Safe Sleep Space

Early parenting is flooded with information about baby sleep problems; different advice, approaches and therapeutic interventions. In reality, however, there are many different baby and family needs in the early parenting years. No single approach in isolation is able to address the vast range of issues facing individual babies, primary carers, extended families and communities, but the Safe Sleep Space approach is based on the response of the individual baby so is readily individualised.

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The Safe Sleep Space approach offers a combination of theories and research findings as the underpinning of its approach to help babies and children up to 3 year of age, sleep.
Attachment and Social Learning Theory plays a major role in the development of the Safe Sleep Space approach and coupled with neuroscientific research and findings this approach, offers a contemporary guide to assisting families struggling with sleep problems.

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Attachment Theory – (in brief) suggests that in order to survive, babies are biologically pre-programmed to seek a closeness or proximity to their caregivers especially when they are experiencing stress, or are unwell and/or tired. A baby who experiences closeness with their parent/carer is more likely to feel secure, which promotes psychological wellbeing in the growing child and adulthood.

Neuroscientific and Psychodynamic research – (in brief) Allan Schore from the UCLA School of Medicine, know for his work in infant brain responses, has tracked and recorded to impact of stressful crying events on the infant brain, and along with collegues in the neurscientific field has shown how ‘attachment’ behaviours can shape infant brain growth, and influence the way the brain develops to adulthood. Another researcher and clinician, Bruce Perry has been able to demonstrate the results of ongoing stress in the developing brain, which cannot be overlooked when considering infant and baby sleep and the effects of settling strategies on the developing infant brain.

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Safe Sleep Space offers a guide to enhance parents’ understanding of how they can better hear and see their individual baby. With this knowledge, parents are more able to respond sensitively and provide appropriate experiences, including predictability to the baby’s world. Baby sleeping problems impact on the entire family. Early intervention is ideal to prevent myriad of the documented physical and mental health issues problems parents suffer as a result of a sleepless baby / child.

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The Safe Sleep Space Book (covers from birth to 3 years) and DVD (covering from birth to 12 months) promotes :-

• Response based approach to sleep and settling.
• Nurturing intuitive responses
• Parent/infant attunement
• Building the parent’s capacity to think about the baby/child’s experience
• A settling approach that achieves sleep without using controlled crying techniques
• Respect for the baby and parent

The Safe Sleep Space BOOK (Author: Stevens H. Rebus press. 3rd ed. 2009) offers guidance for families with babies from birth to 3 years. The Safe Sleep Space DVD (Co-created by Stevens H. Davenport C., produced by RCH ERC. 2009) offers guidance for families with babies from birth to 12 months of age.

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