Why An In-Home Sleep Consultation Could Be Your Best Choice Ever
As a sleep consultant I have talked to a lot of families. Hundreds of families in fact! Some I have gone on to work 1-on-1 with, some just needed a quick question answered, and some decided sleep training may not be for them. Of all of the 1-on-1 packages that I offer, I have to say going into a families home to assist them during an in-home sleep consultation is my favorite.
I started working with families in their homes in 2013 while doing Early Intervention. I provided home visits for child age 3 and younger with a variety of diagnosis and delays. Something about being in a families home and being able to support them that way I feel makes a huge difference in trust and comfort level. Getting to be face to face providing support and seeing with my own eyes exactly what was happening enabled me to be able to give the best strategies and suggestions possible. And I fully believe the same thing while working with families on sleep. In-home sleep consultations can truly be your best choice ever.
What Do Families Think?
"We heard about Baby O and I through the Sleep Sense website. Before contacting Jensine we were feeling completely desperate. I was exhausted. I had to keep reinserting my daughter’s pacifier all night long. Having Jensine there in person (even staying later during our in-home session) and by email and phone helped me keep going when I wanted to give up. We knew the plan was working when our daughter got used to not having her pacifier reinserted at bedtime. Now I have a much better nights sleep and my daughter is happier. I used to dread putting my daughter to sleep and bedtime is now a really wonderful, peaceful time that we enjoy together." -Frances, mother to a 10 week old
I don't know about you, but I learn better when the teaching is hands on. With so much sleep information on Google, it is SO hard to know what will work for you and for your family. With an in-home sleep consultation you are able to ask questions and get immediate feedback on how to proceed. This is helpful for both the parents and the sleep consultant as explaining what is happening is not as effective as being able to see it in person.
So...What's It Look Like?
Wondering what an in-home sleep consultation looks like? While my process may vary from others, I can walk you through my process below:
I arrive one hour before your child's bedtime to talk about the strategies to use at bedtime. We sit and review just what to do at bedtime - then it's go time! I am with you every step during the bedtime routine to answer questions and provide support. Then your little one goes into their crib or bed. Depending on the age of the child, I stay in the room or just outside the room to give support.
While your child is falling asleep I am inside giving guidance, or watching on a monitor and giving support via texts. We continue with this process together until your child falls asleep.
After your child falls asleep we then review the rest of the plan for overnight and nap strategies. Once all questions have been answered and caregivers are feeling good about the process, it's bedtime for you! I encourage all my families to get sleep and not feel they need to stay up to entertain me.
Of the two in-home packages I offer I either stay until 11pm, or until 6am the following morning. Any wakeups that happen while I am in the home I am hands-on and assisting. This way I can see the full scope of your child's sleep concerns.
So if you are ready to get some sleep, I can't wait to support you!