We all want to sleep like a baby but sometimes even babies can’t sleep properly. Their sleep deprivation can seriously affect parents’ sleep schedule. It is generally assumed that people who are suffering from anxiety and depression find it difficult to sleep. But what about a baby or a toddler? Why can’t they sleep?
Our third sleep influencer, Andi Metzler is helping not only the babies but also the parents to sleep properly. Sometimes in order to sleep peacefully, you need to make sure that your family is sleeping peacefully. Andi Metzler Sleep Consulting is helping families sleep worldwide.
Having personal experience of sleep deprivation, Andi chose to help others with this issue. We talked to Andi Metzler to understand how she makes sure that these families get what they want – their hard-earned sleep-full nights!
Hi Andi,
You help both kids and adults sleep better. This is really something inspiring and amazing! We would love to know – when did you start this work and why did you choose this profession?
I became a certified pediatric sleep consultant 4 years ago after having my second child. I definitely struggled with sleep when my son was born, but when my daughter arrived, we were both up ALL NIGHT LONG and I knew something had to change. Life was not sustainable and I knew if I was exhausted, she must be too. I just didn’t know I’d become so passionate about the entire family getting the sleep they need and turn it into a business I love. I always tell my daughter she’s the reason I teach babies to be amazing sleepers so that an entire family can be well-rested.
Being a mother of two, you must have had a tough time helping your kids to sleep. What was one of the main issues you used to face when your kids were young?
I was constantly trying to improve night time sleep and naps. I remember feeling to figure out their sleep on my own. Or, they would “grow out of it”. Well, they didn’t and I was left exhausted and was not at my best self. I was impatient with my toddler, struggling with work demands, doing very little to no self-care and not connecting with my husband. That’s what happens when you go to bed at 8 pm every night.
According to you, “sleep is not a luxury, it’s an absolute necessity”. However, due to many reasons, our priorities shift and the first thing we compromise is our sleep. Being a sleep consultant, what do you think we should do in this case?
Learning about sleep and the “magic” that happens when our bodies get the necessary amount of uninterrupted sleep is a good start. Unfortunately, we are often too tired to take the time to learn about it. If you are struggling with sleep, get help. The sleep industry is booming and there are professionals to help with adults, children and babies. It’s an investment for your health and peace of mind.
Before getting started, you take a free 15 minutes sleep evaluation of your client/patients. What is the main thing you focus on while evaluating their sleep issues?
I ask basic health information and find out more details about their child’s sleep struggles and how it’s affecting the family. If I believe I can help them, I explain exactly how, so that they can get an idea if my program is a good fit for their family.
Whenever we talk about parenting, we generally focus on mother and child issues. We forget or somehow unintentionally not take father’s issues seriously. Do you get sleep-related issues from new fathers as well? What are their main concerns?
Absolutely! One of the most common concerns from dad/partner is that they want to help put the baby down at night and for naps, but the baby is totally reliant on mom/the other parent. Dad tends to feel helpless and useless. One of the benefits of my program is that anyone will be able to put the baby down to sleep. That allows dad/partner to enjoy the bedtime routine with baby and mom/other parent can have a break. It’s a win-win for everyone.
Once you achieve your goal, what do you think is the next step for parents? For instance, if you and the parents are successful in curing a toddler’s sleep issues, does that mean the work is done? What if while growing, the child once again faces that same problem? In that case, what would you suggest to your successful clients?
I focus on sleep education when working with parents. Babies and toddlers are little people and they are going to have hiccups with sleep as they develop or their environment changes. I give parents a “sleep tools” package at the end of our time together so that they feel confident handling upcoming changes like nap transitions, Daylight Savings, teething, sickness, travel etc. Of course, I also do a weekly Sleep Q&S on IG, which is a great way to get a quick question answered.
Would there be anything more that you’d like to share?
It’s never too early or too late to improve your child’s sleep. You can work gently and slowly with newborns so that the foundation is set early. I also work with kids as old as 6 years of age. Lastly, you can improve your baby’s sleep and keep a night feed in, in most cases.
Well, that was a pretty informative talk with Andi!
Sleep training can come handy if you feel your lifestyle and family stress is stopping you from sleep. You must be thinking sleep is a natural habit and why should one go for a “training”? Well, sleep is a natural thing but sometimes our lifestyle and environment make it difficult for us to concentrate more on it.
Sleep helpers like Andi Metzler make sure that the whole family is sleeping peacefully. Isn’t that amazing!
Featured Photo from amsleepconsulting.com
Written by Shahana Khatoon
This is a post by Shahana Khatoon, who is currently pursuing an MA in English. She loves to read, write and explore. She believes poetry can cure anything in this world, even sleep deprivation. If you want to know how and which poems can cure insomnia then you can talk to her and follow her on Instagram.