This week, we are introducing you to Caitlin. Caitlin’s little guy Portland is SUCH a cutie, but he wasn’t exactly the cutest little sleeper! Portland would nap only in his mama or dad’s arms (talk about exhausting for Caitlin and her husband!). That was okay for a while, but when night sleep started to fall apart as well, Caitlin knew she couldn’t take it anymore. She was heading back to work and just knew she couldn’t continue to cope with the crushing sleep deprivation. That’s when she contacted us for help! Keep reading to learn more about Caitlin’s Family Feature story.

Caitlin’s Baby Wasn’t Sleeping At Night And Would Nap Only In Her Arms….And Her Maternity Leave Was Ending.

The original version of this sleep coaching story appears on Just A Bowl Of Cherries, Caitlin’s personal blog.

The Baby Sleep Site^®: Caitlin, could you start by sharing with us a little more about what sleep was like for you early-on, before you contacted us for help?

Caitlin: In the beginning of Portland’s life, he would soundly sleep on my or my husband’s chest. We could have the TV on, our dog Hercules barking and us having a full on conversation, and Portland would snooze right on through all the madness. So yes, great, he sleeps through sound, but up until he was four and half months old, guess where my 16 pound baby still took his four daily naps? In his Mama’s or his Daddy’s loving arms.

The Baby Sleep Site: Oh, no – that sounds exhausting! (And heavy!!) So naps were the issue for you guys, huh?

Caitlin: Yes! The inability of our son to nap anywhere but our arms was our fault. We both loved to cuddle with him in those early days and when I was out on maternity leave. I wanted to hold him all the time, and I was lucky to be able to spend my whole day doing just that! When I started back at work when he was two months old, I quickly realized that I wasn’t able to put my little boy down to take his naps. I never taught him how to take his naps anywhere but in my arms, so of course he had no idea what to do when I laid him down in his crib or bassinet. He would just cry until I finally relented and scooped him up, and then he would pass out within seconds of being in my arms. This was not going to work!

The Baby Sleep Site: Yep, that sounds rough! Very normal, of course – lots of parents struggle with this – but rough. So is that when you finally decided you had to take action?

Caitlin: It was. We reached our breaking point with his naps right around the three month mark. We both were becoming frustrated with how much work it took us to get him to sleep and keep him asleep (constant movement, butt patting, and we had to hold him for the whole nap). We also never got a break! We wanted to be able to have time for us, time to work from home, clean, eat and just relax!

This is also the time when his nighttime sleeping began to change as well. He had been sleeping great at night, but around 3 months, he was no longer able to sleep through all the noises my husband and I were making while we slept. I so badly wanted him to sleep next to us for another month or two but it just wasn’t going to work. He began waking every 1.5-2 hours and the only way to get him back to sleep was to nurse him and pat his butt until he drifted off to sleep. Even though we wanted Portland to sleep in our room as long as possible, we decided that it wasn’t feasible any longer.

The Baby Sleep Site: I don’t blame you; sounds like you were facing some tough issues! So what did you do at that point?

Caitlin: I had already done a ton of reading online about baby sleep coaching. One of the internet sites I stumbled upon that got me really excited was The Baby Sleep Site^®. After trying and failing to sleep train our son on our own, I knew I needed something that would give me a detailed sleep training method specifically for Portland and our family’s needs. So we did it – we bought a sleep consultation package. I wanted the ability to call and write our sleep consultant with questions after we got started because I knew we would have them, so we went with the Basic Telephone Consultation Package. Even just by purchasing a sleep consultation package, I felt like we were on the right path and I was so excited to get started.

Once we picked out the package we wanted, I filled out a very long questionnaire (while Portland was napping in my arms) so that our sleep consult had a better understanding of Portland’s sleep and eating schedule, his habits, our family life, and what we wanted to accomplish sleep wise.

I then set up my sixty minute initial phone consult and excitedly waited for our appointment!

The Baby Sleep Site: Awesome! And what did you go over in that initial phone call?

Caitlin: In this meeting we went over the questionnaire I filled out and any red flags our consultant saw right away. A few red flags she saw right away included the amount of sleep our son was getting during the day. I was having him nap in our arms for about 2 hours for each nap so he was getting about 8 hours of total sleep during the day. At his age (four months) that was way too much daytime sleep and why he was waking so freaking early in the morning (4 and 5 am is not a good wake up time for this mama).

We also went over the type of sleep training approach we wanted to take and her recommendations based on his personality and age at the time. This phone call was all sorts of amazing! It felt so good to talk to an expert about the issues we were having. I was able to ask a lot of my questions, she provided us with some simple changes we could begin right away and reassurance that not only could we as parents do this but so could Portland and that we would all be better for it.

The Baby Sleep Site: Wow – a very detailed call! Sounds like you made some great progress just in that initial phone call. What about your Personalized Sleep Plan? When did you get that, and what did you think?

Caitlin: After our phone consultation, I was emailed a very detailed sleep plan. We decided to take a gentle method approach, which means as little crying as possible. He was only four months old at the time we started sleep training so this was an appropriate approach given his age and cognitive abilities. Our little guy is also a hysterical crier. Unlike some babies who use crying to soothe themselves, once our guy starts, he can’t stop and gets himself to the point where he is hyperventilating so we knew a cry-it-out approach wouldn’t work for him.

After we worked on getting Portland comfortable in his crib, we started with sleep training nighttime only. Our sleep consultant also recommended to work on nights first then on naps. She really does not recommend working on both at the same time because it can be brutal for both the parents and baby.

Night times were fairly easy for Portland. He was sleeping in his crib through the night by the fourth night of sleep training. He has always slept in his own space at night so the big adjustment was the new environment and Mama not being right there. After about two weeks in the crib at night, he started giving me 5-6 hour stretches and on a consistent basis and was no longer being woken up by Daddy getting ready for work at 3 AM, success! This over tired Mama was happy!

The Baby Sleep Site: Awesome! What about naps? I’m guessing you switched to nap training once you’d mastered nights; how did nap training go?

Caitlin: We dedicated an entire weekend (Friday through Sunday) to nap train upon the recommendation of our sleep consultation. We literally didn’t do anything or go anywhere that entire weekend.

Since he had been napping in our arms from day one, you can imagine how upset Portland was when we tried to get him to nap in his crib. He didn’t understand what was going on or what he was supposed to do even though he was sleeping in his crib at night. The first day was long and he didn’t nap in his crib at all. The second day was long but not as bad because he napped in his crib for the second nap. By the third day, he napped in his crib for both his morning naps. And then our nanny was super awesome and helped us continue our training on Monday where he napped in his crib for his first three naps. We continued to let him take his fourth nap anywhere he wanted (carrier, stroller, car, etc.) because he was showing signs that he would be dropping that nap soon.

We had to help him a lot those first few days showing him how to get himself to sleep. We also had to calm him down a lot because he did cry and because we wanted a sleep plan that kept the crying to a minimum, we never let him get hysterical. After about a week of sleep training naps, we were able to scale back our help. Now, we can put him down in his crib drowsy, walk out of his room and he gets himself to sleep for naps and bedtime. This was our ultimate goal!

It took us about a total of four weeks to complete our sleep training but I can finally say that my baby is napping in his crib for all of his naps and through the whole night! I had my doubts that this would ever be possible and was so stressed that sleep training would be a nightmare but it turned out to be so much better and successful than I could have ever imagined.

The Baby Sleep Site: Woohoo! Your progress is so inspirational, Caitlin! So now that you’re wrapping up your sleep training journey, what parting thoughts do you have to share?

Caitlin: All in all, Portland is sleeping so much better! He is getting more restful naps and sleeping longer stretches at night, he is sleeping in his crib for naps and bedtime, and is able to get himself to sleep and back to sleep. We have been able to accomplish all of our goals so far!

I highly recommend The Baby Sleep Site^®, even if it is just to access their free resources. If you were like me and didn’t get baby into their own sleeping space or are struggling with getting baby to sleep, I also highly recommend their sleep consulting service. There is a package and price point for every single family. Plus, it is really an investment since you can use your sleep plan for any additional children down the road and if you need your sleep plan tweaked for your child or any additional child, they have that option too.

Working with The Baby Sleep Site^® has been a truly amazing experience and probably one of the best things we could have done for our son!

Amazing story, right? Caitlin’s problems seemed so difficult, yet with the help of her sleep consultant (and with much diligent hard work on her part), her little guy is now napping like a pro and sleeping great at night! And parents, you can enjoy this same success in your own home. Your sleepless little ones can be sleeping soundly very soon, with some help from an expert Baby Sleep Site^® sleep consultant. Our trained, compassionate consultants are standing by, ready and willing to help your family get the sleep you need and deserve.

Don’t waste another sleep-deprived minute: connect with a sleep consultant now, and get started on your journey to better, longer sleep!

The post Our Featured Families Who Sleep Trained Successfully: Meet Caitlin! appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.

This December, we’ve been spotlighting several Baby Sleep Site^® families – families who, just like yours, were struggling through awful sleep deprivation and trying in vain to help their children sleep. You’ll learn why they contacted The Baby Sleep Site^®, how our team walked them through the sleep coaching process, and how they finally solved their children’s sleep challenges.

We’ve already met Christel, a mom who had a 4-month old waking 5-8 times a night, co-sleeping only out of necessity, and would only nap for 20-30 minutes at a time. And we’ve met Yeyin, a beautiful mom of a beautiful daughter who was exhausted beyond measure when she came to us for help. She had tried everything – everything – she could think of to help little Haera sleep, including turning to a local sleep consultant, but nothing worked. And, today, you’ll meet
Joanie, who had read everything and was on “information overload” trying to help her baby sleep and stop waking 3-4 times a night. Her husband even switched work shifts to try to help manage!

Keep reading to read these amazing stories!

Meet Joanie, and Read Her Story!

Joanie is a teacher and devoted mom whose daughter was a dream sleeper until she started teething at 7 months. Then their whole routine fell apart and Joanie was so sleep deprived that her husband changed his work schedule so he could let her rest during the day. They were truly in survival mode!

Read on and find out how Joanie was able to help her daughter learn how to sleep on her own again and everyone could get the consolidated sleep they desperately needed.

The Baby Sleep Site: What was sleep like in your home before contacting The Baby Sleep Site? What problems were you struggling with?

Joanie: “Sleep was torture! I dreaded bedtime. Gabriela would take forever to go to sleep. Some nights, up to 90 minutes just to get her in her crib. Then another hour to actually get her to sleep. She would be almost sleeping in my arms, and as soon as I’d lay her down, she’d be wide awake, start running around the crib, and no matter what I did – pat her back, rub her belly, shush her, sing, play music, NOTHING would put her to sleep. I would eventually just take her out and rock her until she was asleep. Which wouldn’t have been so terrible, if she didn’t wake up 3-4 times a night like she did, every night.

Before I reached out for help, I tried to sleep train Gabriela on my own using a mix of methods. I HATED leaving her to cry, so I tried more gentle methods, like pick up/put down, the chair method, anything that would stop her from wailing. Needless to say, anytime I put her down, she’d cry. I thought I was a failure, that I was doing something wrong. So, I’d give up and go back to rocking her till she was fast asleep, and seemingly content. Then I’d pray to God, my grandparents who passed on, my cat that’s long passed, anyone that would listen, that she would sleep through the night.”

The Baby Sleep Site: Had you tried other sleep consulting or sleep coaching tools before contacting us? Had you read baby sleep books, or worked with other sleep consultants? If yes, what was your experience like using other resources?

Joanie: “As a teacher, I am by nature a lover of learning and a seeker of information. I read books, articles, blogs, anything I could get my hands on about sleep. I educated myself about sleep training methods, wake times, sleep associations (which I knew she had but didn’t know how to break), naps, recommended daily sleep requirements, you name it. I was on serious ‘information overload,’ and to the point where I didn’t know what to take from what source. So, I tried a little bit of everything in hopes that something would stick. It was overwhelming, and largely unsuccessful.”

The Baby Sleep Site: What were your main goals in sleep coaching? What did you hope that you and your sleep consultant would be able to accomplish together?

Joanie: “My main goal in sleep coaching was to have Gabriela go down easier, and most importantly, to sleep through the night. When she was an infant, she slept like a dream. When she was 4 weeks old, I would set an alarm to wake up and feed her overnight because I was worried she wasn’t eating enough. I’d do a dream feed and be back in bed 10 minutes later. Then teething happened at 7 months and my once well rested, easy sleeper, turned into a monster, who refused to sleep, EVER! Her night wakings were destroying me both physically and mentally, to the point that my husband switched his work shift, and went from working mornings to late afternoons, so he’d be able to be up with her the 3 or 4 times she’d wake, so I could rest. It was horrible!

I work full-time, and when I was getting home, my husband was leaving. We had no family time together, and I was functioning as a single parent for most of the week, because he was at work and couldn’t help out with her when she was actually awake. When I reached out to The Baby Sleep Site, I was hoping and praying that they could help me make sense of all the information out there, and help me figure out how to help my very strong-willed, determined, active child, unwind and soothe herself to sleep. I am convinced that my daughter has pepper up her butt – she is in perpetual motion All. Day. Long! I hoped that they could guide me in ways to help her sleep through the night without making her cry uncontrollably, for hours on end. I was convinced that Gabriela would scream bloody murder for hours on end if I left the room, so I would never try.”

The Baby Sleep Site: What were your initial impressions of working with your consultant? What did you think of your Personalized Sleep Plan®?

Joanie: “From the start I loved how much time and effort Amy put into designing my Personalized Sleep Plan. She didn’t just say, “do this, do that”, she took the time to explain why I should take these steps and how everything tied together. She included a lot of great examples and even shared some of her own experiences that were similar to ours, which helped in 2 ways: it was great to know that I wasn’t the only one who had these issues, and secondly, it made sense of everything I was experiencing. It was so nice to know that someone else could really understand what was happening, and could relate to my daughter. The sleep plan addressed every concern and every question I had before I knew I had them! The other thing that I loved, was that Amy provided me with options, which I could choose based on my daughter and her needs. My Personalized Sleep Plan is amazing, I read through it once a week to keep the info fresh in my head; it helps to keep us on track, and reminds me of how small things make a big difference, and why schedules are so vital to small children and babies.”

The Baby Sleep Site: Briefly describe what the sleep coaching process was like for you. Was it all smooth sailing? Did you hit any bumps initially? Was there some trial-and-error at first?

Joanie: “When we started sleep coaching, it took some trial and error. I wanted to do a limited cry method because I was absolutely convinced that with a method like check and console, or extinction, that Gabby would cry uncontrollably for hours on end, and vomit everywhere. In the past, letting her cry never went well – after a few minutes she would get so worked up and vomit. I guess when I first tried at around 9 months, she still had an immature gag reflex. Well, the first night, I tried the Chair Method that was suggested by Amy, and Gabby was not having it! She was flipping out with me sitting there and not picking her up, so I decided to just rock her to sleep (it was getting late), and try again the next night.

The Baby Sleep Site: So it sounds like you needed to tweak things to account for Gabriela’s temperament and Amy suggested you try giving her some more space to learn her new skill. How did that go?

Joanie: “When 7 pm the next night rolled around, I was so afraid – my heart was racing, I’m not the biggest fan of vomit to be honest. But, I had to try something. I went through our usual routine, then put her down in the crib, and after 5 minutes of crying I checked in on her. She’d settle, then explode when I left. I kept true to it, going the 2nd time after 10 minutes; same thing as before, when I left, she exploded. The next check-in was set for 15 minutes, but at the 15 minute mark, she began to settle a bit – the crying became less intense, so I decided to wait it out for another 15 minutes to see what would happen. After all, she was crying in spurts – she was quiet for a couple minutes, then start again for a couple, settle, cry, etc. At 27 minutes after the last check, GABRIELA WAS SOUND ASLEEP! I couldn’t believe it. I went to bed that night, expecting to be up around 2 am for the usual settling, but when I rolled over to check the clock, I saw that it was 6:30 in the morning. I woke frantically and checked the movement monitor, and the video, the pendulum was swinging detecting movement, and after about 30 seconds, Gabby’s foot moved. SHE WAS OK, JUST SLEEPING PEACEFULLY! This was the first time in 7 months that she hadn’t woken at night. I was sold at this point.

The next night crying was less intense, and after 20 minutes she settled in. Each night thereafter, the crying got less and less. We had a couple of random nights where the crying would get intense again, but she figured it out and fell asleep. There are in fact many nights, now, where I put her down and she lays around playing with her blankie that she sleeps with, happily until she drifts off to sleep. So after some trial and error, with the support of my sleep consultant, we were able to find a solution that works well for my little tiger.”

The Baby Sleep Site: Please describe where you are today, sleep-wise, vs. where you were before contacting us for help. What progress have you made? What goals have you met? What impact has this progress had on your family?

Joanie: “Where are we today? Well, I’m no longer doing things like putting my brand new iPhone in the washing machine and washing it with my clothes, (yes I did this right before we started sleep coaching, and no, it didn’t survive), so that’s definitely a win for mom. On a serious note though, life has changed dramatically for all of us, including Gabby’s ‘big sister’ Olive Oil, who would panic every night when she’d hear Gabby crying at random times throughout. Going back to work soon, I am beyond grateful that I am able to get a full night’s sleep, as well as gained some much needed ‘me time,’ with the schedule Amy helped me plan. Before sleep coaching, I would be lucky to have her asleep by 8:00 p.m. (that was a ‘good night’) from starting at 6:30 p.m. Most nights it was close to 8:30 p.m. before she was asleep. She was overtired, and cranky, and would refuse to sleep no matter what I tried. She cried, I cried, Olive would pace and hide, it was awful! Once she was asleep, we’d get 4-6 hours of sleep, then be up every 1-2 hours until morning. Naps were no bargain either. It was torture getting her down, and some days she’d sleep for 45 minutes. Night wakings got so bad, that my husband changed his tour so he could be up with her at night, so I could get rest.

Sleep deprivation was horrible on me: my anxiety was through the roof, my patience wore short with everyone, and I was all around miserable. It got a little better when my husband was able to tend to Gabby during middle of the night wakings, but we had no quality family time at all. He’d get home around 1:00 a.m., stay up till around 4:30-5:00 a.m., long enough to put her back down again after the last time she’d wake, then be up at 2:00 p.m. to be at work at 4:00 p.m.. He never got to see Gabby, Olive Oil, or me for that matter.

Today, after almost a month, she is sleeping 11-12 hours at night without waking, she goes down to sleep at around 7:00 p.m., we start our routine at 6:30 p.m. still, and is in her crib by 6:50 p.m. She’ll roll around, play with her blankie and unwind on her own, and after 10-20 minutes, she falls asleep ALONE and HAPPY most nights. There have been a couple stray nights where she’d cry when I left, but that lasted no more than 5 minutes. She even says ‘nite nite’ when I get ready to leave. So as for our goals: she’s been sleeping through the night, going down quickly and happily, and not crying 99% of the time. I’d say this is a win! Due to the great success we are experiencing, my family is getting back to a place we want to be. I’m rested, and can function as a decent mom and wife, my husband is going back to the morning shift and will have more quality time with ‘his favorite girls’ – Gabriela and Olive Oil.”

The Baby Sleep Site: Please share some parting thoughts: what are your overall impressions of your experience with your consultant? Is this a service you think other tired parents would benefit from using? What words of encouragement and inspiration would you share with parents who are struggling with sleep?

Joanie: “All I can say is that Amy is like a magic sleep fairy! She was able to help me do what I never thought possible. I considered sleep consultation quite often in the 7 month period of sleeplessness, but always thought that my daughter would just grow out of it. I see now that was not the case. If you are struggling, ask for help! There is no shame in getting support. Being a parent is no easy task! When it is said that “it takes a village,” there is no doubt about that! Working with a Sleep Consultant changed our lives for the better. At a time when I thought I was destined to be a tired, confused mess who washes her brand new iPhone 6S in the washing machine with her laundry, I never would have thought that with some simple adjustments and guidance from people who really know about this stuff, that my life, my family’s lives, would be completely transformed. If you’re on the fence, take the plunge! There is an end in sight, even if you have a high spirited kid with pepper up her butt like mine! Be patient. Be consistent. You will be so much happier in the end. Wishing you good luck, and boatfuls of happy sleep ahead!”

The post From Waking 15 Times Per Night to Sleeping Through The Night – Read Joanie’s Story! appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.

You may know already that The Baby Sleep Site^® has worked with tens of thousands of families worldwide on sleep – but sometimes, it’s nice to put actual faces to those numbers. It’s nice to hear about real families, just like yours, who struggled through the same sleep challenges you’re facing, and who found the sleep help they needed.

And that’s just what we’re doing this month! Each week for the next 3 weeks, we’ll be spotlighting a Baby Sleep Site^® family – a family who, just like yours, was struggling through awful sleep deprivation and trying in vain to help their children sleep. You’ll learn why they contacted The Baby Sleep Site^®, how our team walked them through the sleep coaching process, and how they finally solved their children’s sleep challenges.

Today, you’ll meet Christel, a mom who had a 4-month old waking 5-8 times a night, co-sleeping only out of necessity, and would only nap for 20-30 minutes at a time. You’ll meet Yeyin, a beautiful mom of a beautiful daughter who was exhausted beyond measure when she came to us for help. She had tried everything – everything – she could think of to help little Haera sleep, including turning to a local sleep consultant, but nothing worked. And, you’ll meet Joanie, who had read everything and was on “information overload” trying to help her baby sleep and stop waking 3-4 times a night. Her husband even switched work shifts to try to help manage!

Keep reading to hear these moms’ amazing stories!

Meet Christel and Gino, and Read Their Story!

Christel and Gino are devoted and loving parents who thought they had hit the parenting jackpot when their sweet little boy started sleeping through the night with only one feeding at just 9 weeks.

But when the 4 month regression hit HARD, and he began waking 5 to 8 times every night, sometimes every 30 minutes, it was like the ground was collapsing below them. Read on to find out how Christel and Gino were able to get their son’s sleep back on track and enjoy parenting again!

Before Christel and Gino found The baby Sleep Site, their son was waking several times a night and the sleep deprivation was taking its toll.

Christel: “The only way to get him back to sleep would be to nurse him or bounce him on an exercise ball. In addition to that, he would only nap for 20-30 minutes at a time and he always seemed tired. Once he turned 7 months old, I knew we couldn’t keep going on like that. I was physically incapable of bouncing a 20-pound baby on an exercise ball at 2 AM and I wasn’t getting any sleep as a human pacifier. We were severely sleep deprived and I was only operating at 30% of my capacity.”

They researched many sleep books on their own, but the process felt confusing and overwhelming and things seemed to end up in analysis paralysis a lot. Gino was starting to dread nighttime and worried about how they would be able to make things better.

Gino: “We were in desperation mode. My wife had read all the books and all the blogs and we just couldn’t figure out how to get our little boy to sleep.”

Like many parents, Christel and Gino thought they had to be able to fix this themselves.

Gino: “We tried a few different approaches on our own without success and I was becoming more discouraged as the days passed. After a particularly rough night, I went online and purchased the 30 day unlimited plan on The Baby Sleep Site after perusing the site for several weeks.”

But Gino wasn’t convinced, and thought that signing up for online help would just add to the sea of information and confuse them even more.

Gino: “Wrong- it was a miracle. The support and guidance that Amy provided was awesome. She treated us more like a friend in need than anything. She let us vent and constantly email her question upon question. She answered them all and never made us feel like we were pestering her, and trust me, we were.”

Having a solid plan and a source of support along the journey made the difference.

Christel: “The Personalized Sleep Plan truly is just that-personalized. It takes into account individual parenting styles and they recognize that there is no one size fits all approach. I cannot say enough great things about Amy and the team at The Baby Sleep Site. Nicole even stepped in and corresponded with me while Amy was out of the office. The ladies are simply phenomenal. I told Amy she was my ‘sleep therapist!’ 🙂 I really needed someone to hold my hand when I had a rough day or cheer me on when we had a great night and that is exactly what she did. She was so patient, understanding and compassionate.”

Gino was thankful for all the support and couldn’t believe the dramatic change in his son’s sleeping patterns.

Gino: “Amy made us feel like we were all a team with one common goal. To our amazement, in just a few short days we saw significant improvement and over the following few weeks I swear it was smooth sailing.”

Like an extension of their “village,” Amy was there to guide them every step of the way.

Christel: “We certainly had some ups and downs along the way but I am thrilled to report that my son is now sleeping through the night most nights and taking two solid naps a day lasting 1-2 hours. It truly is a miracle!”

What seemed impossible just weeks before had become a reality.

Christel: “We went from co-sleeping to having a baby that goes to sleep easily in his own crib and in his own room. Some days I even have to wake him up from his naps! And that dreadful exercise ball has officially been deflated and stored away!”

Christel and Gino are now able to enjoy their beautiful son and life as parents to the fullest!

Gino: “We seriously got our life back. No joke. It felt so amazing to have our boy finally get some good rest and for us to be able to have some free time and quality time together. The whole thing felt like a miracle. For all of you dads out there considering this- do it, hands down. Your life will be better, trust me. Happy baby, happy wife, happy life! :)”

WOW – just wow. Christel and Gino started out skeptics and became believers. Sleep consultants really can help many different types of families and don’t shy away from a challenge. And, they will do it in a supportive, non-judgmental way that leaves you feeling encouraged and empowered instead of defeated and abandoned. And as this story shows, it’s not an overstatement to call a consultation with The Baby Sleep Site^® life-changing. In Christel and Gino’s case, it absolutely changed their lives. A consultation with a Baby Sleep Site consultant really is an investment – in your baby’s (and your) health, in your sanity, in your relationship with your partner, in your overall quality of life…this is more than just a purchase. It’s an investment in your family. And we hope it’s an investment you’ll consider making today!

The post From Catnapper and Night-Waker to Champ Sleeper! Read Christel’s Story. appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.

This December, we’ll be spotlighting several Baby Sleep Site^® families – families who, just like yours, were struggling through awful sleep deprivation and trying in vain to help their children sleep. You’ll learn why they contacted The Baby Sleep Site^®, how our team walked them through the sleep coaching process, and how they finally solved their children’s sleep challenges.

We’ve already met Christel, a mom who had a 4-month old waking 5-8 times a night, co-sleeping only out of necessity, and would only nap for 20-30 minutes at a time. Today, we’ll meet Yeyin, a beautiful mom of a beautiful daughter who was exhausted beyond measure when she came to us for help. She had tried everything – everything – she could think of to help little Haera sleep, including turning to a local sleep consultant, but nothing worked. And, next week, you’ll meet
Joanie, who had read everything and was on “information overload” trying to help her baby sleep and stop waking 3-4 times a night. Her husband even switched work shifts to try to help manage!

Keep reading to read these amazing stories!

Meet Yeyin, and Read Her Story!

This week, we’re introducing you to Yeyin, a beautiful mom of a beautiful daughter who was exhausted beyond measure when she came to us for help. She had tried everything – everything – she could think of to help little Haera sleep, including turning to a local sleep consultant, but nothing worked. That’s when Yeyin connected with Nicole, who gave her one incredible tip that changed Haera’s sleep immediately…keep reading to learn more!

The Baby Sleep Site: Yeyin, tell us a little bit about your situation before you contacted us for help.

Yeyin: Our daughter Haera was such a bright and beautiful newborn, and despite some issues of my own (I suffered from Post-partum Depression after Haera’s birth) and some sleep issues of Haera’s, by the time she was 5 weeks old, Haera was sleeping on her own. She was also sleeping 4-5 hour stretches at night. We were told that exclusively breastfed babies woke more often at night, but not our baby. When she did wake for a feeding, I could put her straight into the co-sleeper crib and she’d drift off to dreamland. She was sleeping soundly and peacefully. It was such a dream, and we were so happy to be the lucky ones!!

Well, fast-forward 4 weeks later, our 9-week old baby girl suddenly declared she was no longer a sleep-through-the-night baby, and it felt like it happened overnight. She began to wake up every 30 minutes to an hour, and her 4-5 hour stretches turned into 2 hours. Her naps suddenly became 30 minutes on the dot. At first, we thought it was a phase, but her sleep wasn’t getting any better, it was only getting worse.

The Baby Sleep Site: Oh, yes, that sounds familiar – so many families tell us a similar story! Sleep is okay for the first 6 or 8 weeks, and then it all falls apart.

Yeyin: That was sure true for us. Around this time, I started to search the Internet for answers. We never read one book about baby sleep nor did we know that so many even existed! We didn’t think it was something we had to READ about. We didn’t know baby sleep was any different from our sleep. We thought babies slept when they were tired and stayed awake when they were not. We knew nothing about sleep cycles, sleep associations, overtiredness, optimal wake windows, tired cues, the number of naps per day, appropriate nap durations, etc. We… knew… nothing.

I learned a lot in my research, but Haera’s sleep wasn’t getting better. We had resorted to holding her for ALL her naps (every… single… one…). The routine always started with a really long rocking and ssshing session that progressed to a careful transition into the rocking recliner. She slept on top of our chests. We used the pacifier and reinserted it constantly. We rocked the chair when she stirred. For nighttime, I went to bed with Haera between 5:30-6PM and had her nursing ALL night long in the most uncomfortable positions. She would sleep for 30 minutes, then wake for 2 hours, then sleep for 30 minutes to 1.5 hours and wake, then nurse, then sleep then wake if she became unlatched, etc. I’d try to use the pacifier, which worked about 25% of the time. It went on like this for 2.5 months.

My husband and I never saw each other, and the only way we communicated each other was through texting… By the time he came home from work, I was already “in bed” with Haera. Steve has been the most supportive husband and father, but there was only so much that he could do to help. Haera felt that she needed ME to sleep. I was beyond stressed, and at the time, I thought I was doing what any mom or dad would do. Desperate times called for desperate measures. Needless to say, my dedication to Haera’s sleep turned me into a very unhappy, frustrated person.

The Baby Sleep Site: Oh my goodness, Yeyin – this sounds horrible! No wonder you were feeling so desperate! What did you do next?

Yeyin: I finally contacted a local sleep consultant when Haera turned 4 months. She gave us instructions on how to approach our first night of cry-it-out leep training, and I couldn’t do it. I had a full-blown panic attack and came very close to vomiting from all the anxiety. So, I had to leave the house and implored Steve to stay with Haera. She cried for TWO HOURS until she couldn’t cry any more. The second night, she cried for an hour, and every night after that she cried, and cried, and cried. This accounts only for the crying that was at the beginning of the night, too. There was so much more crying in the middle of the night.

How could this be okay? I asked myself this every single night. I hated myself for making my baby cry. I hated everything about the sleep training we were doing. Fast-forward 10 days: I was done. I was done with sleep training. The crying never got easier, and we did everything CONSISTENTLY. We couldn’t rely on our sleep consultant anymore, and I found myself unable to letdown while nursing anymore from all of the anxiety. I just couldn’t listen to our baby cry ANYMORE, so we stopped following the strict rules and guidelines. I was done, done, done. I didn’t go back to co-sleeping, but I went back to responding to my baby, picking her up, comforting her, nursing her, etc.

But, after ONE WEEK, I was in despair again. The crying before bedtime improved, but the crying following the first night waking (after 30 minutes to an hour of sleep) was particularly blood curdling. I just didn’t understand why our little one was crying so much after having gone to bed somewhat peacefully. I still had so many questions and doubts, but I didn’t want to go back to our original sleep consultant. Our philosophies and expectations just didn’t match up.

The Baby Sleep Site: This must have been such a hard time for you, Yeyin. Please tell me that the next move you made was to contact us!

Yeyin: It was! I finally decided to reach out to The Baby Sleep Site^®. I had been perusing their website long enough to be aware their philosophies, and I had nothing to lose with their guarantee. This proved to be the single most effective, and BEST, decision I made with regards to Haera’s sleep.

I had signed up for the 30-day unlimited email package. It was the best value for us because I knew we needed extra time to work on Haera’s sleep, and the “unlimited” emails and responsiveness was something I felt would fit our family’s needs the best.

We were assigned to Nicole who graciously and kindly wrote to us that very evening and gave me some quick advice: Try to change her schedule THAT night. It was simply moving her bedtime later and treating her current bedtime as a nap. She needed a bit more time to author our Personalized Sleep Plan®, but skimming through our initial history intake form, she suspected that Haera was treating bedtime as a fourth nap and then waking up crying for such a long period of time because she was actually AWAKE. It broke our hearts. Why didn’t our first sleep consultant help us with this? She was the one who actually told us to pull bedtime to an earlier time and to “expect a lot of crying,” while Nicole told us to do the opposite and with much, much less crying. From the very start, through a simple email, Nicole changed our lives forever. Our sweet Haera no longer had to suffer through such an incredible and overwhelming amount of crying.

The Baby Sleep Site: Yep, Nicole’s pretty great like that! So you were off to a good start….what happened next?

Yeyin: Within a day or two, our Personalized Sleep Plan® arrived, and it was so thorough and warm. The name of the publication service is justifiably and well named because it was indeed a sleep plan PERSONALIZED to our philosophies and to Haera’s needs. I still use our Personalized Sleep Plan® today for advice and strategies.

From that day forward, I corresponded with Nicole each and every day. Haera needed a lot of work. We made a lot of progress in the beginning with changing Haera’s schedule, and then there was the “tweaking” we needed to do based on Haera’s temperament. Nicole has such an amazing skillset: To be in sync with babies. She explained what sort of temperament she suspected Haera had and based our sleep coaching approach to Haera’s individuals’ needs. The most awesome thing about Nicole is her empathy. She would say things like, “Me, too,” and that was all the validation I needed to feel sane and motivated to keep going.

Sometimes (a lot of times), I would vent and write to Nicole in the middle of the night worried and wondering about why Haera was so inconsistent, strong-willed, etc., and Nicole would reply back every day and say she was sorry to hear we were having a bad day, BUT to keep on going and to hang in there! She was the best cheerleader I could ever ask for, and never ever did I ever feel second priority. I always felt like I was her one and only client, and I know that’s not the case. I can’t imagine how incredibly busy Nicole is juggling her responsibilities to The Baby Sleep Site®, her clients, and her family! She is an amazing woman!

So, with Nicole’s help, we worked on bedtime and naptime. We went from me going to bed in the worst-case scenario (i.e., going to bed with our little one at 5:30PM, rocking/swaying/walking her in the middle of the night for HOURS, nursing all night long, popping in the pacifier when I couldn’t take the soreness of nursing anymore) to the BEST-CASE scenario (i.e., sleeping through the night with a feeding or two in the middle and no more dreamfeeds). We rearranged Haera’s schedule and shifted more of her day sleep to her night sleep. It turned out we were holding her for her naps for TOO long during the day, which interfered with how much she could sleep at night. We would have NEVER figured that out without Nicole’s help. Although Haera was still waking up at night, Nicole assured us that this was all within normal range. She was waking due to hunger and not because of an association, and learning that Haera was “within normal” relieved some of the built up pressure and made everything a bit more manageable.

The Baby Sleep Site: Awesome!!! Your progress is especially amazing, considering where you started.

Yeyin: It is! Today, Haera’s sleep is far from perfect, but the one of the most important lessons I’ve learned from Nicole is that THAT IS OKAY. Haera’s temperament is not built like other babies who adapt well, who are consistent, who only fuss and whimper and do not wail out and scream their little, beautiful heads off. Haera is one-of-a-kind. So, although her sleep isn’t a model example of what an ideal sleeping baby should look like, Haera has made stark improvements from where she was to where is today. ALL babies are different, and Haera is no exception.

In all of the countless emails Nicole and I have exchanged, the most significant and poignant lesson I’ve learned was that I WAS NOT ALONE. This lesson alone has made the dealing with all the hardships, listening to all the hysterical crying, surviving all the sleep deprivation, and wondering if it would ever get better more bearable. In fact, sometimes I feel quite liberated in knowing that I am not alone. I was kinder to myself and allowed myself to feel frustrated, down, and upset and know that I am still a good mom! Nicole has always made sure to remind me of that!

Although I’m not in correspondence with Nicole right now, I still have email packages that I have bought to use for future use, so my time with Nicole and the Baby Sleep Site is far from over. During the time I am not in contact with Nicole, I use the resources in the Members Area section to help me navigate through the various changes Haera has been experiencing in her current 8/9/10 month regression-related sleep. The teleseminars and case studies were particularly helpful in guiding me in Haera’s current sleep situation.

The Baby Sleep Site: You are one prepared mama, Yeyin! I love that! Okay, before we wrap up – any parting words for our readers?

Yeyin: What else can I say about Nicole and The Baby Sleep Site®? They RESCUED, REVIVED, and SAVED our lives… but most importantly and most tenderly, they saved our sweet, darling Haera.

Amazing! Thanks to ongoing support from Nicole, and her caring, compassionate advice, Yeyin’s whole family will be sleeping easier this holiday season. And you can, too! Remember, you can have your own sleep coaching success story, just like Yeyin’s – all you have to do is take that first step, and contact us for personalized sleep help today!

The post From CIO Failures to Peaceful Sleep – Read Yeyin’s Story appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.

And that’s just what we’re doing this month! Each week throughout the month of August, we’ll be spotlighting a Baby Sleep Site^® family – a family who, just like yours, was struggling through awful sleep deprivation and trying in vain to help their children sleep. You’ll learn why they contacted The Baby Sleep Site^®, how our team walked them through the sleep coaching process, and what how they finally solved their children’s sleep challenges.

You’ll meet Julie, a mom who was desperate to stop co-sleeping but wanted a gentle solution. You’ll meet Ali, who had tried everything and was so skeptical that paid sleep help could actually work. You’ll meet Whitney, who – after 18 months of sleep deprivation – was so tired, she was afraid to get behind the wheel of a car for fear of having an accident. And you’ll meet Jennifer, who had worked with THREE other sleep consultants, none of whom actually helped her daughter sleep.

Keep reading to hear these moms’ amazing stories!

Meet Jennifer, and Hear Her Story!

(written by Jennifer Smith)

Oh, how I remember the day I signed up for the Personalized Sleep Plan® on The Baby Sleep Site^®. Tears rolled down my face as I hit the payment button. I had just read the testimonials of other parents and knew, without a doubt, that I would never, ever be in their company. After Maddy’s severe colic finally abated, we had a window of about three weeks where she slept just like all the books said she would.

And then, it stopped. She would only sleep if she was on me in the baby bjorn and I was moving, or in my arms and I was bouncing on the exercise ball. I remember bouncing as my husband left for work early in the morning; when he returned late in the evening, I was still there, still bouncing. Thank heavens for my iPad, my Netflix subscription, and “30 Rock.”

The worst, though, was when neither bouncing, nor the baby bjorn, nor vigorous gliding would work. Hour upon hour of screams and cries. We re-read every book and tried every method. When that didn’t work, we contacted sleep consultants. Two fired us because their methods should have worked but didn’t. The third just stopped responding. I spent long days checking and consoling Maddy through naps she never took. At night, it would take at least 90 minutes and sometimes more than three hours of absolute misery for her to find the sleep we so desperately wanted her to get. I tried to remember my mom’s advice: “if mom isn’t relaxed, baby cannot be relaxed.” But nothing seemed to work. Until we found co-sleeping. Relieved, we gave ourselves over to it. It wasn’t restful, it was completely disruptive to our household, but at least Maddy was sleeping and we were getting more sleep than we were used to.

And then that, too, stopped working, and we were back to square one.

When I confessed to my husband that I had engaged yet another sleep consultant, I sobbed. “It’s just more good money after bad, but I can’t live like this any longer. I have to have something, even if it’s just false hope.” If that sentence reads dramatic, you’re getting sleep. Sleep deprivation, as my friend told me, is the thief of perspective. It is also the thief of joy. We loved Maddy desperately, and we desperately needed her to sleep so we could get the rest we needed.

When the Personalized Sleep Plan® arrived, I devoured it and felt a huge rush of relief. I showed it to my husband, who also took heart. It was helpful, understanding, and clear. Context was provided for all the suggestions and there was enough wiggle room for us to tailor it to our specific parenting styles and abilities.

As we proceeded, guess what? It didn’t work. And so I dropped it. Having been dismissed before, I just didn’t have the heart to be turned away again. But I came back because I had to—I just had to try again. That’s when we found out that “generous” doesn’t begin to describe The Baby Sleep Site^®’s email support. I explained what happened to our consultant and she picked it right up, asked questions, conferred with me, and together we tweaked the plan. In the ensuing weeks, I emailed over large issues and very small questions. I mean, I wanted ALL MY BASES COVERED so I asked every single question I could come up with—sometimes more than once. She responded in a timely way and always addressed both the questions asked and those that were implied—the questions I was too sleep-deprived to form. The kindness and care she showered on us surprised me. With other sleep consultants, they were certain and directive. “Do this, and Maddy will sleep.” But the suggestions didn’t always work. And sometimes, we proved fallible (as people—sleep-deprived or otherwise—are prone to be). [My The Baby Sleep Site^® Consultant] walked me through every little detail, cheered us on for every success, and reassured me with every misstep.

With the counsel of The Baby Sleep Site^®, Maddy went from co-sleeping to sleeping through the night in her own crib with the least amount of tears of any sleep training program. What seemed to me an insurmountable mountain was summited one step at a time. I really felt roped to my consultant and knew that she had my back if I slipped or was unsure. The directions from her were so helpful and clear that every night, I knew going in exactly what to do. When Maddy had trouble clearing a new hurdle, and I started to feel helpless, I just reminded myself, “your only job right now is to do x.” Knowing that my consultant was keeping an eye on the big picture allowed me to just do the next thing. I didn’t have to worry about how on earth Maddy was EVER going to sleep in her crib ALL NIGHT. I just had to do x. I just had to do y. And then, as the successes started piling up, I became more confident. And as I became more confident, so did Maddy.

It’s hard to put into words just how much our lives have changed. I become quite emotional when I think about it. My husband and I can now talk without Maddy present—a huge gift. He and I can sleep in the same bed all night long. By ourselves. Instead of trying to figure out how to make it through another day, I am rested and happy when I hear Maddy stirring in the morning. We can think about expanding our family. I can read a book, or a magazine, or watch a show.

A few weeks after successfully sleep training Maddy, she became ill with a bad cold. She was terribly congested and could only find rest if I held her upright in my arms. Once she was well again, who was happy to get back to their respective sleep spaces? EVERYONE.

I thought our case was hopeless, I really did. With the help of The Baby Sleep Site^®, I am another proud member of the satisfied client list. And I am as well-rested as any mother of a strong-willed and independent 18 month-old can be.

WOW – just wow. Jennifer’s story is proof that our sleep consultants really can help just about any baby sleep – even a baby who has baffled three other sleep consultants! And they will do it in a supportive, non-judgmental way that leaves you feeling encouraged and empowered instead of defeated and abandoned. And as Jennifer’s story shows, it’s not an overstatement to call a consultation with The Baby Sleep Site^® life-changing. In Jennifer’s case, it absolutely changed her life, and saved her from spiraling even farther into exhaustion and despair. A consultation with a The Baby Sleep Site^® consultant really is an investment – in your baby’s (and your) health, in your sanity, in your relationship with your partner, in your overall quality of life…this is more than just a purchase. It’s an investment in your family. And we hope it’s an investment you’ll consider making today!

Meet Whitney, and Hear How She Took Her Daughter From Screamer To Sleeper!

Meet Whitney, a loving and engaged mom whose daughter was a decent sleeper for the first 18 months of her life. Sure, she’d wake up once, or maybe twice, during the night, but it wasn’t anything Whitney and her husband couldn’t handle.

But then a double-ear infection struck, and everything fell apart.

Keep reading to find out how, with unlimited help from Nicole, Whitney and her husband were able to help their toddler re-learn how to sleep – and to start sleeping through the night for the first time in her life!

The Baby Sleep Site^®: Welcome, Whitney! So – you had a tough little sleeper at home before you contacted The Baby Sleep Site^®, right?

Whitney: You bet! In terms of sleep, things had gotten so out of hand in our household that we weren’t sure what we needed more–a baby sleep expert or an exorcist! For most of her life, our daughter had “only” been waking once or twice a night–but at 19 months she came down with infections in both ears. By the time she was well again we had completely undone any sleep progress we had made–she was now waking up 4 or 5 times a night and screaming for a half hour at a time.

The Baby Sleep Site^®: Holy cow, Whitney – I understand the urge for an exorcist! How discouraging, especially since you’d enjoyed 19 months of decent sleep. So frustrating!

Whitney: It really was. After three weeks of this, my husband and I were tense, cranky, and exhausted to the point where I was hesitant to get behind the wheel of the car, I was so tired. Of course, we got lots of (conflicting) advice, which we did our best to follow–until the sheer exhaustion and confusion wore us down. We knew that we needed a clear, consistent road map–and fast. I posted a desperate message on Facebook and a friend pointed me to The Baby Sleep Site^®.

The Baby Sleep Site^®: Woohoo! We love it when we hear about referrals like that – so awesome to see moms helping other moms, and spreading the word about The Baby Sleep Site^®! So, once you visited the site and saw what we had to offer – what did you think?

Whitney: Honestly, at first we were hesitant to hire a sleep consultant. It seemed like such an extravagant luxury…and things weren’t really that bad, were they? Well, we went through one more night of screaming–and got in touch with a consultant the next morning!

The Baby Sleep Site^®: Ha! I love that – you’re right that sometimes, in the light of day, things seem more manageable, but then when you’re up all night again the next night, it’s back to feeling desperate. Totally understandable. So, tell us – what package did you buy?

Whitney: We opted for the unlimited 30-day e-mail package and sleep plan, which turned out to be a godsend. Nicole held our hands for the entire journey. She began by taking a thorough history of our issues and goals. Then she sent us a lucid, step-by-step plan to remedy the various individual problems that were collectively contributing to our daughter’s poor sleep. We could tell she had a lot of experience with frustrated, sleep-deprived parents–the way she communicates is so clear, gentle and easy to follow.

Thanks to our e-mail subscription, we were able to reach out to Nicole any time day and night (I sometimes emailed her multiple times during the night and by the next morning she would have answered every single email!). She validated our frustrations and offered genius advice. Because she had spent so much time getting to know how we work as a family, all of her suggestions were tailored to us (for instance, she knew that I couldn’t stand more than a few minutes of crying at a time, and she knew that we were willing to take several weeks to get to our goal if need be). Above all, she offered humor, empathy and a hearty dose of encouragement to get us through the roughest patches.

The Baby Sleep Site^®: Yep – that sounds like Nicole! Her heart is huge – especially for sleep-deprived parents. 😉 Tell us, Whitney: after a few weeks of working with Nicole on an unlimited basis, what happened?

Whitney: Today, I am astounded at how far we’ve come. We wrapped up our consultation a few weeks ago, and the past few weeks have been some of the best of my life. Nope, angels haven’t descended from the sky and I haven’t won the lottery–but my husband and I have been sleeping (drumroll, please…) 8 or 9 hours a night–really! Now that we’re replenishing the sleep debt, we’re finally communicating like the loving, compassionate couple we were before. We’ve also had the energy to cook, clean, go to the park and play with our daughter–and even catch up with our friends. In short, we have gotten our lives back. At almost 21 months old, our daughter is now truly sleeping through the night for the first time in her life!! The results are incredible–she’s much more cheerful during the day and has blossomed under our eyes. Signing up with The Baby Sleep Site^® has been one of the best investments we have ever made!

Pretty amazing, right? Whitney’s story is further proof that it’s never too late to sleep train – even if your toddler has never slept through the night a day in his life, we can help. And, it’s also proof that sleep can fall apart with any setback – that’s why it’s great to have us as a trusted resource to turn to! And did you catch that last line? Whitney referred to her consultation purchase as an investment. That’s really what this is, readers. A consultation with a Baby Sleep Site consultant is an investment – in your baby’s (and your) health, in your sanity, in your relationship with your partner, in your overall quality of life…this is more than just a purchase. It’s an investment in your family. And we hope it’s an investment you’ll consider making today!
 

Meet Ali, and Hear Her Story

Readers, meet Allison. Ali lives in Pennsylvania and is mom to little Noelle. Noelle was a great sleeper – that is, until the 4 month sleep regression hit! That’s when Ali contacted The Baby Sleep Site^® for help. Here’s her story…

The Baby Sleep Site^®: Ali, tell our readers a little bit about Noelle’s sleep history.

Ali: My daughter was sleeping through the night by the time she was 3 months old, and she slept great from 3-4 months. Right around 4.5 months, however, she started waking up in the middle of the night again, and so I nursed her back to sleep.

From then on, she was waking up at least 2, 3, or 4 times a night, and would remain awake for an hour and a half to two hours at a time! My husband and I took turns some nights, and we were extremely frustrated! I felt like I was going through the newborn stage all over again.

The Baby Sleep Site^®: Wow, you must’ve been exhausted! So how did you come across The Baby Sleep Site^®, and at what point did you decide to get personalized help?

Ali: I came to across The Baby Sleep Site^® in a Google search – I was searching for baby schedules and sleeping habits. I had already read MANY different books and theories about how to help my baby sleep better, so I decided to look into the site.

At first, I questioned the things I read on the site, and whether or not they actually worked. I was also skeptical about paying money to have someone help me after I felt like I had already tried everything on my own.

Finally, when my daughter was 9 months old, I sent a general email inquiring about which services would be best for our family. I was still EXTREMELY skeptical, and I really didn’t think they would offer me any advice that I hadn’t already tried or read about. But after about another three weeks of trying other methods, I finally gave in, paid the money, and begged for help!

The Baby Sleep Site^®: No problem; we’ve worked with skeptics before! 😉 So tell us – what happened after you bought your consultation package?

Ali: I got my Personalized Sleep Plan^® from Nicole very quickly – and it was awesome! The plan was extremely thorough and very helpful.

The Baby Sleep Site^®: And once you started implementing the sleep plan at home, what happened? How did things go?

Ali: I’ll admit, the first week was difficult. My daughter was not as consistent as I’d hoped she’d be. But through many e-mails back and forth with Nicole, we continued to tweak the plan so that it suited my daughter. And I’m happy to say that, after the first week, she was only waking once or twice a night, and falling back to sleep VERY easily – within ten minutes!

The Baby Sleep Site^®: Awesome! Glad to hear you stuck with it and made the necessary changes to your plan. How did Noelle’s progress continue after that first week, and how is she sleeping now?

Ali: Two or three weeks into using the plan, she was starting to sleep much more consistently. Within a month, she was going to bed each night at around 7 p.m. and sleeping until 7 a.m., with two good naps during the day. She would still occasionally wake up between 4 or 5 a.m., but honestly, she progressed by leaps and bounds during the time, thanks to Nicole’s help!

Noelle is now 20 months, and she’s still sleeping so much better than she used to. She now takes one nap in the afternoon, and usually sleeps 11 hours, straight through the night. Every once in awhile, if she is sick or teething, she’ll wake up, but it’s okay, because she’s able to fall back to sleep on her own.

The Baby Sleep Site^®: That’s some impressive progress – from waking 4 times a night, for one or two hours at a time, down to no night wakings — and in just a few weeks! We’re so happy for you and your family, Ali. 🙂 Any final words for our readers?

Ali: We are so blessed and happy we came across this site, and that we went with this service! I highly recommend it!!

There you have it: from skeptic to believer! Ali was sure that paid help wouldn’t be able to solve her problems, since she’d already done so much reading on her own; a few weeks working with a consultant, however, and she saw the kind of results that turned her into a believer!

And the same can be true for you. It can. No matter how big your sleep problems may feel — no matter what you have already tried (without success) on your own — we can help. Our team of expert consultants is standing by, ready to craft a Personalized Sleep Plan^® just for you! Get your sleep plan today, and start your journey from exhausted skeptic to well-rested believer!

Meet Julie, and Hear Her Story

Readers, it’s my pleasure to introduce you to Julie. A mom of two little girls, Julie lives in Maryland. She came to us for help when her second daughter was just a few months old. Here’s Julie’s story…

The Baby Sleep Site^®: So, Julie, tell us a bit about your family’s sleep history.

Julie: I had many sleep struggles with my older daughter. In fact, when my older daughter was a baby, I had even hired a local sleep consultant to help with her sleep problems. It didn’t go well – the consultant’s approach was too harsh, and it went against my instincts as a parent.

I didn’t want to repeat any of that with my younger daughter. However, I did want to get my baby off on the right foot, and help her know how to self-soothe at a young age.

The Baby Sleep Site^®: That’s understandable! So, is that why you reached out to The Baby Sleep Site^® for help?

Julie: Yes. I initially discovered this site while looking at sleep articles online. I began getting the free newsletters and reading through the articles on the site. At that time, my second daughter was only 3 months old and was not a particularly difficult sleeper. But again, I really wanted to start her off on the right foot, after my experiences with my older daughter.

I wanted to sleep train, but I wanted to do something gentle that fit with my parenting style and with my baby’s temperament (which I now know is the key to implementing a successful sleep strategy!) And so, when my daughter was 4 months old, I decided to do a consultation with Nicole’s team of sleep consultants.

The Baby Sleep Site^®: And we’re so glad you did! 🙂 Tell us – what were your first impressions of the consultation process?

Julie: Well, to begin with, I was surprised at how quickly I received my plan. I submitted my daughter’s sleep history, and within just a few days, I received a really detailed, 20-page plan from my sleep consultant for nights and naps.

At first, as I looked through the plan, I felt nervous to start. My baby had been co-sleeping, she needed to be swaddled in order to sleep, and she had to have a pacifier every night. I just wasn’t sure how we were going to wean her away from all of that!

But I did start – and I followed the plan to the letter, asking Amy for clarification along the way. I received several helpful e-mails from her in response, which I loved!

The Baby Sleep Site^®: Good for you! And now that you’ve had some time to use that plan, and to reflect, tell us – did it work?

Julie: I’m happy to say that just a few nights after we started implementing our Personalized Sleep Plan^® (nights with VERY minimal crying, I might add!), my little girl learned how to sleep all night in her crib, unswaddled, without a pacifier, and only needing to wake once or twice during the night for feedings! It was amazing!!

Amy was there every step of the way, of course, to support me through the process. She was so supportive and encouraging as we worked together – she never made me feel like I was bothering her with my questions.

Honestly, the Personalized Sleep Plan^® has been nothing short of a miracle. It gave me the details I needed to be successful in sleep training, as well as the confidence I needed to actually carry it through and stay consistent. It was worth ever penny I spent on it — and truly, it’s a FRACTION of the cost of most other sleep consultants!

The Baby Sleep Site^®: Woohoo! We love stories like yours, Julie. So, now that your consultation is done, and that your little girls are sleeping well, tell us – how would you summarize your experience with The Baby Sleep Site^®?

Julie: The individualized attention, support, warmth, and understanding that I received during my consultation with The Baby Sleep Site was truly amazing. I cannot say enough good things about Nicole, her team, and her site. The access to all the free resources, as well as the affordable sleep packages, are truly a gift. I feel lucky to have found this site, because after just one short week of work, my whole family is now happy and rested! And there was so little crying involved – it was truly worth it. I have already recommended this site to several of my friends – and I’ll continue to do so!

The Baby Sleep Site^®: Well, thanks, Julie. 🙂 Any last words for our readers?

Julie: The bottom line is this: Nicole’s team will do whatever it takes, and whatever you need, to ensure you get your child (or children) the rest they need. They gave me my sanity and my life back – and they can do it for you!

There you have it, readers, from the mouth of a real mom just like you: you CAN reclaim your sanity and your sleep! You CAN see real, meaningful sleep coaching results. You CAN sleep coach in a way that matches your parenting philosophy and your goals.

The post Learn How Julie, Ali, Whitney, and Jennifer Got Their Babies Sleeping – And Learn How To Make This Your Summer of Better Sleep! appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.

This week, we are introducing you to Katy. Katy had a really tough situation on her hands. Benjamin, her oldest son, had been a pretty good sleeper, but after he transitioned to a toddler bed, sleep just fell apart. And to make things even more challenging, Katy was expecting another baby! Once her second son, Kedrick, was born, she had two sleepless kiddos at home, and that’s when she decided she needed some expert help!

Keep reading to learn more about how Katy solved her toddler’s and newborn’s sleep problems.

Katy Had A Sleep-Fighting Toddler AND A Sleepless Newborn At Home – She Was At Her Wit’s End!

The Baby Sleep Site^®: Katy, why don’t you tell us a little bit about what first prompted you to contact us for help?

Katy: We first began utilizing The Baby Sleep Site^® shortly after our second child, Kedrick, joined our family last August. Our oldest son Benjamin (2.5 years old) had transitioned to a toddler bed mid-summer and, while the first few weeks went extremely well, he had recently discovered that he could get out of bed whenever he wanted. He was a jack-in-the-box! It was pretty bad before our baby arrived, but it got markedly worse after – to the point that my husband was regularly sleeping on Benjamin’s floor just so that we could all get some sleep.

The Baby Sleep Site^®: Oh no! That’s rough indeed. A sleepless toddler + a sleepless newborn = exhausted, miserable parents! So that’s when you decided you needed help from a pro, right?

Katy: At that point, I had long been a reader of The Baby Sleep Site^®. Benjamin needed a lot of help sleeping as a baby, and I think that I read nearly every nap- and schedule-related article on the site, not to mention a few baby sleep books as well. I have to say that The Baby Sleep Site^® was one of precious few resources that seemed to have realistic expectations for babies’ sleep habits.

With all of my knowledge (I became pretty sleep-obsessed with Benjamin), you would think that I would have known what to do. But with a new baby at home, I felt overwhelmed and quickly decided that we needed help. We purchased a Deluxe Email package, which included a Personalized Sleep Plan plus three emails. I received the plan from our sleep consultant Amy within a few days and put it into action immediately. Although that time period is a bit of a blur in my memory, I know that Benjamin was sleeping much better (meaning he was napping again and sleeping all night without interruption) within two weeks.

The Baby Sleep Site^®: Wow – that’s great! Toddler sleep challenges can sometimes can be tough, so it’s wonderful that you were able to nip Benjamin’s sleep challenges in the bud so quickly. But what about your newborn son, Kedrick? You needed help for his sleep too, right?

Katy: Happily, our second son Kedrick was a much better sleeper than Benjamin had been as baby. At first.

Kedrick slept 18-20 hours a day for the first several weeks of his life – enough to actually make me worry a little bit! After we got the go-ahead from his pediatrician to stop waking him to eat every three to four hours at night (around two months old), he started sleeping eight to nine hour stretches for the first chunk of the night. We thought we had it made. Then the four-month regression hit and things quickly and dramatically deteriorated.

The Baby Sleep Site^®: Oh, no – the dreaded 4 month sleep regression! What happened, exactly?

Katy: I have to backtrack for a moment: We had purchased a baby swing around the time Kedrick turned three months old because the old sleepy-time standbys of rocking, bouncing, and nursing were becoming less effective. We all became dependent on the swing for sleep. We would move him to his pack and play at night after he fell asleep, but Kedrick otherwise slept exclusively in the swing. Until he didn’t. Around four months old, Kedrick wouldn’t fall asleep in the swing at night anymore; instead, he would cry in the swing. So I would nurse him to sleep – except it only worked sometimes. More often than not, he would wake again 45 minutes later, expecting to be nursed to sleep again. We spent a handful of nights sleeping (and nursing all night long) on the floor, again just so that we could all get some sleep. That was the last straw for me. I emailed Amy for help again.

The Baby Sleep Site^®: I don’t blame you! Sounds exhausting. So what happened when you asked for help for Kedrick?

Katy: Our goals were specific. We wanted Kedrick to learn to go to sleep by himself. It often took 30 or more minutes of nursing to get him to sleep at this point. With an active toddler, I couldn’t keep doing it! We also wanted to wean Kedrick from the swing to the pack and play, help him nurse less at night (2-3 feedings instead of 4-6). Finally, we wanted to start moving towards a schedule for him.

Amy’s sleep plan for Kedrick arrived shortly after I filled out his sleep history. I remember it came late on a Friday night after the boys were in bed. I couldn’t believe that it came so late, especially during the weekend. I was so happy and relieved that I almost started crying right then and there.

Amy’s plan was so well-tailored to our situation. We had actually let Benjamin cry it out when it came to sleep – believe it or not, he cried harder if we tried to “help” him sleep – but Kedrick’s temperament was so different (and he was so young!) that I couldn’t bear to let him cry it out. So Amy found other ways for us to set him up for sleep success.

The Baby Sleep Site^®: Yay! We love hearing feedback like this. So what happened when you started implementing your sleep plan for Kedrick?

Katy: Kedrick’s sleep improved so quickly – within a few days, he was going to sleep at bedtime in the pack and play (!) with hardly any fussing, let alone crying. He was back to nursing three or fewer times at night. Naps were definitely tougher to tackle, but within a few weeks, he was napping in the pack and play, too. It hasn’t been perfect: we’ve all had some colds, Kedrick cut two teeth, and sometimes he wakes up more frequently hoping for a snack 🙂 Actually, just before Kedrick turned seven months old, he started waking four or five times a night again. I suspected it was related to us sharing a room, so we moved him in with his big brother on a trial basis. It has been a fabulous success! About a week after the move, he celebrated his seven-month “birthday” by sleeping ALL night! Now, at almost eight months old, he wakes for one feeding about half the time and sleeps through the night the other half.

The Baby Sleep Site^®: Oh wow, Katy – from not sleeping at all to two peacefully-sleeping boys who are in the same room! That is huge indeed. So now that it’s done, how do you reflect on your experience?

Katy: While I know that our family’s sleep journey is far from complete (babies keep growing and their sleep needs keep changing) , I am absolutely thrilled with Kedrick’s and Benjamin’s progress, and I am so deeply grateful for Amy’s help. Even though I know that I might have had success on my own, I honestly think that it would have taken me another year to get to where we are now. It’s exactly as Nicole says: It’s not that you can’t make a plan on your own – it’s that you’re too tired to.

I have to admit, I have felt a little silly admitting to others that our family has hired a sleep consultant. But then I reflect upon the cost of our sleep package and ask myself, “Would I pay that much again for a few months or even several weeks of good sleep?” My answer is always, “I would pay that much for a few nights of decent sleep.” It has been some of the best money our family has ever spent. I would absolutely recommend The Baby Sleep Site^® to other families struggling with sleep.

And if we have more babies in the future, I am sure that we will be back for more help – hopefully before anyone is sleeping on the floor! Maybe by then, in-utero sleep training will be an option!!

Wow – from 2 sleepless boys at home to 2 peacefully-sleeping boys who share a room — incredible! And parents, you can enjoy this same success in your own home. Your sleepless little ones can be sleeping soundly very soon, with some help from an expert Baby Sleep Site^® sleep consultant. Our trained, compassionate consultants are standing by, ready and willing to help your family get the sleep you need and deserve.

Don’t waste another sleep-deprived minute: connect with a sleep consultant now, and get started on your journey to better, longer sleep!

The post Our Featured Families Who Sleep Trained Successfully: Meet Katy! appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.

Readers, meet Allison. Ali lives in Pennsylvania and is mom to little Noelle. Noelle was a great sleeper – that is, until the 4 month sleep regression hit! That’s when Ali contacted The Baby Sleep Site® for help. Here’s her story…

The Baby Sleep Site: Ali, tell our readers a little bit about Noelle’s sleep history.

Ali: My daughter was sleeping through the night by the time she was 3 months old, and she slept great from 3-4 months. Right around 4.5 months, however, she started waking up in the middle of the night again, and so I nursed her back to sleep.

From then on, she was waking up at least 2, 3, or 4 times a night, and would remain awake for an hour and a half to two hours at a time! My husband and I took turns some nights, and we were extremely frustrated! I felt like I was going through the newborn stage all over again.

The Baby Sleep Site: Wow, you must’ve been exhausted! So how did you come across The Baby Sleep Site, and at what point did you decide to get personalized help?

Ali: I came across the Baby Sleep Site in a Google search – I was searching for baby schedules and sleeping habits. I had already read MANY different books and theories about how to help my baby sleep better, so I decided to look into the site.

At first, I questioned the things I read on the site, and whether or not they actually worked. I was also skeptical about paying money to have someone help me after I felt like I had already tried everything on my own.

Finally, when my daughter was 9 months old, I sent a general email inquiring about which services would be best for our family. I was still EXTREMELY skeptical, and I really didn’t think they would offer me any advice that I hadn’t already tried or read about. But after about another three weeks of trying other methods, I finally gave in, paid the money, and begged for help!

The Baby Sleep Site: No problem; we’ve worked with skeptics before! 😉 So tell us – what happened after you bought your consultation package?

Ali: I got my Personalized Sleep Plan® from Nicole very quickly – and it was awesome! The plan was extremely thorough and very helpful.

The Baby Sleep Site: And once you started implementing the sleep plan at home, what happened? How did things go?

Ali: I’ll admit, the first week was difficult. My daughter was not as consistent as I’d hoped she’d be. But through many e-mails back and forth with Nicole, we continued to tweak the plan so that it suited my daughter. And I’m happy to say that, after the first week, she was only waking once or twice a night, and falling back to sleep VERY easily – within ten minutes!

The Baby Sleep Site: Awesome! Glad to hear you stuck with it and made the necessary changes to your plan. How did Noelle’s progress continue after that first week, and how is she sleeping now?

Ali: Two or three weeks into using the plan, she was starting to sleep much more consistently. Within a month, she was going to bed each night at around 7 p.m. and sleeping until 7 a.m., with two good naps during the day. She would still occasionally wake up between 4 or 5 a.m., but honestly, she progressed by leaps and bounds during the time, thanks to Nicole’s help!

Noelle is now 20 months, and she’s still sleeping so much better than she used to. She now takes one nap in the afternoon, and usually sleeps 11 hours, straight through the night. Every once in awhile, if she is sick or teething, she’ll wake up, but it’s okay, because she’s able to fall back to sleep on her own.

The Baby Sleep Site: That’s some impressive progress – from waking 4 times a night, for one or two hours at a time, down to no night wakings — and in just a few weeks! We’re so happy for you and your family, Ali. 🙂 Any final words for our readers?

Ali: We are so blessed and happy we came across this site, and that we went with this service! I highly recommend it!!

There you have it: from skeptic to believer! Ali was sure that paid help wouldn’t be able to solve her problems, since she’d already done so much reading on her own; a few weeks working with a consultant, however, and she saw the kind of results that turned her into a believer!

And the same can be true for you. It can. No matter how big your sleep problems may feel — no matter what you have already tried (without success) on your own — we can help. Our team of expert consultants is standing by, ready to craft a Personalized Sleep Plan® just for you! Get your sleep plan today, and start your journey from exhausted skeptic to well-rested believer!

If you’d like to hear from more parents just like you, check out Aurora’s story, or read about Joanie’s sleep journey!

You heard Ali’s story – now, we want to hear yours! Tell us your sleep training story in the comments section below!

The post From Skeptic to Believer: Meet Ali and Hear Her Sleep Coaching Story appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.

And then, it stopped. She would only sleep if she was on me in the baby bjorn and I was moving, or in my arms and I was bouncing on the exercise ball. I remember bouncing as my husband left for work early in the morning; when he returned late in the evening, I was still there, still bouncing. Thank heavens for my iPad, my Netflix subscription, and “30 Rock.”

The worst, though, was when neither bouncing, nor the baby bjorn, nor vigorous gliding would work. Hour upon hour of screams and cries. We re-read every book and tried every method. When that didn’t work, we contacted sleep consultants. Two fired us because their methods should have worked but didn’t. The third just stopped responding. I spent long days checking and consoling Maddy through naps she never took. At night, it would take at least 90 minutes and sometimes more than three hours of absolute misery for her to find the sleep we so desperately wanted her to get. I tried to remember my mom’s advice: “if mom isn’t relaxed, baby cannot be relaxed.” But nothing seemed to work. Until we found co-sleeping. Relieved, we gave ourselves over to it. It wasn’t restful, it was completely disruptive to our household, but at least Maddy was sleeping and we were getting more sleep than we were used to.

And then that, too, stopped working, and we were back to square one.

When I confessed to my husband that I had engaged yet another sleep consultant, I sobbed. “It’s just more good money after bad, but I can’t live like this any longer. I have to have something, even if it’s just false hope.” If that sentence reads dramatic, you’re getting sleep. Sleep deprivation, as my friend told me, is the thief of perspective. It is also the thief of joy. We loved Maddy desperately, and we desperately needed her to sleep so we could get the rest we needed.

When the Personalized Sleep Plan® arrived, I devoured it and felt a huge rush of relief. I showed it to my husband, who also took heart. It was helpful, understanding, and clear. Context was provided for all the suggestions and there was enough wiggle room for us to tailor it to our specific parenting styles and abilities.

As we proceeded, guess what? It didn’t work. And so I dropped it. Having been dismissed before, I just didn’t have the heart to be turned away again. But I came back because I had to—I just had to try again. That’s when we found out that “generous” doesn’t begin to describe The Baby Sleep Site’s email support. I explained what happened to our consultant, Liz, and she picked it right up, asked questions, conferred with me, and together we tweaked the plan. In the ensuing weeks, I emailed over large issues and very small questions. I mean, I wanted ALL MY BASES COVERED so I asked every single question I could come up with—sometimes more than once. Liz responded in a timely way and always addressed both the questions asked and those that were implied—the questions I was too sleep-deprived to form. The kindness and care Liz showered on us surprised me. With other sleep consultants, they were certain and directive. “Do this, and Maddy will sleep.” But the suggestions didn’t always work. And sometimes, we proved fallible (as people—sleep-deprived or otherwise—are prone to be). Liz walked me through every little detail, cheered us on for every success, and reassured me with every misstep.

With the counsel of Liz and The Baby Sleep Site®, Maddy went from co-sleeping to sleeping through the night in her own crib with the least amount of tears of any sleep training program. What seemed to me an insurmountable mountain was summited one step at a time. I really felt roped to Liz and knew that she had my back if I slipped or was unsure. The directions from her were so helpful and clear that every night, I knew going in exactly what to do. When Maddy had trouble clearing a new hurdle, and I started to feel helpless, I just reminded myself, “your only job right now is to do x.” Knowing that Liz was keeping an eye on the big picture allowed me to just do the next thing. I didn’t have to worry about how on earth Maddy was EVER going to sleep in her crib ALL NIGHT. I just had to do x. I just had to do y. And then, as the successes started piling up, I became more confident. And as I became more confident, so did Maddy.

It’s hard to put into words just how much our lives have changed. I become quite emotional when I think about it. My husband and I can now talk without Maddy present—a huge gift. He and I can sleep in the same bed all night long. By ourselves. Instead of trying to figure out how to make it through another day, I am rested and happy when I hear Maddy stirring in the morning. We can think about expanding our family. I can read a book, or a magazine, or watch a show.

A few weeks after successfully sleep training Maddy, she became ill with a bad cold. She was terribly congested and could only find rest if I held her upright in my arms. Once she was well again, who was happy to get back to their respective sleep spaces? EVERYONE.

I thought our case was hopeless, I really did. With the help of The Baby Sleep Site®, I am another proud member of the satisfied client list. And I am as well-rested as any mother of a strong-willed and independent 18 month-old can be.

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WOW – just wow. Jennifer’s story is proof that our sleep consultants really can help just about any baby sleep – even a baby who has baffled three other sleep consultants! And they will do it in a supportive, non-judgmental way that leaves you feel encouraged and empowered instead of defeated and abandoned. And as Jennifer’s story shows, it’s not an overstatement to call a consultation with The Baby Sleep Site^® life-changing. In Jennifer’s case, it absolutely changed her life, and saved her from spiraling even further into exhaustion and despair. A consultation with a Baby Sleep Site consultant really is an investment – in your baby’s (and your) health, in your sanity, in your relationship with your partner, in your overall quality of life…this is more than just a purchase. It’s an investment in your family. And we hope it’s an investment you’ll consider making today!

The post 3 Other Consultants Failed Jennifer. We Didn’t. appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.

Once Ilana and her family were settled in the States, she contacted us for help with her son Tyler’s sleep. Here’s her story…

The Baby Sleep Site^®: Ilana, tell us a little bit about Tyler’s sleep history.

Ilana: Tyler was one of those babies who just resisted sleep. It was a bit of a joke amongst some of my mummy friends, how Tyler was such a poor sleeper. I often heard, “And I thought mine was bad! I can’t believe he’s been up all day and won’t sleep”. Yep, believe it! And he wouldn’t sleep at night time either. When he did, he woke up multiple times.

Now, before Tyler was born, I had accepted that my own hours of sleep were going to be few and far between. I knew that having a newborn, and then moving to a new country when he was just 3 months old, was going to be challenging. I just wasn’t prepared for the toll that it really took.

The Baby Sleep Site^®: That’s understandable – there’s probably no good way to adequately prepare for something like that! So once you were settled in the U.S., what happened?

Ilana: Once we got settled into our new house, Tyler was 6 months old, and we were ready to have him sleep in his crib, in his own room. Apparently, however, he wasn’t! At that point, I began scouring the internet for information.

At first, I didn’t find anything helpful. Yes, I had a bedtime routine. Yes, we were consistent, but things were just getting worse and worse, and I really felt like Tyler was suffering. I believe that sleep is so important for a baby’s development, and Tyler wasn’t getting anywhere near what he needed. He was grumpy, and his happy mood started to change for the worse.

I can’t convey how bad things had become, surviving on so little sleep for such a long time. And Tyler himself had become so challenging. I loved my son, but things were dismal. My relationship with my husband had become strained, too. One day, I just cried, and cried, and cried. It just all got to be too much.

The Baby Sleep Site^®: Oh, Ilana – that must’ve been so hard. We know lots of parents who’ve been in that same position – all the exhaustion and sleep deprivation catches up to them, and they finally break down. What did you do then?

Ilana: At that point, I had already come across The Baby Sleep Site^®. So, I waited for my husband to get home from work, and then I literally begged him to sign us up for a Baby Sleep Site consultation package. I was of course skeptical to be parting with money for advice online, but with SO many positive testimonials, I figured it surely had to work. Not only that, but I sensed a real empathy and compassion from reading Nicole’s weekly newsletter, and I just felt that this was going to work for us. And I knew that I had it in me to stick to a schedule. I just needed some pointers and support.

The Baby Sleep Site^®: So after you purchased your package – what happened then?

Ilana: I wrote up our family history, for [my sleep consultant] to use. Even just writing out the sleep history helped me feel better – it’s like I was emptying my mind of all the issues and putting them into e-mail form. From that moment, I started to feel like there was hope. And then there was – an e-mail from [my consultant], with our family’s Personalized Sleep Plan^® attached! It was like a ray of light!

The Baby Sleep Site^®: And what did you think, reading through the plan?

Ilana: The sleep schedule was detailed, and it provided insight and options, as well as room for tweaking to suit our needs as well as Tyler’s. [My consultant] even preempted what Tyler may do in response to the plan. That surprised me – I knew what he would do, but how did she? How could someone who had never met my son know him so well? I honestly couldn’t read the Personalized Sleep Plan^® fast enough! Not only was it informative and clear, but it was positive and encouraging – all the things I knew I needed to get started.

The Baby Sleep Site^®: Okay, Illana, this is the all-important question: once you started implementing the plan, did it work?

Ilana: Tyler responded to the new routine really well! Within about 4 days of putting the plan into action at home, we saw a significant change. My baby was actually taking naps during the day and sleeping better at night! No, it wasn’t perfect right away. But he did pick up his new routine so quickly.

Soon after that, Tyler slept through the night for the first time. I remember lying awake at 4 a.m., wondering if he was okay, and if the baby monitor was working! But of course, nothing was wrong; he was just fast asleep, and enjoying his crib! Now, Tyler doesn’t sleep through the night perfectly every night, but in the main, he does. And now, if he does wake up, we know exactly what to do, and so does he! Now that Tyler is finally getting the sleep he needs, my husband and I are, too. Now, everything about our family is different, and I am starting to feel like my old self.

I should say that I don’t for a minute think our help here is done! We just weren’t blessed that way, with an ‘easy’ baby. This is merely ‘au revoir’ for now, as we shall no doubt be in contact with you again soon (but hopefully not too soon!)

The Baby Sleep Site^®: We’ll keep an eye out for your e-mail, Ilana! 😉 Before we wrap things up – any final words you want to offer our readers?

Ilana: I have no reservations about recommending this service – in fact, I’ve done so a number of times already! To my consultant and the entire Baby Sleep Site team: thank you for a most wonderful service. Your patience, humor, and quality advice have been second to none and are worth every penny!

There you have it! Ilana felt hopeless, and like there was no solution for her son’s sleep problems – but there was a solution. There is a solution for your baby’s sleep challenges, too – and The Baby Sleep Site^® can help you find it! Don’t waste another sleepless night; contact us today, and you can start your family’s journey to better sleep tonight!
 

Click here to choose a sleep consultation package, and start your journey to better sleep!

You heard Ilana’s story – now, we want to hear yours! Tell us your sleep training story in the comments section below!

The post Ilana Got Personalized Help – And You Can, Too! appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.

Today, we are presenting a truly wonderful story. And it comes to us all the way from Bulgaria (because baby sleep problems do not discriminate)! Meet Gerry and her adorable little girl, Yvette. (Seriously, look at that little face – so sweet!) Gerry came to The Baby Sleep Site^® for help when Yvette was 10 months old. At that time, Yvette was still breastfeeding every 2 hours, round the clock – and Gerry was understandably exhausted! But, with the help of Nicole and Shaye, Gerry was able to improve Yvette’s sleep while maintaining her breastfeeding goals. It was a big win for everyone!

Here’s Gerry’s story…

 
The Baby Sleep Site®: Hi, Gerry! Why don’t you start by telling us a little bit about your situation when you first approached us for baby sleep help.

Gerry: “Before I got help from The Baby Sleep Site®, my daughter was 10 months old and was still breastfeeding every 2 hours, day and night. She was also waking every 40-90 minutes throughout the night, like an [automatic] clock! Back then, there were many days when she wouldn’t nap at all, or would just take two or three 15-minute naps for the entire day. And even then, she would nap only in my arms or while resting in the sling. Back then, I would put her to sleep often after 10 p.m., and she would fall asleep only while breastfeeding or being rocked for an hour. As a result of all this, I had a breakdown. I was so exhausted.”

The Baby Sleep Site: Oh, Gerry. 🙁 I’m so sorry you went through this! No wonder you fell apart; 10 months without a full night’s sleep will break anyone! You must have felt like you were at your wit’s end – and like you were so alone.

Gerry: “I did. Many people said, ‘This too shall pass’, and that I just had to ride it out and wait until Yvette’s second birthday when all babies finally start sleeping well. We even took our daughter to three different doctors, and after all the blood tests and examinations, they just shrugged their shoulders and told me that there was no physical reason why she should be waking so often and sleeping so little. In fact, one doctor actually suggested that we treat Yvette with a medicine with sedating effect in order to achieve better sleep, even though he agreed that she was perfectly healthy. Some people, including this doctor, blamed my breast milk for Yvette’s sleeplessness. But I didn’t want to medicate my baby, and I didn’t want to stop breastfeeding.”

The Baby Sleep Site: WOW. This probably made you feel even worse, right? Not only are you hearing from three different medical professionals that there’s no reason for your daughter’s sleeplessness, you are also being made to feel like her constant waking might actually be your fault!

Gerry: “Yes! As a final resort, I turned to Google, and asked, ‘What to do when a baby wakes every 40 minutes at night?’ That’s how I landed on the Baby Sleep Site®. After reading a few blog posts, I purchased a Personalized Sleep Plan®.”

The Baby Sleep Site: Woohoo! I’ll bet you were excited to finally take steps towards solving Yvette’s sleep problems once and for all. 🙂 Tell us a little bit about how your consultation started, Gerry.

Gerry: “I received my plan, and I was so happy to see that the strategies Shaye laid out to solve my daughter’s sleep problems were simple and divided into ‘baby steps’. I especially loved the ‘Day By Day’ section! It was also great that Shaye explained the reasoning behind each method. And I really loved that The Baby Sleep Site® does treat every family according to their specific situation and needs.”

The Baby Sleep Site: Yes! We are so committed to that idea, that there is no such thing as one-size-fits-all sleep training. Okay, now because I know our readers will be curious, I need to ask – how did things go once you started implementing the plan?

Gerry: “With Shaye’s help, our beloved baby finally understood that sleeping actually feels good – and now she wakes up happy! Within a few weeks,Yvette decreased the night wakings from around ten per night to less than three. Her naps lengthened, and for the first time, she napped for more than 35-40 minutes. And through it all, I kept on breastfeeding – something Shaye encouraged me to continue doing! As a result of getting the sleep she needed, Yvette became a much happier baby, and I finally felt myself coming back to my senses. This may sound extreme, but I really feel that Shaye’s understanding, and the Personalized Sleep Plan® she prepared for us, saved our lives.”

The Baby Sleep Site: We get it – getting that plan in your e-mail inbox really does feel like you are being thrown a life line, doesn’t it? Gerry, we couldn’t be happier for you. It sounds like you and Yvette are finally (finally!) getting the sleep you need. And because of that, your quality of life sounds much better!

Gerry: “That’s right. Yvette is 18 months now, and thanks to Shaye and Nicole’s priceless help, she has established healthy sleep habits and we all cherish the moments before bedtime and naptime. The team at The Baby Sleep Site gave us a real miracle!”

The Baby Sleep Site: Honestly, stories like yours make the hard work worth it! Okay, Gerry, before we wrap up this interview – any last words for our readers?

Gerry: “I can’t end without saying one more thank you! Thank you again, Shaye and Nicole, for your knowledge, support, and understanding! We all learned to sleep better at home thanks to your guidance. Keep on doing miracles for all the tired families in need!””

 
There you have it, readers. Even if your 10 month old baby is waking every 2 hours around the clock, and nursing for less than 30 minutes at a time, even if your baby has to be fed and held and rocked to sleep all the time – you can solve your little one’s sleep problems! Gerry was facing some big sleep challenges, but with the help of The Baby Sleep Site^® (and through lots of hard work on her part), Gerry helped Yvette overcome her sleep associations and learn to fall sleep on her own.

And you can do the same. Really! In fact, our trained sleep consultants are ready and waiting to help you do just that. So why not take the first step today, and begin your journey to better sleep as early as tonight?

Click here to learn how you can get one-on-one help from a trained sleep consultant like Shaye.

Want to know more about how our system of personalized help works? Check out our FAQ page here, and get answers.

Have sleep training tips of your own to share? We love to hear from you!

The post From Waking Every 2 Hours to Sleeping Through The Night! Hear Gerry’s Story appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.