How do I know when to hire a sleep consultant?
Why hire a sleep consultant?
When you are completely exhausted from staying up all night with your baby, is there a price you would put on sleep? When my baby was first born, she came one month early. The hospital made such a big deal about her getting “8 or more in 24”, meaning 8 feedings every 24 hours. At this stage, being early, she was sleepy. I had to set an alarm every 3 hours at night to wake my baby up to feed her. Ha! Sounds like a joke when I type it, but that is what we did. For two weeks. After about two weeks my baby decided to “wake up” from her slumber and started waking me every 2 hours on her own to eat. Man oh man was I tired. I remember those days like it was yesterday, going to bed at 6 or 7pm just to get a small stretch of sleep while my husband kept her downstairs in case she woke up so I could sleep. The best decision I ever made in those days was going to bed that early. Sleep was not only important for my baby but it was paramount to my survival and sanity as well. I knew immediately that no matter what happened, I was going to teach this baby to sleep independently, so I could get my nights back. I myself became my baby’s sleep expert. Whatever I could find I would read and take in and try. I found what worked for my baby and it wasn’t without struggle. She had a hard time settling down to go to sleep independently after having so many snuggles and being nursed to sleep many nights. I don’t regret doing any of those things, because they worked for me and my baby. But there came a time when those things no longer worked for me or my baby. That is where sleep training comes in. Training a baby to sleep is like training yourself for a marathon. You aren’t going to wake up one day and just run 26 miles. You have to train for it. And it takes time. There may be failures, or injuries, or struggles, but you must push through to get to the other side. There always comes a point in training a baby to sleep that a parent thinks that this is too hard and they may throw in the towel. That is right before their child makes progress. Sleep is not only good for you, but it is crucial for your baby as well.
Babies and toddlers need sleep for their development. Adults need sleep to function and respond to our children’s needs, but also to sort our day and record memories, as well as restore our bodies. When you and your child are not getting enough sleep, you all feel it. Adults feel tired, foggy, short tempered, and non productive. Babies don’t engage, lack interest, sometimes struggle with feeding. Toddlers have meltdowns, are difficult to calm, have so many big emotions that they don’t know how to handle. The world can be a lot for little ones to take in sometimes, and they need sleep to get the restoration for their minds and bodies too.
Sleep consultants are certified in sleep training. They can make a solid plan for your child’s specific needs in order to get you both on the right track. A sleep consultant will give you the tips and guidance you need to get your baby on a better schedule. Sometimes all it takes is a couple of days of routine and a child will just get it. Others needs coaching and practice to learn how to fall asleep independently. If you are always the one helping your little one fall asleep, they will continue to call for you each time they wake up. If you teach them to fall asleep independently, they no longer need you if they wake up in the middle of the night.
Sleep consultants are basically sleep coaches to help give you the “permission” you may feel you need to take a step back and let your baby learn. They are also your go-to person for in the moment fixes or tweaks. They can help you see through the fog of sleep deprivation to come up with a plan that will work for your specific child. Usually you start to see some progress after a few days, but with my plan, I will be with you, holding your hand for two weeks to get you in a solid place where you can fly solo. Not all babies or toddlers will be “finished” with sleep training after two weeks, but even so the progress made should be significant enough that you feel you can continue on your own until they are sleeping independently.
Need some help? Schedule your free discovery call today to find out how hiring a sleep consultant can save your sanity!
Wondering what it might be like to become a sleep consultant yourself? How you could make a full time living or a side gig as a stay at home mom or working parent? Check out the linked post to find out what it would be like to become your own boss.
-Melanie
