Testimonials

Amanda from Ottawa, Ontario

After my daughter was born, my world changed. I was overjoyed and excited but as a first time mom, I was also bewildered about what I thought would be the simplest things like breastfeeding, how to cut my baby’s tiny fingernails, or how to bathe her for the first time. A huge area that I had no experience in and was completely lost about was my baby’s sleep. How will I know when she’s tired? How long should she sleep for? How should I put her to sleep? When should I start her on a schedule? The questions went on.

When my daughter turned 6 months, I knew I wanted to change the way that our family sleep arrangement had been for the past several months. I had a pretty good nap time routine during the day but when night struck, my daughter would cry and cry and I would end up going to bed at the same time as her. Night time was becoming a chaotic nightmare for me. My husband somehow wound up sleeping in what was supposed to be the nursery on a single bed and my daughter slept in my room, usually in her crib but would sometimes end up in my bed. She was becoming more mobile and I wanted to transition her into her own room and crib ASAP but again, I felt lost. I reached out to Elisa from Restful Parenting and after discussing my situation, she promptly drew up a sleep plan for me that appealed to my parenting style. I’m not going to lie, the first couple of nights that I started the plan were very difficult and at the times that I wanted to give up the most, it is then that Elisa would motivate me and reminded me to celebrate all of the milestones that were achieved. This really encouraged me to tread forward to the finish line.

After a couple of days on the plan, I started to notice the amazing changes that were happening – My daughter was sleeping on her own in her own crib on a schedule! The night time routine was getting easier and easier, it was such a reward to know that the hard work was paying off. For the following time, the plan ran smoothly except for a few hiccups along the way that Elisa helped me with. I really appreciated that she had gentle solutions to suit my comfort level. I also really liked how she was in contact with me, it was like having a personal trainer for sleep! I began looking forward to our progress check in’s and the positive reassurance that she gave me throughout the weeks helped tremendously.

My daughter is 8 months old now and I am proud to say that she is on a schedule that works! I feel like I have my night time freedom again and it’s great to have my room and bed back. The toughest part for me in this whole program was right at the get-go when I made the leap of transitioning my daughter from my room to her nursery, mostly because it made me realise how quickly she is growing up and that it was time for me to let go a little bit. Now that the plan has been completed and our family has adjusted, I truly believe that she is happier in her own space as am I.

I am very grateful for all of your help, I can’t thank you enough!

Jenn from Ottawa, Ontario

Hi Pam and Elisa, I attended your seminar a while ago with my 7 week old baby at the time and I just wanted to say how impressed I was with your in depth knowledge of babies and healthy sleeping habits. This is information that I would have never known had I not gone to the class. Before I attended, I was at a loss of how to best approach introducing a schedule for my little one and how to transition her into her own crib from my bed. It’s been about 2 weeks now and although it’s been a difficult process, I’m happy to say that because of the information and confidence that you provided me, I am more in tune with her behaviour and needs and she is now sleeping in her own crib and actually has proper naps as well as a bedtime, I can’t thank you enough! 🙂

Jody Griffin from North Bay, Ontario

I am forever grateful for Pam’s help and advice. She has helped me overcome many of my son’s sleep obstacles and have helped ease my own anxieties along the way. I do feel more confident than I did, especially with the foundations we have put in place and with the knowledge she has passed on to me. I know it won’t always be smooth sailing when it comes to Noah’s sleep but I am confident we will get through it in a healthy and safe way. Thank you Pam!

Michelle from North Bay, Ontario

Thank you so much for all your help. I’m so happy with how things have gone. I feel so comfortable with the plan we took and you have been a great support. I did “sleep train” my daughter eventually but I never felt comfortable and good about the way I did it and swore I wouldn’t do it like that again. This has been so much more my style. Thank you, you’ve been like my cheerleader.

Maxine MB from Ottawa, Ontario

I just wanted to share that we have been working with Elisa for a few weeks now, sleep training our 5.5 month old. Elisa’s thoughtful, patient, flexible yet methodical process meant that our son went from 6-7 wake ups per night to zero wake ups per night almost as soon as we started sleep training. Prior to sleep training, we were doing a lot of things “right” i.e.: following wake windows, not over-stimulating before naps and bedtime, putting our son to sleep in his crib, using darkness as a sleep cue, using the EASY routine. However, it simply wasn’t enough. We still had inconsistent naps, lots of nighttime wake ups and a very hard time putting our son back to sleep after a wake up. Elisa’s “holistic” approach is what helped.

In addition, I was very anxious about starting sleep training (even though I wanted to) and Elisa very considerately allayed my fears. Not once have I felt judgement or criticism either. I thought sleep training would be stressful but it really hasn’t been! For those of you out there struggling with how to “get there” and are not sure how much crying you are comfortable with, I just wanted to send these words of encouragement. Elisa and Pam’s methods are extremely useful. Our lives are just completely different now that our son has regular naps and a regular nighttime routine. I have been so happy with our experience, that I asked Elisa to share this testimonial!

M.W. from Ottawa, Ontario

I have an 18 month old daughter who loved to be rocked to sleep. She would only go to sleep if she was rocked which could take anywhere from 30-60 minutes each time (including 2-3 times per night). My husband and I were at our wits end by the time we met Pam at the Baby Show in Ottawa. I signed up to take the sleep workshop thinking “we’ll see how this goes…” Low and behold we had such a great experience working with you! The class was a perfect starting point for us because it gave us the foundations that we needed/didn’t have in place to get our little one to sleep. We chose a method that we thought would work best for us but knew that there was always an option to change it if we needed with Pam’s help. I was beyond terrified to start this process because we had tried sleep training a few times before. After the first night we noticed a HUGE difference. Our daughter fussed a bit but took to the method better than I could have ever hoped! After 3 days she was sleeping through the night…like 12 full hours! And we didn’t have to rock her for 30-60 minutes to get her to/back to sleep! Pam was there with us every step of the way and I was able to ask questions and have the answers ready to implement that night. All I can say is thank you for giving me the BEST gift ever…sleep!

Andrea Faulkner from Ottawa, Ontario

We have been very lucky to work with Elisa for a few weeks to improve our 7 month old’s naps and night-time sleep. Elisa has been truly amazing and we are all sleeping so much better and feeling much more confident in our skills moving forward on our sleep training journey. Thank you Elisa!

Anna H from North Bay, Ontario

We are very grateful to Pam from Restful Parenting for helping us coach our baby into successfully falling asleep on his own. Prior to sleep coaching we held our son for every nap (only way he would sleep more than 30-45 minutes) and our once good night sleeper started waking up at night wanting to be held – ultimately resulting in us sleeping in the rocking chair holding him. I won’t deny at first the sleep coaching was a bit of a tough process – luckily the hard part was over in less than 48 hours. When my husband and I got cold feet, Pam was there to ensure we were comfortable with the plan and giving our son as much support as he needed. I am sure glad we stuck with it! We are all getting better quality sleep.

Thank you Pam!

Toni, Graeme, and Baby Elliot from Ottawa, Ontario

To say we were a mess when we met Elisa would be an understatement. Our son was four months old and had finally outgrown his colic and went straight into not sleeping. If he slept for three hours, we thought it was a miracle. However, he would then be up every hour after that. All. Night. Long.

My husband and I came to dread the evenings. As soon as the sun went down, our anxiety went up. We hadn’t slept, and our health, mine specifically, was declining and we were at our wit’s end. Then, I saw an ad for a sleeping seminar hosted by Elisa at Restful Parenting. I will admit, I was skeptical at first. “Don’t babies just figure out how to sleep on their own?”

I went to the seminar and learned that no, not all babies learn to sleep on their own, some need help and that is ok. I also learned about “wake windows”. I had never heard of such a term before and I learned that my cranky baby was just really, really tired.

That’s when we decided we needed help and Elisa was just the person to help us. After an exchange of many emails and a couple of phone calls, Elisa made us a plan. She actually made us three plans and asked that we review them and pick the one that best suited our style. Once we decided on a plan, it was time to implement. I was nervous. There was going to be some crying. Some from the baby, and some from me. But it was supported crying. My husband and I were there for our baby, and Elisa was there for us. Elisa reached out to us every day. She checked in, supported us and she guided us. She answered our questions, even the ones we sent at 4am.

We saw results almost immediately. We struggled through the first nap, but by the second nap he started to get it. And our baby, who hadn’t really slept for more than an hour at a time, slept for 2.5 hours. This is when I realized, the baby was just as exhausted as we were.

We now have a plan, a bedtime that is peaceful and enjoyable and a well-rested baby who laughs and smiles all the time.Elisa changed our lives. It is as simple as that.

Melissa from Ottawa, Ontario

We worked with Pam to find a sleep solution for our 6 month old that was waking 6-15 times per night, and having short naps. We saw results the very first night, and have all been sleeping better since. Not only did we find a solution to our current problem, but we got tools to deal with bumps in the road for the future, such as travel, illness, and developmental leaps.

Working with Restful Parenting was by far the best investment we’ve made for our child and our family. Not only we were able to resolve our child’s sleep issues, we regained our confidence as parents.

Thanks for everything!

Rachel Kenny, Client

With Pam’s support and guidance we have gone from sleep deprived and exasperated to rested and confident. Before connecting with Pam I had serious reservations about sleep coaching and whether it would work for our family. Pam designed a plan that we felt comfortable with and worked for our son’s age and temperament. She guided us every step of the way and helped work through challenges with us. Our son is thriving with the routine and we are all better rested. I highly recommend Restful Parenting to any family struggling with sleep.

Lauren Walker from North Bay, Ontario

Hiring Restful Parenting is one of the best decisions we made! Pam helped us set our little one up for success before we even started the coaching, was flexible with us when we weren’t quite ready to start and supported us throughout the whole process. Our little one is now an amazing sleeper (goodbye exercise ball we used to have to use to put him to sleep!). Pam gave us the tools we needed to deal with not only the initial training, but bumps along the way.

Monica Tanaka, Client

Thank you so much, Pam! Working with you to help our little guy get better at falling asleep independently really helped as all as a family. We were stressed due to the lack of sleep and with your help, we have better, more consistent sleep (for everyone!). We knew we could count on you to guide us through this process in a gentle, non-judgmental way. It was a huge relief to talk with you and know that you completely understood our situation. It was clear that you knew your stuff! I have already recommended Restful Parenting to friends who are having sleep troubles and I will continue to recommend you to friends who need some help and encouragement tackling infant sleep. Thank you very much!

Titi Medina, Client

I honestly couldn’t thank enough Elisa for all the work she has put in helping our family. There are not words to express how kind, reassuring and supportive she has been to me in the process of getting our little one to sleep. I thought I had all the answers for sleeping and never considered sleep training until friend of mine recommended them and totally changed my perspective and realized how precious is the work they do and how in a matter of days I had learned so much about my baby . I would recommend Restful Parenting to all moms that want to enjoy their babies without feeling exhausted.. Thank you Elisa for all you do.

Brittany Bryan, Client

Pam has been a lifesaver! I bed-shared with my son from newborn – 11.5 months old after trying EVERYTHING in between to get him to sleep independently. I contacted Pam in hopes of breaking the habit and preparing him for daycare. I figured it would be a tough feat since he had been used to bed-sharing for so long, but Pam made the transition stress-free, easy, and painless for everyone. My son very quickly learned to sleep in his own room, and throughout the night. The plan’s Pam provided allowed a gradual transition so that my son’s ability to self-soothe and sleep independently grew stronger each night. There was no “crying it out”, but rather a step system of support that worked fabulously. My son wasn’t once distressed throughout the process… it was shockingly easy to transition! Pam was in constant communication with me and was quick to answer any questions I had or advice I needed. I can now put my son in his crib while he’s awake and walk away, and he will fall asleep on his own with no problems. I can’t recommend Restful Parenting enough! Pam gave me my sanity back and gave me the step by step tools to help my son sleep independently (and to fall back asleep on his own if he wakes!) I was initially on the fence about trying sleep coaching because I wasn’t sure how it would all work, but I can say it’s 100% worth it. I wish I had got in contact sooner. Thank you Pam! I’m so happy to have my own bed back and a good night’s rest finally!

Leanne Theaker, Client

My son was a terrible napper so when my daughter started struggling with her naps, I figured I was destined to have terrible nappers. I had a pick your brain call with Elisa and put her tips into action and am happy to say that my daughter has consistently been napping 1.5h+ for both of her naps for the past few weeks!

Margaret Eljallad, Client

I highly recommend Restful Parenting. I was so impressed with how quickly and efficiently the personalized sleep plan worked for my girls, and Elisa was so supportive all the way through. The rates are very good in comparison to other sleep consultants and a restful night sleep really is priceless.

Christine from Barrie, Ontario

We are thrilled and amazed with the changes in just a few days. Seeing our little guy handle this so well makes me happy that we weren’t pushing him too hard by letting him cry to start sleeping by himself. Your approach is exactly what we were looking for. We wanted to make this as easy of a transition for him as possible and CIO was not something that I was comfortable with. Thank you again for your incredible support.

Hailee Schollaardt, Sleep Consultant

Pam and Elisa are wonderful. Not only are they both mommas who know exactly what you are going through but they are also highly educated in babies and toddlers. Being able to work with either of them will be the best decision you ever make!

Client from Ottawa, Ontario

I attended your sleep class and I just wanted to thank you. I have read so many books and seen some other sleep plans, and they always seemed kind of harsh or not my style… or they didn’t work!

I wanted to thank you and say I really like your approach.

I’m happy to say in just a few days we are seeing improvements using the suggestions talked about in the workshop. She has been napping in her crib in the morning for just under an hour… we are still working on afternoons! I darkened the room and am using the sleep cycle idea. I think she is sleeping better during the day now.

Thank you so much again.

-Restful Parenting Family

Working with Restful Parenting has really helped ease my mind about how I was approaching my baby’s sleep. I was trying different things to get her to nap and sleep at night but I was always second guessing if what I was doing was the right the thing for my baby. Pam really listened to what I was comfortable with and took all of guessing out of the equation for me!

Jen says…

Not being the only one that can put our baby to bed for all the naps and bedtime has been so incredibly nice! I can’t believe how easily she is going down for her dad and my mom was over the day and I asked her to try, without issue she just put herself to sleep! I never thought this was going to be possible

Monica & Mike love…

…how much time we have together now! We were struggling with bedtimes with our 3 children and we were playing musical beds all night long. No one was sleeping well.

Now, we do bedtimes, everyone falls asleep and we have time together in the evening and we’re back to sharing a bed again!”

Dean didn’t think it would work…

Our sleep was a mess. We were spending hours some nights (and days) helping our son to sleep. To be honest, I was so skeptical of this actually working. What Pam was saying about laying him down and walking away felt impossible. I just couldn’t imagine that!

But our son is doing it! Sleep is so easy now. Thank you!

Jessica loves the support…

We hired Elisa for help with our parenting and it was the best decision we’ve made.

Not only was she able to really help us understand the massive tantrums but the techniques she had us use have worked really well for our 2 kids.

The change in our house is amazing. Tantrum after tantrum to not. I can’t tell you how much it has helped.

Melanie was scared to start…

I was so scared to start. I knew what we were living wasn’t something that could continue, sleep was virtually non existent but sleep training seemed so scary.

During my consultation, Elisa answered every single question, was there for me the whole time and literally is the reason we are all sleeping right now. I wouldn’t have been able to do this on my own.

Thank you Elisa, your support was beyond amazing!

This family stopped second guessing…

Working with Restful Parenting has really helped ease my mind about how I was approaching my baby’s sleep. I was trying different things to get her to nap and sleep at might but I was always second guessing if what I was doing was the right thing for my baby. Pam really listened to what I was comfortable with and took all of the guessing out of the equation for me.