Table of Contents

1. Offering Consistent, Connected Care for Your Clients
2. Becoming a “One-Stop Shop” for Families
3. Navigating Sleep and Feeding Questions Seamlessly
4. Creating Extra Stability for Your Practice
5. Attracting New Clients
6. Building Long-Term Relationships with Clients
7. Boosting Your Professional Network and Referrals
8. Taking Your Practice to the Next Level

Hey there! Are you a lactation consultant who sometimes feels a bit stuck when sleep issues come up? Maybe you’ve wondered, “How do I keep clients from looking elsewhere for help when their little one’s sleep is all over the place?” Or perhaps you’re looking for ways to expand your practice without taking on a mountain of extra work.

You’re in good company. Many of us in maternal care—whether lactation consultants, doulas, or perinatal counselors—hit this exact wall. But here’s something that could make a real difference: adding gentle, holistic sleep coaching that complements what you’re already doing.

In this post, we’ll walk through seven reasons why adding sleep coaching can be the perfect way to support your clients, build deeper connections, and even create new income streams. If you’re ready to meet clients’ needs in a more complete way, you’re in the right place. Let’s dive in.

Prefer a video? You can watch a full breakdown of these seven reasons right here.

1. Offering Consistent, Connected Care for Your Clients

Let’s be real—feeding and sleep go hand-in-hand. How often have you seen parents reach out for sleep advice that doesn’t quite align with the feeding support you’ve been working on? It can be frustrating for everyone involved. By adding sleep coaching to your toolkit, you’re able to offer that seamless, gentle support in both areas, keeping things consistent and aligned with the responsive values you care about.

This was a big reason one of our graduates, Liz, chose to add sleep coaching to her skill set. As an experienced midwife and lactation consultant, Liz had poured her heart into helping families establish strong feeding routines and create those first, loving connections with their babies. She dedicated time and energy to her clients, often receiving calls from parents who were worried when sleep challenges cropped up down the line.

Over time, she noticed a pattern: parents would sometimes go elsewhere for sleep advice that didn’t mesh with the feeding practices they’d worked on together. This led to avoidable stress, confusion, and even fears about issues like milk supply—all because the sleep advice conflicted with the foundations she’d helped them set.

Liz realized that if she could offer gentle, responsive sleep support herself, she’d not only prevent this cycle of mixed messages but also give her clients peace of mind. So, she took the step to train as a holistic sleep coach. Now, Liz is able to provide comprehensive care that spans both feeding and sleep, ensuring families have the guidance they need for every stage of their baby’s development, all from someone they already know and trust. For Liz, becoming a holistic sleep coach means her clients receive more consistent, joined-up care and that families can rest easy knowing their support aligns with their values—without unnecessary detours or conflicting advice along the way.

2. Becoming a “One-Stop Shop” for Families

If there’s one thing parents need, it’s simplicity! Imagine how much easier life becomes when they don’t have to explain their child’s story over and over to different professionals. By offering both feeding and sleep support, you make things simpler—and a lot more comfortable—for parents. They’d much rather stick with someone they know and trust, and who already understands their family’s needs.

When you weave sleep coaching into your practice, you’re giving families a complete support system. It’s more than just added convenience; it’s an approach that shows parents they can rely on you through all their little one’s ups and downs.

3. Navigating Sleep and Feeding Questions Seamlessly

If you’ve ever found yourself surprised by a sleep question during a lactation consultation, you’re not alone! Sleep challenges can pop up in all kinds of sessions. With a background in both areas, you can flow naturally between feeding and sleep topics, making it easier to answer clients’ questions as they arise.

Picture this: a parent tells you they’re worried about milk supply, but you sense it might be connected to the baby’s sleep patterns. When you can navigate both areas, it lets you see the bigger picture and find solutions that work for the whole family.

4. Creating Extra Stability for Your Practice

Let’s talk business for a second. We all know that some months are busier than others. Adding sleep coaching to your services can bring in extra income during those quieter periods, helping you keep things steady year-round. And because you’re combining services, you can offer bundled packages that bring added value and even allow you to charge a bit more for your expertise.

It’s a win-win: you get a more sustainable income, and families get well-rounded support that covers multiple bases.

5. Attracting New Clients

Have you ever wondered if expanding your services might bring in a whole new wave of clients? Offering sleep coaching could attract families who might not have originally reached out for lactation support. Some families need help with sleep long after they’re past feeding challenges, so this opens up doors to connect with new clients in different stages of early parenting.

Liz, the lactation consultant we mentioned earlier, started getting inquiries from parents with toddlers once she added sleep coaching. Being able to offer both feeding and sleep support brought her new clients she wouldn’t have reached otherwise.

6. Building Long-Term Relationships with Clients

Adding sleep coaching to your practice helps you stay connected as clients’ needs evolve. When parents know you’re there for them, whether it’s for feeding or sleep issues, they’re far more likely to reach out when new challenges come up. This creates opportunities for long-term relationships and those wonderful, heartwarming referrals.

Why not set up a friendly email to check in a few months after your first consultation, offering support if sleep challenges have come up? It’s a small step that keeps you in touch and shows you care about their journey long after that initial session.

7. Boosting Your Professional Network and Referrals

Adding sleep coaching can be like opening a door to a whole new world of professional connections. Paediatricians, therapists, and other healthcare providers appreciate referring clients to someone who can provide well-rounded care. Being able to support families with both feeding and sleep concerns sets you apart as a truly holistic practitioner, making it easier to build relationships with colleagues who can send clients your way.

Gillian, an IBCLC who added sleep coaching to her business, found that paediatricians were suddenly far more likely to refer clients to her. They felt confident knowing families would get comprehensive, compassionate care from someone who understood their unique needs.

Taking Your Practice to the Next Level

Adding sleep coaching isn’t just about new skills—it’s about transforming the way you care for families. By offering that seamless support, you’re not only meeting their needs more fully but also building a reputation as someone who’s there for the whole journey. Plus, it’s a beautiful way to bring stability to your practice and keep clients coming back.

Curious about how sleep coaching could fit into your practice? Book a free strategy session to explore how sleep coaching can elevate your services and deepen your impact.

See how our Holistic Sleep Coaching Program can help you transform your passion for helping families with sleep into a thriving career. Book a strategy call today with a real human on our team.

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