How Fiadh, 18 Months, Moved From Six‑Hour Night Wakes to Sleeping Through

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Before reaching out to Sara at ESSA, our family was completely exhausted. Sleep had become one of the biggest stressors in our home, particularly night times, and we felt emotionally drained trying everything we could think of without much success. The thought of night time as it loomed everyday was overwhelming, because they  were just so unpredictable. Some nights our 18 month old was awake for up to 4.5 hours, with our worst night being 6 hours. The lack of sleep was impacting all of us - not just physically, but emotionally too. And the fear of slipping back into postnatal depression sat quietly in the background, adding another layer of pressure to an already fragile time. I was adamant I didn’t want to go down that road again. We had tried so many things. Sought help from multiple people. Nothing seemed to shift. Our last hope was ESSA. 

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When we decided to seek support through ESSA, we hoped for some guidance and a few strategies. But what we received far exceeded our expectations. From the very first phone call, we felt genuinely heard and supported. There was never any judgment, pressure or “one-size-fits-all” advice. Instead, we were given personalised strategies that actually suited our child, our parenting style and our family’s needs. Sara was always only a phone call or text message away. 

One of the things we appreciated most was that Sara actually spent real time with us, in our home to help get a better understanding of our child's sleep. We also loved how practical and realistic the support felt. Everything was explained clearly, and we felt empowered rather than overwhelmed. It never felt like we were navigating things alone. There was reassurance, encouragement and expert guidance every step of the way. 

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This wasn’t about forcing big changes or pushing a rigid routine. It was about small, meaningful adjustments that respected our daughter’s need for connection while gently supporting her to feel safe settling in her cot. After the gradual changes, sleep became more predictable and easier to navigate, especially when illness struck we knew how to get back on track quickly. The whole atmosphere in our home shifted. The biggest unexpected benefit was how much better we felt as parents. We became more confident, less anxious and finally felt like we could enjoy family life again instead of just surviving on exhaustion.

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Looking back, investing in ESSA was one of the best decisions we made for our family. The support we received from Sara truly changed things for us and put us back on a positive and happy path. We’ve already recommended ESSA to more families than we can count - a reflection of just how deeply this experience reshaped our lives.