Parents’ Guide to Hiring a Sleep Consultant

When you’re a new (or a new-again!) parent, your child’s sleep can be one of the many things that keeps you up at night.

Whether your baby isn’t sleeping well or your toddler begins stalling the minute you say, “It’s bedtime,” it can be frustrating and exhausting. What’s even more frustrating and exhausting?

Trying to find the answers and solutions to those sleep habits in the countless sleep books that are on the market.

When we were struggling with our little ones’ sleep, we both used books to sleep train our kiddos. But honestly, books suck when it comes to sleep training. Books offer a one-size-fits-all approach, when every child and every family is different.

Sleep consultants, on the other hand, can identify the nuances that go into identifying sleep challenges and supporting families while they reach their goals. And when questions come up throughout the process, you don’t need to flip through pages trying to find an answer – you just reach out to your sleep consultant.

We’re taking all of the questions we’ve received about working with sleep consultants and assembling them here to be your ultimate guide to hiring your sleep consultant.

Is hiring a sleep consultant worth it?

When you consider the toll a lack of sleep can have on a family – exasperating anxiety or depression, deepening rifts in relationships, adding stress to an overwhelmed parent – I’d argue that it’s absolutely worth hiring somebody who can partner with you and help you navigate your child’s sleep.

A sleep consultant is much more than someone who hands you a sleep plan for your child. They become your support system, cheering you on, holding you accountable, and encouraging you when you need it.

Aside from that, we’ve seen firsthand the impact sleep consultants have on families, and the end result – when the children are getting the sleep they need (as well as the parents) – is beyond rewarding. It’s life changing.

What can a sleep consultant help with?

There are many different areas a sleep consultant can help with, but here are a few:

• Solving your child’s early morning wakes

• Creating an age-appropriate schedule for your child

• Identifying the cause of short naps

• Troubleshooting split nights or false starts

• Providing education about realistic sleep for your child

• Identifying a sleep training method that fits your parenting philosophy and your child’s temperament

• Teaching you different sleep training methods and guiding you through implementation

• Figuring out why your child is waking throughout the night and creating a plan to solve those wakes

• Addressing toddler behavior at bedtime by giving you strategies to implement

Additionally, some sleep consultants have further education and certifications to guide you through any questions you have related to different situations. If your child has a medical issue or you have a deeper concern and aren’t sure if the sleep consultant will be able to help you, set up a free call with them to find out if it’s within their scope of work.

What can you expect to achieve when working with a sleep consultant?

Honestly, you can achieve as much as you put into the process of improving your child’s sleep. If you follow your sleep consultant’s plan and guidance with 100% consistently, you will see improvements in your child’s sleep.

If you pick and choose what and when to implement, you likely won’t see much success.

The outcome will look different for every family, as so many factors impact sleep. Additionally, it depends how long your sleep consultant’s support period lasts. However, if you continue to follow the plan, keep open communication with your sleep consultant, and ask questions when they arise, you will see changes.

We recommend that you share your goals with your sleep consultant upfront so that they can let you know whether they are realistic and what they expect to achieve during the time period.

How much does it cost to hire a sleep consultant?

The cost to hire a sleep consultant will vary based on the sleep consultant’s location, experience, the length and type of support, and whether they’re conducting virtual or in-person meetings with your family.

Sleep consultants create their own offerings – some offer a do-it-yourself support package that includes minimal support, while others offer white-glove support that includes unlimited access to them.

Deciding what type of support will serve you best can help you identify the sleep consultants that will fit your needs.

Hiring a sleep consultant can be one of the best decisions you make for your family, regardless of whether your child is a few weeks or a few years old. Doing your research and asking the right questions can help you determine which sleep consultant will be the best match for your family.

Not sure where to start? We have a directory of sleep consultants for you that have been certified through The Collective for Family Rest and Wellness’ Sleep Consultant Academy Program. With ongoing support, mentoring, and education, we’re confident that one of our consultants will be your sleep consultant. Check it out here!