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Weird Toddler Sleep!
If you have ever watched your toddler on the monitor or slept in the same room as them, you know toddlers can do a lot of strange things in their sleep!
Here are some headlines on what your toddler does at night and explanations:
Toddler Talking In Sleep
Sleep talking is also known as somniloquy. This can range from muttering nonsense to whole sentences.
To learn more about sleep talking check our this article here.
If the sleep talking is also accompanied by screaming, crying, and not able to be comforted it could be night terrors. Not enough daytime sleep or too late of a bedtime can cause toddlers to have night terrors. Night terrors typically happens before midnight, within the first 4 hours of sleep. Try to keep a regular bedtime and naps to ensure your child is getting enough sleep.
Toddler Sweating In Sleep
If your toddler is sweating in their sleep, not to worry if the don't have a fever! You should try to keep their room between 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. A lot of work and restoration is done in sleep! If you notice other symptoms along with the sweating, it would be a good idea to mention it to your Pediatrician. For some children they can have enlarged adenoids and tonsils that cause "infant sleep apnea" and you will often find children sweating or sleeping in bizarre positions.
Toddler Snoring or Mouth Breathing In Their Sleep
When your child is snoring or mouth breathing it could be caused by a cold or illness. Is this is something that happens all the time, you should mention it to your pediatrician because it can be a sign of enlarged tonsils, adenoids, or may be a sign of a sleep disorder as mentioned above with "infant sleep apnea"
Toddler crying in sleep or screaming in their sleep
Why do toddlers cry in their sleep? It could be night terrors. Night terrors typically happens before midnight, within the first 4 hours of sleep. Toddler do lots of screaming and crying and eyes can be open or closed. Often the child is not able to be comforted. Pediatric Chiropractic and sleep science can be a great way to combat night terrors. Watch my interview with Pediatric Chiropractor Dr. Elise Hamilton here.
Toddler Coughing in Sleep
If you hear your toddler coughing in sleep, it can be interrupting a great sleeper to keep waking throughout the night. On days your toddler is fighting an illness, try giving them a bath or even running a hot shower and just letting them spend some time in the bathroom so the steam can clear out their sinuses. If you haven't heard of the Nose Freida this is great product to have for babies and toddlers that aren't able to blow their own nose just yet.
Toddler Grinding Teeth in Sleep
Have you woke up to a grinding noice and realize its your toddler grinding teeth in sleep? This is also known as sleep bruxism. Causes can vary, but may include teething, misaligned teeth, stress, genetics, or separation anxiety. If this is something you hear your child doing, it's a good idea to mention it to their Pediatrician or Dentist.
To learn more about sleep bruxism check out this article from the Sleep Foundation here.
Toddler Does Not Know Their Sleep Skills
One of the biggest misconceptions about raising children is that they are born already knowing how to sleep well.
The reality is sleep is a learned skill.
If your child needs you to lay down with them or needs you to pat them to sleep or sing to sleep or they require you to do something to or for them in order to go to sleep, this means your child has a "SLEEP CRUTCH". Sleep crutches are not bad or dangerous, and they can work beautifully and reliably for a long time, but at a certain point, it becomes difficult for a parent to "keep up" with the demands. Any time a child needs parental assistance at bedtime or in the middle of the night, it means they have not learned their sleep skills. Toddler to not "grow out" of bad sleep. It is something you have to teach your child.
The act of learning to sleep includes three important life skills. Self-regulation, self-settling and self-soothing children. It is never "too late" for a child to learn their sleep skills. I regularly work with toddlers, in fact, I work with children up to age 6.
My approach to Guilt-Free, Gentle Sleep Coaching® is to create the right environment and offer the right support for your child to easily and successfully learn how to sleep well.
This is why I offer an alternative to cry it out methods. The ‘cry-it-out’ method does not help your child learn sleep skills. They just ‘crash out’ instead of learning how to self-settle and self-soothe to sleep.
With Gentle Sleep Coaching®, our science-based method provides a systematic, proven process for nurturing your child’s sleep skills.
No psychological trauma.
No mommy guilt or shame.
The Blissful Baby Stairway to Sleep™ is designed to limit frustration, confusion, and tears.
It’s meant to optimize your child’s healthy growth and lifelong sleeping habits.
Are you struggling with your child's sleep? Could you use some support?
The first step to see if I can help you achieve beautiful, blissful sleep is to schedule a 60 minute ZOOM sleep strategy session. Go to this link and complete the contact me form and I will be in touch within 24 hours with directions on how to schedule your Sleep Strategy Session.
If you are still wondering if I can help, please know I do NOT advocate 'cry-it-out'. I am a Gentle Sleep Coach. If you want to learn about my guilt-free and gentle process, please go to these links.
The Blissful Baby Stairway to Sleep
Please join my Sleep is Bliss Tribe in Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn so we can stay connected and you can continue to get amazing resources on sleep and family wellness.
Achieving YOUR Goals! Maintaining Nursing Relationship During Sleep Coaching
Does your pediatrician keep telling you that your " baby should be sleeping through the night" or maybe they say your "baby doesn't need to be feeding in the middle of the night"? When a pediatrician says these things it brings up loads of self doubt and more worries such as:
You are not sure what steps to take to get a baby to "sleep thru the night"
You are are worried about maintaining your nursing relationship while you try to night wean.
You love co-sleeping and/or room-sharing and you fear sleep coaching doesn't align with that
You are not alone!
Fear not, Sleep Coaching is possible while maintaining the nursing relationship and honoring YOUR family goals and values. Gentle Sleep Coaching is an alternative to cry it out method.
As my client Kamilla says: "not for a split second felt judged for anything" when sleep coaching with Joanna. "Joanna was very supportive of whatever it is we wanted to do."
Co-sleeping started off as a wonderful experience for my clients, Kamilla and Max, but by the time their son was 11 months it escalated into multiple wake-ups, nursing all night,and mom being tied to baby's schedule with no alone time. The pediatrician kept telling them he "should be sleeping" and that he did not need to feed throughout the night, but this couple wanted to maintain the nursing relationship and room-sharing when they reached out to Joanna.
This couple experienced a Total Family Sleep Transformation and are all reaping the benefits of lifelong healthy sleep habits!
Mom went from fearing the impact of sleep coaching to praising all the benefits: "It was just so eye-opening, I guess, to see my son figuring these things out and helping himself go to sleep. It was a really, really interesting and exciting journey. It's so worth it for your whole family. We didn't really realize or fully comprehend just how much sleep impacts everything."
Watch the video below to hear more about Kamilla and Max's experience with Sleep Coaching!
Kamilla wants everyone to know
"Be open to sleep coaching. It's not this big, bad, scary thing. It's super important for people to understand that sleep coaching is not just someone telling you to go do this. You have a lot of input and the most important thing is that it's all customized. It's all about your child and what works best for them. You will start seeing all these things that Joanna tells you to look out for and when you see it and it's just like WHOA!"
If you are struggling with your child's sleep and could use some support. Hope and Help is a phone call away.
The first step to see if I can help you achieve beautiful, blissful sleep is to schedule a 60 minute ZOOM sleep strategy session. Go to this link and complete the contact me form and I will be in touch within 24 hours with directions on how to schedule your Sleep Strategy Session.
If you are still wondering if I can help, please know I do NOT advocate 'cry-it-out'. I am a Gentle Sleep Coach. If you want to learn about my guilt-free and gentle process, please go to these links.
Infant Sleep Training- There are alternatives to cry it out!
Often when we think of sleep training the image of a child screaming and crying alone in a crib all night comes to mind. Right?
What if I told you there are alternative to cry it out method? You don't have to sit in agony while your child cries and "figures out" how to sleep. There is a better way! There are effective alternatives to cry it out method!
Alternatives to Cry It Out
Gentle Sleep Coaching is an alternative to cry it out methods. It is a gentle, gradual approach offering physical and verbal reassurance. This method is also known as the Sleep Lady Shuffle. Our approach to Guilt-Free, Gentle Sleep Coaching® is to create the right environment and offer the right support for the temperament of your child to easily and successfully learn how to sleep well.
Sleep Coaching Methods- Explained
It's important to understand there are different sleep coaching methods to determine which one is appropriate for YOUR Family.
THERE ARE 3 TYPES OF SLEEP COACHING METHODOLOGIES:
FADING, GENTLE SLEEP COACHING:
A gradual approach and one that allows the parent to stay with the child while the new sleep skills and behaviors are learned.
The Sleep Lady advocates a “shuffle”, where parent stays in the room with child while offering physical and verbal reassurance and moves further from the crib/bed every 3 days.
The Sleep Lady’s Good Night, Sleep Tight by Kim West is an advocate of this approach.
I am a 13 year tenured trained and certified Gentle Sleep Coach and top 200 Sleep Consultant in the US. I specialize in guilt-free sleep training combining sleep & behavioral science and attachment theory while building a strong parent child bond.
GRADUATED EXTINCTION:
Also called “controlled crying”/ ferberizing.
Involves being out of the room and checking on the child at intervals every 5- 15 minutes from bedtime and all arousals throughout the night.
Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems by Richard Ferber, MD is known for this method.
EXTINCTION
Also referred to as “cry it out”.
The strict version is to simply leave them to cry until they fall asleep and same with middle of night arousals.
Healthy Sleep Habits, Marc Weissbluth, MD is an advocate of extinction.
How long does it take to get my child to sleep through the night?
Many people fear that an alternative method to cry it out won't be effective or fast, however that is not the case! Most nighttime sleep problems can be resolved in 2-4 weeks. However, most families see immediate improvement in the first 5 nights of implementing the sleep plan. It is always recommended to night train first and then move onto nap training.
Gentle Sleep Coaching teaches children lifelong healthy sleep habits. I often have clients reach out after attempting cry it out methods out of desperation only for their child to regress back to bad sleep and the parents end up feeling defeated. Sleep is a learned skill and Gentle Sleep Coaching teaches the ability to self-regulate, self-settle and self-soothe which allows them to sleep well for both nights and naps!
How do I decide whether I should hire a sleep coach or sleep train my baby myself?
Many parents contact me when the approach they’ve been taking towards their child’s sleep no longer works. Everyone in the household is tired & confused and no one is happy.
You would benefit from expert guidance from a tenured Sleep Consultant if you are experiencing any of the following:
Anxiety and distress over cry it out methods—and desire for an alternate to cry it out method
Difficult and long bedtime routine that leaves everybody drained
Broken, non-restorative sleep from multiple night wakings
Disagreement between parents in managing child’s sleep challenges
Desire to eliminate night feeding—needing guidance to do it gently and compassionately
Exhausted from waking too early in the morning
Fear over transition from co-sleeping to a crib, or from a crib to a toddler bed
Short or non-existent naps or nap transitions—resulting in crabby, overtired child
Difficulty in re-establishing healthy sleep habits after new sibling, travel, holidays, or lifestyle changes
Relentless self-doubt and guilt about current sleep routines
It’s important that you choose the right methodology & the right sleep coach based on family values, logistics and how much support you will need to reach goals.
IF YOU KEEP ASKING YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS, YOU DEFINITELY NEED A SLEEP COACH.
If you find yourself googling any of the following questions, I recommend learning about the different sleep coaching methodologies and consider if Gentle Sleep Coaching, an alternative to cry it out method, is right for your family!
when do babies start sleeping through the night without feeding?
when does a baby sleep through the night?
how to get my baby to sleep through the night?
when can breastfed babies sleep through the night?
when do babies sleep 12 hours without feeding?
when will my baby sleep through the night?
how to get baby to sleep through the night?
baby sleep through night breastfeeding?
Hope and Help to solve sleep struggles is just a phone call away!
The first step to see if I can help you achieve beautiful, blissful sleep is to schedule a 60 minute ZOOM sleep strategy session. Talk to live with Joanna so she can give you individualized insight and perspective on how to solve your sleep struggles.
Go to this link and complete the contact me form and I will be in touch within 24 hours with directions on how to schedule your Sleep Strategy Session.
Dad’s Are Masterful Sleep Coaches! Happy Father’s Day!
Happy Father's Day! Thank you to to all the men that support, guide and love their wives and children. I am grateful everyday to work with attentive, loving fathers who are doing "all the things", including being masterful sleep coaches!
Here is a Sleep Success Story of a fabulous dad who took the lead to support his wife during their journey to make sleep a priority, but also maintain a robust nursing relationship.
Christian and his wife decided I was the RIGHT COACH to help solve all their 8 month old son's sleep struggles. The couple was co-sleeping with their son and mom was nursing all night long and no one was getting any rest! This baby was "wired-and-tired" all day long! As tired as she was, Mom was very dedicated to her nursing relationship. Thus she was thrilled to know that it was possible to get good sleep and maintain a strong parent-child bond.
Dad heard about sleep training from friends and got to reading, researching and getting on the same page as Mom so they could go into this process as a team. After interviewing several Sleep Coaches, the couple decided Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching was going to give them the right amount of support and accommodate their family goals and values. The parents valued breastfeeding bonding and the mother-infant relationship and mom wanted a gentle process to avoid night weaning breastfeeding pain.
This family experienced a Total Family Sleep Transformation with their 8 month old son. Baby weaned his night feeds and is sleeping through the night in his own crib without jeopardizing the breastfeeding relationship! The Nanit baby monitor sleep statistics show this massive sleep improvement!
I am so happy this family trusted me as a reliable, expert resource who honors the nursing relationship! Watch their story in the video below to see how working with THE RIGHT SLEEP COACH has been totally transformative for their entire family!
Christian A 8 month old son at the time of Gentle Sleep Coaching
Click here to watch video.
Christian wants other exhausted parents to know "There is another way, you don't have to live sleep-deprived. Joanna has a gentle system to comfort your child and then slowly sort of transition to them sleeping by themselves."
Thank you for watching Christians's story and I hope this inspires you to realize that it is possible to become a well-rested family.
If you are interested in a great breastfeeding resource, Healthy Children is backed by Pediatricians and the AAP.
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/breastfeeding/Pages/default.aspx
Don't let them cry!
A common fear among parents is the impact sleep coaching will have on the relationship between them and their child. For a lot of people the term "sleep coaching" means leaving baby crying at night but Gentle Sleep Coaching is NOT a cry-it-out method.
There is nothing worse than when your baby is not sleeping and you're being told to "just let them cry." As a parent, it is heartbreaking to hear. Despite your exhaustion, all you want to know is how to calm baby crying and how to stop baby crying. Parent's should also consider the impact of their mental health due to sleep-deprivation. With the RIGHT sleep training methodology, it is possible to solve your child's sleep struggles gently and effectively.
Gentle Sleep Coaching Method
Here is a great article that offers some insight on the impact of different sleep coaching methods. This article shows the science behind the efficacy of the Gentle Sleep Coaching method while also proving to be less stressful on mothers because they are allowed to attend to their baby crying at night.
Baby Crying Sounds
It is important to know crying is a form of communication for babies and there is a difference between baby crying sounds. If you listen to your baby you can distinguish whimpering out of slight unhappiness from crying from distress. Learn more about different baby crying sounds from well-known pediatrician Dr. Harvey Karp.
Crying in the presence of a loving supportive parent is fundamentally different. It's important to remember that it's "unmodulated" crying that is the problem...this is where a child gets hysterical and the parents are told not to help. Babies are going to cry for a ton of reasons, but when parents are "emotionally and physically available," it makes a huge difference to co-regulate with your child and thus minimize the tears and frustration for both parent and child.
Douglas Teti, Professor of Human Development and Family Studies, did a lot of research on "emotional availability at bedtime". He found that the emotional connection between a child and their parent and the appropriate response to cues was very important in a child knowing that they are in a safe environment and this helped children sleep better.
Many families had a fear of all sleep coaching methods because of the concern of "Cry-it-out" tactics. However, with Gentle Sleep Coaching, now these families are raving about how sleep coaching has increased the bond between them and their child and they are experiencing loads of benefits beyond sleep. Here is what Desiree had to say!
Watch Desiree's story here!
Resources:
Do responsive sleep interventions impact mental health in mother/infant dyads compared to extinction interventions? A pilot study. Archives of Women’s Mental Health, 25(3), 621–631. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-022-01224-w
Alternative to Cry It Out
Are you looking for alternatives to cry it out sleep coaching methods that result in a happy sleeping baby and NO GUILT and NO SHAME? Then you'll want to learn more about my unique approach to Gentle Sleep Coaching!
After having their first child during COVID, with almost no support, my clients, Peter and Embry, wanted all the support possible for their 2nd child, and that included a Sleep Coach! This family successfully sleep coached their first child at 7 months, but they wanted to sleep train their 2nd child as soon as he was showing signs of readiness. Finding an alternative to the cry it out method was very important to this couple since cry it out was not in line with their family values.
Alternative to cry it out
Gentle Sleep Coaching is an alternative to cry it out sleep training. It uses sleep science, behavioral science, and attachment theory to work with your child's temperament and teach them the skills of sleep. To hear me explain more about Gentle Sleep Coaching watch this video.
Peter and Embry describe their experience "Some people just let their children cry it out and that wasn't the way that we wanted to do it. During Gentle Sleep Coaching, we are literally totally available to our child and dad was in the room for the first several days to keep the baby comfortable."
To hear more about this Family's Sleep Transformation watch their success story below!
Click here to watch their Sleep Success Story!
Peter and Embry want people to know "Sleep coaching is like clockwork. As soon as you nail those wake windows and those appropriate times, it all just like flows like water. It's really amazing. You can just start to experience and learn about your child and tailor everything towards them."
Are you struggling with your child's sleep? Could you use some support tailored specifically to YOUR child and YOUR family?
The first step to see if I can help you achieve beautiful, blissful sleep is to schedule a 60 minute ZOOM sleep strategy session. Go to this link and complete the contact me form and I will be in touch within 24 hours with directions on how to schedule your Sleep Strategy Session.
If you are still wondering if I can help, please know I do NOT advocate 'cry-it-out'. I am a Gentle Sleep Coach. If you want to learn about my guilt-free and gentle process, please go to these links.
The Blissful Baby Stairway to Sleep
Please join my Sleep is Bliss Tribe in Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn so we can stay connected and you can continue to get amazing resources on sleep and family wellness.
Get in the know about Lipedema! Triggered by Pregnancy!!!
June is Lipedema awareness month and I wanted to take a moment and shine a light on the common and under-recognized disease! Lipedema affects as many as 1 in 11 women and presents and gets worse at times of hormonal shifts- puberty, PREGNANCY, peri-menopause and menopause!
Because this is triggered in pregnancy, I really want you to share this with your friends because sometimes women don't get diagnosed until menopause and it's too late so I want moms to get help now!
If you find yourself researching the following terms, you have to check out this challenge!
lipedema treatment
lipedema legs
lipedema or just fat legs
lipedema symptoms
lipedema diet
lipedema surgery
do i have lipedema
new treatment for lipedema
The Lipedema Project & Lipedma Simplified are hosting a Lipedema Awareness Challenge with trainings and tips on understanding your diagnosis and how to improve your quality of life with lipedema & lymphedema.
Check out this incredible calendar of events!
Register for the Challenge
To Learn More about Lipedema:
All Things Childcare
As a parent, we typically think of childcare as no longer an issue when the kids hit Kindergarten, but choosing childcare is a dilemma that extends ALL the way through raising your kids. IT DOES NOT STOP! From infant childcare, preschool, before/after care, summer camps, rides for older children, it just comes in a different form of "childcare".
Imagine being able to learn about all your childcare options in one guide, so that you can make a decision that allows your family to thrive. I had the pleasure of interviewing childcare specialist Shannon Parola who did just that!
Shannon's guide gives families an unbelievable 45 page guide on everything you could ever possibly wanna know about choosing childcare.
Nanny vs. Au pair
Daycare vs. Nanny
What red flags to look out for
How to background check care providers
How to hire a babysitter
Nanny vs. babysitter
Check out this interview with Shannon below:
Click here to watch this informative interview about choosing childcare
More About Shannon Parola
Shannon Parola is an accomplished childcare professional with over 15 years of experience in the field. Her expertise includes roles such as Nanny, Newborn Care Specialist, and Pediatric Sleep Consultant. Throughout her career, Shannon has worked with families of children with special needs and allergies, providing individualized support to each family while managing top executive households. Her extensive experience and knowledge make her a trusted resource for families in need of childcare support.
As both a childcare coach and a mother, Shannon is dedicated to helping families navigate the challenges of childcare and parenting. She strives to provide the best possible care for children while supporting parents in achieving success. Her compassionate nature and exceptional communication skills make her a valuable asset to any family.
In October 2022, Shannon co-authored the Choosing Childcare 101 guide in collaboration with Nanny Village. This comprehensive guidebook offers parents a complete resource, providing them with all available childcare options within the United States and tips on how to access them. Choosing the right childcare option can be a daunting task for many parents, but with the help of Shannon and Nanny Village’s guide, they can make informed decisions and rest assured that their children are in the best possible care.
Shannon’s passion for childcare and dedication to supporting families has made her a respected authority in the industry. She continues to work with families and organizations, providing them with the best possible care and guidance. Her commitment to excellence and her love for children make her a valuable resource for any family seeking childcare support.
To learn more about Shannon:
Website/Blog - www.theviparolaz.com
Choosing Childcare 101- https://www.theviparolaz.com/choosingchildcare101 -
Instagram - www.instagram.com/theviparolaz
Facebook - www.facebook.com/theviparolaz
If you find yourself google searching any of the following terms, you need to check out Shannon's guide!
daycare near me
child care assistance
how to find in home child care
how to find a daycare for newborn
finding a childcare provider
finding quality childcare
daycare tour checklist
daycare red flags
how to find a part time nanny
Are you struggling with your child's sleep? Are you looking for an alternative to cry it out?
The first step to see if I can help you achieve beautiful, blissful sleep is to schedule a 60 minute ZOOM sleep strategy session. Go to this link and complete the contact me form and I will be in touch within 24 hours with directions on how to schedule your Sleep Strategy Session.
If you are still wondering if I can help, please know I do NOT advocate 'cry-it-out'. I am a Gentle Sleep Coach. If you want to learn about my guilt-free and gentle process, please go to these links.
Pregnancy can trigger Lipedema--Find out about this undiagnosed disease!
I wanted to take a moment and shine a light on the common and under-recognized disease affecting as many as 1 in 11 women. It’s called Lipedema.
Lipedema presents and gets worse at times of hormonal shifts- puberty, PREGNANCY, peri-menopause and menopause!
My good friend, Lisa Duerre suffered undiagnosed with this disease for a lifetime. She spent decades of dieting, exercising, and self-blaming when her legs and arms didn’t look like everyone else’s. When she hit menopause, her legs were so swollen, she was having a hard time walking a flight of stairs. Lisa's step-mother could see her declining mobility was causing her pain and shame and started researching what could be the cause of Lisa’s symptoms. She shared literature on Lipedema and Lisa immediately saw pictures of legs and arms that looked like hers and began to understand that her weight struggles were actually rooted in disease!!!
Once Lisa identified all the similarities between her weight and swelling struggles and started to understand more about Lipedema, she found the right contacts who were knowledgeable in this disease and eventually properly diagnosed her. Now, it is Lisa's mission to shine a light on Lipedema so no other women has to suffer in shame and self-blame or lose their mobility over time.
It is important to note that lipedema can be easily misdiagnosed as obesity, so it is recommended to see a healthcare professional if you suspect you may have this condition. Here are some helpful things to know about it.
What is Lipedema?
Lipedema is a chronic medical condition that primarily affects women and is characterized by a disproportionate accumulation of fat in the legs, thighs, buttocks and in some cases upper arms often leading to enlarged lower body.
This shows up at a time of hormonal shifts- puberty, PREGNANCY, peri-menopause and menopause.
What to look for?
Pain and/or hypersensitivity
Bilateral uncontrollable swelling of the legs and/or arms that worsens with prolonged standing or sitting
Fat deposits that are resistant to weight loss efforts, including diet and exercise.
"Column-like" appearance to the legs, with a distinct boundary between the affected area and the ankles.
Mattress like dimpling in skin tissue, especially the thighs
Easy bruising, especially in the affected areas.
Reduced flexibility and mobility due to the size and shape of the affected areas.
Check out my conversation with Lisa to hear more about her experience or listen Lisa's podcast episode to hear more details and medical insights from two world renowned experts.
Watch my interview with Lisa Duerre talk about her struggle and insights into learning to live with Lipedema
Innovation Happens When Leaders Don't Have All the Answers| Special Edition: Lipedema Awareness
Although there is no known cure for lipedema, there are various treatments available that can help manage its symptoms. Here are some of the most common treatments for lipedema:
Compression Therapy: This involves wearing compression garments, such as stockings or leggings, that provide pressure to the affected area to improve circulation and reduce swelling
Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD): This is a specialized form of massage that uses gentle pressure and rhythmic movements to stimulate the lymphatic system and promote drainage of excess fluid from the affected area.
Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT): This involves the use of low-intensity lasers to stimulate the lymphatic system and improve circulation, which can help reduce swelling and pain.
Surgery: In severe cases of lipedema, surgery may be necessary to remove the excess fat from the affected area. There are several types of liposuction that can be used to treat lipedema, including tumescent liposuction and water-assisted liposuction.
Exercise and Diet: While exercise and diet alone cannot cure lipedema, they can help manage its symptoms by improving overall health and reducing inflammation. Low-impact exercises like swimming and walking, and a diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods like fruits, vegetables, and lean protein can be helpful.
It's important to note that treatment for lipedema is highly individualized and may involve a combination of different approaches. Consultation with a healthcare professional experienced in treating lipedema can help determine the most appropriate course of treatment for each individual.
To learn more about Lipedema check out:
Lipedema Simplified Website: https://lipedema-simplified.org
The Lipedma Project : https://www.facebook.com/LipedemaProject
The Disease They Call Fat Documentary https://youtu.be/qeqZ0oBDpNk
To learn more about Lisa Duerre: