Healthy sleep habits for children - an interview with Sleep Consultant Jenna Wilson

In our ongoing commitment to support families and children, this month we're excited to bring you an interview with Jenna Wilson, founder of Little Dreams—a sleep consultancy dedicated to helping families achieve better sleep for their little ones. Jenna’s journey and passion are inspiring, and her insights into the importance of sleep for both children and parents are invaluable. In this interview, we explore her background, the founding of Little Dreams, and the vital role sleep plays in children and family dynamics.

Join us as we delve into Jenna’s expertise and discover how Little Dreams supports families on their path to restful nights.

Who is Jenna Wilson?

With over 12 years of experience as a childcare solicitor, Jenna transitioned into the world of sleep consulting after realising her passion for helping families navigate parenting challenges. After training under renowned experts like Dana Obleman of Sleep Sense and receiving comprehensive training from The Sleep Charity in the UK, Jenna launched Little Dreams. Since then, she has empowered countless families to develop healthy sleep habits and understand the profound impact that sleep has on well-being, relationships, and family dynamics.

The birth of Little Dreams

After spending years as a childcare solicitor, specialising in family law, Jenna found herself at a crossroads when she had her middle child. Realising she wasn't in love with her career anymore, she sought career consulting to explore her next steps. It was during this time that she kept seeing an ad for a sleep training course on social media. Eventually, while pregnant with her third child, Jenna decided to take the plunge and enrolled in the course. Initially, she worked part-time as a Sleep Consultant alongside her career, but instead of returning to work after her maternity leave, she made the leap into pursuing the business full-time.

Many often assume that Jenna entered this field due to personal struggles with her children’s sleep, but that wasn’t the case. She discovered a genuine passion for this work, which shined through as we were asking her questions for this interview! Approximately a year into her journey, Jenna connected with her now business partner, Fay Smith, who brought additional skills to the table.

The business grew rapidly, especially during the pandemic, which doubled Little Dreams' client base. Recognising their potential, Jenna and Fay decided to expand 'with purpose' and became a franchise, now covering six territories with plans for a seventh. They're proud to say that over the years, they've helped over 1,500 families achieve better sleep.

Why sleep matters for families

We asked Jenna about the importance of sleep, and she shared that it's critical for these three interconnected reasons:

• Health. Not many talk about this, but poor sleep in children can lead to important health issues, such as obesity and diabetes during childhood. It can also contribute to serious conditions like cancer, heart disease, and dementia later in life. In adolescence, sleep difficulties can also be linked to mental health challenges. A 2017 Panorama Study entitled Sleepless Britain proved that school-aged children who get just one more hour of sleep every week see an improvement in their problem-solving abilities (by 66%), their memory test results (by 57%), and in attention and focus (by 44%).

• Growth. Babies can only grow when they sleep. Also, during sleep, short-term memories are converted to long-term memories. A lack of quality sleep means short-term memory can become saturated, causing information to dissipate.

• Relationships. Lack of sleep affects family dynamics profoundly. Parents may struggle to connect or find time for one another, while mothers (in particular) often find it challenging to prioritise their own needs, with detrimental effects on the whole family. Poor sleep can also impact sibling relationships.

Common misconceptions parents have about sleep

One prevalent misconception is that parents feel they should be doing something specific about sleep. However, if a routine is working for your family, Jenna says, it's often best to stick with it. Parents feel tremendous pressure to adjust their methods, but at Little Dreams, they believe change is only necessary if the situation feels unsustainable and the parents feel they need assistance. Each family is unique, and there’s no catch-all solution. That’s why every plan created by Little Dreams consultants is bespoke, tailored to the individual family’s needs.

The consultation process with Little Dreams

The consultants at Little Dreams start with a free, no-obligation chat to determine whether they're the right fit for your family. Sometimes, they can provide a quick-fix solution during that conversation, which may alleviate the need for further consultation. However, if families choose to work with Little Dreams, your Sleep Consultant will ask you to complete an in-depth questionnaire. This is to better understand your child's needs, your parenting style, and your sleep goals.

The information from that questionnaire allows the Sleep Consultant to create a personalised sleep plan for you, which they will then review with you (the parents) and any other caregivers. So, for example, if the grandparents or the nanny are involved in the child's bedtime, they can also attend the Zoom call. The Sleep Consultant will then set achievable goals and work alongside the family for 2-3 weeks until those goals are met. During that time, families are welcome to reach out as often as they like via calls or emails, but consultants are also quite proactive and will arrange calls with the parents regularly, too. You'll also be asked to keep a detailed sleep log (tracking nighttime sleep, nap times, and awake times) that gets analysed so any necessary adjustments can be made.

Little Dreams also supports older children by involving them in learning sleep skills in a fun, child-friendly way and giving them ownership over their sleep journey - with great success!

Tips for maintaining consistency in sleep routines

While Little Dreams offers antenatal packages, they work with babies over 4 months of age. This is because newborns' sleep tends to follow different sleep cycles and patterns. Typically, families during this stage might choose to hire a night nanny/nurse or maternity nanny/nurse for more hands-on support.

In their work, Little Dreams Sleep Consultants don't perform sleep training for families. Instead, they support the parents through the process by explaining why they recommend certain approaches. When it comes to young babies (12 months and under), they encourage consistency in routines. And while that consistency is still key, over 12 months, they also stress the importance of boundaries around sleep.

Common sleep issues that families face

When we asked Jenna what kind of struggles families reach out to them for, this is what she told us:

"The overwhelming majority of families need help with frequent waking. A common scenario involves a child waking every 45-60 minutes and needing reliance on a specific person, object, or condition to fall back asleep—be it contact, motion, or proximity to a parent.

We take the time to educate parents about sleep cycles and explain how young children are often disturbed when they find themselves in different conditions than when they initially drifted off. For example, if the child fell asleep in the parent's arms, and they wake alone in their cot, they won't be able to go back to sleep by themselves if they lack the skills of independent sleep.

Parents usually get in touch with us when their situation feels unsustainable. Sometimes it's because it's affecting their family dynamics or their work, or sometimes it's because they're preparing for the mum to return to work after maternity leave."

Key factors for improving children's sleep habits

For busy parents, Jenna tells us, three components are crucial for improving a child's sleep habits:

• A good routine. While routines are very important, they're just one small piece of the puzzle. Our personalised plans, which span 14 pages, cover routines in just half a page!

• Creating the right sleep environment. Ensure the child's sleep space is conducive to restful sleep.

• Teaching independent sleep skills. Probably the most critical element is teaching the child independent sleeping skills. Empowering your child to sleep on their own is the piece that makes everything else fall into place.

Recognising when to ask for support

We asked Jenna when families should reach out to Little Dreams, and this is what she told us:

"If you find that what you’re doing isn’t working, and the situation is starting to feel unmanageable, it may be time to reach out for help. We're incredibly evidence-based and focus exclusively on studies rather than the multitude of often conflicting advice available on social media. As the only providers in the UK approved by the Association of Professional Sleep Consultants, we are deeply passionate about the effectiveness of our methods. We also work with experts such as Professor Michael Gradisar, who teaches on our course.

We see tangible transformations in families through working with us. After achieving their sleep goals in as little as 2-3 weeks, parents (and in particular mothers) often regain their confidence and sense of self. It’s our goal to help them 'get their pink back' through self-care and support so they can feel vibrant and fulfilled again."

Would you like some support?

Jenna Wilson and the team at Little Dreams are dedicated to empowering families through the transformative power of sleep. With an evidence-based approach, personalised strategies, and a commitment to ongoing support, they help families navigate the complexities of sleep. Much like the work we do here at Homebodies, Little Dreams works with you to create healthier relationships and promote overall well-being.

If you’re struggling with your child’s sleep patterns or want to create a more restful environment for your family, don’t hesitate to reach out to Little Dreams. And if you're looking for support to find the perfect nanny for your family, contact us now for an informal chat.