Thinking of Working With A Sleep Consultant?
Since sleep consulting is such a new field, not many people have experience working with one. Babies come into the world eating, sleeping and pooping. So why are sleep consultants needed? Well, if you have:
Ever fell victim to rocking, walking or driving your baby to sleep
Laid down with your child to get them to sleep and fell asleep yourself - OR-
Have a child waking up multiple times during the night that may or may not be coming into your bed
Then you need to read below!
"With all of the information that’s available online, and the resources you have at your disposal, why would you want to invite a stranger into your home to get your child sleeping through the night?"
While I have never heard that exact phrase, I know it’s a concern that lots of parents have when they’re thinking about getting some professional help with their little ones’ sleep habits.
And it’s a valid question! After all, your mother managed to get you to sleep at some point (even though my mom comments daily she doesn't know how I survived because she didn't do any of the things I do).
Your friend might have four kids who are all champion sleepers, so she should have some answers for you, right?
Well, yes! At least they might. But then again, they might not. Just let me be the first to say, if you’ve got someone who can help you in this situation, use them and ask for help instead of calling a consultant! After all, we’re all trying to save our money where we can, so if you can solve the problem without paying for it, I’m all for that! I hate spending money on things that are absolutely needed! Most of the time though, my clients are parents who have already tried that route and found it wasn’t successful, and there are dozens of reasons why that might happen. And guess what, sleep is SO needed!
The biggest reason why the solutions that work for one parent don’t work for another is simple. They’re not dealing with the same baby. Some babies are heavily reliant on sleep props. Others can’t sleep in a room that’s too warm. Some may not be getting enough daytime sleep, and others might be overtired. This baby might have developed an association between feeding and falling asleep, whereas yours might be ready to drop their second daytime nap. And, of course, it could be any combination of all of the above, or the many other sleep challenges that babies might experience.
Adding to the challenge is the fact that most solutions don’t work overnight, so parents might try a solution that could potentially help baby start sleeping through the night, but abandon it before it takes effect due to some heavy protesting on baby’s part. Think about you starting a new habit to go to the gym daily. Going the first day may feel good, but is not enough to create a long lasting habit. Two solid weeks of consistency can do it though!
Sleep is a complicated issue and there’s very rarely one thing that can fix the situation overnight. A professional sleep consultant (like me!) has the experience and training to recognize which problems
result in specific symptoms, and give me the chance to work with you to develop a personalized plan for your child that addresses those individual issues. I can also provide some much needed support when things don’t seem to be working, and give you the encouragement you need to follow through on that plan until it starts to work.
Consider the example of a personal trainer. You could just get some dumbbells and watch some YouTube videos in order to get in shape, so why pay someone to guide you along? Well, because they’re able to give you solid advice based on education and experience, they can help to keep you motivated, and they know how to respond to the problems that might arise when it comes to your specific situation. So when it comes to baby’s sleep, I hope for everyone to find success on their own, and with as few problems as possible. But if that doesn’t happen for you, a professional consultant has the answers and support you need.
To get more information on how to get one on one sleep learn more about what I do here.