The Road to Becoming a Certified Baby and Child Sleep Coach

My name is Amber (26), married to João (29), and together we have a daughter, Lucy (14 months). Recently, I became certified as a Baby and Child Sleep Coach. In this blog, I want to share the journey that led me here.

Sleep became a more important topic in my life after becoming a mother. Getting enough sleep was no longer a given. Although I was prepared, I still had many questions about my daughter’s sleep. How many naps should she take? Should I wake her up? How long can she stay awake? When will her daytime rhythm improve? When will she sleep through the night? I scoured the internet for answers. Because of the many and often conflicting pieces of advice, I quickly lost overview.

Based on my own experience as a mother, I decided to train as a Baby and Child Sleep Coach. I wanted to deepen my knowledge about sleep in babies and young children to help other parents with their questions and uncertainties. This also fit well with my background. I am trained as a family pedagogue and worked for three years as a family coach at the Center for Youth and Family. Helping families is something I’m passionate about and have always enjoyed.

Training
I completed the English-language Baby Sleep Consultant course. It’s an internationally recognized program that covers a lot of scientific knowledge about sleep. The course also takes a holistic view of sleep, discussing various factors that influence it, including nutrition. Throughout the training, I learned several sleep training methods. This was important to me, as I don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. Because of my broad training, I can find what suits the child and the parents best.

I couldn’t wait to start practicing, so I began coaching 16 families. This is an essential part of the training because it teaches you how to personalize advice. That way, the advice fits not only the child and parent but also actually works. It’s so rewarding to see that my guidance helps children and their parents sleep better and more.

A Typical Workday
My workdays currently consist of introductory conversations with parents interested in sleep support. Once parents book a service, they fill out an intake form and keep sleep diaries. Before the consultation, I analyze the intake and create tailored advice. During the consultation, I share this advice and answer questions. When parents book a program, I also create a detailed, personalized sleep plan. Afterward, we stay in close contact to monitor progress.

Additionally, I share lots of information and tips about baby and toddler sleep on my Instagram. What most people don’t know is that my husband designs the layout of my Instagram posts. He also reminds me not to forget fathers. Although most contact is with mothers, fathers play a very important role in parenting and sleep too. I hope my posts help both mothers and fathers. If you want to check out my Instagram, you can find it here.