What does a sleep coach do?

Sleep Consultants - what do they do?

People often think that sleep training their child involves leaving their baby to cry alone. Misconceptions like this mean that many families are hesitant to seek some support to help their little people learn how to settle to sleep independently.

So, what exactly is a Family Sleep & Wellness Coach? (aka sleep consultant) In short, a certified sleep coach who is there to educate, support, troubleshoot with and encourage you to create healthy sleep habits that your whole family will benefit from.

Our role as sleep consultants is to support and educate parents about all things sleep. The science behind sleep, hormones, biological sleep windows and your child’s sleep environment is amazing. If we can learn about the reasons why children need to sleep at certain times of the day, and how their bodies are biologically and physically best set up to do this, then we can work with them to provide these opportunities. There is nothing more disheartening as a parent than feeling helpless at settling your baby or trying to understand what it is that they need. As sleep consultants we understand when a baby is neurologically ready to change their sleep pattern and also the importance of ensuring baby and parent get the sleep they need to tackle day to day life and all it brings.

What is sleep coaching?

Sleep coaching involves looking at the bigger picture. It’s more than just identifying that your baby is catnapping, feeding to sleep or needing to be rocked or held for all sleeps. We look at their age; developmentally where they are at, their weight and how often they are feeding. Are they having solids? Breastmilk, formula or a mix? Are there any medical conditions to be aware of? What are the family commitments; does we need to consider drop-offs and pick-ups for older sibling at pre school or school? How can we work around these day-to-day activities to ensure that baby is getting the sleep they need without adding any extra family stress and ensuring families enjoy this adventure we know as parenting!

Why ‘sleep train’?

If you are happy to feed, rock, pat or hold your baby to sleep and that works for your family then great! There’s nothing wrong with what you are doing. There is no such thing as a bad habit. It is likely that your baby will rely on you to provide this association each time that they need to fall asleep and each time they wake between sleep cycles and can’t get back to sleep themselves. If you don’t want to continue providing this parent assisted sleep association or it is no longer working for you, then that’s where a sleep coach can help.

At Beyond Sleep School we have a holistic approach to sleep shaping which includes reviewing a clients environment, their feeding and nutrition, their temperament and current developmental stage and also your parenting style. We are massive advocates for responsive sleep shaping; offering reassurance and connection to your baby’s needs with both in the room and out of the room sleep methods. 

A sleep consultant supports and encourages parents to learn about their child’s needs and understand the advice given around nutrition, sleep environment, routines and settling. Working alongside parents and being available to answer any questions whilst encouraging them to be patient and consistent is invaluable.

Babies are not robots; they will have developmental phases such as feeling anxious at being alone or around new people as well as physical phases such as crawling or being unwell. These are all normal parts of their child’s development. However; if they have learned how to settle to sleep and resettle between sleep cycles themselves then they won’t need assistance in doing so during these phases. Of course, they may need some extra cuddles and to have their love cup filled during the day but they don’t physically rely on being assisted to sleep or resettled like those who haven’t quite established this themselves.

If you're ready to embark on a career that offers flexibility, fulfillment, and the opportunity to make a positive impact on families' lives, we're here to support you every step of the way.