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From Fear to Freedom: How One Family Conquered Sleep Regressions—Twice
When this family first considered sleep coaching, their son was just 7 months old. Sleep wasn’t perfect—but it felt manageable. What stopped them from seeking help wasn’t uncertainty about sleep itself; it was fear.
Fear fueled by misinformation.
“We actually tried approaching sleep training at 7 or 8 months… but there was a lot of misinformation with the cry-it-out method, and that really scared us.”
So they waited. Like many parents do.
They relied on what worked in the moment—rocking, bottles, pacifiers, co-sleeping. Over time, though, those supports stopped working. By 15 months, their son was waking every 30–45 minutes, needing a bottle each time to fall back asleep.
“There was no sleep at all for those 3–4 months… He was drinking so much milk at night that he wasn’t even hungry for solids in the morning.”
They were exhausted, discouraged, and ready for an option that aligned with their values.
Gentle Sleep Coaching at 15 Months: The First Breakthrough
When we began working together, one thing mattered most to them: this could not be cry-it-out.
We moved slowly and intentionally. I explained the science behind sleep, how sleep pressure and circadian rhythm work together, and why reducing sleep crutches doesn’t mean abandoning a child.
“Joanna was very systematic. She made it clear this was not cry-it-out. It was a slow transition. We had to trust the process—and we did.”
And it worked.
Their son learned how to fall asleep independently.
He slept through the night.
He ate better during the day.
He woke up joyful.
“Now we see him waking up with a smile and going to bed happily. I can’t imagine life before this stage.”
What Causes Toddler Sleep Regression? Illness, Travel, and Big Changes
Just when things felt solid, life threw everything at them at once:
Hand, foot, and mouth disease
A new pregnancy
A major relocation
“All those sneaky sleep crutches we had completely eliminated—boom, they were back.”
At 22 months, they were facing frequent night wakings, bottles overnight, and a very overtired toddler. Even though they had already succeeded once, starting again felt vulnerable.
But this time, something was different.
“We made a whoops and a boo-boo and needed help again. But our confidence level was sky-high.”
Why the Second Sleep Reset Was Faster and Easier
Because they already understood the process, the second round of sleep coaching moved quickly—even with travel and mom being very pregnant.
“It was like sleep training an entirely new baby… but we had the process, so it was easier.”
Within days:
Sleep consolidated
Naps returned
And their son began asking to nap
“He literally walks to his bedroom, says ‘nap time,’ and asks to go into the crib.”
Life on the Other Side
Today, bedtime and naps are calm and predictable:
No bottles
No rocking
No resistance
Dad is fully involved.
Grandparents can handle bedtime confidently.
Everyone is sleeping—including mom, just weeks from delivering another baby.
“We finally get to eat together again. We hadn’t seen a movie in two years.”
“It feels like a privilege to put him to bed.”
Watch their full video story here:
Sleep Regression Doesn’t Mean Sleep Training Failed
If sleep unraveled after it was working, you didn’t fail—and neither did your child.
Regression during illness, travel, developmental leaps, or major life changes is normal. The key is knowing how to respond without panic and without undoing the skills your child already has.
How to Reset Sleep Gently (Without Cry-It-Out)
A Sleep Strategy Session is a 60-minute Zoom call where we:
Assess your child’s sleep history
Identify what caused the regression
Decide whether you need a reset or deeper support
Already Sleep Trained—but Stuck?
I created a Sleep Regression Guide specifically for families whose children already have good sleep skills but need a refresh during:
Illness
Travel
Developmental changes
Big life transitions
Download the Sleep Regression Guide
You’re not back at square one.
You’re just at a reset point—and support makes all the difference.
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Hello, I'm Joanna with blissful baby sleep coaching. And we're here with another success story, their son. They first came to me when their son was 15 months old. We totally successfully sleep trained him and nap trained him, and it was awesome, right? Yeah. And then little guy got really sick with hand, foot and mouth. They were also in a big transition with possibly moving. And so all those sneaky sleep crutches that we had completely eliminated, boom, they were back.
Yes. We actually then had to do a second session, if you will, of sleep training again when he was two months old. 24 months old. 22 months old. 22 months old, yes. So as we're going through the sleep success story, I just wanted everyone to kind of understand that they've got two really unique perspectives on doing sleep coaching with a 15 month old and doing a sleep coaching with a 22 month old, which are two entirely different creatures.
So my first question always is, what was life like before you called me? Yeah. So we actually tried approaching you at seven, eight months when our baby was that old. And there was a lot of misinformation with cry it out method. And that was something that really scared us. And then we ultimately decided to not go through with it. And life at the time seemed okay. Like we were involuntarily bringing on a lot of crutches just to make him sleep and keep him asleep, which we didn't know at the time that we were doing like we were rocking, we were singing, we're doing like a bunch of things, which seemed harmless, which is harmless.
And we had the bottle, we had the pacifier, we had like a bunch of things that were going on to try and get him to stay asleep. And we continue to do that for a year, until he was a year. And then we had a big trip where we co slept for like a month and a half or something. And after that he just would not go back to his crib.
And it. It was almost two to three months until he was 15 months that we had to go through that process where he was asleep with us in the bed at first, but then he'll keep on waking up during the night. So he will only sleep for about 30 to 45 minutes at a time. And then he wake up and he'll ask for a bottle and then he fall asleep on the bottle.
And what ended up happening was he was having just so much milk at night that he was not eating enough in the morning time. So like whenever we would try to introduce food, solid foods, he would just not Accept it because he was getting all of those calories at night. And so it was like a pretty bad cycle of giving him the bottle, trying to keep him asleep for both of us.
There was no sleep at all for the three, four months that we went through it. Yeah. And then ultimately we kind of went back and we looked at Joanna for help. Yeah. And Dad, I also remember during that time that maybe, like, it was getting harder for you to help him with go to sleep or go back to sleep. Wasn't he kind of getting mommy preferenced where your son was like, even though you were co sleeping and doing all the things, he was always, like, wanting mom instead of like, you?
Yeah, yeah. No, I think it was. It was super hard, you know, almost so much so that I was like questioning, like, come on, like, baby, why are you not sleeping with me? But. But yeah, it was super hard. And I think we were not sleeping enough like Utra said. And, you know, that was making us irritable as well. So it was. Don't imagine that life again. Yeah, exactly.
Yes, exactly. Like just irritable. And nothing was working. Okay. And then mom, you had said that you, you know, initially at seven months, you were like, I don't want to do cry it out. That's all I see in the marketplace. Yeah. That's why you didn't make any changes at seven or eight months. But then here you are at 15 months now you're desperate. Like, now you've gone way down.
Like, your ability to tolerate what's going on. Like dad said, like, highly irrit. No sleep. Yeah. So then you were like, all right, I've got to find an alternative to cry it out. So you found me because I'm a gentle sleep coach. And so what was it like to, you know, get that support, that. How did that feel for you to. So I think first of all, what I want to say is that Joanna is very systematic.
Like, so even before we started the coaching, I remember that you had asked us to do like a log of everything that he does. So that kind of first of all gave us the idea that we are in the right path. Like, you know, we are working with someone who actually knows what to do and like it. You made it very clear that this was not a cry it out method.
This was a slow transition. And of course we had to keep an open mind that there is, whenever there is transition, whenever there is change, a baby is going to resist. So we, we had to trust that and we went with the flow at the time to, you know, Kind of get that understanding in because we didn't know that we had introduced all of these crutches that were crutches.
Like, we didn't even know. We just thought that was just part of how a baby sleeps because everybody does it. Yeah. So I think that's. That was one thing that immediately kind of hit that once you started with the coaching process, we kind of got the understanding of what we are supposed to do, the bare minimum things that we're supposed to do versus everything else that we were doing.
But. Yeah. Do you want to add something else? Yeah, no. I mean, it was, it was crazy. Like, you know, I even learned about, like all the different cycles of sleep. Like, you know, who knew like all of that existed? Right. So when you start learning a little bit more about the science behind, you know, what happens and why it happens, I think it sort of gets you to a stage of then starting to figure out, okay, now how do we use that understanding, you know, to give the baby, you know, what he really needs, which is a good amount of sleep so that he's actually excited.
Even he was not doing well. Like, he was irritable, like when he would be up. Like, I mean, now we see him, you know, after that he's deep trained, like waking up with a smile and like going to bed, like happily. Like, you know, like I said, I can't imagine, you know, life before the stage. Yeah. Like, we're at the point now, you guys, where he literally reaches for his crib and he tells his parents that he is ready for his nap.
Yes, correct. Walking towards the bedroom, saying, it's nap time. Yeah. Not in a million years did anyone expect that result that, that, that we were able to use, you know, behavioral science and sleep science to really match it with what his needs were. Yes. Move in very, very incremental small steps. Yeah. You know, and like I said, like we did it once when he was 15 months and you guys had a great run where everything was great for several months and then the illness came and then you by accident reintroduced sleep crutches and this happened.
So I think it's an important topic because a lot of parents will say to me, oh, my God, if I do this with you, am I ever going to have to do it again? And I say, it depends. And they go, what? And I say, well, if we find out your child is highly sleep crutch prone, if you reintroduce the crutches for too long and consistently, like bedtime at, you know, each interval all night long, then yes.
That child will gladly take as many sleep crutches as you're willing to offer, and you will have what's considered a full sleep regression, meaning your child wasn't waking up at night, and now they're waking up again four or five times a night. Yeah. And that's what happened to you guys. And it was hard, but also knew you could come back to me for help. That there was no shame.
Yeah. There was no judgment. It was like, you know what? We made a whoops and a boo boo and we need help again. And when we worked again, like, your confidence level was, like, sky high. You're like, we know. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. I think that's. That's a very good point that, you know. First of all, during this age, right between one and two years, the baby's personality is changing every month.
So he definitely was not the same baby at 15 months as he was at 22 months when we started again. When we were, you know, during that phase of regression plus illness that we went through at 15 months, we kind of understood very quickly that we made the boo boo. Like, we should not have done those things because we've noticed it consistently that our baby thrives with consistency.
Like he wants a schedule. And having known that if he had just been a little more resistant to the changes that we were, because we actually introduced the changes, he probably didn't even need it. So that was like, a lesson that we learned after the fact that, okay, we made this mistake, but we know exactly what we did wrong that got us here. And I think at the time, I was also pregnant, and there was, like, some priorities in terms of, like, emotionally I was just unable to hear him cry.
So, like, I felt the need to go and grab him and just stop the cries for, you know, even a little bit. So I think it was kind of an emotional time as well for me that we thought, okay, you know, it's okay. The main thing is that he sleeps, and I don't care for now. So we'll just do what we do, and then we'll figure out once he's a little more, you know, aware, and then, you know, we reintroduce it.
So now, like, when do we know that? What is the right time to do it again? So I guess, you know, that's also important to know that, you know, your baby will actually tell you in many ways that he wants to sleep better. And like he said, the main change that we noticed was that he was a happier baby when he was sleeping through the night. And and then, like, we started noticing that he was just getting really, really cranky.
And, like, he was, you know, very irritable. You know, he was not happy at all. At bedtime, he would wake up grumpy. And at 22 months, like, he was also having a speech burst at the time. So we kind of figured out that this is the right time to do it, even from, like, very heavily pregnant point of view, that we wanted to make sure that before the second baby, yes, he is sleep trained.
And that was kind of the window that we found that this is, like the perfect window right now that we give him a couple of months and he will be able to master it. And we saw, like, the things that we did the first time around, and we incorporated a lot of those now. But I want to reiterate that he was not the same baby. He was an entirely different baby at 15 months, and he was an entirely different baby at 22 months.
So it was like sleep training, an entirely new baby. But we knew the process, so it became easier for us to actually go through with it. And we made success pretty soon. And that is the most important thing. So. Yeah. Yeah. And exactly. And again, if there's ever a regression, parents will also say, okay, well, if I have to sleep train again, like, how quickly can they learn?
And I say, very quickly. I mean, usually within a week, we're seeing massive improvement. Yes. And then towards full mastery, where you're getting the beautiful, you know, life that you're getting now. You know, I mean, within two weeks. And now it's been six weeks where he's sleeping through the night and taking impeccable naps. So why don't you tell everyone what sleep looks like now? So it's amazing. First of all, there are no res.
There is no resistance to wanting to go to sleep. He knows it's part of his daily routine. He understands that there is, like, a pattern that he needs to follow, and he's happily doing it. He plays when he plays, and when it's time to sleep, he understands that he has to sleep. And he, you know, we start his night routine at around, you know, 6, 30ish, typically. And he knows, like, once the night routine has started, you know, this is the pattern.
Like you do A, B, C. Like, it's kind of like that. And then he has to go into the crib and then he has to fall asleep. And there are days when he would just be like, I, I just want to go to sleep. And he will tell us that, you know, you can just Put me in the crib and bye. Bye. So he's gotten to that stage in the afternoons.
He's like his own nap captain. He will be like at 12:30, he's like, okay, bye, I'm done. And then he'll just go inside to sleep. So yeah, he's gotten really good at it. He sometimes will have some arousals in between. Like if he's startled by a sound or something, he would wake up. But then now we are known to the process and you know, we know not to disturb him.
So he has mastered his sleep skills so well that he can actually now go back to sleep on his own. And you know, those, those things are important to know as parents. And I think first time parents, we are, you know, overly cautious. You know, he's sleeping so well, but we still have the baby monitor on all the time and we are still, you know, constantly watching him.
We don't have to anymore, but we still do it. And so like we, we see that, you know, even if he tosses and turns and you know, there are times that he'll actually sit up and he'll just look around, but then he'll fall asleep again. So like that's, that's, that's like great transition that we are seeing now in our baby and like amazing mood. So it's, it has so many benefits.
Like his mood is great, he's eating well, which was another, you know, point of concern that we had initially. His, you know, milk intake has gone really down, which is another thing that we wanted, like, we wanted him to have other foods and not just rely on milk. So yeah, so all of those things like, are great positives that we have seen just from sleep training. Like there are so many things that are interrelated to one part.
And I think you also said you got the speech burst. Yeah, yeah, that was a big one. Right? So like, you know, when your child's, you know, between 15 and 18 months, some speech starts coming and you guys were like, what? We want more, we want more speech. And then once we trained him again, like the speech started just, you know, pouring out, which is. Yeah, so if, like, so now we know that life is better.
We know that the second baby is coming any day now, which is amazing. The parents have been integrated. Dad, you've been integrated. So talk about what it was like to now be in a situation where like you can handle the everything. Like you, if, if mom's in the hospital and you're home with your son, like no problem. Like talk about that super Easy. Well, it was not the case like before we did this, but, you know, same thing, right?
Like, he knows when he wants to go back in and get his nap. Or like, you know, he knows when it's like, you know, sleep time at night. So the schedule is the same. Like, he does it now with any of us in the family, which is. Which is amazing because there used to be a preference that he had for mom. You know, it feels great to be able to do this with your son.
And, you know, that's, I guess, the. On the emotional side of things, like, you know, you feel good about it yourself in a way that you're able to do this and your son's been sort of able to spend time, know, with you, like, read a book, you know, get him to bed. I think all of that is. Sounds super simple, but it's. It's actually a privilege. It is a privilege.
And I often say to families, like, when. When you have a situation where you kind of had a mommy preference going on, the dad often feels like really on the periphery. Even though dad wants to be totally involved, the baby kind of creates this, like, barrier. It's kind of an invisible barrier. And so then the dad kind of has this feeling like, well, whenever I try to help, I actually make things wor.
Right. And so now the benefit of sleep training is what we get is dad and baby are bonded. Dad and baby trust each other. Dad and baby have their own cute little pattern. Dad gets to have that beautiful experience of reading the book. I mean, there's just never. There's nothing better than sitting with your kid on your lap reading a book, and then a final kiss. Put him in the crib, walk out the door and be like, it's 7:30.
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it just is, right? I mean, it's such a massive accomplishment. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I. I want to actually say, you had told me when we had started the process that he needs to have association with the routine and not the person. And not the person. Yeah. And that was something that we didn't really think how important it was at the time. Now we do that.
It really doesn't matter if I'm doing the routine or he's doing the routine or any of the grandparents is doing it or the neighbor is doing it. Like, he's actually fine. He go to sleep because he knows that he has to take a bath, he has to read a book, and then he has to go to the crib and he has to sleep all night. Like, he knows that.
So that's amazing. Amazing. So what's possible for you guys now that literally was not possible before working with me? Yeah. I think eating together is the main one for us. So we were never able to eat together at the same time for the longest time because one of us was always on call with our baby. And that's changed. Now we definitely get to spend some evenings together, which is amazing.
You know, just talk, actually about anything, which has been great. Yeah. Watch tv. Yeah. A bunch of different things that we had not caught upon over the last couple years, so. Yeah. Last couple years. Yeah. Oh, yeah. We had a lot to catch up in the last 20 years. Yeah. Yeah. Like, we hadn't seen a movie in two years, so. Yeah. So just getting able to start a movie and finish the movie the same night, that was like, wow.
I know, right? So simple pleasures. Okay, cool. So when you guys. If you guys ever bump into a family that is either scared to do sleep training or doesn't believe it's going to work for them because their case is too hard or they have a misperception that the only way to sleep train is cried out, like, what. What do you guys. I'd love dad to share first. Like, what do you guys want people to know about.
About it if they're like, I don't know. Yeah, we were just joking about it. Right. Like, you know, I'm gonna show him. Show the. Show the family, like our kid, you know, sleeping soundly and. And tell them that this is what is possible. Right. And you can actually go, you know, have dinner, watch a TV show or, like, watch a movie, like, while that's happening, and actually get your life in order.
And more importantly, get some sleep. If you want to get some sleep yourself and actually wake up with your kid and have the energy to play with the kid. So I think that's what is really possible. And having gone through this now a couple of times, I would say that we were actually apprehensive the first time ourselves. And it wasn't necessarily easy. We had to learn, we had to teach, and we had to go through the process.
So it's going to be a journey, and that's going to be the key. And it's really good for the baby, it's good for the parents, it's good for everyone else in the household, and, you know, that's ultimately what you want. Yeah. How about you, Mom? Yeah, I completely agree that it's a journey. It's going to be a slow transition. We had spoken about it initially as well, that Even though it's not a cry it out method, there are going to be some cries because our babies are smart, like they are going to be resistant to change.
They want, you know, things the easy way. They. So it's when, when we take some of those pleasures away, it's not going to be great. Like even as adults we don't like it. So. So it's going to be a slow transition. There are going to be some cries realistically. But like having gone through the process now and it's been like two months of a sleep trained baby, those four or five days in the initial days when we were sleep training him and there were some cries, they seem like a distant past now because the baby is just doing so well.
He is in great mood. He's, you know, doing well all over, all around. And I think when you look at that, it's like a small price to pay. But that's a price that we pay as parents because to be very honest, the baby is fine. Like we have to accept the fact that it's not, you know, a cried out method where they are completely abandoning the baby and just leaving them to fend for themselves.
Like that's not what we are doing here. This is a slow, easy, gradual process that is even acceptable for the child. Like they understand, they see you, they understand that there is a change going on. They are going to be resistant to the change at first, but I promise you that they will accept it and that this is great for them in a lot of ways. Exactly. And I think that's really important to say is that there is no such thing as a.
No. Yeah. No crying. And the way I like to, because the word crying can be very triggering. So it's like the word for me is more like level of protest. Like. Yeah. Are they protesting because they're frustrated? Are they processing because they're confused? Yeah. Protesting because you're being super inconsistent and they don't know what you're doing. So there's, you know, the way I work is really deep in decoding the nature of the protest so that we can respond appropriately.
And that's the key thing is always looking at what the trigger is and how we can respond appropriately in order to still make progress. Yeah. Still able to offer support, verbal support, physical support. We're physically in the room, we're available to them. Yeah. It's not giving them the crutch every single time. Yeah, yeah, exactly. Skills to be built. Yeah. Awesome. Well, thank you so much for sharing your story.
You're, you're two time, two time winner. And I think you have learned well and it will be great because now your baby's sleeping and now when you go to have, you know, your new family member coming any day now, you can do this with confidence that your child is home and sleeping well and anyone can put him to sleep, which is amazing. Yeah. Yeah. We are so excited about that.
This definitely was the main point of concern for us, you know, with. With a new baby coming in. So, yeah, I just want to say to the moms out there that, you know, just be patient. You know, we are all doing the best that we can. And, you know, this is a great option to actually consider because we are seeing the change in our baby that just sleep can bring.
So, like, sleep is connected to so many things of, you know, being well all around. And once we fix that small, tiny thing, it just changes to your baby. Yeah, exactly. Okay. Well, thank you so much. Yeah, thanks, Joanna. Okay.
Best Investment Ever: Hired Joanna for Both Kiddos.
Best Investment Ever. 2X Over
When parents experience real sleep—blissful, predictable, sustainable sleep—they want it for every child in their home.
That’s exactly what happened for Myra and her husband.
Not once.
Twice.
Working with a tenured sleep expert two times showed them something powerful:
sleep coaching doesn’t just change nights—it changes everything.
The First Time: Survival Mode
When Myra first reached out, her 18-month-old had never slept through the night.
They had just moved.
Started a new daycare.
Both parents were exhausted and barely functioning.
“We were struggling with meal prepping because we were so tired all the time. We were just getting takeout, spending too much money. Our house was a mess. We were having trouble concentrating at work,” Myra recalls. “Our son had behavioral issues because he wasn’t sleeping. Everyone was grumpy.”
They weren’t failing as parents.
They were sleep-deprived.
After a few weeks of tailored sleep coaching, everything shifted:
Their toddler slept through the night
Their home felt calmer
Their energy returned
And for years, sleep stayed solid.
The Second Time: Trusting the Process
When baby #2 arrived, they didn’t wait for rock bottom.
This baby was calmer—but still struggled with night wakings and naps.
And this time, Myra was also navigating postpartum depression and anxiety.
Her therapist was clear:
Healing requires consolidated sleep.
They reached out when their son was six months old—ready to begin.
But here’s the key difference with experienced, ethical sleep coaching:
Readiness matters.
He wasn’t quite there yet.
He had just started wearing a cranial helmet (causing overheating)
His mobility wasn’t fully developed
So we waited.
One month later—at seven months—he was ready.
That patience made all the difference.
(Assessing readiness—of both child and parent—is a core part of my Stairway to Sleep™ process.)
Why Customization Changes Everything
Sleep coaching is not one-size-fits-all.
Each child.
Each season.
Each family.
“What I love about working with Joanna is that we always had a tailored plan,” Myra says. “We knew exactly what to do, what to look out for, and how to adjust as we went along. That was so helpful.”
That flexibility allowed her to support her baby’s sleep and protect her mental health.
The Results: Life, Reclaimed
Today:
Two hands-free naps a day
Sleeping through the night
A calm, thriving household
Myra shared that…“I can actually have time for myself now. I can have a quiet dinner, go to bed early, take a shower, and just decompress,” she shares. “I was even able to attend a work conference in another state because my husband and our nanny could put both boys to sleep without an issue.”
She even traveled out of state for work, confident her husband and nanny could handle bedtime with ease.
And here’s the part that matters most:
With their first child, they had considered quitting their jobs and moving closer to family.
Once sleep improved?
They realized they loved their home, their new community, their careers, and their new life.
Sleep deprivation had been clouding everything.
“The Best Investment We Ever Made”
For parents on the fence, Myra says it best:
“We did this twice, with two very different kids at different ages, and both are still great sleepers years later. It was the best investment we ever made. Sleep deprivation clouds every aspect of life—your marriage, your work, your mental health. When that burden lifts, everything changes.”
Sleep isn’t a luxury.
It’s a foundation.
And with the right guidance, it’s absolutely within reach.
Ready to See These Benefits in Your Family?
Sleep coaching isn’t about control or discipline. It’s about creating the right environment and circumstance, using proven sleep science and attachment theory, and responding with sensitivity so your child can learn the essential skill of sleep. And in the process, your relationship grows stronger than ever.
Book your sleep strategy session and let’s determine the right next steps for your child and your family.
At Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching, I believe that sleep is a learned skill, and every child is capable of learning it—with the right guidance and support.
Whether you’re a working parent juggling deadlines or simply a family in need of rest, know this: there is always help and hope available.
If you’ve been hesitating, wondering if sleep coaching is right for you, let me reassure you: the hardest part is deciding to start. From there, with expert guidance and your dedication, the progress will come quickly. This is your chance to transform your life in a way few other things can.
Ready to take the leap? Let’s talk about how sleep coaching can create your family’s transformation. You deserve this. Your baby deserves this. And your future self will thank you.
Let’s start with an easy first step, schedule a Sleep Strategy Session so me, you and your partner can have an 1 hr long zoom session so I can properly assess the sleep situation and determine if you need one-on-one sleep coaching support.
Let’s get your baby sleeping—and get YOU your sanity back.
If you are still wondering if I can help, please know I do NOT advocate 'cry-it-out'. I am a Gentle Sleep Coach. If you want to learn about my guilt-free and gentle process, please go to these links.
The Blissful Baby Stairway to Sleep
Please join my Sleep is Bliss Tribe in Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn so we can stay connected and you can continue to get amazing resources on sleep and family wellness.
Sleep is Bliss, Let's Get you more!
What Gets in the Way of Success with Sleep Coaching?
Many families come to me after they've tried and struggled with various sleep solutions—whether it's books, DIY methods, or even other sleep coaches. It's common to feel frustrated or as though you've hit a wall, but it's important to remember that these challenges aren’t a reflection of failure. Most of the time, families are missing some essential elements that can make all the difference in achieving sleep success.
When there are ongoing sleep struggles, it's usually a family system issue, not just about the child lacking sleep skills. It’s sometimes about routines, strategies, how this parent does it versus the other parent. It’s about trying to navigate multiple family schedules, older children, younger children, all of that. For families struggling, it’s crucial to look at the bigger picture and consider all of that when creating a sleep plan.
Sleep Coaching Obstacles
Here are the most common obstacles that get in the way of success with sleep coaching:
1. Lack of a Clear Sleep Plan
Many families try to tackle sleep issues without a structured plan, often resorting to trial and error with different techniques. Without a clear strategy, it’s easy to fall back on inconsistent patterns, which makes it difficult for your child to develop solid sleep skills.
Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching offers a customized plan, tailored to your child and family’s specific needs and goals.The Blissful Baby Stairway to Sleep™process starts with gathering information about your family. I gather detailed sleep logs, client history, and temperament assessments on you and your child. This includes your parenting aspirations and wish list, also known as your Sweet Dreams.
2. Lack of Agreement Between Parents or Caregivers
One of the biggest hurdles I see is when both parents or caregivers aren’t on the same page about the sleep coaching approach. If one parent is following a gentle sleep coaching method while the other is doing something completely different, it can create confusion for the child. This inconsistency can hinder progress and make it harder for sleep skills to take root. Both partners need to agree on the approach, stay consistent, and support one another.
If you and your partner both want to solve the sleep struggles, it’s crucial to remember something I always say: “Don’t disagree on something you already agree on.” At the end of the day, you both want the same thing—better sleep for your child and a more harmonious household. I’ve seen many families face this struggle and come out of the process stronger, working as a team and supporting one another. The key is to find a way to honor both of your perspectives while keeping your shared goal in focus. Together, we can create a plan that respects each of your wishes and brings you closer as partners on this journey.
3. Inconsistency in Sleep Coaching Approach
For sleep coaching to be effective, consistency is crucial. Whether you’re using a gentle method or looking for alternatives to cry it out, switching techniques too soon or being inconsistent with bedtime routines can make it difficult for your child to learn proper sleep habits. Sleep coaching is not a one-night fix; it requires a commitment to a plan for at least two to four weeks. This consistency provides the structure needed for your child to feel safe and confident as they learn to self-soothe and develop sleep independence.
At Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching, I provide a supportive environment that helps families stay consistent and focused. My coaching packages include regular follow-up calls that are designed to keep you on track. These check-ins offer personalized support, allowing us to troubleshoot any issues or scenarios that may arise during the process. By providing ongoing guidance, I ensure that you’re never left feeling uncertain or alone—giving you the tools and reassurance needed to maintain consistency and achieve long-term sleep success for your family.
4. One Parent Shouldering the Responsibility Alone
Often, one parent takes on the bulk of the sleep coaching responsibility, leading to burnout and frustration. For long-term success, it's important that all caregivers—including partners, grandparents, or even nannies—work together as a team. This unified approach ensures that your child receives consistent cues about sleep, regardless of who is putting them down for the night.
The Family System Approach: A Team Effort
Sleep coaching is about more than just teaching your child to sleep—it’s about creating a system where everyone in the family is aligned and committed to the same goal. Successful sleep coaching involves a team effort, where every caregiver follows the same plan and communicates effectively.
Sleep coaching isn’t about restriction—it’s about creating freedom. With healthy sleep habits in place, you’ll be able to travel with ease, knowing your child can sleep well no matter where you are. Grandparents or babysitters can confidently put your little one to bed without struggle, allowing you the flexibility to enjoy your time away.
Rather than being a disruption, sleep coaching gives your family the gift of consistency and adaptability. When your child has strong, portable sleep skills, life’s adventures—whether it’s a weekend getaway or a night at Grandma’s—become seamless and enjoyable for everyone.
Ready to Sleep Again? Let’s Do This.
If you’re thinking, “Okay, I kinda-sorta-maybe want to try this, but I still have questions,”—that’s what I’m here for.
Let’s start with an easy first step, schedule a Sleep Strategy Session so me, you and your partner can have an 1 hr long zoom session so I can properly assess the sleep situation and determine if you need one-on-one sleep coaching support.
Let’s get your baby sleeping—and get YOU your sanity back.
If you are still wondering if I can help, please know I do NOT advocate 'cry-it-out'. I am a Gentle Sleep Coach. If you want to learn about my guilt-free and gentle process, please go to these links.
The Blissful Baby Stairway to Sleep
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