Has anyone found a sleep consultant helpful for naps and dummy use?

[Sleepykoala2]

Is it worth getting a sleep consultant? Im dying out here with naps and long bed times. I feel like my plan is all over the place. I was told to stop the dummy as he keeps dropping and waking up. but how else am i supposed to put him sleep.
How was everyone’s sleep consultant experience?

also did anyone have the same problem with dummy at 12 weeks. How dis you get rid of it?

Fairly useless to be honest. It was mostly about encouraging you to be flexible for the baby's sake. A lot of time spent explaining how you can't change what baby does.

I mean, at 12 weeks, their sleep is all over the place. I certainly wouldn’t be wasting money on a sleep consultant, but what I would be doing is reading up on normal baby sleep.

At 12 weeks, I personally wouldn’t expect a baby to nap in a cot. I mean, some magical ones do. And I wouldn’t expect them to nap at set routine times. They nap when they’re tired, usually after a feed, on you or in the pram or on a drive in the car. It’s still pretty much, short ish awake window, feed and sleep at this stage.

What are you doing to get him to sleep at bedtime? I don’t think it’s unusual for bedtime to take 1.5 hours at this age, depending on what your set up is. Much easier if you’re cosleeping and can lie down with them and roll away. But putting them down asleep is hard. They don’t really go to sleep on their own in a cot without being held and rocked at this stage. I would expect nighttime sleep in 1.5 to 3 hour cycles at this stage.

Maybe if you can describe what the problem is, someone can give some advice. I had one without a dummy and one with. At this age, it helped with sleep. If it’s not helping, get rid of it. If it is, keep using it. It may be what you need to do most is adjust your expectations and also make sure you are trading off with your partner if you have one. Dads can get up in the night too, even if they need to work the next day. You’ll both have to do it if you return to work at the end of mat leave, so no reason it can’t be done now.

at 12 weeks I think we were still just cuddling them while they slept in arms on an evening and then took them to bed when we were ready for sleep - Found it wasnt until about 12 months that there was actually a more formal bedtime that was worth it.

If the dummy still works for you then keep it, lots of babies still use a dummy until they’re one

At 12 weeks just use the dummy and dont expect any set routine. I thought you were going to say 12+ months. At that age my DH used to hold the baby for a few hours in the evening whilst I slept then I’d put her ‘to bed’ with me around 10-11pm. Naps whenever they happened, usually in the pram, carrier or being held. I wouldn’t expect an earlier evening bedtime at that age, plus it’s advised you are in the same room with them anyway

12 weeks 😂

OP I say this kindly. Congratulations & come back in a year. At the moment baby does what baby does. Rescind control.

For naps just let them nap out and about in the pram/sling/car or contact nap if you have time.
A later/more relaxed bedtime is often better for a young baby. Have them downstairs with you in the evening (asleep or awake) then take them up when you would normally go to bed. I wouldn't worry about a bedtime routine for another few months.
Not sure about the dummy but have you tried replacing with something else like rocking to sleep?