Frequently Asked Questions
What are your qualifications?
I hold a Certificate in Infant & Child Sleep Consulting from Baby Sleep Consultant Training. I have a current Working With Children check and am a member of the International Institute of Complimentary Therapists. I am also studying for my diploma in child nutrition.
What age groups do you work with?
I work with children from the age of 4 months all the way up to 4 years.
What areas do you service?
Phone consultations and packages are available Australia Wide.
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In-home services are available to residents of Metropolitan Melbourne. Please note that in-home services include up to 30km travel each way. Travel fees may apply beyond the 30km and are calculated at 0.85c per km. Additional fees may apply for travel to Melbourne's Westerns suburbs.
How are you different to sleep schools?
There are so many benefits that come from working with a sleep consultant. But the big one is having that 1:1 support - your own personal sleep consultant there whenever you need to talk!
Unlike sleep schools, I offer In-Home and Phone Support Packages with ongoing support. This means you don't have to leave the comfort and familiarity of your own home, which is perfect for setting up healthy sleep foundations. With all of my sleep packages you are also provided with a sleep plan created specifically for your baby or toddler, plus daily support over a 2 week period, so you are never alone as I guide you through implementing your child's sleep plan.
What is sleep training?
Sleep training can be a bit of a controversial term. But essentially, it's teaching a baby or toddler the skills of independent sleep (self-settling).
With my holistic guidance, we consider all things that influence sleep. These things can include sleep hygiene, routine/awake windows, feeding/nutrition, settling techniques, and of course your child's temperament and your parenting style.
Do you use CIO (Cry it out)?
No. CIO is an outdated concept based around the idea that you put your little one down to sleep and not respond to them until morning.
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When it comes to teaching your child to settle and re-settle independently, there is a broad spectrum of sleep settling techniques to choose from. My aim is to match the best technique to suit your parenting style and your child's personality. I recommend only responsive techniques.
Will my baby cry?
Honestly, yes! Although crying can be a real trigger for many parents, it's not necessarily a bad thing. It's essentially the way our babies communicate with us - hungry, tired, uncomfortable, overtired, undertired, bored, frustrated, etc. So when we start to teach a baby to fall asleep in a different way to how they have been previously, there is going to be some crying, usually out of protest.
How long will the process take?
Any form of change or learning a new skill takes time to practice and master. How long the process takes can depend on your baby's age and stage, temperament, your preferred settling approach and the pace you choose to go at.
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Usually we see improvements in the first few days of sleep training. It can take up to 2 weeks to resolve night sleep issues and a bit longer for naps or early rising.
Will sleep training affect attachment with my baby?
Studies have shown that sleep training does not affect’s attachment. Sleep training is proven to improve baby's sleep, maternal mood and sleep, has no long term stress (cortisol levels), no long term effects on the child's behaviour or emotions and is not linked to attachment.
When is payment required?
Payment is required in full prior to the consultation.
What if I have to re-schedule my booking?
Your payment secures your booking. I do however understand that unexpected events and illnesses occur.
Bookings can be postponed but must be reschedule within 30 days of payment. If a booking is postponed longer than a month, your child's sleep plan will need to be reviewed and amended, in which case a flat fee of $49 is payable.
Please note that once a booking is re-scheduled, the cancellation policy below no longer applies. In the event that an already re-scheduled booking is cancelled, 100% of your payment will be retained.
What if I have to cancel my booking?
As you can understand, much work is done ahead of your consultation.
For this reason, if you choose to cancel your booking giving more than 48 hours notice, 25% of your payment (plus payment processing fee) will be retained as a non refundable deposit. If you cancel giving 48 hours notice, 50% of your payment will be retained (plus payment processing fee). No refunds on cancellations giving 24 hours notices or less.