“Are Sleep Consultants Worth It?”

We contacted a sleep consultant when Lee was five months old. He hadn’t yet adapted to a regular nap schedule and was in the habit of taking only 30-minute cat naps at unpredictable times. 

I was growing anxious about his erratic napping and was eager for Lee to get on a schedule so I could have some semblance of predictability and routine in my day. After I brought these concerns up with our pediatrician, she referred us to a sleep consultant, Dr. Natalie Barnett of Seven Oaks Sleep Science. 

Before reaching out to Dr. Barnett, we hemmed and hawed about the cost. Our health insurance did not cover a sleep consultant and we were seeing other consultants’ rates of upwards of $3,000 for an overnight consultation. While we weren’t at the point of needing a professional to help us through the night, it was still an expense for which we hadn’t previously budgeted. 

And with all that said...

“Are sleep consultants worth it?”

Short answer: Yes, absolutely. 

Long answer: Before we contacted a sleep consultant, I had read through countless articles, blog posts, and forums. I tried to glean insight from other people’s experiences and pick up their tips and sleep hacks. But as I dug into my informal research, there would always be a little detail that just wouldn’t apply to me, Lee, or our household. For example, we didn’t have a separate nursery for Lee, so how do we respond to (or ignore?) his cries when we’re sleeping in the same room? 

What made a sleep consultant worth the money was having professional and personalized directions on how to systematically tackle sleep and nap time specifically designed around our toddler, family, and household set up.

It was deeply reassuring to come away from our conversations with Dr. Barnett and have a clear game plan on how to tend to Lee throughout the night and encourage him to get on a sleep schedule.

“What did you learn from the sleep consultant?”

Our sleep consultant coached us on how to attentively listen to Lee’s cries and identify what he’s trying to communicate: An up-and-down cry usually indicates he’s settling down. A sharp single cry is Lee exhausting himself before sleeping. And hysterical crying requires a check-in. 

She also gave us pointers about Lee’s meal schedule and explained how his appetite may affect his sleep. And she patiently reassured us that what we were experiencing was normal.

“Did the sleep consultant help Lee sleep better?”

Yes, absolutely! Within a month, Lee was in a great routine with his naps and still consistently sleeping through the night. 

During Lee’s later sleep regressions (which happened at eight months and again at 12 months), we returned to our consultation notes and brushed up on how to systematically find our way through the rough patch.

Now that Lee is 19 months old, he’s a solid sleeper. Here’s a rundown of his bedtime routine that helps him prepare for a good night’s sleep...