Most parents would agree — the most sleep deprived people in the world are new mothers (second, of course, would be new fathers). You can offer them the help they so desperately need as a baby sleep consultant!

Although a certain degree of sleep deprivation is to be expected upon the arrival of a newborn, it can be dangerous. Proper sleep is vital to your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Sleep deprivation can wreak havoc with job, school, health, and relationships. In order to function properly, the body needs a minimum amount of sleep. If it isn't getting enough, it will try to compensate in other ways, putting strain on all systems of the body. Fatigue and drowsiness can also impair a person's reflexes and thought processes. Driving or operating machinery in a sleep-deprived state can have devastating consequences. Caring for an infant is an infinitely more delicate process than operating a car or other machinery!

If you have personally overcome the perils of sleepless nights due to a crying newborn that is unable to settle down, you are likely already an expert and would be in a good position to help new moms get their babies to sleep through the night. You will need to instruct new parents on how to train their new little ones to sleep through the night. In the process, you will also give these sleep-deprived parents a brief respite from the crying and sleeplessness while they learn how to comfort and train their baby themselves.

You could charge a set fee per-night with a pre-agreed-upon time frame of between six to eight hours. You should communicate with the new (or soon to be) parents and find out first, what techniques they are aware of and if they have had the presence of mind to try them out. Then find out how long the child is currently able to last between feedings? Next, what is baby's current sleep schedule or does it have any kind of routine yet?

As most parents quickly learn, the child will create its own schedule if given help. The challenge many times is teaching it to accept a new schedule of sleeping more than a couple of hours between feeding and naps. Teach the new parents to recognize normal behavior and let them know what warning signs they should look out for and what their response should be. If the child never stops crying, the parents should know whether they need to change its diaper, alter its diet, or if seeking immediate medical attention is the correct course of action. Such information will make the parents feel more in control of the situation. Often just having realistic expectations and a general idea of what is 'normal' can create in them a sense of calm and confidence that often helps the newborn to relax also.

For instance, many parents have no idea that, for a new baby, a five-hour stretch is a full night. Many (but nowhere near all) babies at this age can sleep uninterrupted from midnight to five a.m. (Not that they always do.) This is a very different notion that most parents have and they must be taught to plan their activities (including sleeping themselves) around this schedule.

Parents of newborns are desperate for sleep and for help. The service you will be offering is one that is critically needed by many. Initially, you will likely want to advertise your service in obstetricians' offices, community medical centers, and baby stores. Your client base will quickly grow with your very first success as grateful parents sing your praises and the wonders of your talents spread through word of mouth.

Resources:

http://www.sleeplady.com

http://www.babycoach.net

http://viviansonnenberg.com

http://parents.berkeley.edu/advice/sleep/

http://babyparenting.about.com