Why I Became a Child Sleep Consultant

I remember preparing for my first son to be born. My husband and I got the nursery ready, went to prenatal classes, read books, and talked to friends with babies…we were as ready as we could be! When our little guy was first born, he was a great sleeper. People told us we were lucky and we felt that way as well. We put him down to sleep when he seemed tired and got him up when he was awake. Simple, right?

After a little while, though, things started going downhill. He would barely nap and fought going to sleep at bedtime. He woke constantly throughout the night and seemed exhausted. He was cranky, had trouble keeping his eyes open, and clearly didn’t feel well. He wasn’t the only one! This went on for some time and I realized something needed to change. It was only once I started reading about pediatric sleep that it occurred to me that, of all of the information I had received when I was pregnant, no one had told me how much sleep a newborn needs, or how many hours of wakefulness they can tolerate. I had no idea how to set him up for sleep success or when it was time to make changes due to his developmental milestones.

After hours of research, I learned what my son needed and helped him settle into a healthy sleep pattern. I can’t tell you the difference this made for all of us. My little guy was happier, more engaged, and clearly enjoyed everything around him more because he felt better. My husband and I were sleeping more as well and I instantly became a happier and more energetic wife and mum. I remember the first time my son had a good nap and my husband and I sat in our kitchen drinking coffee. It felt like we hadn’t just “hung out” together in ages and we realized how much we’d missed each other.

I started reading everything I could get my hands on related to pediatric sleep and I became incredibly passionate about it. I know personally how a healthy sleeper affected my family and have also come to understand what insufficient sleep can do to a little one. After learning what I did about sleep, I felt empowered to read my son’s cues and get my whole family sleeping. I think every parent should be able to feel that way!

I then knew that this was what I wanted to do with my professional life. What could be better than helping families and doing something that means so much to me? I decided to leave my career in banking, in Toronto, Ontario and made the transition to working from my home in Stouffville, Ontario. I became certified as a Child Sleep Consultant through the Family Sleep Institute and Fast Asleep Consulting was born!

I was told over and over when I was pregnant that I should appreciate sleep while I could…that it was perfectly normal to get little to no sleep once you were a parent. I want parents to know that it doesn’t have to be that hard, for you or your little one. There are things you can do from day one to ensure that your baby doesn’t become overtired and, no matter what the situation or the age of your child, you can achieve your sleep goals. You may need a little bit of help and support, and that’s where I come in.

Your son or daughter may be having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or napping. Perhaps you are struggling with teaching them to sleep on their own, with their nighttime anxieties, or even night terrors. You could be finding it difficult getting your twins or triplets into a healthy schedule, or you may be new or expectant parents hoping to find out how to set your new baby up for sleep success. No matter what your situation, help is just a phone call or email away.