Baby Sleep Studies

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Meet The Sleep Nanny

The Sleep NannyThe sleep nanny has over 25 years of hands on experience working with babies and toddlers. Something that no amount of qualifications and only this many years of experience could possibly achieve. Knowledge that she has not been able to be taught in a classroom, but through many years of working with 1000's of different children with difficulties ranging from common sleep issues to asperger and selective eating disorders.  Not theoretical but actual practical scenarios, for clients that include amongst others a many number of GP's & Consultant Paediatricians.

Mel was born in Surrey in the mid 60’s, her mother was a nurse and had been working in paediatrics at Queen Mary’s hospital, Carshalton at the time of her arrival, but soon they moved to the Bath area to be near her grandparents who were farmers.

Mel started her childcare career very early! At around ten years old she was often left to look after a young cousin, he was two years old and very spirited. He was always running off and had a will of iron. It wasn’t long before she had him sussed and could manage his behaviour, keep him interested and make him behave well, without him even realising it.

When Mel was  fourteen she began to baby sit for some children in her village. A family of four with a baby on the way. She taught the older two how to horse ride. At the time she had horses, goats and a very sweet but naughty shetland pony, so little children were always asking if they could play with the goats and brush the pony.

At seventeen Mel was baby sitting lots of other children, most of them had behaviour issues and couldn’t keep babysitters for long. These children never phased her. At eighteen Mel took a job as a nanny, the children by then had already seen of many nannies that same year. Mel managed to stay in that job for two years, longer than anyone else. Mel then began to look for challenging jobs, and found many many more. Either with children who had behaviour issues or parents who could not keep a nanny for more than a few months.

Mel found these challenges rewarding, interesting, fascinating and learned a huge amount about children and families. Mel says "As a nanny you are in a very privileged position, not just as the sole carer for someone’s most precious possession but also as a confidant, friend and extra member of a family" During her years she has worked for many families, everything from working in a stately home,  with foreign royalty, umpteen doctors, farmers, lawyers, consultants and even eccentric aristocrats.

Seventeen years ago Mel started her own nanny and domestic staff employment agency. It was tough at the beginning, as she wanted to help everyone. Sleep Nannies came about because many people needed help in sorting out their child's sleeping pattern or eating habits.

To reinforce all her work experiences, Mel then went on to extensively study diet & nutrition and child psychology, of which she is still constantly researching today, to continue to develop her knowledge and understanding of children and how to help, not only them, but their patents too. Furthermore Mel has a paediatric first aid certificate and a CRB enhanced disclosure.

After she had her own children she felt much more connected with the mums and their children. One of her own daughters was a bad sleeper, so she knows the pain of exhaustion and sleepless nights. Mel also knew how hard it was to hear your own child cry, how you can get into a rut with sleeping issues and how everyone has their own piece of advice to give you

She knows  the stresses that new mums and dads have to through and how you constantly feel judged when things are not running smoothly. Mel has been helping the parents of non- sleepers and fussy eaters for over 12 years now. While many of the same problems and issues arise, every child and family is different, and this approach and philosophy is why Mel has become so successful  in helping and understanding other families needs. By helping them find the right solution for their own specific situation. In her view "one cap does not fit all"

The sleep nanny is kind, gentle & will work effectively with you & your baby, ensuring a good night's sleep for the whole family. A natural caring approach, that enables mums & dads to continue the process, long after she has completed her consultation.

Through a series of telephone consultations or a home visit,  she can help you create a new pattern of behaviour leading to more desirable habits. Whether associated with sleeping, feeding or behavioural issues you can take positive steps forward, regain confidence in your parenting and restore some harmony to your life.

We all lead our own busy lives today. We don’t always have family and friends living in close proximity, and are not able to call on them for advice. We may not feel able to discuss our anxieties and problems associated with parenting with health professionals for fear of them judging us. It can be a very lonely time. We can therefore provide you with a caring and fully confidential service, with professional and practical advice to help you through.  The Sleep Nanny is available for telephone consultations and occasionally personal home visits.

Having the right balance in life is something we all strive for. Having any kind of balance or order in our lives after the arrival of a baby can be an unachievable target for most people. Trying to function when you have been up all night with a crying baby can seem like a form of torture. It can be particularly frustrating when everyone you talk to has a baby that is placid and calm and sleeps 12 hours through the night without a peep.

If your little one is a night owl, demanding feeds every 2 hours during the night or you have a toddler refusing to go to bed do not despair. With a sensible and realistic plan to follow you can create a more desirable set of sleeping habits for any baby or child. This can all be accomplished without relentless clockwatching or sticking to a strict and rigid itinerary. We all need some kind of order in our lives and babies are no exception. A baby will need a basic but flexible routine that allows his parents some quality of life as well.

This is a realistic and sustainable plan of action. A philosophy that has been passed down from generation to generation using tried and tested methods. Now adapted to suit our modern busy life style and help you understand that getting your baby to sleep need not be an impossible target. In addition, help baby to go to sleep without relying on endless props and cues. In turn, allowing parents to have the flexibility to create the right baby/life balance.

The Sleep Consultants Support & Advice

Baby sleep advice that is personally tailored & is relevant to you and your babies sleep.
Baby sleep telephone consultations
Individual baby sleep and baby feeding routines for babies & guidance for toddlers
Sleep advice that is based on your child & individual family dynamics and not just a page from a book.

Teaching babies to sleep through the night

Are you feelingly overwhelmed with exhaustion from lack of sleep yourself
Are you terrified or uncertain of what to do when you hear your baby cry
Do you feel racked with guilt
Are you overwhelmed with emotion and unsure how you can pacify your baby
Is your toddler wreaking havoc in your household
Is your baby or toddler refusing to eat and causing mayhem at mealtimes

Does toilet training seem like an impossible task

Is your child refusing to go to bed in the evening

Answering these and many other questions.....
How long before my baby will sleep through the night
How will I know if my baby is crying through hunger or tiredness
How can I teach my baby to settle herself to sleep
. What about my baby's  feeding routine

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