Bec Maher: Baby sleep consultant

After spending many years as a nanny for families in London and ​Sydney Bec felt confident that the years of practise on other parent's newborns, babies and toddlers would have prepared and equipped her with skills for a life with her own children. However, when her first son was born in 2008, she quickly realised that it doesn't matter how many baby books you read, how many articles you google (at 3am!) or how many children you've previously looked after, having your own child is a whole NEW ballgame and simply one you cannot prepare for! 

Shortly after her third child was born, Bec decided to turn her passion for babies and sleep into her dream career. In 2014 Bec qualified as a Baby and Child Sleep Consultant and founded The Sleep Centre. Bec is now one of the leading baby sleep consultants in Australia and has worked successfully  with hundreds of families nationwide (and internationally) helping their dreams of sweet sleep become a reality.

Known to many families as a 'Baby Whisperer' Bec has become famous for her amazing 2 Week Sleep Solutions. Her ability to find the underlying causes for the sleep issues and then resolving them in an easy to follow holistic plan means families are enjoying more sleep, faster.

Bec is a member of the Association of Professional Sleep Consultants which is an organisation dedicated to supporting Professional Sleep Consultants by promoting and upholding the highest level of excellence and industry standards for professional sleep consulting throughout the world.  

To provide Sleep Solutions created and tailored specifically for each family and their comfort levels.

It's no secret that all babies and toddlers  need great sleep for their rapid mental and physical development but the million dollar question most families ask is simply ... how do I get my baby to sleep?

There could honestly be dozens of reasons why your baby or toddler is finding it hard to fall asleep or remain asleep. It could be as simple as needing a warmer sleeping bag or it could be as complex as needing to redistribute calories from night in to the day.

As a Certified Baby Sleep Consultant my role is to find the underlying reasons WHY your child is experiencing their sleep issues. I do this by assessing logs and an online questionnaire that parents complete prior to their consultation. I also listen to parents and find out what their goals are. Ultimately, this information helps me to design the sleep solution specific to your child and parenting style and allows healthy sleep habits to develop and flourish, within 2 weeks.

As a mum of 3, I can empathise with parents who are exhausted, desperate,  sleepless and overwhelmed. Let's face it, sleep training a child isn't something parents daydream about!  All families deserve compassion, non-judgemental and professional support and a solution they feel comfortable implementing.

Our holistic and science based approach means the foundations for great sleep are set up to organically optimise sleep potential. In many cases, this means no sleep training methods are even needed.

During the consultation, families are provided with options for sleep training methods that suit the issues at hand, the temperament and personality of the child along with their parenting style. There is no 'one-size-fits-all' approach because no two families are the same. Cry It Out (closing the door at 7pm and not re-entering until 7am the following day) is not offered as a method to any family as I believe that all babies and toddlers should be supported and reassured when learning new skills.

Support is crucial to the success of the solution. Quick 5 minute phone calls  provide the opportunity for a daily catch-up; a run through of what has happened the night before, a chance to celebrate the wins, tweaking and troubleshooting the day ahead, modifying the plan as needed. Learning how and why sleep works the way it does will empower families to feel more in control, to feel confident about the decisions they make and to reap the benefits of a baby and toddler who sleeps beautifully.

Are you ready to make sweet dreams a reality in your home?

Credits: Sharni Tait Photography