New Parent & Infant Therapy
Virtual support in Washington and Montana Birth Trauma and Early Family Support
Dylan Spradlin, MA, MSW, LCSW, LICSW (they/them)
Little Bodies Hold Big Stories
Your baby or toddler may not have many words yet, but they are communicating all the time—through crying, feeding, sleep, startles, clinginess, arching away, shutting down, melting down, or needing you constantly.
And you are probably really exhausted. Hate to say it, but that does come with the territory.
You love your child. And even if you expected some sleep deprivation, this season may feel nothing like what you imagined.
Maybe your infant is refusing to nurse, and you are questioning your capability as a mother—feeling deeply rejected by the most important relationship you have ever had.
Maybe sleep has gone beyond deprivation, and you are now caught in a tug-of-war between co-sleeping and the extinction method, wondering which choice is going to do the least damage.
All the while, the crying feels too big, too frequent, and too mysterious. Bonding has not come easily. Everyone said it was natural, but it has not felt natural for you, and you carry a secret dread that maybe you are just not cut out for this.
Maybe your toddler’s meltdowns seem wildly out of proportion, and you are starting to wonder what you are missing.
You are not failing.
You may need support understanding what your child’s nervous system is trying to say—and support finding your own footing in the middle of it.
Early Experiences Matter
Pregnancy, birth, medical care, NICU stays, separation, feeding stress, postpartum anxiety, family stress, and moments of fear or overwhelm can all shape the early parent-child relationship.
That does not mean anyone did anything wrong. It means life happened, and tiny humans are taking it all in with very little language and very large nervous systems.
Babies and toddlers are sensitive, relational, embodied little people. Their nervous systems are learning safety, connection, and protection from the very beginning.
Sometimes distress is not “just fussiness,” “bad sleep,” or “behavior.”
Sometimes it is a story the body is still trying to tell.
How I help
I help parents slow down and understand what may be happening underneath the crying, feeding struggles, sleep disruption, bonding concerns, clinginess, withdrawal, or very big toddler feelings.
Together, we look at your child’s cues, your nervous system, your baby’s birth, your own early parenting experience, and the relationship between you. Not to hunt for someone to blame. To understand what has happened and what might help now.
This work may include learning to read your baby’s signals, making sense of early experiences, strengthening attachment, finding more steadiness inside yourself, and creating simple moments of repair and connection at home.
Because your baby is not the only one who needs attunement, safety, and care.
You get to feel held, too.
This work may help with:
Persistent crying or difficulty soothing
Feeding stress with breast, bottle, or solid foods
Sleep struggles or frequent night waking
Bonding or attachment concerns
Birth trauma, NICU stress, medical procedures, or early separation
A baby who arches away, startles easily, seems withdrawn, or has trouble settling into your body
A toddler with intense meltdowns, clinginess, shutdown, or big reactions
Parent overwhelm, grief, anxiety, or fear that makes connection harder
What sessions are like:
Because sessions are virtual, you and your child stay in your own home environment. That can actually help. We are not trying to create a perfect therapy-room version of your family. We are working with real life: the couch, the snacks, the dog barking, the baby needing to nurse, the toddler leaving and coming back, and the relationship as it naturally unfolds. You also do not have to wonder whether an unfamiliar space is baby-proofed, whether the toys are truly clean, or how many little germs have passed through before your appointment.
We may notice your baby or toddler’s movement, play, feeding cues, proximity, sleep rhythms, body language, and interactions with you. We may also talk about your experience: what you are sensing, fearing, remembering, grieving, or trying very hard to figure out at 3:00 a.m.
Sessions may be quiet, playful, emotional, practical, or some odd little soup of all of the above.
We slow down.
We follow your child’s lead.
We support your nervous system so your child can borrow your steadiness.
A gentle beginning is still a beginning.
There is nothing wrong with your baby.
There is nothing wrong with you.
You are both doing your best with the story you have lived so far. Sometimes you need someone who can help translate what is happening, so you can meet your child with more confidence, clarity, and presence.
This is not about fixing your child.
It is about understanding them.
And helping you feel more like yourself again.
Ready to begin?
Start with a free virtual consultation.
We’ll talk about what is happening, what kind of support you are looking for, and whether infant and early childhood therapy feels like a good fit for your family.
No pressure. No need to have the whole story organized before we talk.
FAQs
-
Yes. Always. At this age, the relationship between child and caregiver is the center of the work. Because sessions are virtual, parents or caregivers are present and actively involved throughout.
-
We slow down and observe what your child may be communicating through movement, play, crying, feeding, sleep, body language, and connection with you. I help you understand the cues, support your own nervous system, and respond in ways that build safety and attachment.
-
No. Your child’s nervous system is developing in relationship with yours. That means we support both of you — your child’s needs, your stress, your intuition, your grief, and your capacity to feel steady enough to respond.
-
This work may help with persistent crying, feeding stress, sleep struggles, bonding concerns, birth or medical trauma, early separation, withdrawal, intense toddler emotions, and parent overwhelm.
-
t varies. Sometimes families notice shifts in a few sessions, especially when we can identify what the child is communicating and support the parent-child relationship directly. Other times, especially when birth trauma, medical stress, grief, or parent overwhelm are part of the story, the work may take longer.