At Little Dreams, we’re firm believers in the power of sleep and the incredible benefits it brings for both children and their parents (you can read more about this in our blog). Beyond the well-known advantages, some fascinating insights have come from Professor Mike Gradisar B.Sc. (Hons), M.Psyc. (Clin), PhD – a Clinical Psychologist and Professor of Clinical Child Psychology at Flinders University in Australia – which may be particularly helpful for parents considering working with us.
Evidence based sleep consulting
We often hear from families concerned about online articles claiming that crying when little ones are learning to sleep is harmful to babies. Professor Gradisar has compiled a comprehensive review of the research on this topic, helping to clear up the confusion with science-backed evidence.
While we at Little Dreams favour a gentle, responsive approach over traditional “cry-it-out” methods (just ask any of the families we’ve supported), it’s true that introducing changes to sleep habits may bring some protest from little ones.
It’s comforting to know, then, that research shows a bit of crying at bedtime – though naturally difficult for parents to hear – doesn’t actually lead to elevated cortisol levels, as once believed, and isn’t harmful to your child. All of us at Little Dreams are parents too, and we wouldn’t support any method we weren’t confident was safe and rooted in evidence. We rely on research, not just opinion, to guide the work we do. You can explore Professor Gradisar’s full findings here.
And as always, if you’re finding sleep challenging right now, please do get in touch for a free 15-minute call – we’d love to help!
