What is a Sleep Consultant?

Even though sleep consultants have been helping families get better sleep for many years, most people have never heard of them. Even as a pediatric nurse, I too, had never heard of a sleep consultant. This changed 3.5 years ago, when my first born was 6 months old, not sleeping well, and I was exhausted.

In a moment of desperation in the middle of the night, I searched the internet for a "pediatric sleep specialist". I laughed while hitting enter, as I assumed the results would only display famous authors or doctors that were unreachable for a regular Mom like myself. When my search resulted in "sleep consultants" who were available in my area, I thought that sleep deprivation had officially set in and I was delirious. Those thoughts quickly turned into budding hope as I realized I could, in fact, hire someone to help me navigate this time of confusion and exhaustion.

I learned that a pediatric sleep consultant is someone who has received education and training in developmental and behavioral sleep struggles for infants and children. More than that, I learned they are people full of compassion as they've walked in your shoes and will encourage you when you question everything. They are the objective person you need to give you a new plan when yours isn't working. They are your cheerleader on your journey to reaching your sleep goals. Lastly, they are a newfound and unexpected addition to your pool of parenting resources.

After I hired a sleep consultant and my son and I were sleeping better within 3 nights, I decided that I desperately wanted to help other families struggling with sleep.

I received my training and certification through the Family Sleep Institute, a comprehensive program that educated me on pediatric sleep and all methods for sleep training. As a sleep consultant, I work with families to reach their sleep goals through education, guidance, and support. I review the child's current sleep habits, educate the family on infant/child sleep, provide a detailed plan that compliments their parenting style and philosophy, and offer follow-up support for questions and concerns.

I get to help families go from sleep deprived to well rested, and there is nothing more rewarding.

If you're wondering if you need help with your child's sleep, check out my next blog with reasons why you should hire a sleep consultant.