How One IVF Mama Let Go of the Guilt, Got Her Baby Sleeping, and Reclaimed Her Health and Future
"We Got Our Life Back And the Hope of Growing Our Family Again"
There’s a special kind of exhaustion that only a parent knows—and an even deeper one if you’ve walked the road of IVF to finally hold your baby in your arms.
You’re overjoyed.
Grateful beyond words.
But also? Bone tired.
Emotionally drained & confused about what to do next.
If you’re here, maybe this sounds familiar.
You’ve fought hard to become a parent—possibly through multiple IVF rounds—and now that your miracle baby is here, you feel this constant pressure to "enjoy every second."
But what happens when you're barely surviving the nights?
That’s exactly where my client “AH” found herself.
The IVF Joy... and the Overwhelm That Followed
My client and her husband welcomed their baby boy after several rounds of IVF. It was, as she says, “a dream come true.” She was all in—doing everything possible to make sure he was healthy and happy. Rocking, feeding to sleep, bouncing for over an hour just to get a short nap. Every moment felt worth it... until the exhaustion started stealing her health, her joy, and her ability to show up as the mom she wanted to be.
Around five months in, everything came to a head.
“We were not able to get him to sleep any other way,” she shared. “Sleep deprivation started to affect my health and my ability to be the best mother I could be.”
When Guilt Meets Burnout
Here’s the tricky thing for so many IVF parents: there’s guilt. Guilt for being tired. Guilt for wanting a break. Guilt for not enjoying every moment when you fought so hard to have this child.
My client felt this exact dilemma.
“I really struggled... because I felt like I was failing since we couldn’t get him to sleep,” she says. “I knew we needed help. I wanted to be present and enjoy our son. But I just couldn’t keep doing it like this.”
And beneath all that exhaustion was another quiet heartbreak: my client wanted another baby—but couldn't even consider going through IVF again with the way things were. Her body was worn down, her energy was depleted, and emotionally, it all felt impossible.
And for anyone who's walked the IVF path, you know—your body has to be in a good place for it to even work. It’s demanding, it's expensive, and it's not something you can enter into half-running on fumes. Sleep wasn’t just a “nice to have.” It was the barrier between AH and the hope of expanding her family.
The Turning Point: Gentle Guidance and a Root-Cause Revelation
After talking to her pediatrician and doing her research, my client found me—and our first consultation shifted everything.
“I immediately felt supported,” she recalls. “Joanna provided such a safe space to talk through everything.”
We were able to begin gentle sleep training with a plan tailored exactly to his needs and temperament.
“Joanna was with us every step of the way and now, he sleeps 12 hours at night and takes happy, restful naps during the day.”
A New Season: Rest, Reconnection, and Room for More
But this isn’t just a sleep story—it’s a life story.
With her son finally sleeping, my client experienced something she hadn’t felt in a long time: relief. And more than that, hope.
She and her husband began reconnecting as partners.
They started feeling like themselves again. And for the first time in months, my client could imagine trying for another baby—and this time, knowing she had the tools and support to create healthy rhythms from the start.
“We finally have more quality time together as a family, as a couple, and as individuals,” she said. “It’s opened our future again. Sleep is no longer a roadblock to growing our family.”
You're Not Alone
If you’ve been through IVF—or just had a tough road to get here—you know how precious each moment is. But you also deserve rest. You deserve a second child when you're ready, not when your exhaustion lets up. And that might start with a good night’s sleep.
If you're like this mom—grateful for the baby in your arms, but unsure how to keep going—know this: it’s okay to want more.
It’s okay to need help.
It’s okay to prioritize your health and your future.
Let’s get your life back, too. I am here to help YOU and your child to become a well-rested family.
Take the First Step
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
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