Nicole Morales Baby Sleep Expert and Dr. Dan Gartenberg Discuss Sleep Training and More
In this interview, Dr. Dan Gartenberg speaks with Nicole Morales, a newborn and infant care specialist, postpartum doula, and pediatric sleep specialist. They explore the complexities of sleep training for babies and strategies to help parents improve their sleep. The conversation covers several critical topics, including safe sleep environments for infants, effective use of sleep technology, and various sleep training methods.
Key Points from the Interview:
Introduction and Background:
Dr. Dan Gartenberg introduces Nicole Morales, highlighting her expertise in helping parents and infants with sleep training. Nicole shares her background as a specialist working with children from birth to twelve years old.
Safe Sleep Environment:
Nicole emphasizes placing babies on their backs to sleep and allowing them to roll over independently. She advises using white noise machines at a safe distance and at a moderate volume to avoid impacting brain development.
Recommendations include keeping the crib free of blankets, lovies, and other objects until the baby is at least one year old. Dr. Gartenberg adds the use of sleep sacks as a safer alternative to blankets.
Sleep Training and Technology:
The discussion touches on the appropriate use of noise machines and ensuring they are not too loud or too close to the baby. Dr. Gartenberg mentions using his own sleep tech software, which transitions from ocean waves to pink noise at a safe volume.
Sleep Training Methods:
Nicole clarifies that sleep training does not necessarily mean letting the baby cry it out. She introduces different methods based on parents’ comfort levels and emphasizes a gradual approach to help the baby adapt to a new sleep routine. Nicole stresses the importance of support for parents during the sleep training process, offering packages ranging from one to four weeks.
Self-Soothing Techniques:
Nicole advises putting babies to bed when they are drowsy but still awake to help them learn to self-soothe. Dr. Gartenberg shares his personal experience with his five-month-old baby, confirming he follows similar practices of putting the baby to bed while drowsy and using gentle soothing techniques.
Practical Tips for Parents:
Nicole provides practical advice on using pacifiers and handling potential issues, such as the baby waking up when the pacifier falls out.
She discusses the appropriate age and conditions for allowing babies to sleep on their side or stomach, provided they can roll over independently.
Throughout the interview, both experts emphasize creating a safe and supportive sleep environment for babies and offering practical, gradual approaches to sleep training. The conversation aims to alleviate parental anxiety and provide actionable tips for improving both baby and parent sleep quality.
See Nicoles work at https://www.dreamlandsleepsolutions.com/ and book with her today to unlock the SleepSpace technology as well using this special link:
