Case Study: Helping Conn Transition from Feeding to Sleep- 6 month old

October 01, 2024

When Conn’s parents reached out to me as a Child Sleep Consultant, they were struggling with his sleep. The only way Conn would fall asleep was by being fed at nap time, bedtime, and overnight. He was feeding multiple times overnight  and he relied on his parents' presence to settle down. Being their third child, life was understandably busy, and they were exhausted.

The Situation: After reviewing the intake form and conducting a consultation call, I discovered that Conn was facing multiple sleep-related issues beyond the feeding-to-sleep habit. His naps were shorter than ideal, often due to over-tiredness and inconsistent wake-ups. Bedtime was too late, and his dependence on being fed to sleep made it difficult for him to self-soothe, resulting in frequent night wakings and being fed. Additionally, Conn had become accustomed to needing parental presence to fall asleep, hindering his ability to develop independent sleep skills.

The Plan: To tackle these issues, we implemented the following strategies:

1. Established an Age-Appropriate Schedule: We set a consistent wake-up time between 6 AM and 7 AM to regulate Conn’s body clock. A nap schedule aligned with his natural sleepy times was created, focusing on sleep cues rather than strict wake windows.
2. Implemented a Consistent Bedtime Routine: We aimed for a bedtime by 7 PM, incorporating a calming 30-minute routine. This helped Conn prepare for sleep and improve the quality of his rest.
3. Encourage Independent Sleep: We taught Conn to fall asleep on his own without relying on feeding or parental presence, introducing self-soothing techniques to support this transition.
4. Manage Feeding Practices: We monitored Conn’s daytime meals to ensure he was adequately fed, establishing a clear distinction between comfort feeds and real hunger. As he was only 6 months we limited feeds to once per night as babies of this age can typically go through the night without needing to be fed .The last feed before bedtime was scheduled to occur away from the bedroom to stop the feed to sleep association. 

The Outcome: Through these adjustments, Conn is now on an age-appropriate schedule, and his parents are more in tune with his sleep cues. He takes longer naps, typically two or three each day, and settles down more easily at nap times. Conn has begun to soothe himself back to sleep when he wakes, successfully breaking the cycle of needing to be fed to sleep. He has gone from feeding multiple times overnight to just one feed with the goal of eliminating this feed when mum is ready to do this. 

This case study highlights the importance of an age-appropriate sleep schedule, the power of consistent routines, and the benefits of teaching self-soothing techniques to help babies develop healthy sleep habits. It also emphasises the significance of differentiating between real hunger and comfort feeds while using soothing methods to promote self-soothing.

If you’re struggling with your little one’s sleep, why not book a free 15-minute sleep discovery call with me to see how I can help?

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