I’m all about giving children the gift of independence, especially when it comes to sleep. Just like eating, sleeping is a fundamental skill that will last them a lifetime. I did a ton of research into different programs before deciding on Taking Cara Babies ABC's of Sleep. I also used her Navigating 3-4 months guide and that set a strong foundation for Sawyer. With our next baby, I will definitely take the newborn course for all of her amazing strategies during those first weeks. As I share my love for Taking Cara Babies, but I’m being careful not to give away all the juicy details and trade secrets that you’ll find in the classes. So if you have a specific question that I didn't answer, feel free to comment below or message me on Instagram. This is mostly an overview of Taking Cara Babies, rather than our personal experience because most people are asking IF they should try it. If you're looking for our personal sleep experience from months 1-8 (with links to her monthly schedules), head to this post. Taking Cara Babies worked for us, and they have a 98% success rate that your baby will sleep 10-12 hours by the end of 14 nights (probably sooner).
Why Cara
There are tons of different methods, but Cara’s is based on child development, being emotionally available, and self soothing. I really felt like I could trust her expertise because of her background as a nurse, and years of experience. I also read lots of her blog posts and watched her Instagram stories to see if her program would be the right fit for us. A big plus to me is that she allows pacifiers! I’m a paci advocate all the way, but that’s a blog post for another time haha.
Crying
It does involve crying, because your baby is going to protest the change. Taking Cara Babies is very clear that they will cry. Also, Sawyer still fusses as she cycles from sleep cycle to sleep cycle. She’s not upset, she’s not hungry, she’s just a noisy sleeper. We all hate hearing a baby cry. It’s the worst. I promise you that a few nights of crying is going to save you nightly crying during bedtime, and throughout the night for soothing. We also struggled for a few months with early morning wakings that she would cry for 20-30 minutes around 5 am then go back to sleep. Early mornings are the last issue to resolve, but sure enough she’s sleeping until 6-7 now.
Schedules
Cara’s guide provides a lot of sample schedules, but she’s sure to tell you that every baby and every day is different. She really explains wake times, nap lengths, and prime bedtimes so you understand there’s a lot of variables for each family. That way you’re able to make a schedule that works for your family. It doesn’t have to be extremely strict to see an improvement in sleep so it’s perfect for more relaxed mamas or type A's like me!
Naps
Cara gives so much insight into naps, and why they seem like such a beast compared to nighttime sleep. Apparently naps and nighttime sleep use different parts of the brain… WHAT!! So you’ve got to teach both, but nighttime will probably resolve first. The approach to naps is the same as bedtime, but you can conquer them at the same time or nights first then naps.
Feedings
Cara gives you tools to wean night feedings slowly to maintain milk supply! She also leaves room for your discernment about whether your baby still needs a feeding early in the night. All night feedings after 11pm are completely weaned though. Make sure your pediatrician has approved that your baby can sleep through the night without a feeding.
Results
Because I did the 3-4 month guide, my experience is a little different than someone who had no foundation before ABCs of Sleep. Sawyer was already sleeping 8-10 hours when we started so the improvements seemed a lot less drastic for us. You will definitely see your baby sleeping 10-12 hours in just a few days. If you’re having any difficulties, then you can schedule a phone call with a sleep consultant to discuss specifics. I’ve found that many sleep issues we’ve had, like early morning wakings and short naps, are covered on Cara’s blog!
The biggest thing I’ve learned from Cara is that sleep is not linear, especially when they’re young. A baby may sleep 12 hours for a week, and then have a rough night because wake times were off or naps were rough. Be consistent anyway. Your consistency will help your baby know that they have one option- to sleep. Even if you aren’t interested in sleep training, or have no sleep issues, @takingcarababies is just fun to follow!
IG: @takingcarababies
Website: takingcarababies.com
Blog: takingcarababies.com/blog
