All it Takes is a Plan

Does sleep training harm your baby’s attachment?It’s one of the most common—and emotionally charged—questions parents ask. If you’ve ever worried that sleep training might damage your bond with your baby, you are absolutely not alone.In this episode, we’re diving into the research behind attachment and sleep training with psychologist, Dr. Shanna Sarita Alvarez, to answer the question: does sleep training affect attachment?We cover:What attachment actually is (and what it isn’t)What the research really says about bonding and responsivenessHow to make sleep decisions that feel both confident and connectedIf you’ve been stuck in the cycle of second-guessing, guilt, or fear around sleep training, this episode will give you clarity, reassurance, and a research-backed perspective.Tune in to learn whether sleep training is safe for attachment—and how to move forward with confidence.If you want to dig in even more to attachment and sleep training, check out the following resources from Helping Families Thrive:Stop Over-Complicating Parenting- FREE workshopAttachment Science and Sleep- a workshop that does a deep dive into popular research used when discussing sleep training to help us understand what it really says - and doesn't say (use code GRACEHFT for 20% off)Essentials Course - a thorough online course on evidence-based parenting tools for kids ages 2-10 (use code GRACEHFT for 20% off)Ready for more support? Explore our baby and toddler sleep services to get a personalized plan that supports both sleep and connection.

If you have twins or triplets, or are expecting twins or triplets, this episode is for you!While much of sleep training twins is the same as sleep training a singleton, there are also many differences, because you have more babies or more toddlers!So in this episode, I'm sharing how to sleep train twins and triplets, including:Safe sleep and how we chat about that with twin familiesA realistic bedtime routine for twinsHow we determine if twins should share a room or have separate roomsAdjusted age and how to figure out the right scheduleHow to handle night feeds with twins and tripletsAnd more!If you're a family of multiples looking for some personalized sleep help, learn more about how we can support your family! And if you have more questions about the process, book a free discovery call!

Have you ever been nervous about putting your child to bed after they skipped dinner? What if they wake up hungry? Have you found yourself in the pattern of giving your toddler a bedtime snack every night to try to help them sleep through the night?Is that bedtime snack actually necessary?In this episode, I'm interviewing Alyssa Miller, a registered dietitian and picky eating specialist with Nutrition for Littles. We are talking all about bedtime snacks.She is sharing:Her top three picky eating tipsWhen a child should have a bedtime snackWhen a child does not need a bedtime snackHow bedtime snacks and picky eating are often connectedThe fear many parents carry about nighttime hungerWhat to do if you're worried your child might wake up hungryAnd more!Make sure you follow Alyssa on Instagram for regular picky eating tips.

My baby just turned 12 months old last week, which means there are some sleep changes on the horizon for us. So in today's episode, I'm sharing the three sleep changes that should be top of mind when your baby turns one! Including:Introducing a loveyTaking milk out of the bedtime routinePreparing for the transition to one napIf you have a baby who is almost one, or who just recently turned one, this episode is for you!

Listen as I interview Angie Ludwig, a mama of two and a family photographer in Columbus, Ohio, as we talk about the before and after of the sleep training process with both of her kids. She shares why her family chose to hire a sleep consultant to help with both kids, and also peels back the curtain on what the sleep training process was like for them. If you'd like to chat more about what it would look like to work together, book a (free!) discovery call with us so we can chat more!And if you're looking for a family photographer in Columbus, Ohio, reach out to Angie!!

If you've done any research about baby sleep, you've heard about overtiredness and how it can wreck sleep. And while yes, overtiredness can absolutely cause sleep challenges, we need to talk about undertiredness!As a sleep coach and mom of four, I see undertiredness impacting sleep way more often than overtiredness. In this episode, I share:What we mean when we say "overtired" and "undertired"How overtiredness and undertiredness impact baby and toddler sleepHow to figure out if your little one is overtired or undertiredAnd more!Finally, don't miss our FREE baby schedule guide to help you find that sleep pressure sweet spot!

“I know it’s time to transition my baby out of the bassinet, but I’m terrified of doing it wrong and wrecking their sleep.”Can you relate??In this week's episode, we're covering the bassinet to crib transition, including:When it's time to transition your baby from the bassinet to their cribTips to transition from the bassinet to the cribExtra tips to transition your baby from the SNOO to the cribHow long to expect the transition to takeIf your baby is younger than 16 weeks old and you're looking for extra sleep support, check out our newborn course, Newborn Sleep from A to Z.Or if your baby is older than 16 weeks and is really struggling to transition out of the bassinet and you need some sleep training support, check out our personalized sleep plan options!

Listen as I interview Michelle Pratt, a nationally certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) and mom of two, best known as the founder of Safe in the Seat, the leading car seat safety platform for parents. In the episode, she shares:Her personal why behind Safe in the SeatThe most common car seat mistakesWhat we should all know about car seats and sleepThe various resources Safe in the Seat offers familiesDon't miss these amazing resources:The blogCar seat finder toolOnline guidesOne-on-one supportAnd make sure you follow her on Instagram, where you'll continue to get more free car seat advice!

In the last two episodes, I shared about our challenging sleep journey with baby number four, and how that resulted in quite a bit of co-sleeping. This week, I want to have some real talk about co-sleeping, both from a sleep coach's perspective and from a real mom who had to co-sleep!And if you're currently a co-sleeping parent but are looking for help getting your baby or toddler sleeping in their own bed all night long, we'd love to help!

Last week, I shared all about our challenging sleep journey with baby number four, due to some airway issues. But how we finally got the green light to sleep train him at 9 months old!So this week, I'm sharing all about what it actually looked like to sleep train James, both the highs and lows. I share how he did, as well as how I coached myself, sleep coach to mama, throughout the process, when things felt really hard. I also share the "afters" of how our day-to-day so quickly changed because our son was not only taking naps in his bed, but also sleeping through the night!If you're curious to learn more about what it would be like to have this sleep coach and mama supporting you through sleep training your baby or toddler, click here!

We welcomed our fourth baby and first son, James, into the world last February, and he has just been the happiest baby!Rather than being the "easy" last baby, however, he struggled with sleep from day one. We never had any intentions of co-sleeping and really weren't comfortable with it, but we didn't have another option the first several weeks of his life. He was not able to lie flat to sleep without making an awful grunting or choking noise for the first 12 weeks of his life, so we had to hold him upright for all naps and through the night.In this podcast episode, I share all the details of those first 12 weeks, as well as the next several months of a roller coaster of sleep, as we continued learning more about what was going on (hint: airway issues!).I share about how tough those sleepless nights were and how that impacted us as parents and as a family. And I share about when we finally got the green light to sleep train him!

When is the BEST time to sleep train? When should you NOT sleep train?In today's episode, I'll be answering those questions for you, so you can decide if and when sleep training is best for your family.If you're curious to learn more about what it would look like to sleep train your little one with our team's help, check this out!

In this episode, I'm sharing my love for the SlumberPod! I truly think it's one of the best baby and toddler sleep products out there, and I recommend it to every family I work with!I will be sharing:What the SlumberPod isWhy we love itFrequently asked questionsHow to use it with toddlersTo get a discount on your SlumberPod or SlumberTot, use the code VIAGRACESPOD at checkout!Our favorite travel cots that fit under the SlumberPod:SlumberTotMillard Toddler Floor BedRead this blog post for more

This week, I am interviewing my favorite pelvic health physical therapist, Dr. Lindsay Durand Massumi. She is based in Northern Virginia, serving families at her practice and in their homes, as well as families nationwide through her virtual PT!We talk all about what the pelvic floor is and why pelvic floor PT can benefit everyone - male, female, young, and old. We also talk about how pelvic floor health often overlaps with both pediatric and adult sleep!To learn more about how Dr. Lindsay can help you or to reach out about scheduling with her, visit her website!Follow Dr. Lindsay on Instagram here!

Last week, we answered why your baby might be waking up at night.So this week, we're answering the questions: "Why is my toddler still waking up at night?" Or, "Why is my toddler all of a sudden waking up at night again?"I walk through the four most common reasons toddlers wake up at night, as well as some others that could be causing night wakings for your toddler. These are all of the podcast episodes I reference to dig deeper:Sleep Training Methods- Episode 9Pacifiers- Episode 4Weaning from the Bottle- Episode 55Dropping the Final Nap- Episode 15Toddler Sleep Regressions- Episode 26Sickness- Episode 48Teething- Episode 80Introduce a Toddler Clock- Episode 28Nightmares and Night Terrors- Episode 51Bedtime Anxiety- Episode 75Click here to snag our free and printable bedtime routine chart and boundary cards!Don't forget to check out our online sleep course for toddlers and young kids, Big Kid Sleep from A to Z, for more DIY sleep training help!And if you'd like to chat more about what it would look like to work together one-on-one with a sleep coach, schedule a free discovery call here!

This week, we’re talking all about why your baby is still waking up at night! I’m essentially letting you inside my head, as a pediatric sleep coach. I’m peeling back the curtain on what I think through when a family reaches out to me and says, “Why won’t my baby sleep through the night?!” Or, “My baby was sleeping through the night, but now they’re waking again. Why??”Sometimes it’s pretty straightforward, but sometimes we have to play 20 questions to get there.So I'll be walking you through the top three questions that come to my mind right away and how to think through them, as well as other less common factors that might be contributing. These are all of the podcast episodes I reference to dig deeper:Sleep Training Methods- Episode 9Pacifiers- Episode 4Bedtime Routines- Episode 7Sleep Regressions- Episode 25Sickness- Episode 48Teething- Episode 80Click here to snag our free schedule guide!Don't forget to check out our online baby sleep course, Baby Sleep from A to Z, for more DIY sleep training help!And if you'd like to chat more about what it would look like to work together one-on-one with a sleep coach, schedule a free discovery call here!

Have you ever been worried about being out late with your baby or toddler because they might fall asleep in the car and you're not sure how to transfer them to their bed when you get home? Or have you ever tried transferring a sleeping baby to their bed for the night, and it just didn’t go well? If so, today’s episode is for you! I'm getting into the specifics of how exactly I recommend transferring your sleeping baby from their car seat to their crib at bedtime. And how to transfer your sleeping toddler from the car to their bed at night. I share what to do, as well as what to do when plan A doesn't work, and then what to do when plan B doesn't work. If you're listening to this episode in preparation for some travels coming up, and you’re nervous about what your baby or toddler’s sleep will look like, and you’re thinking through all of the potential challenging scenarios that might come up, make sure you check out our travel sleep guide! It was created with you in mind, to help take some of that sleep anxiety off your chest.

In today's episode, I'm interviewing Jennifer Barnard of Baby Begin. Jennifer has been a pediatric Occupational Therapist for over 20 years and is the owner of Baby Begin. Her goal is to eradicate plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome) worldwide. She has become an expert on treating torticollis and correcting flat heads without a helmet and trains passionate therapists all over the world to do the same.To learn more about how Baby Begin can support your baby and family, check out their website. And make sure you're following Baby Begin on Instagram!

Most of us have heard a lot about the safe sleep guidelines for babies, but we don't talk a lot about safe sleep guidelines for toddlers and older kids! So in this episode, we're talking all about safe sleep for toddlers still in cribs, as well as big kids sleeping in a big bed. We're talking about:the importance of sleeping with the door closedsafe sleep guidelines for toddlers still in a cribsafe sleep guidelines for toddlers and older kids in big bedssafe sleep rules for bunk bedsAnd more!Our favorite bed railings and bumpers:bed railingsbed bumpersOptions to "lock" your child's door:door knob covermonkey lock

In today's episode, I'm diving into the ins and outs of the safe sleep guidelines for babies. We'll start with the basic ABCs of safe sleep, and then dig in even more. My guess is that whether you're a first-time parent or a fourth-time parent, you'll hear a safe sleep guideline you haven't heard before. (To learn more about how to dress your baby for sleep when it's colder in their nursery, read this blog post.)