BabyPapaw Journal
A short checklist of details that make the first video call more useful for both sides. You do not need a perfect sleep log or a spotless nursery — just a few honest observations about your days and nights.
Published on 12 March 2025 · Reading time: 6 min
Most parents come to the first call feeling a little unsure about what is useful to share. They worry they will forget something important or that their baby's schedule looks too messy to describe. In practice, the most valuable thing you can bring is simply a rough picture of the last week — not a perfect record, just the shape of it.
Start with the basics: roughly what time your baby wakes for the day, how many naps happen and for how long, and what bedtime usually looks like. If some days look completely different from others, that is fine. Note whether the variation comes from travel, illness, teething, or just a stretch of unsettled evenings. That context helps more than a tidy spreadsheet.
It also helps to think about your own limits before the call. Which part of the day feels hardest — the bedtime battles, the 4 a.m. wake-ups, the short naps that leave everyone cranky? What have you already tried, and how long did you stick with it? There is no judgement here; knowing what has not worked saves time and keeps the plan realistic.
Finally, consider the practical side of your home setup. Where does your baby sleep now, and where would you like them to sleep in a few weeks? Is there a partner, grandparent, or caregiver who handles some nights? The plan only works if it fits the people who are actually doing the settling.
You do not need to track every feed and nappy change. For two or three days before the call, jot down the moments that matter: when your baby wakes, when they seem sleepy, how long they settle, and when they wake overnight. A notebook by the cot works fine. The goal is to spot patterns, not to create extra work for an exhausted parent.
If your baby is going through a transition — dropping a nap, moving to a cot, or adjusting after travel — mention that too. These shifts change what is normal for a few weeks, and the advice will be different than it would be during a steady stretch.
On the call itself, expect a conversation rather than an interrogation. You will talk through your typical day, the recent struggles, and what you have already tried. From there, we build a plan around your actual routine and home setup — not a rigid method that ignores your reality. You will leave with clear next steps and a way to track progress between sessions.
If you are still deciding whether coaching is the right fit, you might find it useful to read about the questions other parents ask before they start. That post covers the practical concerns that come up most often, from cost to commitment to whether a baby can really learn to settle without tears.