Any ideas how to find a sleep consultant?

yellowfish · 2006-10-17T07:13:05+00:00

Can anyone recommend a route to find a sleep consultant? Starting to get desperate with my 6 m/o who wakes every 2 hours without fail. She seems to feed all night, bottle & breast, and is barely hungry during the day. Starting work next month and can barely walk let alone work! Please help!

jakeandbensmummy · 17/10/2006 20:16

I went through this with our Ds1 and my heart goes out to you. It must feel like this has been going on forever - what sort of things have you tried? We did some controlled crying (horrible, only sort of worked), swaddling (worked well), very firm routine (really helped). I think once they get into the habit of waking every 2 hours, you have to help them kind of lose it. At 6 months, she should definitely be able to go a bit longer without food - are you always feeding her when she wakes? Perhaps she is expecting it now.
Sorry if none of this is helpful. I think you have to get you HV to refer you to a sleep consultant - they may be able to offer you some support first. Hope you get some help soon - sleep deprivation is a nightmare!

SecondhandRose · 17/10/2006 20:33

Yellowfish, she doesn't need to feed at night at 6m (I'm sure you know this already). How long are you leaving her before you go in to her?

Does she have long naps during the day meaning she is not so tired at night maybe?

Have you tried putting some of your own clothes (smell) in the cot with her?

Original poster

yellowfish · 18/10/2006 11:16

We've tried controlled crying, but have a 3yo who wakes when 6mo cries! Now trying to just give her water, but she's still waking every two hours. Taking it though, which is a bonus. She has 3 small naps (c45 mins) during the day. I try to just give her 15 mins at 4/4.30pm, so her schedule is quite structured with regular meals and sleeps. No problem getting her to bed at 7pm but she'll be crying at 9pm. We leave her for a few minutes only and then submit. Rocking and patting her no longer settles her - only a bottle or breast will do. How can we break the two hour cycle?!

OP posts:

Original poster

yellowfish · 18/10/2006 11:16

We've tried controlled crying, but have a 3yo who wakes when 6mo cries! Now trying to just give her water, but she's still waking every two hours. Taking it though, which is a bonus. She has 3 small naps (c45 mins) during the day. I try to just give her 15 mins at 4/4.30pm, so her schedule is quite structured with regular meals and sleeps. No problem getting her to bed at 7pm but she'll be crying at 9pm. We leave her for a few minutes only and then submit. Rocking and patting her no longer settles her - only a bottle or breast will do. How can we break the two hour cycle?!

OP posts:

jakeandbensmummy · 18/10/2006 11:43

Our 'version' of controlled crying involved going in once and 'shushing' and then retreating - which obviously sets baby off again. We would go in and out over and over until eventually he was so knackered he just gave in! It sounds really cruel, but if the baby knows you are going to return then it's less harsh (imo) than just leaving them to cry it out (also known as Feberising, after the crackpot doctor who advocates it).
It will be extra hard for you having a 3yo but he/she is old enough to be explained to - it might take a few days or even a week or two but in the long run it will make life easier for you and mummy and daddy won't be so knackered! Could the 3yo stay with granny for a few nights?
I hope I am being helpful here, and not too 'preachy' but I can remember vividly what it was like with ds1 - nearly broke us! I even wrote a piece in our local NCT magazine for it - thought I was the only person it had even happened to!
Let me know how it all goes...I am online most days/night so, if nothing else, I can offer you a bit of support!! x x

SecondhandRose · 18/10/2006 13:04

yellowfish, I think you may have to be cruel to be kind and perhaps move your baby away from your sleeping 3yr old if that is possible.

surreynanny · 18/10/2006 14:53

I work as a sleep consultant, but you could also try www.naturallynurturing.co.uk or www.mill-pond.co.uk.
www.surreynanny.com

puffling · 18/10/2006 19:35

I think your baby is waking through hunger and habit. She's got unused to feeding when she should due to being fed at night and she's not used to putting herself back to sleep. I can see trying to break these habits involves unsettling your 3 yr old, but in the long term, dealing with the issue now will benefit both of them. I expect a sleep consultant would work with you to devise a schedule where you gradually reduce night feeding in order to improve day feeding and also look at other factors like daytime sleep and activity. I hope you find a solution. Best wishes Dawnx

puffling · 18/10/2006 19:39

Forgot to add, a nice big 'dreamfeed' at 10ish would help because you feed them in their sleep. Try to leave her a little longer at 9, you never know, she might be able to resettle herself.

puffling · 18/10/2006 19:40

Forgot to add, a nice big 'dreamfeed' at 10ish would help because you feed them in their sleep. Try to leave her a little longer at 9, you never know, she might be able to resettle herself.

puffling · 18/10/2006 19:43

Sorry, just thought of another thing. If none of her daytime naps are longer than 45 mins, she won't develop the habit of sleeping for longer stretches as it's the classic thing that babies have 45 min cycles. Try to establish one longer nap. This will be easier soon when your baby drops the 3rd nap.

Jacobsdad · 21/11/2006 12:44

Hi Yellowfish

I Know this is an old thread but I do have some information on a sleep consultant. We have just booked her (the benifit is that she comes to your house for 2 nights) Its not cheap but hopefully it will be worth it as I know exactly what your going through and would pay anything for it to be better than it is right now...

If you want details let me know if your still interested.

nannyme · 21/11/2006 23:25

Jacobsdad, may I ask how much your sleep consultant is costing you? - I run my own sleep consultancy and am wondering about reviewing my prices in the New Year.