Why you should consider hiring a child sleep consultant.

I have been where you are now.  I had a little one who was just not getting the sleep he needed.  He was constantly tired and cranky.  He would barely nap and even though he was my second child, all my efforts to help him just wouldn’t work.  So I bit the bullet and hired a Child Sleep Consultant and it was SO worth it.  My child began sleeping like a dream and continued to nap well beyond his 4th birthday!  I have to say it was the best decision I made for my son.  What’s more, it consolidated my interest in sleep and made me want to help families with their child or baby’s sleep as well.  It has been the best decision I have made and I love it.

So today I want to talk about some of the top reasons to hire a certified Child Sleep Consultant to help with your baby or child’s sleep instead of struggle on your own.

• Takes the guesswork out of what to do.

If you know you need to make changes to your baby or child’s sleep because what is currently happening isn’t work or you want to teach your child much needed independent sleep skills, but you don’t know where to start, hiring a Child Sleep Consultant can be just what you need.  A child sleep consultant can do a consultation with you about your little one’s sleep and your sleep goals and devise an appropriate sleep plan for YOUR child using all their knowledge and experience they have under their belt.  This means you do not have to struggle to wade through the myriad of information out there.

• There is too much conflicting information out there.

Ever tried to Google your baby or child’s sleep issues and ended up more confused because of all the contradictory information?  Or have you posted in a Facebook mom’s group asking for advice and had many well meaning mom’s provide you with advice, many of it conflicting.  Or they suggest something that may have worked for their unique situation but is unlikely to for yours?

Hiring a Child Sleep Consultant helps you determine the right information for you and your little one and your unique family situation.  You don’t need to pick and choose which information from Google or that mom’s group you will try and progressively make your way down the list until something works.  A child sleep consultant will listen to your sleep challenges, goals and learn about your baby or child’s personality and provide advice they know will work.

• They have studied long and hard about sleep.

When I received my certification through the Family Sleep Institute I studied for over 250 hours and wrote many assignments and met a lot of strict criteria to receive my certification.  I studied about the science of sleep, sleep milestones and challenges, sleep training methods and so much more.  When you decide to hire a Child Sleep Consultant check their qualifications to make sure they are certified by a reputable program that gives them a vast knowledge of child and baby sleep and a variety of sleep training methods.  Baby and child sleep is not a one size fits all thing.  You can also ask them what they do to keep their knowledge current.  As an example, I haven’t just left the studying at my initial accreditation.  I make sure to keep abreast of current research, take courses to increase my knowledge and attend Pediatric Sleep conferences.

• You’d love support while you make sleep changes.

Making changes to your child or baby’s sleep is a big undertaking (but so worth it!).  Having someone on your team that you can call when you aren’t sure what to do or things get tough can be amazing.  If you need a listening ear while you are in the thick of it, a Child Sleep Consultant will be just a phone call away.  I have spent ages on the phone with parents during their first few nights of sleep training just because they needed that support and a listening ear.  It is such a core, important part of my service. I am there to remind them why they chose to make sleep changes and let them know they are doing the right thing when they are just not sure.

• You know your baby or child needs more sleep.

You know that your little one isn’t getting the sleep they need and you want that to improve for them.  Sleep is a fundamental human need.  Babies and children need sleep to learn, grow and thrive.  You want to make the changes to your little one’s sleep so that they can get that much needed sleep, but you’ve struggled to help them get it with everything you’ve tried in the past.

• Many sleep books provide the wrong or inappropriate information.

Don’t get me wrong; there are some GREAT sleep books out there.  But there are also some not so good sleep books as well.  I have found well-meaning parents on Facebook recommending particular books that they used as their sleep bible but when I read them they bring up many questions or concerns.  You can find my review of some of the popular ones here, here and here.  Even if another parent recommends a particular book to you, it doesn’t mean that the information provided in it will work for your child or baby.  Hiring a Child Sleep Consultant will ensure that the actions you take for your little one will be inline with their unique needs.  Child Sleep Consultants can also make changes as they support you through the process, if need be.  Unfortunately, not all sleep books help with that, they can often just tell you one approach and that’s it.

• Google, books, and Facebook Mom Groups don’t know your child.

One of the things I LOVE most about my work as a Child Sleep Consultant is getting to know the families I work with.  Whether I work with a family over the phone, in person or via a video call; I make sure to learn as much as I can about your family and your child so that the recommendations I make are suitable for you.  By getting to know your family, you can rest assured that the advice you are receiving is appropriate and not generic.

I hope this list helps you work out whether hiring a certified Child Sleep Consultant is the right step for you.  There is nothing better than knowing you have been able to improve your child or baby’s sleep so that your whole family can get the sleep you need.  I know, because I’ve been there!

Should you decide that I’m the Child Sleep Consultant you’d like to engage, feel free to check out my packages.  I offer many different packages to suit all needs and budget from a sleep strategy session to consultation with 2 weeks of support.  I’d love to help you with your little one’s sleep! Contact me today.