One of the most rewarding things about working at Beatrice & Bee is having the opportunity to meet inspiring mums like Hally. Her sons Freddie and Dougie are our brand ambassadors and participated in some of our lookbooks.
Before becoming a mum-of-three, Hally was a full time nanny graduated in the prestigious Norland College, in Bath, Somerset. The same school where Prince's George nanny, María Teresa Borrallo, trained.
Last year, and after working with different children and families, she decided to start a new adventure as Baby Sleep Expert and help new parents with sleeping training techniques and routines.
1- Tell us a little bit about you. Who is Hally?
I am Hally, mum of 3 very energetic boys. I live in South West London and down in Dorset during the school holidays. Before becoming a mum and sleep expert I was a nanny. I trained at Norland College and started out my nannying career in Battersea as a live-in nanny. I then moved to a live-out role in Barnes and stayed with this family for 7 years until I had my 1st son.
I started up my sleep business in September 2023 and I haven't looked back. The enjoyment I get out of my job is huge. I have a passion for helping and working alongside parents to regain strength and to reach their children's full potential. My work is life changing for the families I work for.
When did you decide to become a Baby Sleep Expert?
I have always found sleep fascinating and wanted to learn more. I also needed to do something that fitted around my own family.
After training and becoming a qualified sleep consultant I was ready to start helping families. It is such a rewarding job. Parents are starting off with me at rock bottom and in desperate need of help. Sleep deprivation is a form of torture after all.
What does a Baby Sleep Expert do?
In my role as a sleep consultant I deliver bespoke sleep plans to parents. With my package I then offer a 3 week support window where I guide the parents through their individual sleep plan. No two babies are the same, so during the support package we can tweak things to suit the individual. I always have the parents' wishes and beliefs at the front of my mind and I always make sure they feel confident at every step of the way.
I have now helped many families reach goals they thought were impossible. I currently have a family who are a week into their plan and their baby is sleeping through the night and has a structured day time routine. When they started with me their 6 month old was waking multiple times a night and had absolutely no day time routine at all.
All my packages are done remotely and via Zoom and the support period is done over WhatsApp.
Which are the biggest stigmas around putting the babies to sleep?
Sleep training can have bad press and people have strong views on it. It is my job to teach and educate people on my job and the benefits it has on both the parents and baby’s well being.I have a very gentle approach which is child led and responsive to the baby’s needs.
The main areas that play a part in my approach to sleep training are self settling, environment, wake windows and bedtime routines. All of these play a massive part in creating a relaxed environment where baby’s and parents can learn together.
Can your job start even before the baby is born, during the pregnancy?
Yes, absolutely! I have a newborn package where I prep and educate clients before the baby is even born. I run through safe sleep, how to prepare the best sleep environment, what items to buy (I have a catalog with tried and tested products that I can highly recommend) and many more. This package can be hugely beneficial and provides new parents with the confidence you need to enter parenthood.
Motherhood can be the best experience a woman can have, but it is also very challenging. New mums can be very emotional and struggle with sleep deprivation and tiredness. Do you also help them with that?
As I said earlier, sleep deprivation is a form of torture. The highs and lows of parenthood are huge. Mental health plays a massive part in my job, it is so important that my clients feel heard and that they still feel in control. This is why I work with my clients every step of the way and I keep the line of communication open at all times. I make it very clear that if they don't feel comfortable at any point during the support period they must speak to me and we can make changes.
Another point that I always recommend to my clients is to get out for a walk every day, come rain or shine. This alone can change the mindset of a tired parent who is struggling. My messages are always open for parents who feel they need a chat, it can feel very isolating at times and it is really important for them to know that they are not alone and they are certainly not the only ones feeling like this.
How do you describe your 3 boys?
Where do I start!! My boys, although they look very similar, they are very very different characters. My eldest, Archie, is very sensitive and loves rules. He is sports mad and at every possible moment he is playing some kind of sport. My middle boy, Freddie, has a very cheeky smile and goes through about 4 outfits a day! He is the most determined of the three. My youngest, Dougie, is always trying to keep up with his older brothers (and does a great job)! He is a real character and has me wrapped around his little finger!
What are your sleeping routines with them?
I have always been a huge advocate for routines. Now we have a more relaxed day time routine as the boys are a little older. But I am still very strict on the boys' bedtime routine, I feel that this is still very important to stick to as it sets them up for the night ahead. It also helps with behaviour and delaying tactics which can appear as children get older. On the whole they sleep very well. If they are poorly sleep is always the first thing to go out the window.
And how do you like to dress them up?
I have always loved dressing my boys up. My mother is very talented and knits and makes lovely outfits for them. I love dressing them traditionally. Sadly now they are starting to have their own option on clothes and as they grow older they are starting to have their own styles which I love. Sports gear is definitely at the top of their list at the moment! But if we have an occasion to dress up for I will always go for a Beatrice and Bee item!!
Discover more about Hally's work as Baby Sleep Expert here.
Email: hally@thebabyandsleepexpert.com