In my work with new parents, I meet many families who are at their wits-end about sleep issues.
In response to their needs and requests, I offer sleep consulting. My goal is to help the parents formulate a plan that will suit their values, their baby, and their family. In this work, I rely on my training and experience as an adult educator and lactation counsellor.
I meet with all the parents/care-givers who care for the baby at night (that could be one, two or more…), and preferably without the baby present and ask them about their beliefs about babies, their values about parenting, and their understanding of sleep issues. I listen to what they perceive the problems to be, what they need, what they want, and how they would like to achieve it. I make sure both parents get to have their say and that they listen to each other.
Then, together, we formulate a plan; it might involve letting the baby cry a little, it always involves having one parent sit with the baby or visit the baby frequently, and it never involves abandoning the baby to cry for long periods of time alone and unsupported.
When parents formulate a plan they can both agree to and decide when to implement it, and are CONSISTENT about it, they are almost always successful within a week or two.
My fee is $100 for a one-hour Zoom consultation. I will give you my cell-phone number and you can call me in the days following our meeting to ask questions, or if you need support. Every family seems to need a follow-up call. If you need more than that, we can set up another appointment.
How is my service different from the services of other sleep consultants?
I don’t do the sleep training for you. I don’t come to your house to check on how you have set the room up, or whether it is dark enough.
I usually suggest you deal with night-time sleep first – and then tackle naps. If you try to do both at once, you are arguing with your baby 24 hours a day. It’s too hard.
I won’t call you or email you in the days after our consultation to check if you have been following the rules.
I am available to call or text for support if you need it during your sleep training implementation.
I don’t write up your sleep plan – I let you take notes – you are the grown-up(s).
I don’t believe there is only one way babies should sleep. Different families have different schedules. Different babies need different amounts of sleep.
Read more about Eva’s sleep philosophy