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 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.

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Welcome, readers, to another installment in our Family Features stories! From time to time, we like to spotlight clients of ours who have had great success working with our expert team of sleep consultants. These families are, in many ways, just like yours: these parents are sleep-deprived and exhausted, their babies and toddlers are cranky and overtired, and everyone could use more peaceful nighttime and nap time sleep!

Last week, we introduced you to Katy (scroll down to read Katy’s story); 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 awhile, 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 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!

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!