02/02/2026
If you've been told you need to stop comforting your child so they'll "learn to sleep"...
There's another way to look at this. One that's grounded in child development- and far kinder to tired families.
One of the biggest myths around infant and child sleep is that comfort creates sleep problems.
From a developmental perspective, young children are not yet able to regulate their emotions or stress levels on their own. Their nervous systems are still maturing , and they rely on repeated responsive care to feel safe.
Research shows that responsive comforting helps lower stress hormones, supports emotional regulation and allows children to move more easily through their sleep cycles, including resettling between them.
This is why, as a gentle sleep coach with over 16 years experience in early years, I don't ask families to remove comfort such as feeding, cuddling or co-sleeping.
Instead, I take a holistic approach, looking at sleep cycles, development, environment and emotional wellbeing, so sleep can improve without doing anything that feels wrong.
If you're in the thick of sleep deprivation and doubting yourself, please remember:
β¨οΈ You are not creating bad habits
β¨οΈ Comfort is not the problem
Save this for the nights you need reassurance π
___
π Gentle, personalised sleep support is available, feel free to DM me anytime for more info π