Sleep Consultant Course of Study

Course name: Infant Sleep from Birth to 4 Months

Course code: IMS425

Course description

This course introduces the basics of infant sleep and covers common challenges parents have during the first few months. Students will learn about newborn sleep patterns, such as short naps and night waking, and how these are influenced by sleep associations and breastfeeding. The course also focuses on gentle methods to help babies sleep better, alternatives to traditional sleep training, and techniques to establish a consistent bedtime routine. Additionally, it covers the importance of helping infants distinguish between day and night, recognizing when a baby is tired, and understanding the concept of "sleep regression." Students will also learn how to create a comfortable sleep environment for babies and recognize normal baby sleep sounds.

Course objectives

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Understand newborn sleep patterns, including short naps and night waking.
• Discuss how breastfeeding can affect sleep patterns in babies.
• Offer gentle alternatives to traditional sleep training methods.
• Guide parents in creating an effective bedtime routine for infants.
• Help parents teach babies to distinguish between day and night.
• Recognize signs of tiredness in babies and suggest ways to respond.
• Identify the symptoms of the “4-month sleep regression” and know how to handle it.
• Explain common sleep associations and how they affect a baby’s sleep habits.
• Provide advice on making babies comfortable for sleep.
• Recognize and understand the normal sounds babies make while sleeping.

Course content

• Introduction to Infant Sleep
• Newborn's Short Naps 
• Newborn's Night Waking
• How to Help Infants Distinguish Day From Night
• How to Wake a Sleeping Baby in a Gentle Manner?
• Bedtime Routine for Infants
• Signs of Tiredness
• Falling Asleep in Different Ways
• Baby Sleep From 3 to 4 Months
• What Are Sleep Associations?
• Types of Sleep Associations
• The Birth of the Term “Sleep Regression”
• What Is the Reason Behind the So-Called “4-Month Sleep Regression”?
• What Symptoms Are Associated With the 4-Month Sleep Regression?
• Do All Infants Experience the “4-Month Sleep Regression”?
• How Can We Avoid or Reduce the Impact of the “4-Month Sleep Regression”?
• The Most Common Sleep Associations
• How to Make Babies Comfortable for Sleep?
• Learn to Recognize Sleeping Sounds

Exercises:

• 5 practical exercise (not graded)
• 6 practice quizzes (not graded)

Assessment: 

• 1 final test
• 3 case study exams

Grading System

Pass/Fail based on performance in the final test and the case study exams.

Prerequisites

Students must have completed the following courses before enrolling in this course:

• IMS511 Science of Sleep
• IMS101 Introduction to Pediatric Sleep Consulting
• IMS421 Safe Infant Sleep

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