Recently I asked the question on my social media “Why do you choose NOT to work with a sleep consultant”? The choice of answers were ...
Too expensive
This is not my first baby and I feel I have got this!
I can feel I can sleep train on my own
What can a sleep consultant give me a book and google can’t?
It's not my thing
The most common answer was “expense” and then a close second “what can I learn for a sleep consultant a book can’t teach me..”? These are extremely valid answers. Of course the cost of a book is a tiny fraction of the cost a sleep consultant may be so of course we will head to the book shop first. Even read some blogs online and scroll our phones in the hope of finding free advice and answers. Ask friends what they did to get their child to sleep so well. In this blog today I am going to go deeper through a few reasons a sleep consultant may be the better choice for your family and it is worth every penny…
First Off, a Sleep Consultant Has Been Trained
Myself included here, sleep consultants have had weeks of lessons, webinars, hands on experience, case studies and science backed evidence learning and of course assessments and written work to pass before gaining any qualification. There is a lot to learn about sleep, the science, the inhibiting factors, diet, exercise, family backgrounds,parenting styles, geographical cultures on sleep, medical hurdles and of course approaches of the actual sleep training to name just a few topics.
A sleep consultant will be trained to identify possible factors that are inhibiting your child’s sleep, they will be able to recognise possible other factors. Something like a ferritin deficiency or maybe the cause of reflux. Finding the root cause may actually solve the sleep situation. Asking a friend how they got their baby to sleep may work but remember your baby is a completely different DNA make up and may have completely different underlying factors. Just implementing a sleep traning approach may not solve your childs sleep challenegs because it could be they have tension in their neck and jaw from birth therefoe they do not feed well therefore they are hungry and have to work harder for that ilk feed which is uncomfortable and then they lie down and thier next is sore...hence they cant sleep. So no amount of sleep training whether in or out the room is going to solve that childs sleep challenegs.
That was the case for one of my amilies and thier 5 month old baby. having looked at thier sleep questionnaire I could see those red flags right away and refferd to see an experience chiroprator or oestopath.
Having a consultation with a trained and certified sleep consultant before you embark on the sleep training will give you knowledge about sleep. Sleep is complex and knowledge is power. It is imperitive that your chosen sleep consultant gathers information about your child and family circumstances to really understand the sleep challenges you are experiencing and any medical background information and learn more about your parenting style and your child's tempermant. These are key factors when it comes to sleep training.
You Like and Feel You Need To Have a Plan
If you are anything like me I like to have a list. List of what to do today, what shopping I need, what the kids need for school. I like to have that structure and can plan around it and know what I have to do. It is easier to follow. Perhaps you have tried to sleep train yourself with the help of a book or what your friend recommends to do but you are just not sure you are doing it right. A sleep consultant will draw up that plan for you, that list, and guide you along the way so you are accountable on implementing the plan so you know what to do and not feel lost. You have that list you can follow!
Certainly with me, no matter what sleep training package you choose you will have phones calls along the way and daily text message support. Why? Because you will have questions. You will want to know if you are doing “it right”. I want to guide you on the right path, keep you on that plan, explain why we are doing what we are doing and celebrate those wins with you!
You want support through you sleep journey and a sleep consultant will be there with you to do just that. A book cannot do that. Google can't either.
A sleep consultant has the solutions and will keep you on the right path and if they feel that path needs to change they can advise that. They may see something that needs to be changed during your sleep training and a book can’t. Perhaps I may see red flags that needs to be referred onto another healthcare professional such as and ENT or chiropractor. At the end of the day YOU are your baby’s expert, not me, BUT, I or your chosen sleep consultant is the expert in sleep. Put the two together and you have an abundance of knowledge and power!
But A Sleep Consultant Is So Expensive…
You may think this but humour me for a moment and read on…
For example let’s dive into my most popular program, the 2 weeks package ("on track") priced at £450.
This includes 2 weeks of sleep support
We will have a 1 hour 30 minute video call, I will talk you through my findings on your individual sleep challenges you are experiencing.
Before we even get to our zoom meeting I will have already spent time analysing your child’s 72 hour sleep diary and questionnaire that I require so I come to your meeting fully aware of your family dynamics and sleep situation and know what needs to be done. That in itself takes 1-2 hours of my time.
I tell you what needs to be change, when and how during this video call
I will email you a sleep plan that is specifically written for your family and child at the centre of it
You will have me literally at your fingertips for 2 solid weeks. That means I am on hand to respond to your text messages during the day when you are wondering what to do if a nap does not go to plan, or have a question about something that is happening
I also offer 2 x20 minute phone calls within these 2 weeks to go over any burning questions and thing you want to talk over and celebrate the wins with you
So, if we break this up, over 2 weeks that is only £225 a week. That is less than £32 a DAY! The 1-2 hours of work I put in before our 1.5 hour video call also has to be taken into account.
"We cannot thank Rachael enough for all of her support! We had really reached the end of our tether with our son who was cosleeping and breastfeeding on and off all night. Within days of working with Rachael our lives were completely changed and our son was happily sleeping in his own cot. The level of support from Rachael was totally invaluable, it was amazing to have her constantly checking in throughout the day and she was always in our back pocket for support whenever we needed her"
Mari and lucas, 11 months
So let’s compare this cost to a lunch out with the family. On average this is going to be around £60-£90. Certainly “date night” can cost around that but perhaps you never go on that date night because you are so tired anyway and you need to be at home because your baby is waking up all the time…If you had been out on date nights you would of probably spent around this figure anyway from dinners, drinks, taxis, babysitters...
You and your partner deserve to go out on a date night, you need to connect and be the couple you are at your core. Being tied to home every night and not spending time together just doing the dishes and washing can have detrimental impact on a couple.
Studies have shown that sleep deprivation inpats a family and child more negatively in the long term than the actual sleep training itself. The sleep training is also only short term. Most of my families see positive changes in 2-3 weeks.
So in Conclusion, the Investment of a Sleep Consultant
With any sleep training you undertake you have to put the work in to see the results, just like hiring a personal fitness trainer, you still have to do the exercise to see the results. And if you pay for it you are more likely to do the work and do it at full throttle and not half heartedly.
Yes it may seem like a big lump sum to pay out in one go but over the course of your sleep support journey it really is cheaper than a dinner out! You will feel refreshed at the end knowing your child sleeps well, you do not have to be tied to your baby all the time to ensure they sleep. You can leave the house to have that date night or see friends. But most importantly you know your child is getting the sleep they need to thrive. They may be napping better, eating more foods, regulating emotions and generally happier because they are sleeping!
And Don’t Forget You Will Never Be Alone In the Process
I will be there on hand when the going gets tough or when you have a question, no matter how small or big you feel it may be.
I love my job, I love helping and guiding families through their sleep journey and seeing the positive outcomes at the end!
Still not sure about sleep training and how I may be able to help you? Let’s jump on the phone for your FREE sleep assessment call!
Want to skip to the good part and enrol right now? Click here to view and book your chosen program!
Peaceful nights are coming your way,
Rachael,
Your Paediatric Sleep Consultant
xo
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