top of page

Episode 65. Biological Infant Sleep with Pediatric Sleep Specialist Candace St. John




 

Repeat guest Candace St John was first on the show in episode #55 when we discussed Adverse Childhood Experiences and their effects on parenting. It is a brilliant convo and one worth going back to check out. You can also hear a full background on Candace’s background and story as well.


She is a Public Health Practitioner studying the effects of equity, social determinants of health, & adverse childhood experiences and trauma on lifetime health & Pediatric Sleep Specialist, who uses social media and her work one on one with clients to teach about how much mainstream advice surrounding infant & child sleep is limiting, inaccurate and lacking proper evidence. Too boot, much of what we see and hear about it is steeped in privilege and there is a huge need to understand that everyone doesn’t have access to the same options.

Today we get into:

  • What biologically normal infant sleep is

  • Why many sleep training techniques are not suitable and will not work for many babies

  • And how bedsharing CAN be the best option for some families!

About Candace:

Growing up in a chaotic & unstable home, I have been drawn to professions that seek to address the root causes of trauma and illness to prevent it altogether.

public health. For the past five years, I have been serving as an Epidemiologist for a community health department in New Hampshire - analyzing trends in chronic health based on social determinants of health, equity, and trauma. Using data and facilitation skills to work with community to solve complex social and health issues has been a humbling experience.

After becoming a mother and struggling with postpartum depression & anxiety, I recognized the gap in education and support for parents in the United States. Much of the parenting advice is based on research with heavy limitations; and, most of it relies on behavior modification of the infant or child instead of shifting focus to parental healing, typical infant development, and unreasonable societal expectations.


I felt drawn to fill this gap.


Parents deserve all of the information available to make the best decisions for their families. Parents need to understand the interaction between social factors, equity, & trauma on their parenting options


Candace on Instagram


Connect with Meg:


Love the show? Then why don’t you:








Comments


bottom of page