PRP020: Possums Sleep Intervention Part 4

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Show Notes: Possums Sleep Intervention Part 4

Dr Koa Whittingham (A collaborator on the Possums Sleep Intervention – www.possumsonline.com) shares her thoughts on the use of dummies, and dealing with separation anxiety and sleep for young toddlers.

Summary

Dummy use

The Possums Approach is that use of the Dummy is a personal decision.
It is best to wait until breast feeding is established.
Dr Whittingham’s opinion is that Dummies are a labor saving device, like baby bouncers.
- By all means use labor saving devices, just be aware that you are doing it.
- Use them if they allow you to regain sanity and be more responsive throughout the day.
- Don’t use labor-saving devices as a replacement for your attention and time with baby.
- Sucking for comfort is a very natural tendency. Consider what your boundaries are – sleep time only? Up to 6 months? 12 months? 18 months? 24 months?

Separation Anxiety and Sleep for young toddlers

It is natural for children to want to be with parents at night.
It’s about balancing the child’s desire to be with parents and parents’ needs and preferences.
This is very young to require solo sleeping.
Consider the parent’s values, needs, and desires. What is it about bed-sharing that is a problem?
Experiment with a range of options. Bedsharing, room sharing, night-time visits.
It is not forever.
At the end of the day – do what works. Once they are adults, no one will be able to tell whether they coslept for 1 year or 7 years.

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