Jenn MacLean Sleep Consultant

04/25/2023

I am participating in Flora's Walk again this year. The walk is to raise awareness and funds for perinatal mental health. This cause is one close to my heart - the postpartum/perinatal period was very challenging for me with both births, and I also get to work with families in this period as a sleep consultant.

Becoming a parent is no easy feat, and I feel so strongly that having the support you need at that time of your life makes all the difference in the world.

I'm actually "hosting" a walk which has intentionally been set up so that anyone, anywhere can participate. All that is required is that you walk 5k the first week of May. You can walk in your home community, on your own, with a friend, with your kiddos, or with your family.

If you'd like to join our team, we would love to have you. We're called The Sleepwalkers, and we're small but mighty. If that's not an option for you, please consider a donation or simply sharing this post to raise awareness.

Join the Sleepwalkers⬇️
https://floraswalk.ca/thesleepwalkers

Make a donation ⬇️
https://floraswalk.ca/jenn

Find out about Flora ⬇️
https://youtu.be/e0q6z3P543Q

ANNOUNCEMENT 📣 CPMHC is holding its first national WALK-A-THON on May 4th, 2022, World Maternal Mental Health Day. The walk is named after Flora Babakhani, ...

01/17/2023

If you have a babe who is struggling with sleep, you’re in the right place.⁣⁣
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I’m delighted to be offering an in person Sleep Success workshop for the first time in quite a long time, hosted by Sam at . ⁣⁣
This will be a very relaxed, informal event. Bring your partner, your babe, your coffee, or just yourself. ⁣⁣
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I’ll share some simple, concrete strategies you can implement at home to make sleep a little easier. There will be an opportunity for Q+A, and I’ll be giving away a great local prize. ⁣⁣
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The session will be most useful for babes aged 3 months - 6 years.⁣⁣
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Registration is free and easy. Send me a DM if you have questions or if you’d like the link, or register at jennmacleansleep.com/events.⁣
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10/09/2022

Hey, it’s me, Jenn. I wanted you to know I’m still here. ⁣
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♥️ I’m loving my two sweet boys and soaking up every single snuggle I get.⁣
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♥️ I’m navigating life as a family of four with my husband and carving out time for us.⁣
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♥️ I’m figuring out how to keep up my friendships with the kindest souls I know and spend time with my family near and far.⁣
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♥️ Im trying hard to create time and space to be me, and do the things I loved doing before I became a mom.⁣
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♥️ I’m working with families who are struggling with sleep and supporting the most incredible moms and dads.⁣
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♥️ I’m teaching my students how to speak French and gain confidence, learn compassion, and show kindness.⁣
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I’m not showing up here on the daily. Or even monthly or yearly at this point. ⁣
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Because as you know, your understanding of time changes when you become a parent. Priorities shift and you begin to understand that you can’t do it all, and that’s okay.⁣
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I’m focusing on what is most important to me, which is time with others and time for myself. My family, my friends, my students and my sleep clients.⁣
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Many of you are most likely doing these same things in your lives, with your families. So I know that you understand my absence on social media doesn’t mean that I’ve stopped working with families who need support with sleep. ⁣
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My absence on social media means I’m doing just that, and a whole lot more.

04/28/2022

I’m taking part in Flora’s Walk for Perinatal Mental Health on Wednesday, 4 May. Please take a few minutes to read Flora’s story; it’s an important one.

I’d like to invite you to join our team, The Sleepwalkers. You can walk anywhere in the world, and set your own distance/fundraising goals.

If you’re not able to join the walk, I encourage you to make a donation or share Flora’s story with others.

Timely access to perinatal mental health care is something that benefits every family.

To join our team or make a donation:
https://floras-walk-for-perinatal-mental-health.raisely.com/thesleepwalkers

To learn more about Flora and her story:
https://cpmhc.ca/floras-story/?amp=1

Thank you ♥️

11/04/2020

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As a parent, I know we're all doing our absolute best with our kiddos.⁣⁣
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And I also know that sometimes, we need support along the way.⁣⁣
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If you're struggling with sleep, I'd love to chat about how I can meet you where you are and support you in a way that feels good for your family.⁣⁣
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It doesn't have to be this hard, mama.⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣❤
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11/02/2020

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When we were in the height of our sleep struggles with Rory, I remember saying to my husband⁣⁣
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"𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘨𝘰 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱?"⁣⁣
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"𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘩𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥; 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘸𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱?"⁣⁣
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"𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘨𝘰 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱?"⁣⁣
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No matter how hard we tried, the frustrations grew, the sleep deprivation intensified, and we quickly became very desperate for help.⁣⁣
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Now, I hear these very same sentiments from my clients. ⁣⁣
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Part of my job is to help families reframe those negative thoughts and questions through sleep education. ⁣⁣
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When we start to understand a little bit of the science behind sleep and the reasons why sleep can be such a struggle for some babes, it's easy to change the way we think about sleep.⁣⁣
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The next time you find yourself in a moment of frustration around your little one's sleep, take a deep breath, and do your best to shift your thinking.⁣⁣
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Instead of "My babe won't sleep", try something different. And give yourself lots of grace along the way; this is new for you too, mama.⁣
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10/31/2020

I can't help you out with the first two, but the end of daylight savings time? I've got you covered!

If your babe is 6 months or older OR on a pretty consistent schedule, I recommend splitting the difference for minimal disruption.⁣
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If you’re the parent of a newborn or a very young babe who doesn’t yet have a predictable bedtime or naptimes, the easiest thing to do is simply move to the new time when you get up on Sunday morning. Continue to use wake windows to guide naptimes and bedtime.⁣
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Leave the clocks alone when you go to bed on Saturday night, and wake up as normal on Sunday morning. Change your clocks and enjoy your coffee without stressing about the time change.⁣
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𝐍𝐚𝐩𝐬⁣
If your babe usually naps around 9.30am, adjust the nap to 9.00am for the first three days following the time change. This will be a stretch, because it will feel like 10.00am, but it shouldn’t cause too much overtiredness. Do the same for any other naps. On the fourth day after the time change, adjust to your usual time of 9.30am and do the same for other daytime naps.⁣
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𝐁𝐞𝐝𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞⁣
Follow the same approach. If bedtime is usually 7.00pm, adjust to 6.30pm on the first three days after the time changes. Again, this will be a challenge for your little one, because it will feel like 7.30pm. On the fourth evening, you should be able to tuck your babe in at their regular time of 7.00pm. ⁣
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Continued in comments...

10/26/2020

Developing autonomy and independence is an important part of a toddler's growth.⁣
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As a parent, that learning process can be incredibly challenging, particularly at bedtime.⁣
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One simple way to support your toddler's development AND get him into bed on time is to provide opportunities for choice and independence within your bedtime routine.⁣
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As a parent, you make the decisions around when your babe goes to bed, what your bedtime routine is, and who does the tucking in.⁣
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But there are multiple ways in which you can allow your toddler to make choices within the routine so he has a chance to practice his independent decision making skills. Involving your toddler in this way can significantly ease bedtime battles and leave your toddler with a sense of pride and accomplishment.⁣
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✔Offer two pairs of PJs and have him choose one.⁣
✔Offer two stories and have him choose one.⁣
✔Offer two songs and have him choose one.⁣
✔Assign him specific tasks in within your routine: turning off the light, turning on the white noise, closing the door, pulling the plug in the bath, etc.⁣
✔Create a simple visual chart to show the steps of your bedtime routine. Have him mark completed tasks as you go.⁣
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Offering these small opportunities to practice making decisions and taking responsibility will help your toddler to feel successful and involved in the bedtime routine, and ease bedtime battles.⁣
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How do you involve your toddler at bedtime?⁣
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10/24/2020

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"I've been co-sleeping with my toddler since he was born."⁣
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"My daughter will scream and cry for hours if I leave her room at bedtime."⁣
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"We've tried sleep training before and it was a disaster."⁣
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"I've waited too long."⁣
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Families often share with me a fear that it's too late, and there's nothing more to do to help alleviate their babe's sleep struggles. ⁣
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And that's simply not true.⁣
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Learning to sleep independently is a skill, just like learning a new language, or taking up a new hobby. Learning to do something new can look different depending upon your age, but it's always a possibility.⁣
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If this sounds like you, let's chat. Nothing is impossible, mama.⁣
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10/21/2020

It can be tricky to know exactly how much sleep your little one needs in the run of a day. ⁣
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While every babe and every family is different, this guide is a great place to start. These totals include both daytime and nighttime sleep, and most kiddos need about 11-12 hours of sleep at night until they hit puberty.⁣
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Don't forget to hit the flag and save this post for future reference!⁣
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10/19/2020

Times they are a-changin'

Remember when you were young and carefree and daylight savings time meant an extra hour in bed on a Sunday morning?

If you're a parent, it probably means something very different now. The time change can be a tricky adjustment for adults, kids, and babes.

This week I'll be sending out my top tips for dealing with the time change. If you want the details in your inbox, send me a DM and I'll add you to the list.

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10/16/2020

Parenting doesn't mean having to feel one way over the other.

It's a rollercoaster of emotions and conflicting thoughts, every single day.

When I work with families, parents often share with me that they're exhausted, and so is their child. They want everyone to be able to get adequate sleep at night, but they don't want to stop rocking/nursing/cuddling/singing with their babe.

Guess what? You don't have to stop doing any of those things.

Teaching your babe the skill of sleep means you'll be able to do the things you love with your little one, and enjoy your time together even more because you're not struggling with sleep deprivation.

How would you complete this sentence?
I can _____________ and still ______________.

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10/14/2020

We are constantly bombarded by messages from society that our abilities as parents are directly related to our level of exhaustion.

The more tired jokes you make, the more coffee you consume, the more time spent in yoga pants and day-old t-shirts, the more you use and , the more you start to lose yourself...the bigger the sacrifice, the better the parent.

As parents, we're praised for parenting while suffering from sleep deprivation.

But what if it didn't have to be that hard?

What if you could love your kids just as much as you do now?
What if you could raise them them to be kind and caring?
What if you could foster their growth and encourage curiosity?

What if you could do all that AND be well rested?

You can.

There's no award for the most exhausted parent out there.

At the end of the day, what matters most is how we live our lives. Getting enough sleep means you soak up all the joy, appreciate the small moments, and be present with your kiddos with ease.

Sleep is so important for your babe.
And it's equally as important for you.

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10/09/2020

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I want to let you in on a little secret.⁣
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⁣I love helping babes develop independent sleep skills so they can get the sleep they need to be happy and healthy.⁣
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But even more than that, I love supporting parents through that transition. I love witnessing confidence grow and stress levels decrease. I love hearing the pride and amazement in their wavering voices. And I love seeing moms and dads come the realization that being an incredible parent doesn't mean permanent exhaustion.⁣
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If you're considering working with a sleep consultant, make sure to look for sleep expertise and knowledge, but also look for someone who will be right there celebrating your success along with you.⁣
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10/07/2020

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When I work with parents, they're sometimes faced with criticism or negativity from other family members, friends, or colleagues around their choice to work with a sleep consultant. And they often look to me for advice on how to deal with objections.⁣
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As parents, we make the best possible choices for our families. And for some families, that includes working with a sleep consultant. For others, a sleep consultant might not be the right fit.⁣
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If your friends or family members are not in agreement with the decisions you make for your kiddos, you don't need to explain or justify your choices. My suggestion is to share that you're doing what's best for your family, and leave it at that.⁣
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Have you had to deal with negative opinions around your parenting choices?⁣
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10/05/2020

Sleep regression.⁣⁣
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Those two words can make any parent's heart skip a beat.⁣⁣
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Did you know there is really only one true regression that happens due to a change in the way we sleep? That happens right around 4 months of age, when your babe will re-organize the way they sleep and the amount of time spent in each stage of sleep.⁣⁣
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Your little one might experience sleep regressions at other times, for a variety of reasons. He might be working on a new skill, like walking, talking, crawling, or rolling.⁣⁣
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Or he's been dealing with illness, and sleep routines were lost.⁣⁣
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Maybe you were travelling and couldn't stick to your regular naptimes or bedtimes.⁣⁣
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Whatever the reason, if your babe has independent sleep skills, he'll have them for life.⁣⁣
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If you find your babe in a bit of a regression caused by something other than sleep, try this:⁣⁣
1. Be patient + give yourselves grace.⁣⁣
2. Remember it won't last forever.⁣⁣
3. If the regression is due to a new milestone, like rolling or talking, get in as much practice as you can during waking hours. That way, your babe will be less inclined to practice at night!⁣⁣
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How has your family dealt with sleep regressions?⁣⁣
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10/02/2020

I can't tell you how many conversations I've had with parents around this exact concept.

No matter how hard you try, you can't make your babe fall asleep.

That's something he will do on his own, either independently or with the help of a sleep prop, like breastfeeding, rocking, laying with mom or dad, or using a pacifier.

As much as we want to support our children as they learn new skills, you can't do the work of falling asleep for your babe. Just as you can't do the work of learning to walk, or talk, or sit, or stand, or roll, or run, or any other of the million different skills he'll acquire in his lifetime.

What you can do is set your babe up for success by making sure he feels safe and secure, fostering confidence, cheering him on, encouraging him in the tricky moments, and being present.

Our kids are incredibly capable when it comes to learning new skills, especially when they have someone they love right beside them. ♥️

09/30/2020

That's it.

As a new parent, it's so easy to get caught up in the hype of new products marketed with promises of easy sleep for your new babe.

But you know what?

Your babe will sleep well when she masters the skill of sleep. It won't happen immediately, and some little ones get the hang of things more quickly than others. Some babies need explicit teaching and support, and some seem to slide very easily into independent sleep.

Either way, the eight items on this list are all you really need for your new babe to start sleeping successfully and safely. And if your sweet babe is experiencing sleep struggles, instead of investing in pricey loungers, bassinets, swings, carriers, bouncers, or chairs, think about investing in a coach who can offer your the support you need to teach her how to sleep independently for the rest of her life.

What was your newborn must-have for sleep?

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