Babies may be good at stealing our hearts and taking over our schedules, but despite all their endearing abilities, they may not be able to fall asleep unassisted. A baby sleep consultant may be necessary for your baby to be better rested.
When your mother’s advice, friends’ tips, and internet searches haven’t led you to a solution, a baby sleep consultant can help you get to the root of the problem and get your baby the sleep they need.
A baby sleep consultant gives an initial interview during which they learn about your family and your baby’s sleep quality. They work with you to create a care plan, sometimes do home visits, and continue to support you via phone, email, or text.
Some parents have little difficulty managing their baby’s sleep, others struggle immeasurably, and others are somewhere in between. If you’re in the third category, your question might not be if you should get help, but when.
This article will outline when the best time is for you to hire a baby sleep consultant to best help your infant’s sleep.
When Your Baby Is Old Enough
Newborns are supposed to wake from sleep often to feed – every 2 to 4 hours. In fact, if your baby is 6 weeks old or younger, experts advise you to wake them up if they sleep longer than five hours. Sleep training shouldn’t be on your radar at this stage.
However, once your baby reaches 16 weeks of age, they’re ready to sleep longer. Sleep training achieves the fastest results between the ages of 4 to 6 months, but any time after 4 months is an appropriate time to start.
When You’ve Ruled Out Medical Issues
Sometimes sleep difficulty is caused by medical issues like teething and colic. Your doctor can look for other sleep disruptors like ear infections, acid reflux, urinary tract infections, and allergies. Not all sleep consultants can spot medical issues, so see your pediatrician first.
If your doctor can find nothing medically wrong with your baby to explain their sleeping challenges, a consultant could be the help you need.
When Your Baby Relies on You to Fall Asleep
You might think everything is under control until the day you’re too busy to rock your baby to sleep. Babies who need feedings, cuddles, walks, car rides, or any external soothing are not sleep trained.
Ask yourself what would happen if you placed your wide-awake infant in their crib and walked out of the room before deciding you don’t need a sleep consultant.
When Your Own Sleep Deprivation Is Problematic
About 90% of new parents get less than 7 hours of sleep each night. If you’ve accidentally put the milk in the cupboard or brushed your teeth with hand cream, you might be one of the new parents whose sleep deprivation has become problematic.
Misplaced dairy and horrible tasting toothpaste might be amusing but nodding off at the wheel could be catastrophic. If your baby’s erratic sleep habits interfere with your daytime functioning and safety, it’s time to get some help.
If you’re still looking for other options before taking the plunge into the world of sleep consulting, consider a baby sleepsuit, designed to help your baby settle into sleep by providing comfort and security. The Baby Merlin Sleep Collection may have just the sleepsuit your baby needs.