Are you curious about working with a sleep consultant?
The experience you have will vary depending on the sleep consultant you work with. There are many sleep consultants out there with a variety of approaches. I definitely recommend doing some research to get a feel for their philosophy, approach, and their own training. Most sleep consultants will offer some type of free call which will let you see what they are like before deciding to work together. I have a free discovery call that I offer and I really do like to have one with each client before we work together.
Why is this important?
Unfortunately, sleep consulting is not a regulated industry. This means that technically, anyone can call themselves a sleep consultant regardless of if they even have any training. Having that free call gives you a chance to talk with the consultant before committing to working together. You can ask them questions and they will likely ask you questions too. If you aren’t familiar with their background and credentials, I would ask during this call.
What does a sleep consultant do?
In general, sleep consultants will offer support to families around their child’s sleep through a variety of services. Services can range from a once off phone call to a month or more of support. This support can take place in different ways too. Some consultants offer in person services while others offer remote services, and some may offer a mix of the two. Some sleep consultants offer classes, guides, or group coaching as well.
The specifics of what this support looks like is going to depend on the individual sleep consultant’s philosophy and knowledge.
When should you work with a sleep consultant?
If you are struggling with your child’s sleep, then it may be a good time to seek out support. Oftentimes, pediatricians will recommend some sort of sleep training. If you’re unsure of how to approach that, then a sleep consultant can be helpful. Some areas I have supported families with include general sleep education. expectations for newborn sleep, transitioning from co-sleeping, early morning wakings, and bedtime challenges to name a few. I work with families who have children from birth through preschool age. I especially enjoy working with toddlers and preschoolers, so if you’ve felt like it’s too late to work on getting better sleep that isn’t true and I’m happy to support you!
What’s it like to work with me?
If you are interested in working with me, I always like to start with a free discovery call. This is a phone call, usually about 15-20 minutes where we can talk about what your concerns are, what my approaches are, and what services would be best for your family.
I like to use these discovery calls because it gives us a chance to get to know each other. There could be issues going on where I am not the best fit and I will let you know that. For instance, if there is a medical issue that’s causing sleep disruptions then I am not going to be the right person. Also, sometimes families may have a question, but when we talk we find out their child is actually sleeping fine for their age and they don’t need support. I’m never going to have someone pay to work with me if they don’t need to!
After we have a discovery call and we both decide that it makes sense to work together, the next step is to book your package. I currently have a few different options for ongoing support. You can check out my services page for full information on all of the different services I offer, but no matter which you pick they all start the same.
I have a detailed intake form that I send to clients that covers the main areas of sleep hygiene along with information about your child and family. I also have a contract I send to all clients and this is when you would pay for your package. After this is all completed, we have our hour long call. During this call we go through your intake form. I ask clarifying questions to make sure I have as much information as possible, I go through my suggestions, and you have the opportunity to ask questions too. Following this call, I send you an email summarizing our conversations and my suggestions.
If you have chosen to work together for a longer period of time, then the ongoing support begins.
Each day that we work together, we will check in through email or text depending on your suport package and your family preference. I guarantee a response to messages between the hours of 7am-7pm EST within four hours of when you send your email, though I usually do respond much sooner. During this time, I ask you to track all sleep and feeding so that we can really analyze patterns and I track all progress that’s being made. I have a sleep log through google sheets that we use for this.
Some of my support packages include the option to have check in calls over the course of our time together. However, in general, if there’s something I feel would be better discussed over phone/video call then I will set that up with you at no extra charge. I also send you a document at the end of our time together which is your sleep plan and includes information on the approaches we used, the progress made, things to continue, things to keep working on, and some general information about sleep.
I really want to make my clients feel supported and make sure that if we work together, you get everything you need from our time. After we have worked together, I will check in from time to time to see how things are going and if any questions have come up.
If you are interested in my services, but feel that you need something different than the packages I offer, I am flexible and open to building a unique package that will fit your needs.
My Credentials
If you’ve read my about me page, then you are familiar with my credentials. I am a certified pediatric sleep consultant, and the program I was certified through, Sweet Sleep Academy, is one of only 6 programs that is approved by the Association of Professional Sleep Consultants.
This program was a ten week course that went in depth on sleep and it was followed up with 50 practicum hours. It also offers ongoing mentorship support, which really is important and helps support my own continuing education.
In addition to this, I have my Masters in Social Work with a Child and Family concentration, a Bachelors in Human Services with a minor in Education, and I am a Certified Lactation Counselor. I’ve worked with children and families in Early Intervention for ten years. All of this means that my practice is firmly based in child development and attachment and is also informed of lactation and mental health.
Still have questions?
If you still have questions about working with a sleep consultant, I am always happy to talk! You can set up a discovery call here. And, if you are ready to get going and start working together you should also schedule a call so we can determine the best package to support your needs.
