AM Smiles - Sleep training

I wish someone had told me this when I was pregnant with my second.

I thought I was prepared.

But bringing a newborn home while my toddler’s sleep completely fell apart was something I wasn’t ready for.

A new baby alone can cause a sleep setback.

But when there are already cracks in your toddler’s sleep?

That’s when it becomes really hard to dig out of.

If you’re pregnant and your toddler isn’t sleeping well right now—this is something you can get ahead of.

Comment TODDLER and I’ll help you figure out what to fix before baby arrives.

The first step I take with almost every family I work with?

👉 A consistent daytime feeding schedule.

Not more rocking
Not a new bedtime routine
Not letting them “cry it out”

Because here’s the truth most parents aren’t told:

If your baby is snacking all day…
they’ll wake up hungry all night.

When feeds are spaced appropriately during the day, your baby:
• takes full feeds
• gets the calories they need during waking hours
• naturally reduces the need to wake overnight

For babies 4m + I suggest feeding every 3 hrs or every 4 hours. Pick one and stick with it!

And THAT is what sets the stage for sleeping through the night.

This is why I don’t jump straight into sleep training.

I build the foundation first.

Because when the foundation is right, everything else clicks into place so much faster.

If your baby is waking multiple times a night and you feel like you’ve tried everything…

Comment “SLEEP” and I’ll send you my free guide to help you get started.

Legitimately sobbing while I write this… where did it go?

I remember how hard it was—
A threenager, pushing boundaries, the regressions, the needing me every single minute.

But where did that three-year-old go?
Running around with his little guitar, singing “I’ve been working on the railroad…”

Now I have this incredible young man—funny, charismatic, someone I genuinely love being around.

But watching those old videos…
I didn’t know it would hurt like this.

If you’ve been wondering when to start sleep training… this is it. 👇🏻

In my experience, the 5–11 month window is the sweet spot.

This is when your baby’s body is finally working with you — sleep pressure is strong, melatonin is established, and they’re ready to learn how to fall asleep independently.

Does that mean you missed your chance if your baby is older?
Not at all.

It’s totally doable… it just tends to be a bit more involved.

Timing matters… but how you approach it matters just as much 🤍

If you feel like you’ve tried everything or don’t know where to start..

Comment SLEEP for my free guide to end night wakings!

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I used to think it was so weird when my mom said she couldn’t talk before her morning coffee…

Mom, I get it now 😅

If I don’t get a little quiet time to myself in the morning, everything just feels harder. I’m more irritable, more impatient—and that’s not how I want to show up.

Waking up before my kids has been a game changer for me.

I know it’s not realistic for everyone—but if your kids sleep until 6:30 or later…

are you doing this too, or is it just me? 👀

📤Send to your mom friend who is sleep deprived and panicking about going back to work

You think about getting support…
then sleep randomly improves for a night or two
and you’re like “ok wait maybe we’re good??” 😅

And then it’s not so good again.

If you still have time before going back to work—use it.

Comment HELP if you want to hear how I’d approach this with you.

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Before kids, I really thought sleep would just… work itself out 😅

Like we’d be flexible, go with the flow, stay out late when we wanted… no big deal

And then I had babies who slept best when things were consistent and knew —everything feels harder when everyone’s exhausted

Back then?
I absolutely planned my days around sleep

Because when your baby is sleeping well…
everything else feels so much more manageable 🤍

(And now with kids who are 14, 11, and 8… I can say that with full confidence 😅)

Comment SLEEP if you want my free guide to ending night wakings

Sorry not sorry 🤣
Am I crazy or is this completely valid? 🚫💩

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bonds are not made just at bedtime
they’re built through thousands of micro moments with your baby every single day

when you hold your baby
when you smile at your baby
when you talk and sing to your baby
when you give your baby a bath, a massage, or sit in the grass and just enjoy a beautiful moment together

your bond is growing stronger every day 🤍

and when your baby is getting the sleep they need at night…
and you have a mom who isn’t completely sleep deprived—who is present and patient—

that bond has even more space to flourish, and as a mom of 3 sleep trained boys… I say this with confidence—I’ve been there 💙💙💙

save this for the moments you start to second guess yourself 🤍

Early morning wakes are literally the bane of my existence..

Because 5am feels so close to “sleeping through the night”… but it still completely throws off your day.

And the hardest part is that they’re often misunderstood.

A lot of the time, parents assume it’s just their baby’s personality…
or that they just have an “early riser.”

But there is usually a reason this is happening.

It can be a daytime schedule issue.
Too much daytime sleep, not enough, or naps that need adjusting.

Or… it can become a habit.

And once that early wake-up becomes a pattern, it can stick around
even after you’ve made changes.

That’s why figuring out the why matters so much—
because the solution is not the same for every baby.

If your baby is stuck in the 4–6am wake-up cycle, you don’t have to just wait it out.

💛 comment EARLY and I’ll send you a sample daytime schedule so you know when that should be happening as well as a sleep needs chart so you know how much daytime sleep your baby should be getting.

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I mean is there anything better?!