Education:
Affiliations:
Hi! My name is Naré Panossian. Before being called mom by my 3 little ones, I began a career as a Physician Assistant over a decade ago. It was during my schooling where my passion for sleep was sparked. I learned just how important adequate sleep is not only to the child for their over all well-being and neurological development, but also how devastating lack of sleep can be for adults, especially new parents. Just as important, I learned the fundamental sleep hygiene methods that can prevent SIDs for children. I actively used all of this information in my practice with parents and patients for years!
Being in the medical field, I was used to long, sleepless nights and I thought becoming a new mom would be an easy transition. But, nothing could have prepared me for the lack of sleep and what it did to me both physically and mentally, when I had my first daughter. She had terrible GERD (acid reflux), which meant that she was always spitting up, but also constantly breastfeeding for comfort. This lead to a vicious cycle of waking up every 1.5 hours in the middle of the night for feedings and being fussy because of overtiredness during the day; naps were essentially non-existent. Although I had learned so much in school, they never taught the practicality of getting a child to learn to sleep. I constantly felt exhausted and no matter how much my family and friends told me this was a rite of passage for new moms, I knew there had to be a better solution! As many new parents do, I started researching and came across sleep training and just like that, my daughter started sleeping through the night in 4 days! It was blissful to say the least and I finally started feeling like my old self again! I then went on to use these same sleeping methods with my younger two and got everyone sleeping through the night by 6 months.
I kept on meeting new moms and families that were having the same issues regarding their child’s sleep. I realized that there really is a huge gap for parents when it comes to helping their children learn to sleep on their own, since no one is really there to guide them! This is why I decided to become a certified Sleep Sense Consultant, where I was personally trained by Dana Obleman, who is considered to a be a pioneer in the field. I am passionate to bridge the gap between my medical background and sleep for children.
I know that if you are reading this, you are probably exhausted. Trust me-I have been there. The good news is, your child CAN learn to sleep on their own. Let me help you guide them into becoming an independent sleeper in a safe and gentle manner. I promise, learning to sleep will be a lifetime gift you will be giving your child, all the while giving the entire family the rest they need and deserve!
Philosophy:
When families choose to work with me, they are putting trust in me with their child’s sleep and well-being and I take this responsibility VERY seriously. As a parent, you also need to be comfortable with your new sleep plan in order for it to work for your child and family.
My approach to improving your child’s sleep is pretty simple:
1) Safety: With my medical background, I always stay up to date on the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for sleep to ensure your child’s sleep plan is best yet safe for your child.
2) Honesty: I will always give you honest information regarding your child’s sleep and needs-this will give you all the motivation needed to make changes to your child’s sleep habits.
3) Easy Plan: I will lay out an easy-to-follow, step-by-step plan that lets you make some choices about what is the right approach for your child. (Being a mom of 3, I know very well that each child is unique, and nobody knows your child better than you do, which is why I will listen and get you involved in the decision-making process.)
4) Accommodating: I know all too well that life happens and can become unpredictable with kids. That is why my sleep plans are accommodating to each family’s unique situation and different parenting styles.
5) I will show you how to measure success: No, you shouldn’t expect your child to sleep 12 uninterrupted hours on the first night (although it does happen!) I will tell you what you should expect along the way.
A little note about the “crying” question: Since people always ask me about whether my solutions involve “crying it out,” I think it’s something that deserves to be addressed here
Crying is the only mechanism that young, non-verbal children have to express their frustration and protest. Imagine if you were told you had to completely change your bedtime routine, all the while being, exhausted (I am certain you would be grumpy to some degree). This is exactly what is being asked of your child when we begin the process of teaching them to sleep on their own. That’s why I’m always sure to tell parents that my program will most likely involve at least some amount of protest on the child’s part.
Please understand that I will never ask you to leave your child to cry alone, nor will I ask you to ignore their cries. The reason that my sleep plans are so effective is that it lets you develop a plan that you feel comfortable with, based on what you know about your child.