Babies and toddlers need to process their experiences, just like we do.

And they have an uncanny tendency to keep trying to figure something out until they understand it.

But because your child is working in the non-verbal realm of awareness, felt memory, and ‘imprints’ (patterns or habits), it can look like common behaviors and you may not recognize what’s happening.

Your child was born chock-full of ways to communicate and heal. Babies and toddlers truly seek to understand their experiences. It’s up to us to recognize and receive it; but none of this is typically addressed or talked about in our society.

What it can look like when your baby or toddler is trying to process birth or early experiences:

• Some sleep challenges
• Arching a lot
• Extended crying
• Behaviors that aren’t resolving
• Strange fears
• Habits that seem odd
• Difficulty transitioning
• Resistance to being told what to do
• Bossiness
• Pulling hair
• Clinging to a person or item excessively

Not every instance of the above is necessarily related to birth story. But when it feels like an issue is ‘stuck,’ I often discover a corresponding aspect of early experiences.

Birth story work is often magical! It can be very helpful for you as well. Your child will show us what s/he’s “working on,” and we’ll follow. We’ll help him/her work through those experiences through movement, telling the story, guided support of big feelings, games, and symbolic play.

Helwping your child resolve these feelings can have a big impact on how deeply s/he is able to relax and feel safe…

…which can have a tremendous impact on sleep and behavior.