Tales From The Crib: Sleep Saviour Amanda

If you live in Toronto and have littles, chances are you have heard of sleep consultant Amanda Jewson. Not only do we love how much she helps parents with sleep challenges, we love how open she is about parenting and how she is not afraid to show her vulnerability. Thank you, Amanda, for sharing your wisdom with us!

WPC: What have been your biggest challenges since becoming a parent?

Amanda: Realizing that I had a lot more to go in terms of my own personal history, mental health challenges and finally dealing with my own childhood traumas. Nothing triggers you more than having your own child--you start to realize that you may want to undo some of your own childhood programmings. My trauma resurfaced as incredible anxiety, stress and anger. 

You really don't know what kind of parent you'll be until you have your own child. I realized quickly I didn't like the parent I was becoming and sent my ass to therapy. The biggest challenge I've had, but the biggest reward for myself and my family. 

WPC: What have you found helpful to address these challenges? 

Amanda: After the birth of my second child, I suffered with extreme anxiety for the year postpartum and then for another year after. Because I had success with 'beating' my anxiety with CBT strategies early in my 20s, I was mostly silent about these challenges because I was ashamed and afraid: why wouldn't my anxiety go away? Was I crazy? What would happen if I talked to my doctor? There were a lot of fears about reaching out for help. Finally, my hair was falling out in clumps and I started to have panic attacks randomly at work. I booked a same-day emergency appointment with my doctor (Dr. Anna Malek if anyone is looking for someone awesome) who took me seriously, listened with love, and referred me to an amazing therapist to start doing some work.  

Dealing with your stuff is NOT easy and it took work: about two years of solid practice, slowing down, and trauma work. I'm happy to sincerely report that  I'm a lot better. This whole experience informs the work I do with my moms on a daily basis. It's why I started my business--I know that you can get better and you can thrive as a parent. Especially if you're a rested parent. 

WPC: If you could go back in time, what would you tell your pregnant self?

Amanda: Slow down. Sleep. And practice self-care. As a former 'busy addict' I was constantly moving to avoid painful feelings. By the time my second was born, I was completely worn out. It took me a solid 2 years to restore my mind and my body. Rest is so crucial to your physical and emotional health. It is not a luxury--it is a necessity. Be open to many kinds of parenting and methodologies. Read a lot. Slide into what feels good but don't become rigid. You will change your mind, and that's ok. 

WPC: If you could, what is one thing you’d change about parenthood in our culture? 

Amanda: That we did it in groups together in the sunshine. Seriously. I'm the best and most patient parent in the world when I'm surrounded by family or friends. I feel like we're all co-parenting and my children benefit from all the love these little communities give. We do so much of this hard work on our own. We were never meant to do so much on our own. So give yourself a break when it feels overwhelming and hard--it's not just you!


Want to learn more about Amanda and the services she offers? Check her out her website, facebook, or instagram!