up a good tie release.

I could have picked Dr. Alison Sigal’s brain for so much longer! I hope this conversation gives you insight into your littles behavior and clarity around ways to investigate oral restrictions more fully.

About Dr. Alison Sigal

Dr. Alison Sigal graduated from McMaster University with an Honours degree in Kinesiology before attending the University of Toronto, Faculty of Dentistry where she earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. She completed a hospital-based residency at Mount Sinai Hospital (Toronto) before completing her Masters of Science Degree with specialty training in Pediatric Dentistry. She is a fellow of the Royal College of Dentists of Canada and currently a certified specialist in pediatric dentistry.

Dr. Sigal established Little Bird Pediatric Dentistry in Milton, Ontario to provide comprehensive airway centric health care to children from birth onwards. She has dedicated her practice to the provision of this care, creating novel airway assessment tools, surgical techniques for tongue and lip ties, and myofunctional protocols including Buteyko breathing for best patient outcomes and long-term retention.

Dr. Sigal developed her clinic’s medical record software, that features the largest on-going airway centric patient database globally to date with continual research integration, treatment evaluation, and evolution.

Her career goal is for the provision of airway centric pediatric assessment and treatment to become standardized with universal protocols; assisting the evolution of pediatric anatomy textbooks, academic curriculums, and hospital/health care models.

Dr. Sigal has been an invited speaker internationally, at many multi-disciplinary conferences, meetings, and symposiums, and is regarded as one of the leaders in pediatric airway centric health care.

Connect with Dr. Alison Sigal

Website: https://littlebirddental.ca/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/dralisonsigal/

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@Dr.AlisonSigal

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LittleBirdMilton

Resources related to this episode

Get the age by age self-assessment check lists mentioned here: https://littlebirddental.ca/airway-centric-health-care/

Connect with Kim

Instagram: instagram.com/intuitive_parenting_dc
Facebook: facebook.com/intuitiveparentingdc

Learn more about working with Kim: https://intuitiveparentingdc.com/

Overtiredness is a common topic in the sleep world. Sometimes, it feels like it’s the answer to all sleep problems. I see so many parents anxious about overtiredness. In this episode, I’m sharing a deeper look at the overtired conversation. I will talk you through:

• Is overtiredness a real thing?
• How does focusing on overtiredness influence your ability to support sleep?
• Why sleep pressure and regulation give you a much more accurate picture for supporting sleep.

Connect with Kim

Instagram: instagram.com/intuitive_parenting_dc
Facebook: facebook.com/intuitiveparentingdc

Learn more about working with Kim: https://intuitiveparentingdc.com/

I think we’ve all been there – your little one is not…settling down, stopping crying, letting you transfer them, falling asleep! And you are wondering why is it always this hard. The frustration builds, and you are getting dysregulated right along with your child. In this episode, I’m talking about the power of cognitively reframing the situation to help you regulate and better understand what your child needs. Last week’s episode talked about helping your nervous system feel safe and present.

This episode discusses some tools to help your brain view the hard moments differently, from curiosity and reflection to affirmations in the moment. I share with you some of my favorite affirmations to get you started.

Connect with Kim

https://intuitiveparentingdc.com/

https://www.instagram.com/intuitive_parenting_dc/

https://www.facebook.com/intuitiveparentingdc