Our Team of Sleep Consultants

As the founder of Millpond Children’s Sleep Clinic and a nurse, midwife, and health visitor, I’ve spent over 30 years helping families resolve sleep issues for babies, toddlers, school-aged children, and teenagers.

Like many parents, I’ve experienced the overwhelming exhaustion that comes with sleepless nights. When my son was a baby, he suffered from severe reflux and food allergies, which meant he barely slept, and our household was in a constant state of stress and fatigue. This took a toll not only on my physical well-being but also on my mental health. That experience gave me a deep understanding of how profoundly sleep deprivation can affect every aspect of a family’s life, and it’s what drives my passion for helping families find the rest they so desperately need.

Building on my qualifications in nursing, midwifery, and health visiting, I set up one of London’s first NHS children’s sleep clinics. My approach was rooted in providing down-to-earth, evidence-based guidance, which soon proved to have a transformative impact on the families I worked with. Inspired by these positive results, I decided to specialise in children’s sleep full-time.

In 2000, I established Millpond Children’s Sleep Clinic. Since then, it has grown into an internationally recognised service, helping families across the world. Our approach is centred on the unique needs of each child and family, offering sensitive, personalised guidance rather than a one-size-fits-all solution. Many families see significant improvements in just a few weeks. Thanks to my medical background, I take a holistic view, considering all aspects of a child’s health and development that may be affecting their sleep.

In addition to working directly with families, we were the first organisation to provide structured sleep training to NHS staff. Since 2007, Millpond has been commissioned by the NHS and HSE Ireland to train healthcare professionals on how to support families dealing with sleep issues. To date, we have delivered more sleep training to NHS staff than any other organisation, having trained tens of thousands of health professionals across the UK and Ireland. This pioneering work continues to make a lasting impact, equipping healthcare teams with the skills and confidence to guide families through sleep challenges.

Beyond training, I frequently write for parenting websites and contribute expert advice on television, radio, podcasts, and social media. I had the pleasure of presenting alongside Professor Robert Winston in The Essential Parent DVD Guide to baby sleep.

I’ve worked as a sleep consultant for well-known brands, including the BBC, In the Night Garden, Gro Company, Essential Parent, Rest Easy Sleep Better, and Chicco. I’m also the author of three editions of Teach Your Child to Sleep (Hamlyn, 2005, 2016, 2020), a trusted resource that has sold tens of thousands of copies worldwide, as well as The Bedtime Book, a children’s sleep guide for the In the Night Garden television series.

I’m also a mum of two, and my journey, alongside my professional experience, enables me to offer compassionate, practical support to families, helping them improve sleep and regain balance in their lives.

“As a mother, I know just how hard sleep deprivation can be. For me, solving a child’s sleep problem is like putting together a jigsaw. By taking parents through all the issues, however apparently small, I find the missing piece. Together we put it in place, and completing the picture is often a transforming experience for the family and the best job in the world for me!” – Mandy Gurney.

Clair Lyons brings over 30 years of experience in children’s sleep, having been an integral part of Millpond Children’s Sleep Clinic since its inception. As a qualified Nursery Nurse, Clair has worked with children of all ages in a variety of settings, including neonatal intensive care units, paediatric wards, and within home and nursery environments.

Clair first met Mandy while working together in a health visiting team within the NHS. Together, they went on to establish one of London’s first NHS children’s sleep clinics at St Charles Hospital, where they supported families for over five years. This pioneering work was instrumental in developing approaches that remain central to Millpond’s methods today.

With her extensive experience in sleep support, child development, behavioural challenges, and family dynamics, Clair has helped countless families transform their children’s sleep. Her supportive, empathetic approach, combined with her wealth of practical knowledge, consistently earns glowing feedback from the families she works with.

As a proud mum of three, Clair understands the real-life pressures of family life and uses her personal and professional experience to guide families towards better sleep and a happier home environment.

Carolyn is a mother of two who knows how lack of sleep can impact a family profoundly. With over 22 years of experience working at Millpond Carolyn knows how important it is for a parent’s first contact with the clinic to be positive and for them to meet with a sympathetic ear.

“I speak to exhausted and emotional parents every day. I find sharing their family’s story with me as their first step to improving their child’s sleep is a huge and immediate relief. From all the positive outcomes we see, I am able to reassure them they are not alone and that we can help”. – Carolyn Reynolds.