Calling all zombies, I mean mommies!!!
If you are having problems getting your little tyke down for naps or for the night, help is only a phone call away.
More and more mothers are turning to sleep consultants to help to sleep-train your family. These sleep specialist have designed sleep coaching programs for families that are sleep deprived or struggling with different sleep training concepts.
A sleep coach, after a thirty-minute phone consultation, will aid you in designing a sleep routine that offers as much or as little support you need.
There are different levels of programs one can choose from. The VIP Sleep Training Program offers a sleep coach coming to your home around bedtime and staying for two full nights. The key to this program is supporting your family through the toughest part of sleep training.
Some people will balk at having a total stranger come and stay the night at their home. But when you are sleep deprived and are literally pulling your hair out, what can a strange sleep coach staying in your home do but help?
I personally have been having issues with putting my daughter Dionne down for naps during the day, but have no issues getting her to sleep through the night.
I decided to call Natalie Nevares, founder of Mommy Wise, a sleep training company. During my thirty-minute consultation, I told Natalie how Dionne would have a bottle and an hour and a half later she will be ready to take a nap. However she will want me to hold and rock her to sleep.
Once she is near sleep I go to lay her down, and as soon as her head hits her bed she is crying and awake again. Natalie told me that when I lay Dionne down I've missed her sleep cues and she is overly tired. I needed to catch her fifteen-minutes before she is ready to sleep.
This tip was golden!
I asked Natalie at what point should a mom reach out for help getting their little ones to sleep better. She responded, "when they are feeling at the end of their rope, feeling anxious or angry or having tension with their partners about what to do to help the baby sleep."
I think that knowing when you are at the end of your rope is important; it could also highlight the fact that your child may even be suffering from a sleep disorder.
"There are habits and needs. If a baby falls asleep in your arms and wakes up wanting to be held every time s/he wakes, that is a habit. If a baby who was previously sleeping through the night suddenly starts screaming in the middle of the night, then there is likely a genuine need", says Nevares.
Last call for the sleep deprived and aggravated: whether you need a thirty-minute consult or a four-week program, help is out there.
The custom programs are in the words of Navares "a considerable investment". They range from $900-$3,400 for a full four-week program. A sliding scale is available for families that are unable to make that investment.
For more information you can contact Natalie Nevares at www.mommywise.com
