You may have read in another one of my blog posts (or, cough, maybe more) that my son was the world’s worst sleeper. I’m talking up in the middle of night every 2-3 hours like clockwork, for an entire 15 months. And hey, that’s just night time. Even if I tried, I could never forget all the days (I mean, it was like every. single. day) that I nursed him to nap and he layed on my chest for his entire nap time. I was his prisoner day in and day out – a slave to his every waking or napping need. If I ever attempted a great escape by slowly and ever so quietly putting him in his bed, on the crib or on the couch, he would wake within minutes; his cries were like a drill sergeant summoning me back to my post, ready and on guard!
I returned to work from my maternity leave when he was about 13 months old. It was early February. The winter days were short, it got dark outside earlier than I would have liked and my son surely would be tired for every night’s bed time, right? Wrong! Those first two months back at work were a hazy blur of fuzz, fatigue and adrenaline. I was essentially getting around 4 hours of interrupted sleep per night. Until, at last, I regained my keys to freedom. When my son was 15 months old, I had had enough. I took the bold and courageous step of letting him cry it out. I was determined for my breasts to be a day-time shop only and night time was for sleeping. That was that. The first night, he cried for well over an hour. That’s right – over an hour! I was so proud of myself for not giving in. I rubbed his little back and shushed his cries while he whaled. And finally – success! He fell asleep. The second night, less than half an hour of screaming his brains out and the little guy was out like a light. And then, magic happened. Night three, 10 minutes of crying, and he was asleep. And the rest is history! Ahhh bliss (and a full night’s sleep).
Finding the Right Sleep Consultant
I had heard of baby and infant sleep consultants while I was living the nightmare of sleepless nights. But, none of them had ever come recommended and I couldn’t muster up the courage to blindly pick one of them to help me solve such a big problem related to my most precious jewel – my sleep (I mean, my son). Well, you get the point. And so I took it upon myself to achieve my goal of getting back to sleep. Do I wish I had some proper guidance? Of course!
And that’s where Andria Gordon comes in. When I was struggling with sleepless nights, Andria wasn’t in the business of watching families have babies and then putting those babies soundly to sleep. It wasn’t until years later that she founded Have Baby. Must Sleep. Andria is a top-rated and highly recommended Certified Sleep Consultant with a specialization in newborn sleep. She’s a mom of two and knows first-hand the perils of sleepless nights. Andria is so well versed in sleep consulting and support that she and her team also offer mental health services to parents, travel support (because we all know that a good night’s sleep is essential while on vacation), and custom sleep coaching tailored to your family’s needs. She will work with you to come up with the perfect sleep approach for your child, and guide you through putting that plan into action. And wait, it gets even better: benefits coverage is available for her services!
Getting the Sleep Support You Need
Andria has been featured on Global News and was selected as a Top 100 Semi-Finalist for Canada’s Total Mom Pitch – an annual national business pitch competition, with over 1,000 applicants from across the country, designed specifically for mom entrepreneurs in Canada. So, if you’re a sleep deprived new parent, or know someone who is, it’s time to put the fatigue to rest and seek Andria’s help so that you can get back to having sweet dreams instead of waking screams.
I had no idea what I was doing when I forced my son to sleep by letting him cry it out. And I really wish that Andria was in my circle back then. Did I ultimately achieve my goal of getting to sleep? Yes. Did it have to be so painful for both my son and me? Probably not. With Andria’s expert guidance, you can transform your sleepless nights into peaceful slumbers, creating a more restful and joyful experience for both you and your little one.
Cuddle,
Suzanne
