My Story - Nadia Edwards, Holistic Child Sleep Consultant | Dunfermline, Scotland

Sound familiar?

You're beyond exhausted because your baby is waking up all night long.
You worry your baby isn't getting enough rest and you know for sure that you aren't!
You feel like you've tried everything to get your baby to sleep and nothing has worked.
You've gotten confused because there's so much information out there about babies and sleep and none of it makes sense.

This was me 5 years ago, it was awful, but the good news is that all that changed, and now I help families enjoy parenting and have happy, well rested babies.

My Family

I am married to Graham and have two kids, Hannah (8) and Reuben (5) we live in a small village near Dunfermline in Fife, Scotland.

I was having horrendous sleep issues with Reuben and was suffering from PND and felt out of control, unable to parent the way I did with my daughter or how I imagined, it was like I was doing something wrong. I couldn't understand why my son WOULDN'T sleep, I spent hours every day pounding the streets with him in a sling or pram to try and give him some rest, he was a miserable baby - turns out he had food allergies, cows milk protein allergy (CMPA) was the main issue for him.

I read lots of books, which at the time were too complicated in my exhausted mind, eventually I got professional help, this totally changed my life and in such a short time.

I am now happily working as a baby sleep coach - I pride myself on having studied well over 200 hours specific to sleep and offer a variety of approaches based on a wide range of degree level and accredited training in infant care, my most recent being accredited at Level 5 with OCN London as a Holistic Sleep Coach. My approach takes into account your unique family values and circumstances - which even the best DIY package or book can't.

The Change

I remember the feeling of utter disbelief on the first night of sleep changes I made with my son.

We made the suggested changes and he slept from 7:30 pm to 5:30 am A.M.A.Z.I.N.G for what we had been experiencing.

I even took 3-months additional maternity leave so I could spend more time with my son, I felt like I missed out on so much up until that point.

Once I returned to work, I was telling everyone who would listen about my sleep discovery and what I had learnt, I would light up telling other parents my tips and was always referring onto the sleep coach who helped me - but she was in the states!

The time came when I thought, you know what, I want to personally help people. What I was looking for when I was experiencing sleeplessness was a real person who could talk to me face to face, so I decided to train and qualify to do exactly that, and now I have helped 100's of families in Scotland in person and even do lots of remote support around the UK and Europe.

My Son's Sleep Transformation

I went from having a little boy who would hardly sleep day or night to:

Settling to sleep after an enjoyable bedtime routine within about 10 mins
11 to 12 hours sleeping happily during the night
2 naps in his cot every day for 90 ,mins each – the best bit about this was I was able to spend quality time with my Daughter every afternoon
It took around 10 days to consistently change the bedtime settling, night waking’s and early mornings.
It took us a wee while longer to sort naps as we were going through a transition of needing 3 naps to 2 naps but I felt in control of the whole situation.

Everyone wants to know how, and the easy answer is I had a plan and support and that is what I offer families - a step by step plan and daily support - yay!

Nadia's Credentials

BA (Hons) Child and Youth Studies
I am a current student in my second year, this year I have concentrated my studies on play and its usefulness in my practice with sleep, behaviour and anxiety along with the adolescent years.

The NCT Parenting Educator
This included breastfeeding, introducing solids, facilitating parent groups, the transition into parenthood, the fourth trimester, mental health, postnatal and antenatal work. This is a university accredited training programme in partnership with the University of Worcester which I completed at level 4 over 2 years.

HNC in Childhood Practice (Early Learning & Childcare)
A year-long college course which focuses on childhood development from birth to 8, including neuroscience, attachment and learning theories. This program included 2 days per week work placement in an early years care and educational setting (School and Nursery) and 2 days per week at college with tutor led training.

Holistic Sleep Coaching Programme
A 12-week program (over 80 hours training), which focuses on supporting and empowering parents. It provides education on gentle strategies (based on evidence), which never involve leaving babies to cry alone. It is accredited with Open College Network London at Level 5 which is equivalent to a 2nd year Uni.

CBTi, I have trained under Dr David Lee to deliver the R.E.S.T programme for Audlts.

Infant Nutrition, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition at Deakin University.

Advanced Sleep Coaching with Babyem and OCN London at level 4 This is a UK Degree level qualification

Hand in Hand Parenting, Professionals Intensive Course.
Working with parents as a listening partner (talking therapy) promoting play, connection and family bonding.

Sleep Scotland, Paediatric Study Day

Sleep-disordered breathing
The place of Melatonin in sleep management
Autism and Sleep
Epilepsy and Sleep
ADHD and Sleep

The Sleep Sense Consultant Certification Program

3 days of in house training:
Topics included, newborns, toddlers, adults and babies, common and less common sleep challenges, as well as marketing, working with clients and setting up your business.
3 Months of Intensive Mentoring, with tutorials going deep into each topic, as well as bi-weekly live calls to field questions and discuss client cases.
Once certified a special 1st Year mentorship programme for 12 months

Nadia is a fully insured sleep coach and holds a current PVG