FAQs
How can I start working with you?
Have a look at my packages and then send me an email and I will get in contact with you to discuss where to go from here with a sleep technique that suits your parenting style.
thedreamhousesleep@gmail.com
Do you offer remote consultations?
Yes I do. These are my most popular package and once I receive your intake form I will write you a personalised sleep plan and we will then have a phone call to discuss the sleep technique. You will then be able to email or text me over the next 2 weeks.
What ages do you work with?
I can start to help implement some really healthy sleep habits from as young as 3 weeks old all the way up to your child's 5th birthday.
Why does my child wake up in the night?
We all wake up multiple times a night when we go from one sleep cycle to the next, however as adults we are so practiced at putting ourselves back to sleep that we don't notice we have woken up.
If your child needs help going to sleep such a rocking, singing, holding, dummy etc then they will wake up looking for these associations in the night.
Do we have a sleep problem?
Every family and child have different expectations of what their perfect sleep scenario will look like which is exactly why I don't have a one size fits all plan. I tailor the sleep plans to you personally so that you are happy to be consistent in your approach to the technique. A well rested family is a happy family.
Will my child cry?
If your child is distressed of course you need to be there to comfort them. If I was to imply that there will be no tears I would be misleading you from the beginning. Change is unsettling especially when you are all tired and it is normal for your child to show some resistance. I will be there to support you whilst you support them. I will always make sure that I have given you plenty of options and it feels manageable before we start. As a mother I really do understand how important your little one is to you and that you don’t want them to be upset. Remember why you are doing this, the best possible outcome for every family is having a good night’s sleep.
What do you do?
The first step is about getting to know you and your child; I will ask you lots of questions about their current feeding and sleeping. This is all done completely without judgment, as I'm simply trying to get to the bottom of your challenges.
From there I will provide you with a very detailed and individual sleep assessment based on your baby’s sleep environment, sleep patterns, settling techniques, feeding times and much, much more. When you have this assessment, it’s up to you when you start making changes. When you begin to implement these, you’ll send me activity logs every couple of days so that I can assess what is going on for your baby; I’ll attach notes and further suggestions and send them back to you (or chat to you over the phone if you had booked a phone consult) so that, together, we can get your baby sleeping well.
What sort of parents do you work with?
I work with any parents who value their own, and their family’s, sleep, and would like help with improving their baby’s sleep habits. No matter your parenting style or personal circumstances … I'm here to help!
Isn't sleep deprivation just part of the early years?
NO!!!! Sleep deprivation is a form of torture and while many people think it’s a rite of passage to joining the parenting ranks, the early years of parenting don’t need to be fraught with lost sleep.
So many families are suffering and it’s hard to be the parent that you really want to be when you are that tired, let alone maintain your relationships or function well back in the workplace. Sleep is absolutely vital for our health and wellbeing and, with some simple and sustainable tweaks, your family can be back to achieving the sleep they need.
While it perhaps used to take a village to raise a child, it’s no longer common to have an extended family all raising children under one roof. What we think of as our intuition is actually largely taught, and in the absence of those wider traditional support networks, The Dream House provide the reassurance and guidance amidst what can feel like an overload of information.
I've read all the books so what else can you add of value?
There is a lot of information out there and it can all seem a bit overwhelming sometimes – especially if you’re struggling with sleep deprivation too! When you’re tired, it’s hard to see the wood for the trees and even if you have some idea of what you need to do, it can still help to have this broken down, or actually shown to you.
I blend the latest developments in the science of sleep to customise an approach for your child – one that also takes into account your personal views, philosophies and practices around parenting. I provide a plan, a solution, and an explanation. Think of me as being like all the books combined; I’ve done the research for you and can help you to practically put it to use.
Unlike a book, I can also answer questions and are able to easily change course mid-week or tweak routines, as needed, to suit you and your baby. My training and experience enables me to see the changes that need to be made, spot errors that need fixing and, ultimately, help you with your baby.
What impact does sleep deprivation have on health and wellbeing?
Sleep is as important to our health and wellbeing as food, however we often don’t give it the same sort of energy and attention. Research surrounding the science of sleep is ongoing and we now know so much more than ever before about what it means for our overall health. In 2016 the World Health Organisation (WHO) released official guidelines around the sleep needs for children and how these relate to obesity, proving once again that sleep’s impact on our health is significant and that the role that it plays for our wellbeing starts from a very young age.