Chicago North Shore Moms is proud to introduce Canadian born and raised Wilmette mom of two Caity Fargo, who is the founder of Little Bean Sleep Co and a certified pediatric sleep coach!
When Caity’s first born was an infant, the adorable bundle put her and her husband to work. “He cried all the time, never slept and suffered from extreme reflux,” Caity explains. Desperate times called for desperate measures, and many of those coveted quiet times were spent diving into the world of infant sleep. What began as a self-guided passion project, soon morphed into over 200 hours of courses and volunteer work to complete a certification through the Cradle Coach Academy (TCCA).
Since then Caity has confidently worked with families all over the world, including in the UK, Hong Kong, Australia, France, Canada, and all across the US. Learn more about Caity’s personal experience with her own babies, sleep training philosophies and why she loves this career path. Welcome, Caity!
Hi Caity! Please introduce yourself.
Hi! I’m Caity, founder of Little Bean Sleep Co and certified pediatric sleep coach. I’m Canadian, and I have lived in Canada, Australia, Hong Kong and now Wilmette. After years of living abroad, we are so happy to be back in North America and settled in Wilmette. I met my husband in Hong Kong, and we decided after the pandemic to move back to the US to be closer to our family. I’m mama to nine month old Madeleine and two and a half year old Liam.
Please introduce your small business, Little Bean Sleep Co.
Little Bean Sleep Co is a pediatric sleep consulting practice driven by the need for tailored sleep solutions designed to meet the needs of each unique family. What started as a passion project two years ago has transformed into a coaching practice that aims to support families on their path towards predictable and restful sleep for newborns, babies and children up to 5 years old. I love helping new mothers find joy in postpartum, and I am so proud to be able to offer a service that I so desperately needed when my son was first born.
Little Bean Sleep Co was born out of a need you felt for your own infant sleep journey. How were you able to transform your experience into a small business?
The first few months with our firstborn Liam were some of the hardest of my life. He cried all the time, never slept and suffered from extreme reflux. It was really tough. Fast forward a few months once we had his reflux under control, I took a deep dive into wake windows, scheduling, sweet spots, naps and independent sleep initiation. My life as a mother was changed completely once we learned how to guide Liam towards the restful sleep he so desperately needed. The crying stopped and the smiling began, and I decided that this was my calling.
It was only after Liam was born that we realized just how little we knew about baby sleep. I had always assumed that babies slept when they needed to which is simply not the case for so many. I decided that I would learn and absorb everything I could about baby sleep so that I could support other mothers as they experienced the same. I wish I had more information when Liam was born, and I truly believe that our new mothers need more support in the early postpartum months and through the early years. Little Bean is a place where moms can turn for support, community and balanced sleep advice. I cherish the families that I have been lucky enough to work with and the community that we are building together.
What training, schooling or certifications were necessary to open a practice in sleep training?
I completed my certification through the Cradle Coach Academy (TCCA). It’s over 200 hours of courses and volunteer work! Since then I’ve been fortunate enough to work with families all over the world, including in the UK, Hong Kong, Australia, Italy, Canada, and all across the US.
What is your approach to working with a new family? Do you have a sleep training philosophy?
Every baby and every family is different! What works for one baby may not work for another. I use the skills I’ve acquired and my experience to create a tailored solution for each unique family and baby. There is so much information available out there, and my role is to help you find the right solution for your family. Navigating the complicated world of infant sleep can be totally overwhelming, particularly when you are already sleep deprived. Our practice offers solutions that meet you where you are in your journey towards safe and restful sleep.
Before jumping straight into a sleep training philosophy, I like to look at the current family situation and see what stands out. There are usually a variety of improvements that can make all the difference, including sleep environment and scheduling. When it comes to sleep training, I often tailor a solution to each family! Sometimes this is combining methods, or adapting methods slightly so that the approach aligns with personal parenting styles. I’m so excited to continue helping as many other mamas as possible find calm and balance during this chaotic season of life.
Speaking of a “chaotic season of life,” in addition to calling on you for sleep help and a supportive and engaged partner, what are two pieces of advice you can give our new mom friends out there with regards to sleep?
This is one of my favourite questions! The best piece of advice I can give to new mamas is to mind your wake windows. It’s always surprising how short the amount of time is that new babies can stay awake for. By mastering wake windows, particularly in those early days, you help to lay the strongest foundations for ongoing healthy sleep habits.
The second piece of advice is to embrace time spent with your little one while you can. I really advocate for soaking up all the baby snuggles and contact naps in the early days, taking time to slow down and be close to your little one. There is so much pressure on new moms to get things done “while the baby is sleeping”. At the end of the day, it’s such a short amount of time that you have with a newborn. Do your best to slow down where you can and enjoy such a special time. Everything else can wait.
How does your process work? What makes Little Bean Sleep Co special?
One of the things I really emphasize when I start working with a new family is that I’ve been there. I struggled with postpartum anxiety when my son was first born and I know firsthand the challenges that comes with having a new baby at home. This is such a personal and emotional journey and I’m deeply proud to offer a down to earth and non judgmental safe space for new mothers.
Every family starts with a discovery call. During this 15-30 minute session we’ll talk through your current situation and whether I can help. From there, I’ll provide recommendations and customize a sleep plan for your family. I have a variety of support packages available so that I can be as available as you need through your process.
What’s on the horizon with respect to Little Bean Sleep Co’s future plans or goals?
I’m so excited to continue building Little Bean into a practice that supports new mothers. I’ve been doing more speaking events and hosting webinars, which has been such fun. Looking forward, I’m designing a set of DIY guides that can take my personalized methodology and apply it to different situations – helping families to prepare for sleep disruptions that are inevitable like those that occur during regressions, travel, life events and more. I’m excited to continue to speak and I’ve been looking at tailoring packages for local moms groups.
Who would you like to thank for making the formation of your business or non-profit possible and why?
So much of my practice comes down to support from family and friends, and the network of families that I have been fortunate enough to work with. This practice is built on a foundation of trust and I’m so lucky to have had families put that trust in me to support them through the challenge.
Is there anything else you’d like us to know about Little Bean Sleep Co?
There are limited spots left through July and into August! I’m excited to offer a 15% discount on my three most popular packages to CNSM readers! Use code CNSM15 at checkout. If you have any questions, you can get started by booking a free discovery call on my website, during which we can talk about your current situation and if I’ll be able to help.
The Little Bean Newborn Foundations Package is the perfect gift for new mamas. This package includes a one hour consultation session before the birth, text support in those early postpartum months and a one our consultation to be used when mama needs it most.
What are your contact dets?
You can email me at [email protected], or book a free discovery call by clicking here.
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Read more CNSM Small Business Feature by visiting our blog site: https://chicagonorthshoremoms.com/Chicago-North-Shore-Moms/small-business-love/