Sleep consultant. What does it entail?

[Firesidetreats1]

My little boy is 6 months old and since the 4 month sleep regression he hasn’t been sleeping as well as he was previously. Im due to go back to work when he’s 9 month and I’m thinking how will I do the wake ups and then go to work as well. I was just wondering if anyone has any experience with a sleep consultant, what they covered, did they come to your house or do they just give you tips on what to do? Also how much it costs? Everything I read online to help get babies to sleep through I’m already doing. We have a consistent bed time routine starts at 6pm - bath, bottle, bed. No longer than 45 mins. We use a mood light and white noise and he sleeps in a dark room in a sleeping bag in his next to me.

Think it depends on the consultant.

Ann Caird has worked no-cry miracles for a friend, getting her baby from motion sling naps to cot naps, hourly wake-ups to massive chunks and night weaning naturally. She does it all via Skype consultation and email support, entails a strict routine and some woo but no sleep training.

Whereas there's a woman in my NCT class who set up her own consultancy which is essentially cold turkey on night feeds, controlled crying by any other name, and no woo, all done in group sessions with Facebook group support.

Think it's a mixed bag but personally I'm going to try Ann Caird once we've moved house! Looks like hard work and slow going to see results, but v little crying involved, and cheap, apparently.

We had a sleep consultant and followed the gradual withdrawal method. That combined with a routine she designed for us worked miracles.

Yes you could trawl the internet for hours but frankly mg head was ready to explode from all the conflicting information.

Key thing is to decide what kind of 'training' you want to do. We weren't prepared to let DS cry so made sure we asked what methods they advised first.

Good luck!

No advice but following with interest as we’re in the same boat.

I've had two sleep consultants. I paid for the larger of their packages each time which included a detailed phone / email questionnaire and I detailed how much I wanted a no cry approach. I said I didn't mind how long I took as long I had a plan and that I had guidance with no tears.
They both came and essentially said do gradual retreat over a few days which of course meant tears. They wanted me to put baby in cot (previously fed and rocked to sleep) and then shush pat for a few nights, then just shush, then stand at door and then outside of door. All within about a week?
I do think there are sleep consultants who do exist who can help guide a no cry approach, but they are so so rare and usually you will find a 'no cry approach' plastered ove their website but the reality will be different.
My experience is that sleep consultants are a bit like personal trainers. You could do it without them but you pay them to ensure you brave the crying of sleep training and they reassure you it's ok to let your baby cry.
Personally I didn't take their advice as I didn't want my baby crying themselves to sleep! Waste of time and money for me

Sorry OP no sleep consultant advice as never used one. I will just say your LO is only 6 months- have you started weaning? Is he in his own room yet. My LOs sleep greatly improved with these two things in her natural development.

Yes absolutely drill down on info tho of course they wont give you everything otherwise they couldnt charge!

Our gradual retreat advice was set over 3 weeks.