It’s 2 a.m. and you hear your little one crying out for you… again.  You’re out of bed and in her room, soothing her back to sleep.  How are you ever going to get through yet another day of work on just a few hours of sleep? It might finally be the time to hire a baby/toddler sleep consultant to make your life easier.  As mothers, we are smart, we know our kids, and we are certainly capable of solving many of our children’s problems on our own.  It’s also true that our alarm clocks go off no matter what, dozing off in front of the boss isn’t a good idea and, with all that’s on our plates at work and at home, there is simply little time left to read another baby sleep book that contradicts the last. Why not hire a person who has already done the reading and research, has worked with lots of parents and can give you the sleep solutions you need? Just call her your CliffsNotes for your baby or toddler’s sleep! Consider these seven pointers when searching for the right person.

1. Word-of-mouth – Chances are you aren’t as alone as you think. With over 12,000 babies born each day in the U.S., at least half or more will have a sleep issue of some sort. You can ask one of your friends, neighbors, or coworkers to see if they have already reached out for help and can make a recommendation.

2. Look for match in philosophy and background – Would you rather talk to a person with a medical degree? Or, would you prefer to talk to another mom who has experience and is consulting? Or, someone in between? Some pediatricians have focused a lot on baby sleep, but most haven’t and receive just a few hours of training. And, many doctors are quick to prescribe the cry-it-out method, which may go against your philosophy or doesn’t fit with your baby’s personality or temperament. Another mom might understand more what you are going through. Before you hire your sleep consultant, make sure your philosophy matches their process.

3. Caring and compassion – Your sleep consultant should care about you and your baby, not just in results. If they simply want to bark orders at you without a listening ear, you might begin to feel like they aren’t truly in tune with your family’s needs.

4. Is the consultant realistic about outcomes? Does he or she say your baby will sleep all night in just three days, no matter what? Does that sound too good to be true? Sure, some babies will, but many won’t. Make sure the sleep consultant sets realistic expectations.

5. Experience and testimonials – Does the sleep consultant have others to vouch for him or her? Make sure at least some seem like realistic testimonials, not all should be something that anyone could make up, such as, “She was great! My baby slept 12 hours straight with only five minutes of crying.”

6. Reasonable Rates – Depending on your budget, make sure your sleep consultant has reasonable rates. If her rates are too low, although she could just be getting her practice started, she may not be as experienced as you need her to be. If rates are too high and your baby doesn’t respond quickly, it may be difficult to follow up should problems arise.

7. Guarantee – Does your sleep consultant have a guarantee on services? Sure, he charges for his time, but if you don’t mesh during the first phone call or e-mail, can you get your money back before you get too far into it? In a time of outsourcing, it only makes sense to save your precious time by having someone help you develop a sleep plan that can work for your unique family. Rather than let another month go by while you read the books and make a plan, why not sleep that much more over the next month and give your baby the mom she deserves?

Nicole Johnson is a sleep coach and the owner of The Baby Sleep Site™, specializing in baby sleep products and consulting services, including their free, cornerstone e-book, 5 Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night.