Case Study

Cory & Matthew, Highgate


W hen my son Matthew was just over a year old we went through a very difficult phase with his sleeping. As a mum to an older boy, 6, I was sure I knew it all, but these two boys were totally different. The first one was pretty much "by the book”. While he was a baby, I regularly attended Ann's mother and baby group and it was easy to follow generic advice with him.

I decided that enough was enough. I followed Ann's advice. I stayed in his room for 3 hours hugging him...Ann gave me my sanity back. I haven’t looked back since!

Matthew was much more of a challenge. When I put him down at night he started to scream very loudly and get into crying fits. As I couldn't bear to hear my baby in distress I tried everything - even things that I never did with my first son - like trying to make him sleep in the buggy, taking him downstairs in the middle of the night to watch TV, feeding him... all the things I knew I shouldn't do!

I should explain that I was actually more cautious with him since a few months earlier he had been ill with a serious condition which caused seizures. Even though he had made a complete recovery by this stage, it had totally shaken my confidence. I hardly slept for months - it was a nightmare.

I went to see Ann for advice on the sleeping and she told me to only start sleep-training Matthew when I felt ready and fully committed. She explained that I needed to feel ready as I must follow it through - I must mean business - and not to break down part of the way through - that's why I needed to feel ready and rested. She also made me understand that there could possibly be further sleep issues down the line, but the framework would be established by then and I could always work with that. I followed her advice and waited until I felt up to implementing the changes.

Ann, in a simple and straightforward way, with very clear instructions and explanations helped us overcome a very difficult issue

Specifically, Ann advised that I needed to stay with Matthew in his room in the dark, not to talk to him, just to gently shush him and as soon as he was quiet to put him back in bed. This process was to be repeated until he got the message. It sounded impossible and I thought I'd never get my nights back.

However, after a few days, when I found myself yet again at 10pm at night pacing around my kitchen in circles with his buggy I decided that enough was enough. I followed Ann's advice. I stayed in his room for 3 hours hugging him, shushing him and reassuring him and putting him in bed again and again. It felt like forever but after 3 hours he got the message that I was serious and would not be taking him out of his room. The next day it took me just over 30 minutes to get him to sleep. It was like magic! Ann gave me my sanity back. I haven’t looked back since!

I can't thank Ann enough for helping me get my nights (and life!) back. It is so reassuring to know that I can get the best professional advice whenever I need it. I feel like the important thing with Ann is that mostly the solutions she suggests seem so easy with hindsight - but we are often so involved with a situation that we can't act objectively - and Ann, in a simple and straightforward way, with very clear instructions and explanations helped us overcome a very difficult issue.