Why I Became a Sleep Consultant

From the moment you announce you’re expecting, everyone seems to offer the same piece of advice: “Say goodbye to sleep.” It’s as if sleepless nights are an inevitable rite of passage and the new norm for all parents because “that’s how it’s always been.” But what if it didn’t have to be that way, with of course the exception of the newborn stage! What does the science say after all?

During my masters, while studying the cellular mechanisms of learning and memory in the brain I ironically went through a rough bout of insomnia and between feeling the impact poor sleep had on my physical and mental health and knowing the data behind the importance of sleep, I wanted to try anything to maintain those wonderful nights of sleep. This is why I became a sleep consultant.

I trained to be a pediatric sleep consultant when I was pregnant with my first daughter during the pandemic. With a lot of time to read, research, and eventually test, I dove deep into the world of sleep training. Once my feisty daughter was 4 months old, we implemented healthy sleep habits and helped her to learn how to independently fall asleep for naptimes and bedtime – this was huge!

She was a tiny baby and needed any additional calories we could get her to take, so for us, sleep training did not mean eliminating night feedings. We still woke her up or fed her whenever she stirred until our doctor gave us the all-clear. Not only did I gain several hours of my day back (previously spent shushing, pacing, rocking, and nursing-to-sleep) for much-needed me-time, but it also gave me the confidence to differentiate when she really needed me due to illness or teething versus just being fussy in general at bedtime. I felt rested, and this continued 90% of our nights and she was happy and thriving.

With the knowledge at hand, we confidently rode the various regression waves, constantly evolving nap schedules, teething, and even our current three-nager stages, knowing that those are all just phases and the norm was amazing, restful nights.

The key lesson I learned was that just because something ‘is the way it is’ or ‘that’s how it’s always been’ doesn’t mean that’s how YOU need to do it. We don’t have to accept sleepless nights as a given when it comes to raising children. Breaking away from these outdated mindsets can lead to more fulfilling and restful parenting experiences.

My goal is to instill parents with the knowledge behind sleep training and how to navigate the changes along the way so you don’t have to stress or obsess over it.

Sleep well,

Fiona