You DON'T have to rely on sleeping pills.
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My End the Insomnia, Momma! CBT-I Program will show you how.
Does this sound familiar?
Are you struggling to enjoy spending time with your little one because you feel like a zombie every day?
Do you find yourself resenting your partner because they can fall asleep in minutes while you’re still stuck awake?
Are you scared that taking sleep medicine might mean the end of your breastfeeding relationship?
Is the housework that is piling up stressing you out because every time the baby naps you’re too tired to do anything but lay on the couch?
Are you starting to feel like you’re going crazy because you just can’t shut your mind off at night?
Are you dropping the ball at work and blaming it on the baby keeping you up (when they actually slept all night)?
Have already tried all the “natural” things like melatonin, yoga, or meditation…
Are realizing you are completely dependent
on a prescription sleep med…
Have started “self-medicating” with Benadryl, alcohol, or marijuana…
Maybe you...
First of all, there is NO judgment here.
You are NOT alone in struggling with postpartum insomnia.
You are NOT a bad mom for doing anything you can to get some sleep.
I know you’re doing your very best, and I am so proud of you for seeking help to get the support you need for you to start getting more sleep and be the best momma you can be for your little one.
I help mommas just like you to end their insomnia
(without relying on medication) and get their sanity back.
What is postpartum insomnia?
ALL new parents experience disrupted sleep and some degree of sleep deprivation because newborns have to be fed every few hours. Therefore, it’s very difficult or impossible to get a normal nighttime stretch of sleep during the first few weeks or months, especially for a breast/chestfeeding parent. So even though a new parent may be able to get enough total hours of sleep in a day, it is only a few hours at a time, which is not as restorative and can still cause the same problems as not getting enough sleep.
So not getting enough sleep simply because the baby is waking you up or keeping you up because they are crying, need to be fed, or have to be held/rocked to sleep is NOT insomnia.
Insomnia is when you have the opportunity to sleep – when the baby is sleeping, when your partner offers to take over or when you have someone available to watch the baby for you – but you STILL can’t fall asleep or stay asleep.
It is important to distinguish between insomnia and sleep deprivation OR disrupted sleep.
End the Insomnia, Momma!
This program is for the motivated momma whose baby or child is already sleeping well and is ready to start getting a full night of sleep herself! You will learn the tools you need to be successful in making changes to your sleeping habits without medication. Through 1:1 coaching and support, you can start getting the rest you need to be the best momma you can be for your little one!
We can get started in just 24-48 hours!
Let’s get started! You’ll complete a questionnaire and sleep log covering 3 days/nights so I can start to understand what sleep looks like for you now, what your goals are, and any current obstacles to making changes. We’ll also have an initial assessment call to make sure I fully understand your situation and then I will create a completely customized coaching strategy for you based on the standard CBT-I program (a cognitive behavioral program for insomnia) that covers everything YOU need to be successful with ending your insomnia for good.
Step 1: Assessment
This program does involve some homework! We will meet once a week for 6 weeks, and before each coaching session, you will be asked to read some information and/or watch a short video. You will also be expected to log your sleep every day - you can do this digitally or handwritten, whichever you prefer and are more likely to remember to do.
Step 2: Preparation
CBT-I is a “self-management” strategy - you are taking charge of your sleep! After each coaching session, you will have a few specific tasks to work on throughout the week. I will be here holding your (virtual) hand the whole way - I will be available daily through Voxer for voice/text support to encourage and reassure you, help you troubleshoot any issues, and celebrate your successes!
Step 3: Implementation
You did it! I will send you my graduation guide to help you keep insomnia from becoming a chronic problem ever again.
You also will have one follow-up call you can use within 6 months to check-in on how your sleep is going, and help you make any needed adjustments or troubleshoot any problems that have resurfaced.
Follow-Up Support
Still Have Questions?
Hiring a sleep consultant is a big investment and I want to make sure that you are ready and that my program is right for you! If it isn’t, I’ll help connect you to another sleep consultant or to other resources to better meet your needs!
Book Your Free 15-Minute Discovery Call
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Nope! This program is suited for any woman experiencing chronic insomnia* - whether she doesn’t have children yet, is currently pregnant, has a 6-month old or a 6-year old!
*I do always recommend consulting with your primary care doctor to rule out or address any medical issues that may be contributing to your insomnia.
If your doctor has ruled out or addressed any physical causes, CBT-I provides a brief, structured, and scientifically proven approach to treating insomnia that is equally effective as prescription sleep medication in the short-term, and more effective in the long-term because it addresses the root of the problem and creates lasting change to your sleep (whereas sleep problems return when medication is discontinued). With CBT-I, you will learn to:
Cognitive behavioral coaching is an adaptation using the same principles and techniques to help people work through other kinds of life challenges to be able to reach their goals for career, relationships, etc.
CBT-I is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy or coaching specifically for insomnia.
- Develop good general sleep hygiene and healthy habits that promote consistent, restful sleep
- Engage in stimulus control – re-establishing the bed=sleep connection so that your brain associates your bedroom and bed with calm, quiet, and rest
- Utilize cognitive restructuring to identify, challenge, and change any thoughts or beliefs that are contributing to your insomnia
- Identify and use effective coping skills to manage feelings of anxiety or stress, calm down after waking from a nightmare, or wind back down if something disrupts your sleep
Deciding on the best treatment option for postpartum insomnia depends on what is causing your insomnia:
Physical – It is always best to meet with your doctor first to rule out common physical causes such as iron deficiency, thyroid changes, or a side effect of medications. If they believe you may have a sleep-related disorder such as sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome, they will refer you to a specialist for testing.
Psychological – If you are experiencing a postpartum mood disorder such as anxiety, depression, or PTSD, these can all contribute to insomnia in different ways and you will need to seek out behavioral health treatment. A therapist can help you to process your postpartum thoughts and feelings and identify the most effective coping skills to manage your mood and therefore improve sleep.
Medication may also be necessary – you can start by reaching out to your primary doctor or OB and they will refer you to a psychiatrist if needed. People generally feel the most benefit in a shorter amount of time when they combine therapy and medication for treatment. If you have seen improvement in your mood from therapy and/or medication but are still having trouble sleeping, CBT-I is likely to be an effective strategy.
Conditioned – Short-term sleep disturbances can lead people to cope in ways that cause them to develop habits and thinking patterns that unintentionally reinforce poor sleep – for example, drinking lots of caffeine, taking too many naps, or being worried about if you’ll be able to sleep tonight. This turns into a type of chronic insomnia.
Treatment for conditioned insomnia requires changing your environment and routines and re-training your brain out of those unhelpful thinking patterns – this is exactly what CBT-I is designed to do.
- Six weeks of support
- 1 30-minute sleep assessment call to review your initial questionnaire and sleep log (covering 3 days/night)
- Six (6) 30-minute 1:1 coaching calls (via Zoom) covering everything YOU need to be successful with ending your insomnia for good. The specific topics covered are customized based on your initial assessment, and may include any of the following:
- Corresponding PDF guides and video overviews (for the momma too busy or tired to read…you can listen or watch!) for each coaching topic covered
- Virtual support: I will review your sleep log and check-in between coaching calls to see how you are feeling and will be available via email and/or Voxer for any questions that arise between coaching calls, to encourage and reassure you, help troubleshoot, and celebrate your successes!
- Graduation guide to help you prevent insomnia from becoming a chronic problem ever again
- 1 30-minute follow-up call, to be scheduled within 6 months of program completion, to ensure you are maintaining good sleep and help you to make adjustments or troubleshoot problems that have recurred
- Understanding Normal Sleep
- Practicing Good Sleep Hygiene
- Relaxation Strategies (such as breathing techniques, grounding, and other mindfulness tools)
- Cognitive Restructuring (changing negative thoughts about your sleep)
- Stimulus Control (rebuilding the bed=sleep connection)
- Weaning Off Sleep Medication
Correct. There is some overlap between therapy and coaching/consulting (I use “coaching” and “consulting” interchangeably) - both can help address a variety of mental, emotional, and relational challenges, can deepen self-awareness, teach coping skills, collaborate in solving specific problems, and improve general well-being.
Psychotherapy is considered a medical treatment for a mental health disorder - it can only be provided by a licensed clinician, who is subject to the laws and ethics of the state boards in which they practice. A therapist diagnoses the client and develops an appropriate treatment plan, which may include psychoeducation and teaching coping skills in order to better manage symptoms, but also involves implementing various therapeutic techniques in an effort to treat or heal various forms of mental distress.
Coaching, on the other hand, is offered by professionals from many educational backgrounds and does not have a state- or federally-regulated scope of practice. While coaching may be offered by licensed therapists, in this service these clinicians are not performing a medical role: even though they are qualified to do so, they do not diagnose and they do not provide medical treatment for a mental disorder. Again, even though a licensed therapist has the training to do so, as a coach it would be inappropriate to dig into any deeper, underlying mental or emotional issues that may be contributing to the present problem for which coaching is intended to solve.
While my hope is that the End the Insomnia, Momma! program would be incredibly beneficial for mommas who are also experiencing postpartum mood issues such as anxiety, this program is not therapy, does not substitute for therapy, and does not prevent, cure, or treat any mental disorder or medical disease. If I believe you would benefit from further assessment and possible treatment for a postpartum mood or anxiety disorder, I will provide referrals and help get you connected to an appropriate provider in your state. Unfortunately, even if you live in a state where I am licensed, due to the ethics of my therapy license, I am not able to provide therapy services to clients I have already worked with as a sleep consultant. If you are already working with a therapist and would like me to speak with them before or during our time working together in the Sleeping Baby, Sane Momma program, I am happy to do that! You will just need to ask them for a ROI (release of information form) to give permission for them to contact me.
I’ve never had a client be unsuccessful with CBT-I who attended all their coaching sessions, completed their homework, communicated clearly with me, and were consistent in their efforts to practice and implement what was discussed in our sessions. So basically it’s up to you how successful this process will be - I'm here to educate, guide, encourage, and support you every way that I can, but I’m not the person who is having to get out of bed at a certain time each morning or use a coping tool for a middle of the night wake up - you have to do the work!
Because of the nature of the service I provide, I literally can’t offer a guarantee, since success is dependent on if and how you are implementing the various tasks in the program. However, if you still do not feel satisfied with your progress after the full 6 weeks of implementing all the steps of the program (and as long as you are communicating with me and being consistent in your efforts), then I will provide a full reassessment, action plan, and an additional 2 weeks of daily support to help you reach your goals.
The End the Insomnia, Momma! program is my signature adult program because I believe it has everything a momma needs to be successful in ending her insomnia for good. If you’re looking for something different or at a different budget, email me at tara@arenewedmomma.com with what you’re looking for and/or what your budget is and I’ll let you know if I can offer a different package to meet your needs!
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