Making the move from a successful working adult to new parent can be a tricky path to navigate. To be faced with a baby who hasn’t read any of the sleep books – that you have – tends to be one of the reasons why my clients end up calling me.
Why the ‘R’ Family got in touch
The R Family reached out to me when their baby was 8 weeks old.
Their baby wasn’t the best sleeper and wouldn’t sleep in the bassinet during the day for more than 30 minutes. Night time was slightly better with 2-3 wake ups overnight. This meant that the parents were contact napping all day and then getting up a few times a night. A baby who would only nap and sleep while being held can make a parent feel a bit ‘touched out’!
Unsurprisingly, both first-time parents were exhausted. They decided to seek advice from an expert to reassure them and help guide them through this unfamiliar terrain.
This is when I came on board to give them a little respite and support.
How we worked together
As with all my clients, we had an initial casual chat to see if we were a good fit. The R Family talked about their needs and concerns, and I talked about my process. A baby care specialist works very closely with you inside your home, so you always need to make sure you like us! You can find out more about things to consider when hiring a night nanny here.
Once we knew we were all on the same page, I got started with my gentle approach over a 6 month period.
Here’s how my time with them looked:
Months 1-3: We started with the basics. I worked to transition the baby from being swaddled with arms down, to the love to dream swaddle where their arms were up. And the most important thing? I took responsibility for settling the baby during the night a few nights per week, so that mum and dad could get some sleep and stop feeling like wandering zombies.
Months 3-4: Although the baby was still too young for formal sleep training, I started to introduce some independent sleep skills, putting the baby down in their bassinet drowsy but awake.
Months 4-5: This was when we made the transition from swaddle to sleeping bag, and from bassinet to cot.
Months 5-7: Although everyone was getting much more sleep, and mum and dad felt more confident in their skills, there were still a few worries about baby’s development and tummy troubles. During these months I guided the family to use play to encourage development, and baby started physio to help with movement.
Months 6-8: In my last few months with the R Family, I helped them move baby from 3 to 2 naps. We also worked with an allergist to confirm a suspected allergy and altered baby’s diet to sort the tummy troubles.
The Outcome
With my help, baby went from unsettled and grizzly, to sleeping well with a much happier tummy. And, with regular big feeds and a solid daytime routine, we managed to get baby to sleep through the night.
Mum and Dad grew from being nervous and exhausted new parents, to a confident and well-rested couple.
The R Family felt supported through tricky transitions in their first few months and now have a baby who is catching up from a slight developmental delay, and sleeping well allowing them to get enough sleep too.
One of the most rewarding aspects of my job is watching parents flourish as they gain the skills and confidence to care for their baby, as well as get their energy back after getting more sleep!
If you’re reading this through bleary eyes from waking up every 45 minutes to resettle your baby, then I’d love to help you.
Book a free consultation call and let’s get your sleep, and your baby’s sleep, back on track.
