Are Baby Sleep Consultants Worth It?
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There is no denying that as parents we are willing to do pretty much anything to get our babies to sleep (mostly so we can sleep too). There are a number of books, courses and helpful insights you can use to help you find the right routine and sleep methods for your baby, one of these is a sleep consultant.
Sleep consultants are worth investing in if you and your baby are struggling to get into a routine or you are looking to get into a good routine with your baby. They are however not worth it if you are living on a budget or if you can naturally find a routine with your baby.
It is critical to establish a consistent nighttime routine for your baby. Typically, the routine should begin at the same time every night. To understand the essence of baby sleep consultants, you need to know what they are and what they do.
What Is A Baby Sleep Consultant?
Getting a baby to sleep, whether for a nap or at night, maybe a challenging task. Rather than attempting to figure it out on their own, some parents seek the assistance of a baby sleep consultant. It is an excellent opportunity to learn a lot about the best techniques for putting a baby to sleep without making common blunders that may not be in your kid’s best interests.
A baby sleep consultant advises families on sleep hygiene. Their primary role is to guide parents on how to help their kids learn to fall asleep on their own.
Although there is a lot of doubting information concerning babies’ sleep demands, at times, it simply involves a matter of adhering to a certain ideology that corresponds with how you wish to raise your children. A baby sleep consultant clarifies the doubts to ensure your baby sleeps well.
A baby sleep expert offers you research-backed advice. They also have hands-on expertise, which is typically gained by working with many different families.
How Much Is A Baby Sleep Consultant?
Baby sleep consultants have become a major trend in recent days, from small individual businesses to large firm consultants. These advisors assist parents in getting their newborns to sleep at their cost.
Mainly, the cost of baby sleep consultants depends on the time taken per consultation. Prices vary, ranging from around $300 for two weeks of phone and text sessions to $7500 for 72 hours of in-house training.
What Are The Advantages Of Using A Baby Sleep Consultant?
As much as baby sleep consultants tend to be costly, they come with great benefits not only to your child but can have a positive influence on a parent too. The most significant advantages of hiring a baby sleep consultant are having a professional on your side, a reliable resource to advise you on what to do.
Here are some of the advantages of hiring a baby sleep consultant:
You Have Access To Experience
Having the services of an infant sleep consultant gives you the advantage of working with someone who has interacted with and assisted many parents and babies.
They have vast experience with various situations, solutions to many of your doubts, and knowing what to do when things don’t work out.
Get A Tailoured Plan
As a new parent, you may tire yourself reading all the blogs and books, trying different ways, and hearing everyone’s unique perspective on what baby sleep should be. However, that can all be a waste of time as your baby may not fit into that mould.
Having a sleep specialist can help you narrow down to recommendations fit for your baby’s best interest. Most critically, they will understand when an exception is required.
Extra Support For A Family With A Newborn
It is wonderful to have support with all the chaos that comes with having a kid, especially if you are a first-time mom. It is great to have someone that can comfort you about the process and help you appreciate the tiny victories along the way.
Consultants offer that extra support to parents.
Just as in any parenting situation, you don’t get a manual with instructions. However, with a baby sleep expert, you have someone familiar with your kid and their wants.
A baby sleep consultant can be extra eyes
Having an in-home sleep consultant allows you to provide 24-hour help to your infant throughout the initial few days of sleep coaching.
What Are The Disadvantages Of Using A Baby Sleep Consultant?
As much as baby sleep consultants prove to be worth it, their services may have some disadvantages.
They Are Expensive
When hiring a sleep expert, you should be willing to follow their advice; and many parents may find it hard. Sleep experts can completely change your normal night routine.
Sleep experts’ services come at costs of up to $7500 which seems an expensive expense.
No Guarantee It Will Work
With sleep training, it is not so much guaranteed that you will achieve the desired results. Training can also fail, especially if you hire an inexperienced consultant.
There is no guarantee that the course of action will work or with your family set up and newborn. This may be something that doesn’t quite work well with your long term goals, routines as a family or may change with any changes within your lifestyle.
Not Always Worth The Cost
As I mentioned sleep consultants can be very expensive and only worth resulting to if you have the disposable income, need the help for both yourselves as parents and your infant and if you have tried everything else.
There are a number of ways in which you can try establishing a sleep routine with your baby before having to result to a sleep consultant. I would suggest trying all these before resulting to a sleep consultant.
Are There Any Cheaper Alternatives To Using A Baby Sleep Consultant?
Not everyone can afford a baby sleep consultant. This, however, does not mean that you have to suffer if your child may be having trouble sleeping on their own. Instead of hiring a sleep consultant, here are other cheaper alternatives to sleep train your little one.
Create A Night Environment For Your Baby
You may assist your kid in winding down and preparing for sleep by establishing a relaxing atmosphere and routine that gradually guides them to relax and fall asleep.
This may include doing things like giving your baby a massage, a warm bath, playing gentle music, or having low lighting.
Get The Most From Your Sleep
Most adults have bad sleeping patterns, which make dealing with disrupted sleep much more difficult. Create a routine that works around your lifestyle and that is fit for a child.
Accepting Your Baby’s New Developments
Coming to terms with disrupted sleep during the early stages of parenthood entails understanding that you can do nothing about it. Sometimes you need to adapt to your baby’s natural sleep habits.
Is A Baby Sleep Consultant Worth It?
A baby sleep consultant is worth it if your child finds it hard to sleep independently or isn’t getting adequate sleep required for their development, and no cheaper alternative works. It is also worth it if you can comfortably afford the services of a baby sleep consultant.
On the other hand, baby consultants don’t come cheap; they are not worth it if you have to spend beyond your budget to get their services. Other cheaper alternative methods can be used, saving a lot.
Finally, sleep is essential to babies, especially newborns, and should be an aspect of consideration to any parent.