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Empowering the Next Generation: Celebrating Women's History Month
Because I work with parents of young children, I believe that empowering women begins with supporting girls—helping them build confidence, resilience, and leadership skills from an early age.
One of the best ways to do this is by getting our daughters involved in organizations that uplift, mentor, and encourage them to pursue their dreams. Whether through leadership development, STEM education, sports, or advocacy, these organizations are shaping the next generation of fearless female leaders.
March is Women’s History Month, a time to reflect on the incredible achievements of women past and present. As a proud Board Member of WO3 Connect, a grassroots movement to partner, promote and support women-owned businesses, I will be interviewing some AMAZING female entrepreneurs who contribute to the success of families. I would appreciate you getting involved in W03 Day on March 29, 2025. It's easy and it's FUN!
To celebrate Women’s History Month, I want to highlight some amazing girl empowerment organizations that provide incredible opportunities for girls to grow, learn, and lead.
Leadership & Mentorship
Girls Inc. – Inspires girls to be strong, smart, and bold through mentorship, education, and leadership programs.
Girls on the Run – Combines running with life skills to build confidence and resilience in young girls.
Girl Scouts of the USA – Encourages leadership, community service, and skill-building through badge-earning activities.
She’s the First – Supports girls' education and leadership opportunities worldwide.
Step Up – Provides mentorship and career readiness programs for girls in underserved communities.
STEM & Education
Girls Who Code – Works to close the gender gap in technology by teaching girls coding and computer science skills.
Black Girls Code – Empowers young Black girls to enter STEM fields through coding workshops and mentorship.
Techbridge Girls – Supports underserved girls in STEM by providing educational resources and role models.
Kode With Klossy – Offers free coding camps for girls interested in technology and computer science.
Sports & Confidence Building
Play Like a Girl – Encourages girls to stay active in sports while building leadership and STEM skills.
Fast and Female – Inspires girls to participate in sports and embrace an active lifestyle.
Girls Leadership – Provides programs to help girls develop confidence, resilience, and communication skills.
Advocacy & Social Change
Malala Fund – Advocates for girls’ education and empowers young activists worldwide.
Hardy Girls Healthy Women – Encourages girls to challenge stereotypes and become leaders for social change.
Girl Up – A global movement that empowers girls to fight for gender equality.
Strong Women Strong Girls – A mentorship organization connecting girls with college women and professional role models.
Entrepreneurship & Career Readiness
The Female Lead – Offers educational resources and showcases female role models in different careers.
Girls With Impact – A business academy for teen girls to develop entrepreneurial skills and launch ventures.
Pretty Brown Girl – Focuses on empowering girls of color through self-love, leadership, and education.
Smart Girl HQ – Provides hands-on STEM and career exploration programs for young girls.
Why This Matters
As parents, caregivers, and community members, we have the power to encourage our girls to dream big, take risks, and believe in themselves. Organizations like these give them the support they need to grow into confident, capable young women who will change the world.
This Women’s History Month, let’s celebrate not just the women who paved the way before us but also the girls who will shape the future. Whether through mentorship, advocacy, education, or entrepreneurship, these organizations are empowering girls to reach their full potential.
Let’s uplift and invest in the next generation of strong women—our daughters, nieces, and the young girls in our communities. Who knows? The next history-maker might be growing up right in your home.
Are you involved in a girl empowerment organization or know a young girl who would love to join one? Share this list and spread the word!
GET INVOLVED WITH WO3: Embracing the spirit of unity and empowerment, joining the movement to champion women-owned businesses this March is as effortless as following three simple steps. Here's how you can become a part of this vibrant celebration:
Sign up for March Reminders:
Begin your journey by registering to receive enchanting, cost-free ideas that make it easy to support, promote, and partner with small, women-owned businesses.
This initiative builds momentum towards the climax of WO3 Day. You can sign up here.
Spread the Enthusiasm:
Ignite a wave of support by encouraging your friends and family to participate.
Engage with us on social media platforms for a dose of inspiration and use hashtags like #isupporther, #wo3connect, and #wo3day to amplify your impact. Find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn at WO3Connect.
Plan Your Support:
Devise a plan to back women-owned businesses throughout March with simple, yet meaningful actions.
From writing a touching review to finding creative ways to support your favorite female entrepreneurs, every effort counts.
Join us in making WO3 a jubilant celebration of women's achievements. Together, we can shine a light on the remarkable contributions of women in business. Let's connect, support, and celebrate. 🚀 #wo3connect #isupporther
WO3- I Support Her-Macall Gordon of Little Livewires
In honor of WO3 2025, I am delighted to partner, promote, and support Macall Gordon of Little Livewires!
Why Won't You Sleep? A Conversation with Macall Gordon
As a sleep coach and board member of WO3, I love celebrating and supporting female entrepreneurs who are making a real impact. I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Macall Gordon, co-author of Why Won’t You Sleep?, to discuss her research, expertise, and groundbreaking approach to understanding pediatric sleep struggles.
Macall, a Certified Gentle Sleep Coach with a Master’s in Applied Psychology, has spent years researching sleep, temperament, and parenting. But beyond her academic expertise, she brings a deeply personal perspective—raising two highly sensitive, alert children who didn’t sleep well for 18 years! Her experience has fueled her mission to shift the conversation about sleep from a rigid behavioral model to a more holistic, systems-based approach that acknowledges temperament, biological factors, and family dynamics.
The Problem with Traditional Sleep Training
Macall challenges the conventional behaviorist approach to sleep training, which often ignores a child’s temperament and development. She explains how traditional sleep advice is written for the “easy” babies—the ones who respond quickly to structured sleep programs. But what about the 10-20% of babies who struggle intensely? When sleep training fails, parents are left feeling like they’re doing something wrong.
Macall emphasizes that parents need more than a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, she advocates for understanding biological sleep disruptors—like low ferritin levels (linked to pediatric restless leg syndrome), sensory sensitivities, and even neurodivergence—all of which can impact a child’s ability to sleep well.
Giving Parents the Information They Need
In our conversation, Macall shared valuable insights, including:
Why some babies are wired to sleep while others aren’t.
The importance of recognizing physiological barriers to sleep, like reflux, oral ties, and ferritin deficiencies.
How traditional sleep books often set unrealistic expectations, creating unnecessary stress for parents.
Why parents should trust their instincts rather than feeling pressured by rigid sleep training rules.
Watch the Full Interview
If you’re a parent struggling with a child who “just won’t sleep,” this interview is a must-watch. Macall provides reassurance, research-backed insights, and real-world strategies to help families find solutions that work for them.
WO3 is all about uplifting female entrepreneurs like Macall who are making a difference in their industries. On WO3 Day, let’s remember to support women-owned businesses—whether by leaving a positive review, making a purchase, or simply spreading the word. Small actions make a big impact!
Have you experienced sleep struggles with your child? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
In our Interview, we SHOUT OUT to some other Female Owned Businesses that Macall admires and you will definitely want to check it out!
Robyn Gobbel - Author of “Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors”
Website: RobynGobbel.com -
Instagram: @robyn.gobbel
Podcast: https://robyngobbel.com/podcast
Facebook: facebook.com/robyngobbelmsw
Urban Earth Nursery in Seattle - The most amazing little boutique nursery
Website: urbanearthnursery.com
Insta: @urbanearthnursery (Seattle)
Learn more about Macall Gordon of Little Livewires:
Macall has a master’s degree in Applied Psychology from Antioch University, Seattle where she was a Senior Lecturer in the graduate Counseling Psychology program. She also has a B.S. in Human Biology from Stanford University.
She has conducted and presented research on temperament, sleep, and parenting advice at conferences around the world including the World Association for Infant Mental Health, the International Congress for Infant Studies, and the Society for Research in Child Development.
She is a certified Gentle Sleep Coach in private practice as well as a Featured Provider with the women’s telehealth platform, Maven Clinic. She has been featured on a variety of podcasts and recently on Parents.com. She just published a book, co-authored with Kim West, MSW (Benbella Books) called “Why Won’t You SLEEP?! A Gamechanging Approach for Exhausted Parents of Nonstop, Super Alert, Big Feeling Kids.”
She comes to this work because she had two sensitive, alert, intense children, and she didn’t sleep for 18 years.
Website: littlelivewires.com
Facebook @littlelivewires
Instagram @littlelivewires
GET INVOLVED: Embracing the spirit of unity and empowerment, joining the movement to champion women-owned businesses this March is as effortless as following three simple steps. Here's how you can become a part of this vibrant celebration:
Sign up for March Reminders:
Begin your journey by registering to receive enchanting, cost-free ideas that make it easy to support, promote, and partner with small, women-owned businesses.
This initiative builds momentum towards the climax of WO3 Day. You can sign up here.
Spread the Enthusiasm:
Ignite a wave of support by encouraging your friends and family to participate.
Engage with us on social media platforms for a dose of inspiration and use hashtags like #isupporther, #wo3connect, and #wo3day to amplify your impact. Find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn at WO3Connect.
Plan Your Support:
Devise a plan to back women-owned businesses throughout March with simple, yet meaningful actions.
From writing a touching review to finding creative ways to support your favorite female entrepreneurs, every effort counts.
Join us in making WO3 a jubilant celebration of women's achievements. Together, we can shine a light on the remarkable contributions of women in business. Let's connect, support, and celebrate. 🚀 #wo3connect #isupporther
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Foreign. Hello, I'm Joanna Clark of Blissful baby sleep Coaching and also a board member of W3, which is a grassroots movement to help partner, promote and support small female owned businesses. And I am delighted to be interviewing today. McCall Gordon, author of this book, why won't you sleep? Yay call. Thank you for being here. I'm gonna tell everybody about you. Can I do that before we get started?
Okay, so you guys ready? So McCall holds a master's in applied psychology from Antioch University in Seattle and a B.S. in human biology from Stanford. A certified gentle sleep coach, she has co authored why won't you sleep? And has presented research literally globally on sleep, temperament and parenting. She is also a featured provider at Maven Clinic, a women's telehealth platform. And the reason why McCall started this whole journey of becoming a thought leader in the space is because she comes to this work because she had not one, but two highly sensitive, highly alert, highly intense children that literally did not sleep for 18 years.
So McCall knows her topics well, both intellectually and from a research perspective, from an everyday mom perspective. So thank you so much for being here, McCall. Thank you so much. Thank you. Yes, yes. I don't come to this because I nailed sleep. That is for darn sure. Yes, yes, exactly. Which is usually so really, you guys, McCall is truly a thought leader in this space. She has been researching and researching and everybody I know in the sleep coaching community, because I've been this community sleep coaching industry for 13 years now, and everyone knows who McCall is and everyone wants to know McCall is thinking and researching.
And so McCall, why don't you tell us what you. What is like top of mind for you now after being in this industry for such a long time? Yeah, well, it's funny because it started when my daughter was born in 1994, honestly, where I was reading parenting magazines back then because the Internet was like barely a thing, so it was magazines and books and I was. It just.
The stuff on sleep just didn't make sense, honestly. Because, you know, they were talking about the importance of brain development and at the same time saying, but you should let your child cry. You know, be responsive, but let your kid cry in the middle of the night. And it just didn't make sense. And it still doesn't. Really, Honestly. So for me, I really think we need to change the whole perspective on sleep, which still is within a behaviorist paradigm.
So John Watson, back in the 1920s, you know this idea that, that all sleep behavior is shaped by, by behavior and what gets reinforced and what doesn't? And within that paradigm, the only thing that's important is behavior. Literally nothing else matters. And what is the outcome of that? If we're only looking at sleep through this behavioral lens, what is the outcome of that? For families, that means nothing else matters.
Right. The baby's biology, the baby's temperament, the baby's developmental status, what parents want, what parents bring to the table. Parents, cultural preferences. Literally nothing else matters, only behavior. What the baby does and how the parent responds. So all of the big sleep strategies, or I would say the main one. Right. Ferber and all those. Well, I shouldn't say all those other ones. Ferber is. And Wise Blood. Yeah.
Well, yeah, it's all the same, right, that. That the baby cries. And if you don't want the baby to wake up and cry, you just don't reward that behavior. And then the baby's behavior is extinguished. They call that extinction. It's behavior modification. It doesn't matter why the baby's crying. It doesn't matter how old the baby is or how much they cry. The fact is that if you respond, you're rewarding the behavior.
So therefore, if you. If it doesn't work, the only one that's at fault is the parent. And that. Right. It puts all the pressure on the parent, and if it fails, it's all the parent's fault. Right. Nothing else is important. Right. That's just incredibly unfair, and it's incredibly inaccurate because we all know there's a lot more that goes into slack sleep. Right? So I want to pinpoint that.
So what I hear you saying is that if we're only looking at sleep through this kind of behavioralist lens, the outcome is, is that it puts all the pressure on the parents. It puts all the shame on the parents if they don't succeed, and it raises their anxiety. And it also creates this box that they go into where they feel like they're either winning or they're losing. And there's no other reasons that they can look to or understand why they might not be successful.
And that is why you want to change the dialogue. So tell me about where you want to go. How would you rather have us look? What lens would you rather have us look? Forward. Yes, exactly. Well, let me. Let me step one, take one teeny little baby step back and then forward to exactly answer that really good question. What happens is like all the books, sleep books will say, yeah, it's really simple.
The steps are really simple. You put the baby in the crib, you leave the room and really, you guys, it's not really that hard. In like three to four nights, the baby, yeah, there'll be some crying, but in three nights it'll be over. Well, for some parents, that absolutely works. And if that's, you know, that's what happens. And yay for them. Right. Like, I can't really argue with that.
But the parents that I work with of these more intense kids, that is absolutely not what's happening. And then this paradigm doesn't tell them what to do. So these are. The kiddos are crying for hours and the books do not say what to hap. What. What to do. Right. And so these parents are completely out in the cold. Right. So what I'd rather have us do is really look at the full picture and start saying, well, maybe there are ages where we should take a more nuanced approach.
Let's look at, well, if your baby's struggling this much or at this age, or are there alternatives? Or maybe you can make different choices, or maybe you can wait or maybe you can decide what's a problem. Maybe it can be, okay, enough. You. Let's, let's. Maybe you can just work on this piece or not. Or maybe you can have the baby in your room if everyone's sleeping. Okay, that's what I don't hear.
I mean, I'm sure you run into this all the time. I had a call today with somebody whose baby was sleeping like a dream and they still thought that sleep was bad. That's a huge problem, I think, in our country, when every single parent thinks their baby's sleep is not living up to some crazy standard. Exactly. Right. Problem. Right, exactly. So we've kind of got this behavioralist standpoint which makes babies become like, almost like robots.
Like, baby must go to sleep at this time, wake up at this time, you know, etc, and it. And, and if the parent can't twist it to get it to look that way through a certain sleep training methodology, then they have failed. And the way. And what you're hoping in terms of being a thought leader and helping people, like, shape a new. A new conversation, which is, let's look at it from a systems perspective so that we can look at the entire family system and where the baby is developmentally so that we can better manage and say, okay, what are your.
What are the parents? Values, goals, cultural preferences? What are, what is the nursing plan? What is the, the, you know, the goals? What, you know, what, what are the requirements for the parents in terms of caregiving and tag teaming and all of that? And looking at this holistically, so that you're looking at from a system point of view. Yeah, well. And I'm sorry. Go ahead. Yeah. So if you could just kind of like talk about that a little bit more about the system point of view.
Because I think that's from our perspective as coaches. I think what I often tell parents is, listen, you have a long time to be a parent. You, you really can take your time. Because I think parents also get the message that they have to hurry up and get this baby on a schedule or they have to hurry up and get that baby sleeping in the crib right away or else really bad things will happen.
And, and I put the blame squarely on books for doing this. The books I've done a lot of kind of like analysis in a way of the tone of sleep books. Oh. And they really scare the pants off off of parents by saying, you better get that baby sleeping or the baby's going to have a weight problem. And ADHD if you, conduct disorder if you don't. Parents are just like quivering, they're so worried.
Yes. And most of the time when you tell parents, hey, you do not have to listen to that. It's really not true. It's not based in research. I literally see the worry like rising off of their shoulders. That's right. I think we're really doing a disservice to parents and not telling them. You really have time. The baby needs time to develop. You do not have that much control over a newborn sleep.
You really don't. And you can take your time, you can experiment, keep your expectations low, and you tell them how a baby develops over the first several months of life. And boy, oh boy, it makes a huge difference. So I think we've got to like dial the stress down for parents and let them know that they really have time to learn about themselves, to learn about their baby.
The rush to get these kiddos sleeping in ways that are just not biologically normal. I don't understand. I mean. Exactly. So, so that leads us to kind of your book. Right. Which is the question that parents are always saying, why won't my child sleep? And so what, what brought about the book and what's tell us about what's inside the book. That's going to be really helpful. So that.
So the thing I get a lot when I, when I talk to parents of even newborns is, well, my sister's baby or I have this friend who's 3 month old is sleeping like 12 hours already and mine can't Even lay down in the bassinet. What is, you know, she did this thing and I want to do that, or I tried it and my kid is just not working.
And I'm always like, well, it's not because of what your friend did. That baby is wired to do that and has done since birth. Your baby is not wired to do that. And so we start talking about temperament, and some kids are just wired to sleep, and some kids absolutely are not. Right. I always say that the line, the dividing line between kids who sleep well and those who don't is temperament.
So I wrote this book because the research, really, all of the research and virtually every single sleep book out there is written for mellow kids. Kids will get on board with just about anything you do with not that much drama, right? And the other kids, about 10 to 20%, will not get on board without a ton of drama. These are the kids who are crying for hours when parents try to do Ferber.
And these are the kids who have much bigger sleep problems, and parents are suffering a lot more, and literally no one is talking to them. So that's absolutely why I wrote the book, because these parents all feel like they're the only ones with a kid like this. I hear it every single day. Parents are like, I think I'm the only one, because I don't know anybody else with a child like mine.
Right? They're suffering really in isolation as well. Yes, they are absolutely suffering isolation. I think what you said was really potent, which is that there is this fine line between, you know, easy and hard. And what you said is the line is the temperament of the baby. That is kind of what takes this to this and that 10 to 20% or the babies are on the hard side.
But one thing I want to say about if you are listening to this and you're thinking, oh, no, I think I'm on the hard side, I want you to still know that all mostly problems are solvable with the right approach and with taking into consideration all of these other elements that we're going to about to talk about. That is in this kind of systems arena that she's trying to communicate that we don't just look at behavior, we look at temperament, we look at feeding, we look at low ferritin.
I mean, we're going to go into this. And so I want those of you that are listening to this thinking you're doomed. I please know you're not. This is why we're having this conversation. Her point is, is that there's never been a book written specifically for people who fall into the 20%. All the books have been written for the 80%. And so we are talking to those of you that are the 20% of that are constantly saying why won't my baby sleep?
And comparing and sparing with all the 80% of your friends that it's no problem. So thank you for writing this book because I think the way you language that, that the temperament is the, is the beginning of the, of the division point. So in fact, let's talk about all these other things. If we're looking at sleep through this systems part, let's go through that. Let's talk about all the other ways that we need to be evaluating a child before we go in there and start trying to like do sleep better.
Yeah, well, there's a chapter in there about like, you know, I, I kind of use a, you know, I should say we because I co authored this with Kim west, but I use sort of a, a, a trek analogy where you kind of have to get ready to, to go because this is a harder, a harder trip than with an easy kiddo. You know, I'm like an easy kiddo.
You pack a couple of snacks and you're out the door. And this one is like get the map, figure out the road, pack the car, service the, you know, like it's a big deal. So your first one of the big steps is you have to figure out if your child is ready. And that means making sure there's no big physiological things in the way because number one, it, it takes less to throw these kids, kids off because they're just more sensitive and it's like a little like Princess and the Pea.
Like it, it just takes less to be something that really stops progress. So we do look at silent reflux, feeding issues, oral ties, obstructed breathing. Right. Apnea, restless leg syndrome, any of eczema, any of those things. Low ferritin. Ferritin is restless legs. Right. So any of those things that could cause enough physiolog discomfort that's going to completely destroy a kid's ability to work on their sleep skills. Right.
Could you actually explain lo ferritin? Because a lot of people don't know what that is. Yeah, some, some children have enormous sleep struggles. Like this is not just like a little trouble with sleep. These are huge problems at bedtime and, or a big awake period in the middle of the night. And like I said, these are not small problems. These are big, long time to fall asleep with a lot of restlessness.
If they're babies, lots of crying, do not want to be lying down on the mattress. If they're older kids, they want to be standing, kicking off their legs, they want to be picked up, they want to be jumping. They're awake in the middle of the night where nothing seems to work. Some kids will sleepwalk, they'll cry in their sleep like weird problems and, and often like nothing really has worked.
Like nothing. And it's often not explained by anything else. This can be caused by low levels of ferritin in the blood. Ferritin is the iron storage factor in the blood. It's not iron, but it's related to iron. We don't know why. I have seen a lot of it partly because I get really hard sleep problems in my practice. And I don't know if it's a bigger problem now or if we're just seeing it, but it causes essentially pediatric restless leg syndrome.
And it often looks like shenanigans at bedtime. It looks like a kid who doesn't want to lay down or a kid who wants to jump on their bed. But it's because it causes this like jumpy, nervous, scared. Kids will say, I feel scared. I just had an 8 year old who wants to climb in bed with her parents or wants to be with her brother because she feels scared.
But it was like restless leg syndrome. So see, there can be problems that look behavioral but aren't physiological. Yeah, that are physiological. Exactly. And another piece that we forgot to mention was the neurodivergence. You have a really interesting statistic about that. Divergence can cause sleep challenges. Yeah. So neurodivergence. A lot of kids with adhd, autism spectrum and other other types of neurodivergence often, number one, have very low sensory thresholds or sensory processing sensitivities, which absolutely affects sleep 1,000%.
Also, kids with autism spectrum and sometimes ADHD have deficiencies in melatonin. So they just have problems with a bedtime, with a setting their bedtime like circadian clock. And also that we know that 50% of kids with ADHD and autism spectrum have restless leg syndrome. So it's worth sometimes getting them tested. So those are also in addition to the diagnoses that they have, they may also have organic sleep problems.
So it's sometimes worth getting them into a pediatric sleep clinic to get to either get a blood test or get them, you know, seen. Right. And for the blood, just you can do behavioral strategies all you want with those kids and you're going to be hitting a brick wall. Yeah, you'll be hitting a brick wall. So just to clarify, because often people think low ferritin. They think, oh, I'll just go get my child's iron tested.
And then the. If they're anemic. That's not what we're talking about. So low ferritin is the iron storage, how your body actually stores iron before it actually goes to the usage. Right. Anything from 50 or below is considered deficient. And most pediatricians don't know this at all. And so if you go to ask for a ferritin lab, they'll probably go, what? And they'll probably try to test your child for iron, trying to test them for anemia.
But you have to be very care deliberate and saying, I want ferritin. And if it's 50 or below, then you will want to talk to your doctor about supplementation so that we can raise the levels. And as the levels raise, then a lot of times the sleep disturbances and some of this crazy behavior starts to diminish, which then opens up the doorway to being able to do some behavioral modification.
But it doesn't. The behavioral modification does not work prior to the levels getting 50 or above. Yeah. And I often actually recommend people, if you get the ferritin test to actually, if you have the ability and resources to actually go to a sleep doctor, because you can't. You actually need. Often need prescription, prescription supplementation to get a multivitamin. Yeah. I have actually seen sleep problems. I say they go poof.
I, I've, I've actually seen you don't. Many people don't even need to do behavioral sleep stuff. Right. Which is amazing. Yeah, I've seen some nightmarish problems. Yeah. Go away. So McCall. So I'm sure that everyone's like thinking about this and going, oh, my God, I need the book. Like, maybe my, maybe my child is in this, like, divided road. They're in the 20%. So can you tell everybody how they can find you, how they can find the book and any other places you.
You are, Maybe some recent podcasts you've been on and things like that so that they can learn more? Sure. Website is Little Livewires because I call these kids Live Wires because they just have more juice running through their little systems. Littlelivewires.com will tell you there's also why won't you sleep dot com. So that's. Oh, okay. Yeah. It's a major booksellers, you know those and some good independent booksellers.
It's available on Kindle and Bookshop, also has an ebook. I'm in the process of recording the audiobook now so that. Okay, great. At some point soon. Great. You can also if you are looking for support in terms of like other parents. Yes. So admin two large Facebook groups. One is called Fussy Baby site on Facebook and the that's for little ones up to three and the other one is called Spirited Child.
Okay. For kiddos three to seven. Okay. And we will have all of this in the notes so you guys can easily find these. Okay. So in honor of W3 we always like to pay it forward and honor and shout out to some other women authors or women owned businesses. And McCall has two people that she'd like to do a quick shout out for. I do my. My recent favorite topical author is Robin Goble.
R O B Y N Goble. That'll be in the notes. I guess she write she has written a fantastic book called Raising kids with Big baffling Behaviors. She's got a great podcast and lots of information on her website. These are actionable items for kids who have a lot of those crazy meltdowns. So lots of these kinds of kids. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant, brilliant material. Okay. Seattle is where I don't live there now, but my house is still there and I love it.
But a great, oh great female owned queer owned nursery in Seattle called Urban Earth. It's a tiny little boutique, lovely nursery. So I definitely want to shout them out because they are amazing and it's Urban Earth. Is that what it is? Earth in Seattle? So boutique nursery. We love that because that means when you go there they'll probably help you. And we love that. It's like a little jewel right in the middle of Seattle.
It's okay. I love it. Okay, and then last question from a call is what are you gonna do on W3 Day? Which is this year it's Saturday, August 29th and the goal on WO3 Day is what or what can you do to partner, promote or support a female owned business? And remember everyone, this does not require money. It doesn't require a lot of time. Think of it as small business Saturday.
Long ago when people were like oh, small business Saturday. Let me go and do, let me go shop at a small business on Saturday. This is the same concept except it's for small women owned businesses. What can I do to partner promoter support a female owned business. And so McCall has two ideas that she is going to share with us on what she's do on w3day. Just had one but I have a good one.
Well, you really gave me a forcing function because I forget to leave positive reviews. I think I always get, you know, fired up to leave those. Not always, but when I do those negative ones. But I forget to leave reviews for books that I love or businesses that I love. So I am absolutely going to make a list of all the ones that I know about and I'm going to go leave those lovely, positive, uplifting reviews.
A thousand. Okay, I'm not even gonna wait till August. Don't even wait, you guys. Don't even wait. But it's just such a lovely sentiment. Again, the purpose of W3 day everybody is just to really stop and recognize how many incredible women you know are running small businesses but making a huge impact. And that for you to echo what they're doing out in the world, shouting them out, writing a review, referring a friend, writing them a thank you note, buying something for them if they're product based service and really making a deliberate decision to be partnering, promoting and supporting them.
Because this is the way small businesses grow. And so this is our grassroots effort. And I want to say thank you McCall for being here. I'm so happy to shout you out in the month of March of 2025 for all the incredible work that you are doing. Everybody buy the book and and we will get all these resources for you so you can find McCall if you need her for further support.
Thank you, Joanna.
Join the Movement: Celebrate WO3 & Support Women-Owned Businesses This Month
Join the WO3 Movement:
Support Women-Owned Businesses This Month
March is Women’s History Month, a time to honor the achievements, resilience, and contributions of women throughout history and today. One powerful way to celebrate? Supporting women-owned and women-led businesses.
The mission of WO3 Day lies in the power of women supporting women. That’s why we’re celebrating WO3 Day on March 29, 2025—a dedicated day to partner, promote and support women in business.
I am proud to serve on the WO3 Executive Committee to further this mission.
Here are five things you can do today (or anytime this month!) to show your support.
6 Ways to Support Women-Owned Businesses Today
💜 1. Engage & Amplify on Social Media
A simple like, comment, or share can increase visibility for a woman-owned business. Follow them on Instagram, TikTok, or LinkedIn, and help their message reach more people.
💜 2. Leave a Review & Refer Others
Word-of-mouth is gold for small businesses! Take a moment to leave a positive review on Google, Yelp, or Facebook, or personally recommend a woman-owned business to a friend.
💜 3. Shop Women-Owned
Before making your next purchase—whether it’s coffee, skincare, or home decor—look for a women-owned brand.
💜 4. Support Women Creators & Leaders
Buy books by women authors, attend events hosted by women entrepreneurs, subscribe to women-led podcasts, or donate to nonprofits that empower women and girls.
💜 5. Invest in Women’s Success
If you have the means, consider donating to or mentoring women in business. Whether it’s a Kickstarter campaign, a scholarship fund, or a mentorship opportunity, investing in women leads to stronger communities and economies.
💜 6. Sign up for the newsletter and follow WO3 on social media. This initiative builds momentum towards the climax of WO3 Day. You can sign up here.
Stay Tuned for More Daily Tips!
This month, I’m sharing daily ideas on how to support women entrepreneurs, women-led businesses, and empower girls in your community. Follow along and join the movement with #WO3Connect. Every action counts—so let’s make March a month of impact!
Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn
#WO3Connect #WO3Day #SupportWomen #WomensHistoryMonth #JoinTheMovement
Are you struggling with your child’s sleep? Could you use some support?
The first step to see if I can help you achieve beautiful, blissful sleep is to schedule a 60 minute ZOOM sleep strategy session. Go to this link and complete the contact me form and I will be in touch within 24 hours with directions on how to schedule your Sleep Strategy Session.
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!
Spring Forward Without Sleep Struggles: Daylight Saving Tips for Babies
It's that time of year again—Daylight Saving Time! For 2025, mark your calendars for Sunday, March 9th. While most people just grumble about losing an hour of sleep, for those of us with little ones, it can mean weeks of sleep battles. But fret not! With some simple preparation and gentle guidance, your baby/child can breeze through the time change without disrupting your household's sleep routine.
Let's dive into how you can prepare yourself and your children for Daylight Saving Time and explore two effective transition methods.
Preparing Your Baby Before the Time Change
Your baby may be oblivious to the impending time change, but you're not! While you've worked hard to establish a bedtime routine, it's essential to approach this transition with grace and patience. Preparation will vary for each family, but it's crucial to ensure everyone is on the same page.
Transition Method #1: Pretend Nothing Has Changed
Best for: Families with easygoing children and parents who prefer a simple approach.
Method: Stick to the usual bedtime routine—no gradual adjustments needed.
Key points:
Even though the clocks shift, keep bedtime and naptime at the same hour on the clock.
If bedtime is 7:00 pm, continue putting your child down at 7:00 pm (new time).
Avoid letting them sleep in too much to prevent throwing off their schedule.
Tips for success:
Expect some initial bedtime resistance as their body adjusts.
Use blackout curtains to reinforce sleep cues.
Maintain your regular daily routine—meals, naps, and bedtime at their usual times.
Be patient! It may take a few days for your child to feel naturally tired at bedtime.
This keeps it concise while still being informative! Let me know if you'd like any tweaks.
Transition Method #2: Slow and Steady
Designed for children who struggle with changes and families who thrive on planning, this method involves gradual adjustments starting about six days before the time change. By shifting bedtime in 10-minute increments each night, you ease your child into the new schedule. While it requires more attention, this method helps minimize disruptions and maintains your sanity.
But, instead of sending your child to bed at 7 pm one day and “6” pm the next, you’re going to begin changing their bedtime in 10-minute increments.
This example is using the 7 pm bedtime example, but adjust for your own family’s schedule:
Day 1 (March 3, 2025): Bedtime at 6:50 pm
Day 2 (March 4, 2025): Bedtime at 6:40 pm
Day 3 (March 5, 2025): Bedtime at 6:30 pm
Day 4 (March 6, 2025): Bedtime at 6:20 pm
Day 5 (March 7, 2025): Bedtime at 6:10 pm
Day 6 (March 8, 2025) - Clocks change tonight: Bedtime at 6:00 pm
Day 7 (March 9, 2025): Bedtime at 7:00 pm (new time) - but you worked your child’s schedule to be ready for this change
Additional Tips for a Smooth Transition.
Prioritize Daylight Exposure
Spend time outside, ideally in the morning before 10 am, to acclimate to the new light-dark timing.
Natural light, even on cloudy days, is more effective in aligning circadian rhythm than indoor lighting.
Take Precautions in Case of Sleep Disruption
Don't overload your schedule on the Sunday or Monday after the time change.
Schedule important events later in the week when you've had more time to adjust.
Avoid long drives immediately after the time change due to potential dangers of drowsy driving.
Upgrade Your Sleep Hygiene
Follow healthy sleep hygiene practices, including a fixed sleep schedule, bedtime routine, limiting caffeine/alcohol, and going device-free before bed.
Create a bedroom environment conducive to sleep by blocking out noise and light.
Take a Short Nap if Necessary
If experiencing significant daytime sleepiness, take a short nap (under 30 minutes) in the early afternoon.
Avoid late afternoon or evening naps to prevent difficulty falling asleep at night.
Whichever method you choose, remember to be flexible and patient. Daylight Saving Time can be a challenging adjustment for babies and parents alike, but with the right approach, you can sail through smoothly.
Wishing you a smooth and restful transition to spring!
Are you struggling with your child’s sleep? Could you use some support?
The first step to see if I can help you achieve beautiful, blissful sleep is to schedule a 60 minute ZOOM sleep strategy session. Go to this link and complete the contact me form and I will be in touch within 24 hours with directions on how to schedule your Sleep Strategy Session.
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!
Exhausted and Skeptical? Here’s Why Finding the Right Coach Delivers Results
As a certified Gentle Sleep Coach and founder of Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching, I often hear from exhausted parents who feel like they've tried everything to help their child sleep better, but nothing has worked. They are understandably skeptical and wonder if sleep coaching will be any different. Today, I want to address this concern and explain why my approach at Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching stands out and how it can make a significant difference for your family.
We have tried everything with no success, how is your process any different? Will Sleep Coaching work for me?
It is natural that they would have skepticism wondering how I will be any different from all the other things they have tried. This concern is valid.
First, let me acknowledge your journey. Trying to find a solution for your child's sleep issues can be incredibly challenging and frustrating. Many parents come to me after attempting numerous methods, from sleep training books and advice from well-meaning friends to various online resources. The frustration of seeing little to no improvement despite your best efforts can be disheartening. I understand this, and it's why I approach each family's situation with empathy and a tailored strategy. Additionally, I have a 100% Sleep Success Guarantee!
A Personalized, Child-Led Approach
What sets Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching apart is our personalized, child-led approach. Unlike one-size-fits-all solutions, our sleep coaching process is tailored to meet the unique needs of your child and your family. I take into account your child's temperament, developmental stage, and any specific challenges you may be facing. My goal is to create a customized sleep plan that respects your parenting style and aligns with your family's values.
A Holistic, Science-Based Method
My process is rooted in sleep science, behavioral science, and attachment theory. This means I look at the whole picture – not just the sleep patterns but also your child's overall well-being. Factors such as nutrition, daily routines, and emotional needs are all considered. By addressing these underlying elements, we can create a more comprehensive and effective sleep plan.
Support and Guidance Every Step of the Way
Another key difference is the level of support and guidance I provide. Sleep coaching is not just about giving you a plan and sending you on your way. At Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching, I offer ongoing support and adjustments as needed. This includes regular check-ins, troubleshooting, and encouragement. Our Sleep Strategy Session is a collaborative space where both parents' needs, wants, goals, and comfort levels are discussed, ensuring everyone is on board and committed to the process.
Building Consistency and Confidence
Consistency is crucial for success in sleep coaching. I work closely with you to ensure that everyone involved in your child's care is on the same page. This unified approach helps to build a predictable and secure environment for your child, which is essential for developing healthy sleep habits. My coaching also focuses on building your confidence as a parent, empowering you with the knowledge and tools you need to support your child's sleep journey.
Realistic Expectations and Measurable Progress
We set realistic expectations and celebrate measurable progress. Sleep coaching is not an overnight fix, but with dedication and consistency, you will see improvements. My goal is to help you achieve sustainable, long-term success. Many families who have felt hopeless and exhausted have found renewed hope and energy through our process.
Will Sleep Coaching Work for Me?
The answer is yes, if you are ready to commit to the process and work collaboratively. Success in sleep coaching requires patience, consistency, and a willingness to adapt as needed. At Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching, I am here to support you every step of the way, providing the expertise, encouragement, and personalized strategies to help your child sleep better and your family thrive.
Success Stories from Other Families
To give you a sense of hope and reassurance, I encourage you to watch our collection of video testimonials from other families who once shared your concerns. These parents, too, had tried countless methods with no success, but they found relief and remarkable improvement through our personalized sleep coaching process. Hearing their stories can provide you with a sense of community and confidence that you are not alone in this journey and that positive change is possible.
This couple had fallen down the "rabbit hole" of sleep solutions and were left still struggling with their 10 month old daughter's sleep when they reached out to me .BUTTON: Watch Their Story
This Dad Researched Many Coaches & Picked Me
Sleep Success Story: After 2 failed attempts with other sleep coaches, Joanna was the one that solved all the sleep struggles!
If you have tried everything with no success, know that you are not alone. My unique, child-led, and personalized approach at Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching can make a significant difference. By addressing the root causes of sleep issues, providing ongoing support, and creating a cohesive and consistent plan, I can help you achieve the restful nights you and your child deserve. Remember, every step you take towards better sleep is a step towards a happier, healthier family.
Are you struggling with your child’s sleep? Could you use some support?
The first step to see if I can help you achieve beautiful, blissful sleep is to schedule a 60 minute ZOOM sleep strategy session. Go to this link and complete the contact me form and I will be in touch within 24 hours with directions on how to schedule your Sleep Strategy Session.
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!
From “Reactive” to “Intentional” Co-Sleeping: Gentle Sleep Coaching Can Help
Sleep Coaching and co-sleeping can not only coexist but complement each other beautifully. However, it is important to identify what kind of “co-sleeping” is actually happening in your family bed. Are you practicing “Intentional Co-Sleeping’ or “Reactive co-sleeping”
Intrigued?
Reactive Co-Sleeping
I often see families who have accidentally become “reactive co-sleepers” …Meaning they have turned to co-sleeping out of sheer desperation, struggling to find any way to get their little ones to sleep.
These parents are usually exhausted and overwhelmed, often resorting to unsafe practices simply to catch a few hours of rest. By accident and by sure exhaustion, they may not be following essential safety guidelines, which can increase the risks associated with co-sleeping.
Most families in this reactive co-sleeping predicament admit that NO-ONE is sleeping well and they are not happy with the arrangement, but they literally do not know what else to do.
Intentional Co-Sleeping
Whereas, “Intentional co-sleeping” means you have this a family goal and family value and you have created a ‘family bed” following the specific AAP Guidelines. This is a decision that your family has thought about, researched and implemented, not something you accidentally starting doing on a bad night. Many families who share a family bed tend to be interested in the entire attachment parenting philosophy and rely on Dr. Sears for proper guidance. Also a true family bed is typically with a mattress on the floor and limited pillows, sheets/blankets and comforters.It is 100% a lifestyle choice. This can be a viable option for many families seeking closeness and convenience, especially for breastfeeding mothers, but it only works well if following all the safety guidelines and if both the child and both PARENTS ARE SLEEPING WELL (example: this is not a situation where dad on the coach complaining about no longer having access to the master bed–that’s reactive co-sleeping)!
While it's crucial to follow safety guidelines to minimize risks, recent research suggests that with proper precautions, co-sleeping can be both safe and beneficial. It's important to create a sleep environment that supports your baby's well-being and the parents sleep needs as well. By staying informed and making thoughtful choices, you can integrate co-sleeping into your family's sleep routine in a way that promotes healthy, restful sleep for everyone.
While co-sleeping has its benefits, it’s crucial to understand how it can be done safely and effectively.
Always, especially when integrating Gentle Sleep Coaching principles, My goal is to guide these families towards creating an intentional, safe, nurturing sleep environment while helping them establish healthy sleep habits for their children.
Through compassionate support and evidence-based strategies, we can transform those sleepless nights into peaceful, restful ones for both parents and babies.
Understanding Co-Sleeping
Co-sleeping, or sharing a bed with your baby, is a practice that has been used by parents around the world for centuries. It fosters closeness, eases nighttime breastfeeding, and can help both parents and babies sleep better. However, co-sleeping has also been the subject of much debate, particularly concerning the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
What Does the Research Say about Safety and Co-Sleeping?
The AAP advises against bed-sharing with infants due to the increased risk of suffocation, entrapment, and SIDS. They recommend that babies sleep in the same room as their parents but on a separate sleep surface, such as a crib or bassinet, for at least the first six months, ideally up to a year. This room-sharing practice, without bed-sharing, is shown to significantly reduce the risk of SIDS. The AAP also emphasizes the importance of placing babies on their backs to sleep, using a firm sleep surface, and keeping soft bedding and toys out of the sleep area to create a safe sleep environment.
Recent studies have shed new light on the risks associated with co-sleeping. According to an NPR article and a study published in PLOS ONE, the risks of SIDS in co-sleeping situations have been dramatically inflated. For "low-risk" infants, while bed-sharing does increase the risk slightly, the overall risk remains very low. Another study found no increased risk of SIDS for routine co-sleepers, provided certain safety measures are followed.
Safety Measures for Co-Sleeping
For families who choose to co-sleep, it is essential to do so intentionally and safely. Here are some key guidelines to ensure a safe co-sleeping environment:
Firm Mattress: Use a firm mattress with tight-fitting sheets. Avoid waterbeds, sofas, and recliners, which can increase the risk of suffocation.
Remove Hazards: Keep pillows, blankets, and stuffed animals away from the baby to reduce the risk of suffocation and overheating.
Positioning: Place the baby on their back to sleep, which is the safest position for reducing the risk of SIDS.
Avoid Gaps: Ensure there are no gaps between the mattress and the wall or headboard where the baby could become trapped.
Parental Awareness: Parents should be aware of their baby’s presence at all times and avoid alcohol, drugs, or medications that can impair their ability to wake up.
Non-Smoking Environment: Ensure that the sleeping environment is free of smoke, as smoking significantly increases the risk of SIDS.
Integrating Gentle Sleep Coaching with Co-Sleeping
Gentle Sleep Coaching practices can be effectively integrated with co-sleeping practices. Here are some tips to harmonize the two:
Consistent Bedtime Routine: Establish a calming and consistent bedtime routine that signals to your baby that it’s time to sleep. This can include a bath, reading a book, or gentle rocking.
Responsive Parenting: Gentle Sleep Coaching emphasizes responding to your baby’s needs. If your baby wakes up during the night, respond with comfort and reassurance without immediately resorting to feeding or picking up.
Sleep Associations: Help your baby develop positive sleep associations, such as a special blanket or a lullaby, which can soothe them even when they are not in your bed.
Education and Support: Educate yourself about safe co-sleeping practices and seek support from sleep coaches, pediatricians, or lactation consultants if needed.
Sleep Training and Co-Sleeping Can Work.
As a certified Gentle Sleep Coach,I have dedicated my career to helping families find the best sleep solutions that work for their family and create safe sleep environments. For more information and personalized guidance on Gentle Sleep Coaching and co-sleeping, feel free to reach out to Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching. Together, we can ensure your family enjoys peaceful and restful nights.
If you are struggling with your child’s sleep, hope and help are available.
Are you struggling with your child’s sleep? Could you use some support?
The first step to see if I can help you achieve beautiful, blissful sleep is to schedule a 60 minute ZOOM sleep strategy session. Go to this link and complete the contact me form and I will be in touch within 24 hours with directions on how to schedule your Sleep Strategy Session.
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!
Once Too Tired for More Kids—Now Thriving and Expecting Baby #2
For many parents, the struggle of sleepless nights and constant exhaustion can be so overwhelming that the idea of having another child seems unimaginable.
The lack of sleep takes a toll on every aspect of their lives—physically, mentally, and emotionally. It isn’t just about surviving the night anymore, it was about whether they could truly handle expanding their family.
For a lot of families, the decision to have more children gets put on hold because sleep challenges are just too draining.
I received the sweetest text message from a previous client, Kasie who was in that exact space. She shared a lovely family photo along with some exciting news: she’s pregnant with her second baby! Can you believe it?
Kasie and her husband had a really tough time with their first baby’s sleep. In fact, they weren’t even sure if they’d ever be ready for a second child because of how challenging their sleep journey had been. But here they are, thriving, well-rested, and expecting a new baby!
Below is a video testimonial where they talk about what life was like “before” working with me and how after sleep coaching they had a whole new life…one that included the possibility of being well-rested enough to consider a new pregnancy.
Kasie came to me when her son was just 9 months old. She and her husband were exhausted. They were trying everything to get him to sleep – co-sleeping, rocking him for hours, cluster feeding all night long. Their home was full of tension, and their energy levels were bottoming out.
Even their pediatrician simply handed them a sleep training book without any guidance. Kasie was feeling so anxious and tired and felt at her wits' end. She had heard of sleep training but wasn’t comfortable with methods that involved letting her baby "cry it out."
Alternatives to Cry it Out Methods
That’s when they found my Gentle Sleep Coaching program. Together, we built a sleep plan that didn’t involve leaving her baby to cry alone. With a better understanding of the science behind sleep, Kasie and her husband were able to gently guide their baby into learning sleep skills.
And what a transformation!
Now, Kasie and her husband actually enjoy bedtime. They even fight over who gets to put their little one to sleep because it’s such a peaceful and sweet experience.
Their son takes two solid naps each day and sleeps through the night for 12 to 13 hours.
They’ve gotten their evenings back, their bedroom back, and most importantly, their sense of peace back.
Jake, her husband, also found a renewed connection with his son and their family, feeling more capable and trusted as a dad.
Now, they’re thrilled to be expecting their second child, and sleep is no longer a source of anxiety – it’s a peaceful and happy part of their lives.
If you’re feeling like Kasie once did – tired, anxious, and unsure of where to turn for help with your baby’s sleep – I want you to know there’s hope. It doesn’t have to be this way, and you don’t have to figure it out alone. Reach out, and let’s work together to create a sleep plan that works for your family.
Are you struggling with your child’s sleep? Could you use some support?
The first step to see if I can help you achieve beautiful, blissful sleep is to schedule a 60 minute ZOOM sleep strategy session. Go to this link and complete the contact me form and I will be in touch within 24 hours with directions on how to schedule your Sleep Strategy Session.
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!
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Well, hello, I'm Joanna with Blissful Baby. Sleep Coaching. And this is another success call. And we just finished sleep coaching their baby boy who was nine months old at the time. So you guys, thank you so much for being here. What was it like before you called me Mommy? We were not sleeping. We had a grumpy baby.
We had a milestone madness baby, who was just stuck in trying to do all of the things because he wasn't sleeping well. Super cranky. He was also nap crutching, so you couldn't put him down. You had to rock him to sleep. So both of us were having to sacrifice four to five hours to have him attempt to nap and then co-sleep with mom and cluster feed throughout the night.
So life became very difficult through that 'cause it was only growing worse. The naps were going away. He was refusing our efforts to put him down. So we, we felt like we were running out of options and the ability to actually help him go to sleep. Sleep, yeah, exactly. 'cause he was also growing massively. Right. So at nine months he was like 24 pounds.
So physically he was just this big hefty boy. Yeah. And, and you were rocking and rocking and rocking and rocking multiple times a day. And then for mom cluster feeding all night. Yep. In the co-sleeping environment and essentially cluster feeding all day. 'cause how else would he grow to 24 pounds at nine months? Right. Like no hands free time for you.
I mean, mom had zero hands free time. Yeah. She was rocking, holding, nursing, changing, or I don't know. You didn't get to do anything. No. Nope. No life. No. Absolutely not. There was no time for just me ever. Never ever. Yeah. And I also recall he was doing a lot of mommy preferencing.
Right. He was being Yes. At night. He would let Jake help during the day, but not at night. Nope. He had to be on me, physically on me throughout the night to sleep. So he was laying across my body and having to nurse. And he was nursing pretty much every hour throughout the night. So neither of us were sleeping.
It was miserable. Yeah. Yeah. So then you decided like, I need help. And so what made you decide to reach out? What, was there a breaking point had you heard about coaching? Like what, what led you to the search for a sleep coach? I had heard about sleep training. We had all the books. Our, we even went to our pediatrician and asked,
what should we do? And he just slapped a hand in, slapped the book in our hands and said, here, here's the, here's a sleep coaching book. Just sleep, train him. And from a anxious and tired mom, I was, you know, just sort of shocked at like, okay, well what the heck? Like what, what does this mean?
What I do? And so I was desperate just to, to get help. Things. Our household was becoming less peaceful. We had a grumpy baby. And then there was just a lot of tension throughout our home that we were just, we, we desperately needed something to change. Yeah. Yeah. And that's the thing you guys is that sleep deprivation is like,
it's one thing for yourself to be sleep deprived, but then when both parents are sleep deprived and overwhelmed, then the baby's grumpy and needy and kind of like moving around all day. It's like there's just no peace. And then you, you end up like bickering with each other and just being short fused and it's nobody's fault. Right. It's like, it's like the,
the situation just starts to build upon itself where you're like, oh my God. Like every day is just this like, oh my god today. And then dreading the nighttime, like, how is it gonna be tonight? How much sleep are we gonna get or not get? Right? So yeah. So, so, so you guys obviously decided to,
you know, ask for help and you decided to do gentle sleep coaching. And I remember you were quite afraid or very tentative about like sleep training. You were like, ah, I've heard bad things. So tell me what you had heard or what your assumptions were about sleep training or sleep coaching and, and then I'd like to hear about what the actual reality was for you when we worked together.
So I, I had only ever heard of either the cried out method or doing like, like maybe even a ferber method of just like really just letting your baby cry. And I was very uncomfortable with that. It felt, it, i, it didn't sit well with me. And so I was so nervous to start and, but I was so like at the point where like,
we need to do something. And so thankfully with a gentle sleep coach, I didn't have to let him cry. I didn't have to leave him alone to figure it out himself. We had a like understanding of the Sleep Science behind it and the why. And then we were able to implement it with like more knowledge on the backend that we had already understood.
And it made it so much easier whenever it came time to actually train him but not have him cry it out. And we, whatever like method we did, we knew like the purpose and, and a lot more comfortable with it that way doing the coaching. Yeah. And dad did the coaching. Yes. So I wanna, I wanna talk to dad about that because a lot of times when a,
a baby starts presenting with kind of this mommy preference issue or this dominance with the nursing or the has to be mommy all night, it really kind of puts dad outside the help zone. So wasn't that kind of your experience that you, here you were like, I'm ready to help all, all day, all night and yet tell me about that. Yeah,
all in all, it, it's sort of defeating to know that you're an equal parent and able to help, but you can't just because the, that's the season that your baby's in or that's, that's what they've learned they need and you just can't provide the same emotional connection that a mother and a baby can. So trying to be a helpful member of a family is hard once your baby is in a position that they can't be helped by you.
Right. So as the dad trying to do all that, you can, there's a point in time where you can try, but that, that's all you can do is try and you need help. Right. Exactly. And that was the thing is that, that dad was like so available and interested and committed to helping. Mom was like, please,
I need, I need this baby to let you help too. And that's one of the reasons why working with a gentle sleep coach is so great is because we made, as part of our kind of wishlist and our goals is dad the center of our sleep coaching journey. That that dad and baby boy dad was the primary nighttime coach all the way through the process,
all the way through the weaning. And the benefit of that was number one, mom got a break. Hallelujah. Right. Mom, but also Jake, like what's the result of that? Like how, what is life now in terms of your parenting relationship with your son? It's, it's night and day now, instead of only wanting mom, sometimes they'll come to me instead of mom.
So it, it's definitely reinvigorating to see that your, your young child as they grow, want you to be a part of their life. And you can see that. So it, it's, it, it breathes this new like hope and like love into your relationship. Oh my God, that's so beautiful. Yeah. I mean, so I mean,
who, who doesn't want hope and love from their own child And more importantly, like you're able, you're like a master at bedtime and nap time now. Dad is like the master of that. Right? And so mom can just be like, okay, I see ya. I'm gonna be gone for the day or I'm gonna go out this evening. And dad's got the whole thing under control,
right? Yes. We've got mom's moving around 'cause the baby boy's on the move. Yeah. So isn't doesn't that feel great dad to like just have all that one-on-one with him, him, but also just feeling like you've got it. Like there's no intimidation. Like it's not like mom's not freaking out when you're in charge and you're not getting backseat driving from mom.
It's like just you and your son and you guys are, you guys got your system Going through the process, through you really built a new trust in our relationship. 'cause it is not just you being able to be the sleep coach. It's showing to your spouse that you, they can trust you and you're a capable spouse. It, it, it's much more than just doing it like any,
anyone could be coached, but it, it's a real strong relationship to trust the other to be able to do that. Especially when you're dealing with postpartum and those things where your spouse, you as the the husband or or whoever may not understand what it's like to go through that. And you really need to, to reestablish that, that trust with each other.
And going through coaching like this was able to, to, to do exactly that with us. I was able to show that not only can I do it, but that it's okay to be able to step away because our child is in a safe space. Our child has been taught the skills. Our child now has the tools to do it and you don't have to worry anymore.
So good. Right. Take take it takes out all the worry, meaning that your child has their sleep skills for independent sleep and that whether dad does it or whether mom does it or the babysitter does it, or grandma comes to town, the child can do that under any conditions. And it's no longer dependent on a certain caregiver. Exactly. Yes.
And that gives freedom. Right. And then your child can have such an enriching environment with all these other caregivers because the bedtime routine is pressure when it is, when a child tru truly knows their sleep skills. Is the bedtime routine the cutest, funnest thing ever? Yes. Yeah. Who knew, who knew bedtime could be fun. Yeah. Right.
Because it used to be probably a nightmare. Yeah. And now it's like, oh, it's so sweet. Now we fight over who gets to put over the bed. Yeah. Because It's so precious and so cute. And then boom. And, and by the way, let's talk about what it looks like now we know what it looked like before.
What does life look like now? What time does he go to bed? What time does he wake up? What's going on with naps? So he takes two naps a day. He goes to bed around six or seven and sleeps usually about 12 hours every night, sometimes 13. And then he doesn't wake up through the night. We both sleep completely through the night.
We have our bedroom back, we have our quiet time back. I can have me time in the evening, I can do my skincare. I can take a shower like postpartum mom's know, like I just wanna shower, you know, I just wanna shower by myself, shower, watch a show. Like I can go run errands or do anything. And I know that he's asleep.
He's gonna, he's good for the rest of the night. Dad can go do his thing. I can do my thing. It's, it's so peaceful. So peaceful. Yes. That I love that. Okay. So if you guys met a family that would deprived, but they, and they, they, they kind of already knew that they needed help but they were super afraid.
Oops. Oh no. Oh no. We're, let's see, I think they might've run outta battery. Okay. I will talk just for a minute. The question I was gonna ask was what if you met a family that was sleep deprived but they were afraid of sleep ca sleep training And they were, they wanted to do something to help their babies sleep independently,
but they were afraid because they felt sleep training was bad or scary. So I will probably do a part two video with them because that was a big concern of theirs, of whether or not this was the right thing to do. And I think it's wonderful to hear a parent's perspective on recognizing that when sleep coaching is done based on Sleep Science behavioral science and attachment theory and it's done in a very methodical,
sequential way that meets the temperament of the child and also matches with the values of the family and the nursing goals of the mom. That over the course of two to three weeks we can get that child sleeping through the night and it's not high drama and it's very educational for the parents. And we build that parent-child bond actually stronger. Like the dad here said is that he didn't really have that bond with the child before sleep coaching and the bond actually occurred because of the sleep coaching.
So thank you for listening to another sleep success story. I might have them come back to talk about that they are now true converts of the benefits of gentle sleep coaching. So thank you for listening.
The Parenting Skill You Didn’t Know You Needed: Brené Brown on Apologies
As parents, we know how important it is to model the behaviors we want our children to learn, especially when it comes to communication and emotional well-being. Recently, I listened to an incredible episode of Brené Brown's Unlocking Us podcast, and I’m excited to share it with the Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching community. This episode dives deep into the power of a proper apology—a life skill I believe all parents and caregivers need to master. You can listen to it here.
One of the key takeaways from this episode is that apologies aren’t just for resolving conflict—they are tools for building trust and emotional intelligence in our children.
As parents, we often teach our kids to say "sorry," but are we showing them how to apologize sincerely?
A heartfelt, genuine apology can strengthen our bonds with others and demonstrate accountability, empathy, and respect. It’s something I wish we all started learning in school and revisited throughout our lives!
This concept is closely tied to parenting strategies and how we approach our relationships with our children. Whether you’re a parent struggling with sleep routines or a caregiver working through behavioral challenges, knowing how to apologize effectively is a game-changer. Children look to us for guidance, and by modeling a proper apology, we teach them how to handle mistakes with grace and understanding.
In my work as a sleep consultant, I see how powerful communication is in building trust and consistency in a child’s routine. Apologies can be part of that—whether it’s acknowledging that something didn’t go as planned or simply addressing a challenging moment with honesty and humility. Sleep coaching is all about creating healthy habits, and clear, empathetic communication is at the core of that process.
I can’t recommend this podcast episode enough. It’s a valuable resource not just for enhancing adult relationships but also for creating a positive, emotionally intelligent environment for our children. So, the next time your child is napping or you have a moment of quiet, I encourage you to tune in.
Let me know your thoughts after listening—I’m confident it will resonate with you as much as it did with me.
Are you struggling with your child’s sleep? Could you use some support?
The first step to see if I can help you achieve beautiful, blissful sleep is to schedule a 60 minute ZOOM sleep strategy session. Go to this link and complete the contact me form and I will be in touch within 24 hours with directions on how to schedule your Sleep Strategy Session.
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!
Sleep Coaching: Embracing Adaptation Over Discipline
There is both a deep-seeded FEAR and BIG MISPERCEPTION that a parent needs to become “a hardcore disciplinarian” when attempting to sleep train their child, especially if the child is older and verbal, as in 3-6 years of age. The answer is a resounding NO.
Navigating the realm of sleep coaching can feel daunting, especially when faced with the notion of becoming a rigid disciplinarian. However, at Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching, I approach sleep training with a different ethos – one centered around empathy, understanding, and adaptability.
Contrary to common parenting myths, effective sleep coaching doesn’t mean you need to be rigid or adopt authoritarian tactics. "Locking the door and imposing strict rules would never have worked for my daughter," one client shared. "Thankfully, Joanna’s gentle approach is nothing like that." At Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching, I’ve designed a method rooted in empathy, understanding, and adaptability, rather than punishment or strict enforcement.
Sleep coaching with me is about respecting each child’s individuality and guiding them gently towards predictable and calming routines and healthy sleep patterns.
As one parent said,
“I thought I had to be the ‘brick wall,’ but with Joanna’s support, we realized our role wasn’t to enforce rules, but to avoid power struggles and listen.”
As one parent said, "I thought I had to be the ‘brick wall,’ but with Joanna’s support, we realized our role wasn’t to enforce rules, but to avoid power struggles and listen."
Here, you won’t find a one-size-fits-all solution; instead, you'll discover a personalized, family-centered approach that fosters a strong, connected relationship with your child.
At Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching, I understand that every child is unique and that's why my approach focuses on personalized guidance, tailored to suit the individual needs of each family. "Joanna taught us that it's not about blocking our children from options. It's about gently guiding them and removing sleep crutches at their own pace." Learn more about my Stairway to Sleep process.
My methodology is built on the foundation of empathy and collaboration. I believe in fostering strong parent-child relationships through active listening and responsiveness.
Here is what parents had to say
“No need to doubt or question the process. Joanna’s approach is anything but cookie-cutter. ”
“Joanna also taught us how to do better for ourselves and our kids.”
“Open yourself up to this process. You’ll be amazed at the journey it takes you on.”
At Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching, we believe that every family deserves restful nights and peaceful sleep. By prioritizing empathy, understanding, and adaptability, in working with families, I embrace adaptation over discipline and my clients have discovered a transformative approach to sleep coaching
Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching is characterized by accessibility and flexibility. I’m here to support families every step of the way, offering guidance that is customized and adaptable.
Still Wondering if I Can Help?
Please know that I do NOT advocate the "cry-it-out" method. As a certified Gentle Sleep Coach, I emphasize a guilt-free and gentle sleep coaching process that respects your child's developmental needs.
Let’s work together to restore peaceful nights for your family. Contact me today and I’ll be in touch within 24 hours with information on how to schedule your Sleep Strategy Session.
Join the "Sleep is Bliss Tribe"
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.