You have obviously made an active decision to seek some support with your child’s sleep. That’s why you’re here! This decision may very well have been made at 1am and then confirmed at 3am and/or 5am! However, are you ready for change?
In other countries, consulting with sleep specialists for baby and child sleep issues are commonplace. In the UK it’s a bit different. We need to talk about sleep!
Parents are offered a wide range of pre and postnatal support but there’s very little talk about sleep; what’s normal for the child’s age and stage and how to improve it. In some ways, it’s the case of the British stiff upper lip. Having no sleep seems to be part of the ‘rite of passage’ to becoming a parent.
It’s often the biggest joke out there amongst parents trying to make light of the situation but in reality, sleep deprivation is the least funny experience.
Table of Contents
Sleep coaching
There is a supportive, coaching relationship between consultant and parent, guiding them through (often) simple solutions and ways to extend sleep periods. Methods are carefully chosen to suit a child’s individual nature and temperament whilst also being tailored to the parenting style.
One of my wonderful clients summarised it perfectly by thanking me for ‘giving her the confidence’ to do something she should have done a long time ago.
A better-rested parent will have more time and energy to play with and care for their baby during the day. As a consequence, these babies will thrive.
We all need to ‘talk sleep’. After all, a child aged 3 and under should be spending more time asleep than awake.
How much support do I need for change?
I don’t believe everyone needs really comprehensive packages of support which is why some of the great sleep advice I share in my newsletters, on instagram and via my blog.
For families, this may just give a few strategies to understand what’s going on or when to expect an improvement. Tips like managing excitement around holiday/festival seasons and daylight savings can also be found here.
Needing to be ‘pointed in the right direction’
Other families will benefit from running some ideas past me. Just checking there are no bad habits being formed or they are experiencing a regression and need a snippet of advice on how to pull through successfully. A one hour phone call should suffice.
Tailored and personalised support
Some families will really benefit from more substantial individualised support where we examine the current situation and have a look at what changes need to be implemented to see some improvements.
They may be changes to the sleep environment, daytime routine, or helping the baby learn the skills to self-settle and start to become more of an independent sleeper.
Families following my comprehensive plan can start to see real improvement and progress towards their sleep goals within a couple of weeks, hence I offer 2 weeks of telephone, email and WhatsApp support with this package.
Will it work?
Can I promise a positive outcome? Honestly, I can’t promise anything sadly. I can build you the best tailored sleep plan and coach you to implement it perfectly, but the key to it will always be with you.
Consistency and patience are central to making change, and it’s so easy at 3am when you’re exhausted to revert back to previous ways which is so confusing for the baby.
This is why it is so important that before embarking on a plan and change that you feel ready. I issue all my parents with my change checklist. If you feel you can tick these off and commit to them then you’re ready and please get in touch!
Ready for Change Checklist:
I acknowledge that in the beginning, teaching my child good sleeping habits requires strong levels of commitment and consistency.
- I am prepared for 1-3 weeks of hard work while the new skills are being taught and my partner or support person is on board with these changes.
- I acknowledge that in the beginning of the sleep training process I may need to rearrange things and have minimal other commitments so I can totally focus on teaching my child to sleep better.
- I acknowledge that I may need support in the early days of sleep training.
- I acknowledge that I will need to be consistent throughout the sleep training process and follow the guidelines of the sleep training method I have chosen.
- I have ensured that my child’s sleep environment is safe and in line with the SIDS safe sleeping guidelines.
Take a look at my other blog posts and follow me on instagram!
Ready to book?
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