Frequently Asked Questions about The Happy Sleeper Sleep Classes

When you enroll in the class, you will be asked to create an account (user name and password). You easily purchase the class from the site, and then you can use your login directly from the top right of the homepage.

The online classes teach The Happy Sleeper methods, which are also outlined in the book. What most parents appreciate about the online classes is the ability to actually hear us describe and teach the methods. The online classes are great for people who prefer to watch and listen, rather than reading a book.

This is a good option if your baby is 0-3 months old, because in the 0-4 month class, you’ll learn the Health Sleep Habits, along with the Soothing Ladder and other techniques for encouraging self-soothing, and then, when your baby is 4.5-5 months and capable of sleeping independently through the night, you’ll learn the game changing techniques like the Sleep Wave from the 4-24 month class.

In the first 4.5-5 months, we don’t have any set expectations, because every baby’s sleep abilities emerge at a different pace. Our goal in these early months is to set the stage to optimally follow your baby’s emerging self soothing and sleep abilities.

The 0-4 month class is available for 6 months. The 4-24 month class is available for one year.

If your baby is at least 4.5-5 months old and you follow the Sleep Wave strategy (taught in the 4-24 month class), our success rate is very high, which is not surprising, since, by this age, babies are very capable of self-soothing. Before this age, we don’t have set expectations, as every baby is different.

It’s normal for young babies, 0-4 months, to not be developmentally capable yet of falling asleep independently and sleeping through the night. They still need your help and to feed during the night. During these early months, the 0-4 month class focuses on strategies to help you gradually step back, a little at a time, so your baby can have space to practice her emerging, self-soothing abilities. We don’t let babies this age cry for more than one minute without a response from you, so that you can maintain a strong, nurtured bond. This class also helps you with timing, routines and the room environment. All of this helps to set the stage for optimal sleep and prepare you and baby for the next step, the Sleep Wave, at 4.5-5 months if you need it. 

The 4-24 month class is the best option. In this class, we help you through 4 month sleep regression and you can decide whether your baby is ready for the new techniques (including the Sleep Wave) taught in the 4-24 month class. 

It’s normal for babies younger than 5 months to still need to feed at night, plus it can be important if you are breastfeeding. The Soothing Ladder will help you navigate nighttime wakings during these months. Most babies, 5 months and older, don’t need to feed any more at night. They can get all their nutritional needs met during the day. At this age, or whenever you’re ready, the 4-24 month class (in particular, the “Spotlight On” weaning video) will help you very gradually and effectively wean night feeds. It works best when you start the weaning process at the same time you start the Sleep Wave (taught in the 4-24 month class).

The Happy Sleeper strategies in the 0-4 month class are designed to give your baby a little space to practice her emerging self-soothing abilities. We don’t let babies cry for more than a minute at this age. Your baby will feel your attunement and responsiveness. When you move into the 4-24 month class, the Sleep Wave method is also designed to satisfy two critical needs of your baby, healthy sleep and secure attachment. We will help you understand how good, natural sleep and maintaining a strong, nurtured bond, both develop naturally and work together rather than in opposition.

The Happy Sleeper approach is science-based. We brought together what is known about child development, including when and how the circadian system (which controls sleep) matures, how self-soothing abilities emerge gradually, the natural progression of the attachment relationship and how these all work together to support excellent sleep once your baby is capable (at about 4.5-5 months). Parents often say it feels relieving, logical and reasonable.

We are trained psychotherapists, so we use our knowledge of psychology, child development and sleep to create a plan that is both responsive and incredibly effective. It is not necessary to leave a baby to cry without response from the parent. The power of our techniques are in the details — we’re excited to teach them to you.