The Responsive Family Sleep Podcast

We are taught to focus on reducing the number of night wakes to improve our sleep. And there is certainly a level of waking where bringing those wake ups down is going to help most parents sleep better. But an equally (if not sometimes more) important part of parent sleep is how quickly you are able to fall back asleep after responding to a night wake. In this episode I’m sharing 10 tips to help you fall back asleep more quickly and get better rest. Some are nighttime specific, and some take a bigger picture view. 

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

Most parents want longer sleep stretches at night, and yet most sleep info on improving nighttime sleep doesn’t take into account protecting breastmilk supply. Balancing sleep goals and feeding goals is a big part of the work I do with families. And the truth is, there isn’t one solid answer to the question – how long can I go overnight between feeds (or milk removals) without negatively impacting my supply. It depends on your own biology, breast storage capacity, and feeding history. It depends on your feeding goals, your baby’s age, and whether we are talking a regular occurrence or a night here and there. In this episode I talk you through some of the factors I consider when trying to protect parents’ sleep and milk supply. There isn’t a consensus or evidence-based answer to this question, which is why you may see varied advice on the internet or from professional to professional. If you are an IBCLC listening in, I’d love to hear from you and how you talk parents through this balancing act.
Connect with Kim 
Instagram: instagram.com/intuitive_parenting_dc
Facebook:  facebook.com/intuitiveparentingdc
Learn more about working with Kim: https://intuitiveparentingdc.com/

Sleep is an expression of so many factors. Babies and children have differing needs, capacities, and temperaments. Parents have differing needs, capacities, and temperaments. Goals aren’t the same from family to family and phase to phase. So, in this episode, I am talking you through my framework for how to make sleep easier in your family no matter your needs, capacity, temperament, or goals. This is the framework I use with the families I support across a range of goals because it helps keep us centered on your child as an individual, stay grounded in connection and developmental norms, and intentionally work through all the factors that shape sleep in your family. Let’s make sleep EASIER! 
E - Expectations 
A – Attachment focused and developmentally based  
S – Sleep biology, regulation, and sensory needs
I – Intentionally optimizing your environment, rhythms, and routines 
E – Encouraging parental well-being and sleep quality 
R – Responsive strategies for making changes 
I hope you find this framework helpful as you are thinking about your own family’s sleep situation
Connect with Kim 
Instagram: instagram.com/intuitive_parenting_dc
Facebook:  facebook.com/intuitiveparentingdc
Learn more about working with Kim: https://intuitiveparentingdc.com/

So many commonly held sleep beliefs developed without any thought to breastfeeding needs and norms. As a result, a lot of common advice can complicate or undermine your nursing relationship or your milk supply. In this episode I’m talking you through some of the common signs that sleep info isn’t lactation informed or supportive. I hope it helps you spot strategies and beliefs that can hurt breastfeeding so that you can make informed decisions about both your sleep and feeding goals. 

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

Everyone tells you to be consistent, but how do you know if it’s time to call quits on a change or strategy? Sometimes we jump from strategy to strategy too quickly and other times we feel pressure to push through, even when we know it feels like too much. In this episode, I’m talking you through 7 questions to ask yourself when you are deciding to  push through or make a change in approach. The questions are:
What do I mean by hard?
Is the timing right?
How long have I tried this?
Does it feel out of my child’s cope?
Does it feel out of my ability to support my child through it?
What is my motivation for this change? 
Is it aligned with my parenting values
I hope these give you some clarity to be more intentional if you feel like a change is hard. There isn’t always a clear right or wrong answer when it comes to supporting sleep changes. 

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