My JOB is to help babies fall asleep – here’s the reason why new mothers should let their partners snooze all night
- Rachael Shepard-Ohta, from California, decided to train as a sleep consultant
- READ MORE: How to switch career at any age
A teacher turned sleep consultant has revealed how she now makes a six figure salary helping babies to doze off – and claims new mothers should let their partner snooze all night.
Rachael Shepard-Ohta, 34, from San Francisco, California, decided to train as a sleep consultant after struggling to get her son, now five, to go to bed.
The mother-of-three began helping other parents with what she had learnt on the side of her teaching job but took it full time in March 2020.
The 34-year-old makes four times her previous salary, helping parents with an individual and holistic approach and says there isn’t ‘a one size fits all’ guide to get a baby to sleep.
She encourages mothers to not do chores while their baby is napping and says they should let their partner sleep during the night, so they are well rested to help during the day.
Rachael Shepard-Ohta, 34, from San Francisco, California, decided to train as a sleep consultant after struggling to get her son, now five, to go to bed
The 34-year-old (above) makes four times her previous salary, helping parents with an individual and holistic approach and says there isn’t ‘a one size fits all’ guide to get a baby to sleep
Rachael also says contact naps can be great for helping with sleep, as well as using music or mediation in a bedtime routine.
Rachael’s tips for first time mothers
– Don’t do chores while your baby is napping
– Let your partner sleep through the night if breastfeeding
– Stop scrolling on your phone during night feeds
– You don’t need a schedule, but routine can help
– Try contact naps
– Try music and mediation at bedtime
– Adjust nap times and bedtimes to suit you and your baby
– Remember your life is going to change
Rachael supports co-sleeping – where parents share a bed with their child – but guides parents to do it in the safest way possible.
Rachael, a sleep consultant said: ‘There isn’t a one size fits all.
‘ There is a crazy expectation of how long or how much a baby should sleep for.
‘I tried sleep training with my first baby as he was really tough, but it didn’t work for me.
‘I ended up reading about more of a holistic approach during my pregnancy insomnia with my second child and scrolling on Instagram.
‘I thought it would just be a side hustle.
‘Now I teach parents the science of sleep.’
She is able to work flexibly from home and has quadrupled her previous teaching salary.
Rachael guides parents by looking at their baby’s temperament to suggest ways they can change their routine.
She said: ‘We look at how much sleep their baby really needs.
‘Lots of parents are trying to get a baby to go to sleep when they are not sleepy yet.
‘You can try shortening nap times or moving bedtime back a little to suit your little one.
‘It might be they need more sensory during the day to get out energy. It’s so individual.’
Rachael encourages mothers to not do chores while their baby is napping and says they should let their partner sleep during the night, so they are well rested to help during the day
Rachael suggests first time mothers should avoid doing chores while the baby is napping.
She said: ‘When you can use baby’s nap time as your rest time. When baby is awake you can put them on the floor, put them in a bouncer, or where them while doing chores.
‘If you’re breastfeeding your partner should sleep at night. If your partner is able to function the next day and they are not sleep deprived like you are. They’ll be able to help a lot more.’
Rachael also encourages mothers to stop scrolling on their phone while feeding during the night and instead try and audio book.
Rachael says parents don’t need a schedule but having a bit of a routine can help.
The mother-of-three (left) began helping other parents with what she had learnt on the side of her teaching job but took it full time in March 2020
Rachael (pictured left) suggests first time mothers should avoid doing chores while the baby is napping
She supports co-sleeping and contact napping – which she used herself with her second child.
Rachael said: ‘If contact napping is feasible for you contact napping is great.
‘I contact napped with my second kid until she was two and I loved it and she loved it and now she sleeps in her bed all night.
‘I also teach co-sleeping as this works for some families. I teach them to do it as safely as possible.’
Source: Read Full Article
