I'm so excited to introduce you all to Amanda Bude who's an experienced midwife, Certified Maternity and Child Sleep and Settling Consultant, Certified HypnoBirthing® Practitioner and Certified Infant Massage Instructor. 

We met last year at a Children's Health & Wellbeing Expo, where we were both exhibiting our products and services as she's the Founder of Groovy Babies and also a mum of 3 beautiful children (a toddler and twins) all HypnoBirthing® babies.
Of course, with my obsession about all things sleep related and her excitement about seeing products for all the eczema babies she comes across in her work meant we hit it off right away!
I wish I'd known four years ago more about the fact that sleep consultant 'angels' like Amanda existed and what it is that they do to help whole families, so please read on and find because Amanda has kindly written all about it here in the hope that we can help more and more of you to get a good night sleep ~ Kelly x

By definition: A Certified Sleep Consultant is a professional that is trained and educated in specialized (yes specialised) sleep education, that works with families from antenatal-postnatal, babies and children to age 5. A certified sleep consultant is up to date with current evidenced based practice and research. A certified sleep consultant is educated to provide parents with skills, knowledge and support in empowering them to guide their children to develop healthy sleep patterns, that are age and developmentally appropriate. To be objective and promote informed decision making. Families that require help are often in an emotional and vulnerable state from sleep deprivation. An empathetic, patient and respectful nature is required. Education is lacking and families are crying out for such professionals, with appropriate qualifications and accreditation.

A Certified Sleep Consultant is bound by codes of ethics, and knows boundaries of practice: “when in doubt refer out”. They do not diagnose, treat, examine or medically advise clients, or replace advice of the family’s medical practitioner and paediatrician. In fact we work along side by side. Client confidentiality is also part of boundaries of practice. Any client has the right to have their privacy protected and avoid any disclosure of information into a public domain.

So my description is as complicated as baby sleep or the science of sleep- so if you are confused about why your baby is having issues with sleep or you are confused no WONDER WHY!

Did you know there are at LEAST 26 types of sleep experts…what 26?...I thought there was just 2..cry it out or controlled crying or versions of those…till NOW!!

So what are the most commonly known sleep approaches and methods?

-some are baby led or parent led. All wish to help families get some sleep, and work on encouraging a healthy sleep pattern.

-some are scientific/research based and some personal experience based.

-some are seen as “gentle” sleep approaches.

-involve routines and timed schedules.

-cry/or no-cry or combination.

-age appropriate or not.

-short term solution/long term solution.

-all have some method/guidelines to follow.

What are the similarities and differences amongst the variety of sleep approaches and methods?

Similarities

All aim to help families.

All aim to educate parent’s on what their baby needs to go to sleep or return to sleep upon waking.

All aim to educate parents on sleep patterns.

Gentle sleep approach combines no-cry and periods of crying to teach gentle independence.

Differences

No cry methods believe that leaving a baby to cry creates a negative sleep association which maybe detrimental to the child’s emotional health. Crying is acknowledged as the baby’s primary way of communication. The methods work to combine many tools (nursing, rocking, co-sleeping, responding to crying, altering feeding/sleeping patterns) to improve sleep patterns.

Extinction believes that by allowing a child to cry indefinitely at bedtime and up to 1 hour at nap time, the child learns quickly to fall asleep and return to sleep unassisted. Argues that the consequences of poor sleep habits and inadequate sleep far out way the short term emotional health the child experiences whilst undergoing this type of method.

Controlled Crying or Ferberization: parents respond in increments of time to child’s cries, in limited duration.

Parent led approach: parents set the daily agenda or specific time table of sleep, feeding and playing.

Baby led approach: feed, play sleep is parent’s following the baby’s cues of natural schedule.

So here are some guidelines that I suggest a family considers in regards to using a Certified Sleep Consultant:

-what sleep approach is best suited for you and your child and family?

- write down what methods you know, read and have tried.

-write down what you know works for their baby.

-write down what you know does not work for their baby.

- take into consideration age of your baby.

-take into consideration if you are breastfeeding or bottling feeding.

- write down if you wish for a parent led approach or baby led approach- be honest.

- write down if you feel more comfortable with a no-cry, cry or combination of both method.

- write down the length of time YOU and YOUR PARTNER have been sleep deprived, thus time they are prepared to commit to change.

- are you returning to work.

-are there are any health concerns to be considered, e.g. reflux, prematurity, snoring. allergies, twins, PND mother/father to begin with…..

ANY QUESTIONS…simply pick up the phone and call me (http://www.groovybabies.com.au/contact).

~Amanda Bude