Broken nights are part of the parenthood journey: in the early days, babies sleep cycles are often irregular. Newborns quickly get hungry, they need to learn what day and night rhythm means. This is only normal! And within a few months, you and your baby should have established a sleeping routine, allowing him/her to fall asleep and go back to sleep by him/herself. If this is not the case, if you feel frustrated, exhausted, if you think your baby is sleep deprived or if more generally you feel that you need help with setting up good sleeping habits, a sleep consultant for babies can support you!
Learn about child sleep coaches
- What is a child sleep coach?
- A few good reasons to consult a sleep trainer
- What to expect from a consultation with a sleep trainer
- I am breastfeeding - can a sleep consultant for babies still help?
- I have heard about gentle sleep coach - who are they?
- Will a gentle sleep coach or a sleep trainer consultation be reimbursed by my health insurance?
- How to book a child sleep coach?
1. What is a child sleep coach?
A child sleep coach, also called a sleep trainer, is a certified professional providing guidance and comprehensive sleep solutions to parents. He is trained to promote safe and healthy sleep practices to help encourage the development of good sleep habits for your baby. When choosing a sleep trainer, always check his certifications to ensure you are talking to a professional expert.
2. A few good reasons to consult a sleep trainer
Sleep is a learned skill. It is therefore normal if your baby does not sleep through the night immediately, or even after a few months. However, you might want to consult with a sleep trainer if:
- Your baby/toddler can never fall asleep and/or get back to sleep on his/her own
- You are worried your baby is not getting enough sleep
- You have twins or multiples and need to set-up a well-established sleeping routine
- You and/or your partner are exhausted and need support getting your baby/toddler to build good sleeping habits
Once again, don't worry. All the aforementioned issues are very common! The good news is that, most of the time, they can quickly and easily be fixed with the help of a sleep trainer.
3. What to a expect from a consultation with a sleep trainer
In most cases, the child sleep coach will ask you to provide some information about your child. They might also ask you to keep a sleep diary so they can better assess your baby’s current sleeping habits. Depending on the situation, the age of your child, as well as your end goal, the sleep trainer might then recommend to slowly make changes to your baby’s schedule (feeding, nap, bedtime) or directly move into actual training. Most of the time they will offer a support after the consultation so you can contact them in case of question while implementing the training.
Discuss with the sleep trainer if the consultation will take place at home or online.
4. I am breastfeeding – can a sleep consultant for babies still help?
All coaches will tell you that breastfeeding and baby sleep training can go together. If you are lactating, your consultant will take this important fact into account when assessing your situation and help you integrate your breastfeeding routine into your baby’s sleeping one. A sleep consultant for babies should never recommend you to stop breastfeeding.
5. I have heard about gentle sleep coaches – who are they?
When looking for a sleep trainer, you might read about gentle sleep coaches. In general, gentle sleep training refers to approaches and methods that try to minimize baby’s crying time and/or offer gentle response to crying.
More specifically, the Gentle Sleep Coaching Program is an American professional sleep coach training and certification program. A coach that has followed this training can call himself a Gentle Sleep Coach (GSC).
6. Will a gentle sleep coach or a sleep trainer consultation be reimbursed by my health insurance?
Always contact your health insurance before booking an appointment if you would like to know if the gentle sleep coach consultation costs will be covered. This will depend on the insurance company you have chosen and the coverage you have selected.
Look at our selection of professional sleep consultants for babies and gentle sleep coaches and book your consultation immediately!
Want to book an appointment now? Browse through our selected network of recommended sleep consultants for babies, select the one who most closely meets your needs and plan an appointment whenever suitable. If you have any question, do not hesitate to reach out to our team at hello@parentally.nl. Help is just around the corner!
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