Tired as a Mother - Gold Coast Doulas

A guest post by Alyssa Veneklase is a Certified Infant & Child Sleep Consultant, Certified Elite Postpartum & Infant Care Doula, and Newborn Care Specialist. She teaches classes and writes blogs for Gold Coast Doulas.

There aren’t any other individuals I can think of that know true exhaustion like mothers. Sure, we’ve all had long days at work; or maybe even long weeks at work. We’ve all stayed up too late a few too many nights in a row. We’ve studied long hours for tests. We’ve done yard work when it’s 90 degrees outside. We’ve been exhausted! But none of this even touches the chronic exhaustion of motherhood.

The Long Nights of Motherhood

As a sleep consultant, I’ve worked with hundreds of families and heard their stories of exhaustion. Sometimes it’s a new mom who has gone without sleep for months. Sometimes it’s a mother of four who hasn’t had a full night of sleep in 6 years (before her children were born). Even though every family is different, every child is different, and we all have a different family dynamic, there’s always an underlying thread of consistency when I help families find their sleep goals. Their mental health is suffering. I’ve seen this affect relationships, work performance, and the ability to parent lovingly.

Some families don’t opt for a sleep consultation. Many are afraid it will be scary. Many don’t have the energy to put in the work (due to the lack of sleep). Some may not have the resources, and some may try some methods on their own first.

"Tired as a Mother" Online Class

That’s why I created the Tired as a Mother online class. Although I believe a full sleep evaluation and consultation are the best option for success, I know some may not choose that. I take my knowledge as a Certified Infant & Child Sleep Consultant, Certified Elite Postpartum & Infant Care Doula, and Newborn Care Specialist and combine that with the experience I have working with hundreds of families and put it all into a neatly packaged online class based on age.

Pregnancy and the Newborn Phase

This class is meant for mothers during pregnancy or early postpartum. I discuss healthy sleep habits, the importance of getting yourself into a healthy sleep routine before your baby arrives, and how to maintain optimal sleep after your baby arrives. I also go over expectations for sleep and feeding during the newborn phase.

*Please note, if you’ve taken Alyssa’s Newborn Survival Class or are a student in the Becoming a Mother series, you do not need Pregnancy / Newborn Phase class.

3-6 Months

This class covers how sleep drastically changes for your baby at this age. You will learn about routines that work best for your baby, how to follow your baby’s cues, how to change nap schedules during these three months, and how to optimize your own sleep during these developmental changes.

7-12+ Months

If you take the first two courses, this one will guide you through the rest of your baby’s sleep stages into the toddler years. If you are just starting with this one, I will help you understand sleep cycles for children, what circadian rhythm is, and how to best implement healthy sleep habits with older babies and children. 

Like I mentioned, every family and child are different so there is not one tried-and-true method for everyone. I take a combination of all the methods I’ve used and give you the tools you need to figure out what method, or combination of methods, might work best for your child. Sometimes these classes are a great starting point for parents. Later they might want to hire a sleep consultant to help them through the process, or hire a postpartum doula to help with the overnight sleep training so they can sleep. The important part is admitting you need help and figuring out what would be most beneficial for you and your family.

The Tired as a Mother series is a great place to start! It’s easy to digest and extremely affordable. Another great option for new parents that are still pregnant is the Becoming a Mother online series. These are self-paced modules that guide you through pregnancy and into the early postpartum months with tools and resources to help you make the best decisions, prepare, and enjoy this time! Use code Becoming50 for $50 off!

Alyssa Veneklase is a Certified Infant & Child Sleep Consultant, Certified Elite Postpartum & Infant Care Doula, and Newborn Care Specialist. She teaches classes and writes blogs for Gold Coast Doulas.