Why You Should Hire A Sleep Coach
Updated: Jan 23, 2019
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You spend money on many things, why shouldn't your quality of sleep be one of them? It doesn't take being a Certified Gentle Sleep Coach to tell you sleep is priceless. As a mother of two boys under the age of three it didn't take me long to figure out sleep is golden...when you get it. As a young mother struggling with postpartum depression I was grasping at anything and everything I thought would help my children sleep. A new sleep sack, or ten. We looked as though we owned a baby retail store of sleep sacks. A different sound machine? A lullaby? How about the heating pad on the mattress before laying baby down trick? Heard of that one? Guilty. If I thought it was going to help my children to sleep, sign me up.
It wasn't until someone on a facebook group of young mothers suggested a Gentle Sleep Coach. My first thought was "I'm not that fancy, I don't need a sleep coach to help my child sleep." My second thought was "my husband will laugh in my face if I tell him we needed to hire a sleep coach". Fast forward a few weeks, two tired parents, and one whole weekend of my husband waking up through the night while I caught up on sleep...and we hired a Gentle Sleep Coach. To this day my husband says it was the "best money we ever spent", and I couldn't agree more.
What does a Gentle Sleep Coach do?
Many young parents have possibly heard of a sleep coach in recent years, but may still be asking themselves what it is a sleep coach actually does? I provide a detailed sleep plan for your child using a gentle approach to reduce the amount of anxiety, and tears commonly associated with sleep training. When a parent comes to me I have them fill out a thorough questionnaire so I can gather all the information I need to better understand the underlying cause of sleep issues and what specifically needs to be addressed. The sleep plan is individually designed depending on the current sleep issue, age, temperament, and the parents sleep goals for their child.
I have had extensive training on infant and childhood sleep. As a gentle sleep coach I have gone through certification and education courses in childhood sleep, reflux, sleep apnea, postpartum depression, as well as an in depth training in ages 0-5 months old. My training also helps me identify certain medical issues that could interfere with sleep, and when to refer to a medical professional, lactation consultant or feeding specialist. I am also happy to work alongside your pediatrician on certain cases if necessary.
It is so important to me that I help others get the sleep they truly deserve, because every parent deserves to be their best and every child deserves to be well rested. When our sleep suffers so does every other aspect of our lives. We become short tempered, exhausted, overwhelmed, run down, and sometimes even depressed or anxious.
What if it doesn't work for me?
I will always commit myself and my time to finding a solution that works for your family. If the initial approach isn't working, we may try a different approach because all children have different temperaments and not all approaches work best. Sometimes we don't know what approach will work until a few days or a week into the routine. If your child is still struggling with sleep we may evaluate that there are no underlying medical issues that are preventing them from sleeping well. There are often times I may refer out to your pediatrician, feeding specialist, or even occupational therapy. With the initial questionnaire I will identify if there are any red flags that we need to address prior to beginning any sleep training. Your child is important to you, so they are important to me and I will make it my goal to help your family the best to my ability. In the case your child is still struggling I will address the concern or sleep issue with my community of other gentle sleep coaches and work with our combined knowledge to truly help you find the solution. There will be no success if there is not consistency in the routine and plan that I provide. Although times may feel hard, if you remain consistent you WILL see results much quicker. I do not recommend beginning any kind of sleep training program until you are fully committed to seeing it through. In the end your child will thank you, and you will thank yourself.
How much does a Gentle Sleep Coach cost?
There are many sleep coaches and sleep consultants and price of services will vary. I have based my prices on my time I am wholeheartedly investing in your family. I pride myself on being available to you for questions, encouragement and direction. I will not give a set number of times you can contact me because I believe all parents need the support and I want you to be successful. I feel my prices are affordable for the amount of time and attention you will benefit from through the coaching process. You can find my packages and pricing on my website.
Do you feel guilty for being frustrated with your child's sleep? Are you completely at a loss for what to do? Do you feel yourself dreading bedtime or nap time? I was there once and I would like to help you find joy in those moments again.
XO, Sweet Dreams