Why Should I Hire A Sleep Consultant
With all of the information that’s readily available online, and the resources most have at their disposal in the form of friends and family who have managed to get their kids to sleep, why would anyone need to invite a stranger into their life in order to get their child sleeping through the night?
I know it’s a concern that a lot of parents have when they’re thinking about getting some professional help with their little ones’ sleep habits. They think they should be able to figure it out themselves.
After all, your mother managed to get you to sleep at some point. Your friend might have four kids who are all champion sleepers, so she should have some answers for you, right?
Well, yes! At least they might. But then again, they might not.
And let me be the first to say, if you’ve got someone who can help you in this situation, more power to you. After all, we’re all trying to save our money where we can, so if you can remedy the problem without paying for it, I’m all for that option.
Most of the time though, parents who hire a sleep consultant have already tried that route and found it wasn’t successful. There are dozens of reasons why that might be.
The biggest reason why the solutions that work for one parent don’t work for another is simple: they’re not dealing with the same baby.
Some babies are heavily reliant on sleep props. Some may not be getting enough daytime sleep and might be overtired. Others might be getting too much daytime sleep. This baby might have developed an association between feeding and falling asleep, whereas that one might be ready to drop their second daytime nap.
And, of course, it could be any combination of all of the above, or the many other sleep challenges that babies might experience.
Adding to the challenge is the fact that most solutions don’t work overnight. Parents might try a solution that could potentially help baby start sleeping through the night, but abandon it before it takes effect due to some heavy protesting on baby’s part.
In short, baby sleep is a complicated issue and there’s very rarely one single thing that can remedy the situation overnight.
A professional sleep consultant has the experience and training to recognize which problems result in specific symptoms, and can work with you to develop a personalized plan for your child that addresses those individual issues. It’s not a “one size fits all” approach. Your family’s specific circumstances and needs are taken into consideration.
I also happen to be a fitness professional (part time now) and there are so many parallels to be drawn here. Think about a personal trainer. You could just buy a few sets of dumbbells and watch some YouTube videos in order to get in shape, so why pay someone to guide you along?
Well, because they’re able to give you personalized advice based on education and experience. And they know how to troubleshoot plateaus that might arise when it comes to your specific situation.
Almost any fairly well-designed fitness program will get you results – if you’re consistent. Sure, there are different philosophies but most of the time it just comes down to choosing the one that makes sense for you and actually doing it.
It’s the same way with sleep training. There are only so many sleep training methods out there. What’s important is knowing which method to apply given baby’s age, temperament and parent’s comfort level. Additionally, it’s about so much more than the method!
Baby’s schedule and routines are just as important as the sleep training method that you choose. Just like diet and exercise go together, you will get the best results when you take a holistic approach.
And if consistency is key then accountability and support are what lock in the results. When things are hard, we benefit by doing them together with someone who will guide us and encourage us. Exercise is hard, that’s why group classes and personal trainers exist. Changing habits around your child’s sleep is hard too. That’s why sleep consultants exist.
When it comes to your child’s sleep, I hope for everyone to find success on their own, and with as few problems as possible.
Thinking of my own three children, if all babies were like my daughter, I’d never have hired a sleep consultant or become one myself. But I know for a fact that some babies are more challenging – because I’ve got two of them. So don’t be ashamed to reach out for help. Baby sleep is complicated and you’re tired. So, so tired.
A professional consultant has the answers and support you need to reach your goals.