One consultant training agency plans to offer a 30-member class in Shanghai to would-be baby whisperers. The week-long training course costs 19,800 yuan per person, but applicants have already outnumbered openings.
"Applicants come from various professions, including housewives, designers, flight attendants, nurses and editors. All of them see big profits in this career," said Wang Shiyunyue, the agency's head.
Wang said clients' favorite product is a 21-day sleep training package that includes consultations, home visits, 24-hour support and a sleep plan that is completely customized for babies. It costs around 5,000 yuan.
Even cheaper packages involving a 15-minute phone consultation, 90-minute home visits and follow-up support cost 799 yuan.
The emergence of baby sleep consultants can be explained by the pressure professional couples feel and the potential market for maternal and infant-related services in China.
According to a document released by the National Health and Family Planning Commission, 18.46 million babies were born in Chinese hospitals last year, the highest since 2000 and 1.31 million more than 2015.
Chen decided to go full-time as a consultant in 2013 when the country allowed couples to have a second child if either parent was an only child.
Failing to stop her own baby's frequent night waking, she read books and posted about her own experience and what she learned online.
"I received thousands of questions and was surprised that so many moms have been troubled by the same problem," said Chen.
