Does Sleep Training Harm Attachment? What the Research Really Says

About this episode

This episode explores the relationship between sleep training and attachment, featuring insights from psychologist Dr. Shanna Sarita Alvarez.

Does sleep training harm your baby’s attachment? It’s one of the most common—and emotionally charged—questions parents ask. If you’ve ever worried that sleep training might damage your bond with your baby, you are absolutely not alone. In this episode, we’re diving into the research behind attachment and sleep training with psychologist, Dr. Shanna Sarita Alvarez, to answer the question: does sleep training affect attachment? We cover: What attachment actually is (and what it isn’t) What the research really says about bonding and responsiveness How to make sleep decisions that feel both confident and connected If you’ve been stuck in the cycle of second-guessing, guilt, or fear around sleep training, this episode will give you clarity, reassurance, and a research-backed perspective. Tune in to learn whether sleep training is safe for attachment—and how to move forward with confidence. If you want to dig in even more to attachment and sleep training, check out the following resources from Helping Families Thrive: Stop Over-Complicating Parenting - FREE workshop Attachment Science and Sleep - a workshop that does a deep dive into popular research used when discussing sleep training…

People in this episode

Host: Lauren Engler

Guest: Dr. Shanna Sarita Alvarez

Topics covered

• sleep training
• attachment
• parenting
• bonding
• research

Keywords

• sleep training
• attachment theory
• parenting decisions
• bonding
• responsiveness

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Helping Families Thrive

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