by Mar De Carlo
With the launch of her book, “Awakening Through Sleep” and with the continued advancement of her Holistic Pregnancy & Child Sleep Consultant Certification program via the International Parenting and Health Institute, Mar De Carlo standardizes the term, “Sleep Optimizing” to support the integrative customized strategies and approaches she and her certified graduates use when working with adults and children.
Mar says that a large part of “Sleep Optimization” is to always thoroughly investigate each case and all areas that may be affecting optimal sleep, rule out any medical or therapeutic issues that may need immediate attention and discover the root cause of what is getting in the way and preventing quality and suitable amount of sleep. From there we can implement an appropriate customized solution oriented strategy/plan that supports the adult’s or child’s body’s natural designed ability to sleep.”
Mar shares an example sof how this works with children and states, “We do not use sleep training. We use what I call, “Sleep Optimizing” customized strategies. The term sleep training leaves so much room for assumptions and misinterpretations. It is quite often misused and while it can mean so many things, it continues to be a term that describes one size fits all approaches that usually does not take into consideration many health and lifestyle factors affecting the child and family’s sleep .
Our children’s bodies do not need to technically be “trained” to sleep. By nature’s design, human bodies are already programmed to sleep and will do so if we support the process.
Children go through various stages of sleep development similarly to walking, eating, talking etc…and most often there are many health and lifestyle factors, in addition to unrealistic expectations parents are unaware of getting in the way sleep.
Much of my work and what I teach my professionals is not only understanding the natural factors that regulate and influence sleep through a child’s various stages of development but also learning from the child. Often parents and professionals rely so heavily and get hyper focused on books and rigid methods that they overlook what their child is teaching them about sleep. The child is also a book that is providing us information we must consistently learn from. Children teach and guide us just as much as we do them. We just have to tune in.
