Awake at 3am

In this episode, the tables turn.Jess — usually the interviewer — shares her own story of sleep deprivation, desperation, and the moments that still sit heavy long after they’ve passed.After a relatively smooth experience sleep training her first daughter, Jess expected the same path with her second. Instead, she found herself navigating endless wake-ups, conflicting advice, two different sleep consultants, and a level of exhaustion that began to erode her confidence as a mum.At one point, she describes letting her baby cry for two and a half hours while following advice she believed would finally fix their nights — a decision she still struggles to forgive herself for.This conversation explores what chronic sleep deprivation really does to parents: the self-doubt, the strain on relationships, the desperate decisions made in the middle of the night, and the way sleep struggles can consume an entire household.Most importantly, it’s a reminder that the hardest parts of motherhood are far more common — and far less talked about — than we realise.If you’ve ever questioned your instincts, replayed a parenting decision in your mind, or wondered why something that worked for one child didn’t work for another, this episode will feel painfully familiar.

Maddie always knew sleep would be her biggest challenge in motherhood — and for nine months, her son woke almost constantly through the night.In this episode, Maddie shares her experience of extreme sleep deprivation, feeding challenges, conflicting advice, and trying everything before turning to sleep training. We talk about the fear and misinformation surrounding sleep, the pressure to “just cope,” and how social media and well-meaning advice can keep parents stuck in cycles of exhaustion.We also talk about what happened after — building a routine, finding an approach that suited her baby’s temperament, and how sleep gradually improved from constant wakings to longer stretches and predictable nights.This conversation explores the reality that sleep deprivation can leave a lasting impact. Maddie shares how anxiety around sleep can continue even after things improve, and how the experience of prolonged exhaustion can feel genuinely traumatic.A story about survival, support, and discovering that better sleep — and a way forward — is possible.Follow along on Instagram @awakeat3am.podcastIf you’re listening in Australia and feeling overwhelmed or struggling with your mental health during pregnancy or early motherhood, support is available:Perinatal mental health supportPANDA National Perinatal Mental Health Helpline — 1300 726 306Support for expecting and new parents experiencing anxiety, depression or overwhelm.ForWhen Helpline — 1300 24 23 22Connects you with local perinatal mental health supports.General mental health supportLifeline — 13 11 14 (24/7 crisis support)Beyond Blue — 1300 22 4636 (24/7 mental health support)EmergencyIf you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 000.

Jacqui is a mum to twin girls, and in this episode she shares what sleep really looked like in the early months of raising two babies at once. We talk about the realities of twin sleep, managing competing needs overnight, and the mental load of navigating exhaustion while caring for more than one baby.Jacqui opens up about learning to trust the science behind sleep training, setting realistic expectations, and finding a consistent approach that worked for her twins and her family. This is a conversation about letting go of perfection, making informed decisions, and discovering that better sleep is possible — even with two babies.

Ash is a writer, mum to Archie and the voice behind You Wanted This, a platform validating the reality of modern motherhood. In this conversation, she shares her experience of a highly unsettled baby, months of broken sleep, and reaching breaking point before finding a path that worked for her family.We talk about colic, reflux, 45-minute wake cycles, sleep training, and how different approaches can feel emotionally — not just practically. But this episode goes beyond sleep. It explores identity shifts, mum guilt, returning to work, and the complicated truth that you can deeply love motherhood while still struggling inside it.This is a conversation about validation, instinct, and the relief of realising you’re not failing — you’re human.You can find more from Ash on Instagram at @youwanted.this@awakeat3am.podcast@sophiassleepschool

Amelia was heavily pregnant with baby number two, and sleep was still a challenge with her first, the kind of season that can feel endless. In this episode, we talk about what sleep looked like during pregnancy with a toddler, the mental load of doing nights while growing another baby, and how exhaustion can follow you into different stages of motherhood. But more than that, Amelia brings so much warmth, perspective and hope to a really hard season. This is a conversation about resilience, realistic optimism, and finding light even when you’re still very, very tired.If this episode brings anything up for you, you’re not alone, you can find us and continue the conversation over on Instagram at @awakeat3am.podcast @sophiassleepschool

Krysten was terrified that sleep training would harm her baby, even as her own mental health was falling apart. In this episode, she shares what sleep looked like before things reached breaking point, the fear and anxiety wrapped up in trying to change it, and how exhaustion can completely cloud your thinking. We talk about the family intervention that changed everything, learning to trust the science, and what it meant to finally accept help. This is a conversation about maternal guilt, fear, and how sometimes improving sleep is also about saving yourself.For more honest conversations about motherhood, sleep and everything in between, you can find us on Instagram at @awakeat3am.podcast @sophiassleepschoolIf you’re listening in Australia and feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or struggling with your mental health during pregnancy or after having a baby, support is available:National support & helplinesPANDA National Perinatal Mental Health Helpline (for perinatal anxiety, depression & emotional wellbeing) — call 1300 726 306 (free, evidence-based support for new and expecting parents and their families) ForWhen Helpline (matching you with local perinatal mental health support) — call 1300 24 23 22 (Monday–Friday, 9 am–4:30 pm) MumSpace (online mental wellbeing tools & support for new mums) — visit mumspace.com.au for information, programs and guided support options 

Savannah’s baby was waking every ten minutes overnight and the impact of that level of sleep deprivation was bigger and darker than she ever expected. In this episode, we talk about what sleep looked like for her in the early days, how it slowly unravelled, and what happens when you’re living on almost no rest at all. We cover postpartum rage, the dangers of severe sleep deprivation, the pressure to “just cope,” and how hard motherhood can be when you’re truly running on empty. This is an honest conversation about survival mode, asking for help, and what happens when sleep (or the lack of it) starts to affect everything.(Content note: This episode discusses mental health struggles in early motherhood.)For more honest conversations about motherhood, sleep and everything in between, you can find us on Instagram at @awakeat3am.podcast @sophiassleepschoolIf you’re listening in Australia and feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or struggling with your mental health during pregnancy or after having a baby, support is available:National support & helplinesPANDA National Perinatal Mental Health Helpline (for perinatal anxiety, depression & emotional wellbeing) — call 1300 726 306 (free, evidence-based support for new and expecting parents and their families) ForWhen Helpline (matching you with local perinatal mental health support) — call 1300 24 23 22 (Monday–Friday, 9 am–4:30 pm) MumSpace (online mental wellbeing tools & support for new mums) — visit mumspace.com.au for information, programs and guided support options 

In our very first episode, we’re sitting down to properly introduce ourselves and share why Awake at 3am exists in the first place. We talk about the conversations that live in your head at night, the parts of motherhood that feel heavy, confusing or lonely, and why we wanted to create a space for the honest stuff nit the polished version. This is the beginning of it all: who we are, what we care about, and the kinds of conversations we’re here to have.For more honest conversations about motherhood, sleep and everything in between, you can find us on Instagram at @awakeat3am.podcast & @sophiassleepschool