Best Toddler Sleep Consultants for Ages 2 to 7: An Honest Comparison
If you've spent any time searching for toddler sleep help, you've probably noticed there's no shortage of options and not a lot of honesty about how they're actually different. Everyone says they're the best fit. I'm going to try something different here: an honest look at where I fit, where a few other well-known options fit better, and how to actually tell the difference for your specific family.
Why It Actually Matters That I Specialize in Toddlers and Big Kids
A lot of sleep consultants build their whole practice around babies, the newborn to 12-month stretch, and then just extend their services up to cover toddlers too. But a 2, 4, or 6 year old isn't a bigger baby. They can talk, negotiate, stall, and tell you exactly why they're scared of the dark or don't want you to leave the room. They understand cause and effect well enough to test limits on purpose. They might be working through a room change, a new sibling, potty training, or nightmares, all at the same time as a sleep change. A method built around soothing a preverbal infant to sleep just doesn't translate to a strong-willed 4-year-old asking for one more snack, one more hug, one more everything. That's exactly why preparing your child in advance, not just changing what happens at bedtime, is the piece I build every toddler and big kid plan around.
What to Actually Look at When Comparing Options
Before the list, here's what matters more than reviews or a well-performing Instagram.
Age range: is this option actually built for toddlers and big kids, or is toddler an afterthought bolted onto a baby-focused business?
Format: are you getting a real person who knows your child, or a template built for the average kid?
And philosophy: does the approach work with the toddler brain and prepare your child for what's coming, or does it start with the technique and skip that step entirely?
The Quick Comparison
A quick note on this chart: this whole post is looking at these options through a toddler and big kid lens specifically, but since most of these businesses (mine included) also serve babies, the ages and pricing below reflect their full range, not just the toddler side.
Swipe to see the whole chart →
| Option | Ages | Format & Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Counting Sleep with Courtney | 4 mo–7 yrs (specializes in toddlers and big kids) | 1:1 virtual, $169–$664 | Gentle plans built around how your toddler's brain actually works, including a custom Ready, Set, Sleep Prep Plan™ |
| Dovely Dreams | 3 mo–5 yrs | 1:1 virtual $450–$1,250; in-home from $900 (up to 30 mo) | In-person support for babies and young toddlers |
| Well Rested Mama | 4 mo+ (no stated upper age) | DIY $89 (no support); packages $189–$2,600 | Cheapest entry point, but real support costs more per day |
| Sleep Wise Consulting (Desiree Baumer) | Newborn–toddler | 1:1; baby $495–$1,665, toddler $775–$1,775 | An in-home option backed by a larger consulting agency |
| EverRest Sleep Co. | 4 mo–7 yrs | 1:1 virtual, $450–$650 | An option that skips a separate prep phase and gets started right away |
| Taking Cara Babies | 2–4 yrs (toddler course) | Self-paced video course, $199, not personalized or 1:1 | DIY families comfortable troubleshooting alone |
Counting Sleep with Courtney (Me)
I'll start with my own honest pitch instead of pretending to be neutral.
What's included: a fully custom sleep plan, unlimited text support for the full length of your package, a personalized Ready, Set, Sleep Prep Plan™, videos I record just for your child (ages 2 to 7), and a care package mailed straight to your child.
Who it's really for: families of toddlers and big kids, plus babies as young as 4 months, who want a specialist who treats their child's stage as the main focus, not an afterthought.
What makes it different: the prep-first philosophy. Before we touch your child's sleep, we prepare them for the change mentally and emotionally. This helps them feel like they are a part of the process instead of feeling blindsided by the sleep changes. That's what most consultants and courses skip. The plan is also responsive in two ways. We respond to your child's needs, whether that's calming strategies to use during sleep training, daytime separation games, or a calming tool to use at bedtime alongside the sleep training method. And the sleep training method itself is flexible, not fixed. Does your toddler need more physical touch? We'll add that in. Does your big kid respond well to your calming singing? We'll include that in the plan. My text support is also unlimited during your support window. Have questions during naptime or at bedtime? Shoot me a text, and I’ll help you figure it out!
What to consider: it's 1:1 and virtual, so if you specifically want someone in your home, this isn't that.
Dovely Dreams
What's included: optional in-home sleep consulting for babies and young toddlers (3 to 30 months, starting at $900), or virtual consulting across her full age range ($450 to $1,250), backed by Kendra's physician assistant background.
Who it's really for: Indianapolis families with a baby or young toddler who want in-person, hands-on support.
What makes it different: a clinical credential and a local, full-service option.
What to consider: her age range tops out at 5 years, so she won't work with a 6 or 7 year old. In-home visits are only available up to 30 months, for 2.5 to 5 year olds, it's virtual only, running $595 to $1,250.
Well Rested Mama
What's included: a DIY plan starting at $89 with no live support, or supported packages ranging from $189 to $2,600 that pull from a variety of methods personalized to your child, similar to how I approach it (minus the prep plan), though even the top package only includes 5 days of support.
Who it's really for: families who want the lowest possible entry point and are comfortable troubleshooting without live support, since real support stays limited even at the higher price tiers.
What makes it different: the widest range of options in this comparison, from a fully DIY plan with no live support up to a fully supported package, so you can choose exactly how much hands-on help you want.
What to consider: support caps out at 5 days even on the priciest packages, so the per-day cost runs high compared to options with more ongoing support, and toddler-specific expertise isn't the core focus.
Sleep Wise Consulting (Desiree Baumer)
What's included: 1:1 support with the option of in-home visits on any package, plus email support and texting access that opens up at higher tiers.
Who it's really for: families who want the option of in-home visits, or communication primarily through scheduled calls and email rather than ongoing daily texting.
What makes it different: she works newborn through toddler through the Sleep Wise Consulting agency, rather than her own independent practice.
What to consider: toddler packages run $775 to $1,775, and even the top tier's texting only covers daytime hours, not bedtime.
EverRest Sleep Co.
What's included: 1:1 virtual sleep support priced at $450 or $650.
Who it's really for: families who are comfortable diving into the sleep training process without a separate prep phase first.
What makes it different: she works with a similar 4 months to 7 years age range, but her site is built more around general baby-through-toddler sleep than a toddler and big kid specialty specifically.
What to consider: if getting your child mentally and emotionally ready before anything actually changes is the piece you're looking for, that's not something her site describes as part of the process.
Taking Cara Babies
What's included: a self-paced, on-demand video course, priced at $199. It's video-based only, not personalized and not 1:1.
Who it's really for: families who want to DIY on their own timeline and are comfortable troubleshooting without a live person.
What makes it different: Cara's name recognition and affordability. A lot of parents already know and trust her from the newborn and baby side.
What to consider: it's the same video content for every family, there's no one adjusting the plan to your specific child, and her toddler-specific course is built for ages 2 to 4, so nothing here covers a 5, 6, or 7 year old.
A Few Questions to Ask Yourself
Do I want someone who specializes in toddlers and big kids specifically? That points toward me.
Do I want someone physically in my home? That points toward Dovely Dreams.
Am I mainly looking for the lowest possible entry price and comfortable with limited live support? That points toward Well Rested Mama.
Do I want an in-home option backed by a larger consulting agency? That points toward Desiree with Sleep Wise Consulting.
Do I want an option that goes up through age 7 and jumps straight into the sleep training process itself? That points toward EverRest Sleep Co.
Am I comfortable troubleshooting on my own with a video course, for a younger toddler? That points toward Taking Cara Babies.
Ready to Talk Through Your Specific Situation?
If you've read through this and think a fully personalized, prep-first plan sounds like what your family needs, book your free 15-minute discovery call and let's talk about your child specifically.
