6 Reasons to Hire a Sleep Coach
/Hiring someone to help your baby learn how to sleep is a reality of modern parenting and yet it continues to be a source of resistance for many parents. I know it can be tough to ask for help. Some parents have expressed feeling guilt over hiring someone to sleep train, others are worried they’ll be shamed for doing so and there are those out there that aren’t even aware that there are people they can pay to come help them! Wherever you’re at in this journey, I want you to know that it’s ok to ask for help. If sleep is a source of struggle in your house, I want to help you make restful sleep a priority, so today I’m sharing more about the benefits of hiring a sleep coach.
Save time and energy
Creating structure around sleep, especially structure that fits with YOUR family’s specific needs, takes research, education, and lots of planning… not to mention, it can be extremely overwhelming. When you hire a sleep coach, I’ve already done the research and we have the knowledge and expertise to custom create your unique sleep plan. I take this monumental project off your to-do list, which means time spent scrolling through website after website and researching “sleep plans for my 4 month old” can be better spent with your baby or partner. And I think we can all agree that quality family time is priceless.
Being a parent is already incredibly demanding and it’s even more so when you’re exhausted! A Pediatric Sleep Coach is there to educate and create a program just for you, but also to be there with you every step of the way!
Enjoy more “me time”
Being “touched out” is a very real phenomenon. When you are the sole source of your child’s comfort and spend your days focusing on your kids needs, it’s easy to become depleted and even burnt out on motherhood. And while I know you would do anything for your kids, I also want to stress the importance of taking care of yourself.
When you have a child who sleeps independently, takes regular naps throughout the day, and goes down easily for bed, anyone can watch your baby with ease. You can pass on nap management to a babysitter so you can get out of the house during the day. You can have your partner do bedtime solo one or two nights a week so you can spend time with the girls. Whatever fills your cup, you’ll have the time to do just that.
Reconnect with your partner
You know what they don’t prepare expecting parents for? Relationship struggles especially when compounded with sleep deprivation. Many of us underestimate the impact sleep deprivation can have, not to mention the every day stressors that increase when you have a baby whether related to money, work, or anything else. Marriages are known to suffer in the first year after birth and it can take a lot of time and hard work to get things back on track for you and your partner.
Adding to your family doesn’t have to wreak havoc on your relationship. When your baby or toddler learns how to sleep independently, is sleeping 11-12 hours a night, and goes down for bed before 7 pm, this frees up lots of quality time for you and your partner. Maybe you get to cook and eat a nutritious meal together, or enjoy a movie on the couch with a glass of wine. When sleep is no longer a source of stress you can hire a sitter or enlist the grandparents to watch your baby while you go on a long overdue date night! Imagine what that would do for your relationship!
Improve your family’s health
Let’s be real, your baby needs sleep and so do you! Children that are chronically sleep deprived tend to have more separation anxiety, can be more accident prone, are at an increase for feeding problems and have challenges regulating emotions. Not to mention, too little sleep can also have negative effects on the immune system and can effect your baby’s brain development. A baby that is well rested has been shown to be much happier and healthier, and the same goes for you too!
In adults, sleep deprivation can cause the following negative side effects:
trouble concentrating
memory issues
increased risk of anxiety or depression
weakened immune system
high blood pressure
low sex drive
increased risk of heart disease
poor balance
Being a parent is hard enough without adding these into the mix. Hire a sleep coach not only for your baby’s healthy, but for yours too!
Access to expertise
As a sleep coach, I’ve been professionally trained to meet the needs of my clients. Not only do I know how to implement various methods and approaches, but I’ve been trained to emotionally support the parents through this process. Beyond the live-in support that we provide, you have unlimited access to your sleep coach’s expertise for an additional 4 weeks. This means that you can call or email if you have questions or concerns, if you need reassurance, or even if you want someone to celebrate with! We take a limited number of clients each month so that we have more than enough time to connect with you in the weeks following the sleep training itself.
Get a full night’s sleep from night #1
When was the last time you had a full nights sleep? I’m talking 8-9 uninterrupted hours? That can be your reality on the first night of our live-in program. One of my favorite things to do after arriving at a client’s home is to take over the monitor and give the parents permission to go to go on a date or climb in bed. Ear plugs are encouraged! I keep an eye on the monitor all night, make notes about your baby’s behavior and progress, meet any needs that your baby has, and fill you in come morning. It’s amazing what a full nights sleep can do ! Come night 2 and 3, I still let you sleep as much as possible, but invite you into the process so you know what to expect and what the plan is after I leave. By the time I leave, everyone is catching up on much needed sleep and you are well on your way to your new normal!
If your baby is struggling to sleep independently and you aren’t sure how to help, the time is now. This can all get better, with our help. Reach out today to schedule a call.