Avsnitt
-
Lauren never imagined that her toddler's sleep would make her question the career she had worked so hard to build.
For two years, her daughter would only fall asleep while holding Lauren's hair. Work trips became impossible. Bedtime could take hours. Every night was filled with screaming, exhaustion and the constant fear that something was medically wrong.
She saw GPs, paediatricians and sleep specialists. They ruled out everything they could think of.
Nothing explained why her daughter wouldn't sleep.
As the sleep deprivation dragged on, Lauren began questioning whether she could keep the job she loved. She wondered if becoming a mum meant giving up the career she had fought so hard to build.
The turning point wasn't finding a miracle solution.
It was finding an approach that worked for her family, her child and their reality.
This episode isn't about creating the perfect sleeper.
It's about the invisible cost of chronic sleep deprivation, the impossible expectations placed on working mums, and the guilt of feeling like you're failing at both work and motherhood.
We talk about toddler sleep, sleep deprivation, toddler sleep problems, working motherhood, parental preference, sleep associations, identity, marriage, medical investigations and why getting more sleep can give you far more than better nights.
If you've ever wondered whether your toddler will ever sleep, or whether you're the only parent quietly falling apart while trying to hold everything together, this conversation will remind you that you're not alone.
To see more of Lauren, follow @awakeat3am.podcast and @sophiassleepschool for more stories, support and sleep tips.
-
When Mez became a mum, she was certain she knew exactly how she wanted to parent.
She wanted to co-sleep. She wanted to follow her baby's lead. She wanted the beautiful, connected version of motherhood she'd imagined for so long.
Instead, she found herself awake every 30 to 45 minutes, going to bed at 7pm just to survive, questioning everything she believed about herself as a mum, and desperately trying to convince herself that this was simply the sacrifice motherhood demanded.
The hardest part wasn't the sleep deprivation.
It was the shame.
Shame that co-sleeping wasn't working. Shame that she needed help. Shame that the version of motherhood she had dreamed of no longer matched the reality she was living.
On the first night of sleep training, Mez sat alone in the garage with the baby monitor in her hands and cried harder than her baby did. She was terrified she was making the biggest mistake of her life.
This episode isn't about telling you to co-sleep or to sleep train.
It's about what happens when the internet tells you there is only one "right" way to be a good mum, and what it takes to let go of that guilt when your baby, your mental health and your family need something different.
We talk about co-sleeping, baby sleep, sleep deprivation, sleep training, mum guilt, perinatal mental health, identity, social media pressure and why suffering should never be the price of proving you love your child.
If you've ever laid awake wondering whether you're failing because motherhood doesn't look the way you thought it would, this conversation will stay with you.
To see more of Mez, follow @awakeat3am.podcast and @sophiassleepschool for more sleep tips!
-
Saknas det avsnitt?
-
Dani is a paediatric nurse, sleep consultant and mum of two who shares how baby food intolerances, allergies and a missed diagnosis led to months of chronic sleep deprivation, hourly wakes and declining maternal mental health.
In this episode, we explore baby sleep, postnatal depression, cow's milk protein intolerance (CMPI), soy allergies, sleep training, evidence-based parenting and why sometimes a baby isn't "just a bad sleeper."
After years working as a paediatric nurse, Dani thought she was prepared for motherhood. Instead, she found herself desperately searching for answers as her daughter cried constantly, woke hourly, struggled to gain weight and was repeatedly dismissed. Despite her medical background, it took months before baby food intolerances to both dairy and soy were recognised. Once those food intolerances were identified, everything changed. Her daughter's sleep improved, the hourly wakes finally stopped, and for the first time she began to understand just how profoundly chronic sleep deprivation had affected her family.
In this episode, Dani shares the emotional reality of parenting through chronic sleep deprivation, postnatal depression, grief, parenting two under two and living with POTS. We talk honestly about what sleep deprivation does to your mental health, your relationships and your confidence as a parent, and why so many mums are left believing they simply have a "bad sleeper" when there may be an underlying medical reason contributing to their baby's sleep.
Together, Dani, Sophia and Jess unpack one of the biggest misconceptions in modern parenting: that every baby who wakes frequently simply needs sleep training. Dani brings the perspective of both a paediatric nurse and sleep consultant, Sophia shares the latest evidence as a paediatric sleep consultant, while Jess asks the questions every exhausted parent wants answered after navigating the realities of motherhood herself. Together, they explore what the research actually says about infant sleep, why social media has created so much fear around sleep training, and why good baby sleep is never about ignoring a baby's needs. It's about understanding the whole child, recognising when poor baby sleep may have an underlying medical cause, and helping families escape the cycle of chronic sleep deprivation with compassionate, evidence-based support.
Whether you're navigating hourly wakes, wondering if allergies or food intolerances could be affecting your baby's sleep, struggling with postnatal depression, or simply trying to make sense of conflicting advice online, this conversation is filled with practical, evidence-based information and the reassurance that you are not alone.
In this episode we discuss:
Baby food intolerances and baby sleepChronic sleep deprivation and maternal mental healthPostnatal depression and parenting through exhaustionCow's milk protein intolerance (CMPI) and soy allergiesHourly wakes, reflux, eczema and poor weight gainEvidence-based sleep training and infant sleepPaediatric nursing, motherhood and becoming a sleep consultant Parenting two under two while navigating grief and POTSWhy some babies aren't "just bad sleepers"When to seek medical advice for persistent sleep concernsFind the wonderful Dani @sleep.nurse.dani
or on her website at: https://www.sleepnursedani.com
Centre of Perinatal Excellence (COPE) is Australia's peak body in perinatal mental health. COPE provides families and health professionals with evidence-based perinatal mental health screening, resources, education and pathways to care.
EmergeCare - Helping new and expectant parents confidently handle first aid for babies and beyond, and care for their own emotional well-being along the way.
-
Episode 19: Abbey, Hourly Waking, Baby Food Allergies & Surviving Sleep Deprivation
What happens when your baby wakes every 45 minutes, food allergies turn every feed into a really scary moment, and the village you thought would support you never arrives?
In this powerful episode of Awake at 3am, Abbey shares her experience of severe sleep deprivation, hourly waking, infant food allergies, maternal burnout and the reality of modern motherhood. After an unexpected pregnancy, Abbey found herself navigating newborn sleep, frequent night waking, false starts, feeding to sleep, co-sleeping, baby sleep challenges and the overwhelming mental load that comes with raising a baby who simply wouldn't sleep.
At her lowest point, Abbey was surviving on broken sleep whilst managing multiple food allergies, navigating relationship strain, struggling with her mental health and trying to be the mum she wanted to be. Like so many exhausted parents, she found herself questioning whether she was doing something wrong and wondering why nobody talks honestly about how hard sleep deprivation can be.
In this episode we discuss:
• Baby sleep and infant sleep challenges
• Hourly waking and frequent night waking
• Sleep deprivation and maternal burnout
• Baby food allergies and feeding challenges
• Co-sleeping and feeding to sleep
• Maternal mental health and postpartum anxiety
• The mental load of motherhood
• Relationship strain after having a baby
• Parenting without a village
• Sleep training and finding a path forward
• Why exhausted mums need support too
If you've ever searched for answers about baby sleep, hourly waking, sleep regressions, food allergies, sleep deprivation, maternal mental health, newborn sleep, co-sleeping, feeding to sleep or how to survive the early years of parenting, this episode is for you.
Awake at 3am is the parenting podcast for exhausted parents navigating baby sleep, toddler sleep, sleep training, maternal mental health, postpartum anxiety, motherhood, infant development, parental burnout and the realities of raising children in today's world.
Follow @awakeat3am.podcast and @sophiassleepschool to learn about todays episode.
-
Taylor never imagined she'd be preparing for life with three children under two and a half and the pressure that would put on her relationship.
But behind the excitement of another baby was a story very few people knew. Severe sleep deprivation had taken its toll, and Taylor found herself trapped in a cycle of postpartum anxiety, overwhelming health anxiety about her own body, and constant fear that something was seriously wrong.
In this episode, Taylor shares what was really happening behind closed doors. We talk about postpartum health anxiety, sleep deprivation, postpartum rage, the guilt of feeling overwhelmed, and how improving her baby's sleep became one of the first steps towards getting her own mental health back.
Taylor also shares what it was like raising two little ones while building her business, Posy, and the shock of discovering she was pregnant again just weeks after welcoming her second baby.
If you've ever experienced postpartum health anxiety, postpartum anxiety, sleep deprivation, or found yourself constantly worrying that something was wrong with your own health after having a baby, this conversation will remind you that you're far from alone.
Follow Taylor and Posy:
Instagram: @posyintimates @sophiassleepschool @awakeat3am.podcast -
What happens when you've spent years battling infertility, navigating IVF, undergoing multiple fertility treatments and ultimately choosing donor eggs to become a mother, only to find yourself facing one of the biggest challenges of all: severe sleep deprivation?
In this deeply honest episode of Awake at 3am, we sit down with author, speaker and coach Sheila Vijeyarasa to discuss her journey through infertility, IVF, donor egg conception, pregnancy after 45 and becoming a first-time mum at 47.
After multiple rounds of IVF, unsuccessful fertility treatment cycles and years of heartbreak, Sheila became a donor mum and welcomed her son Phoenix into the world. But while infertility and conception were difficult, nothing prepared her for the reality of newborn sleep deprivation, baby sleep challenges, frequent night waking, breastfeeding difficulties, relationship strain and the profound identity shift that comes with motherhood.
This episode explores:
• IVF, infertility and fertility treatment
• Donor egg conception and becoming a donor mother
• Pregnancy after 45 and motherhood at 47
• Mental health for new mums and the importance of a routine for your baby
• Postpartum mental health and postpartum anxiety
• Managing sleep deprivation during the newborn stage
• The emotional impact of sleep loss on mothers and families
• Breastfeeding challenges, pumping and formula feeding without guilt
• Newborn sleep issues and frequent overnight waking
• Baby sleep routines and healthy sleep habits
• Sleep consultant advice and sleep training
• Self-settling techniques and sleep training misconceptions
• How to help a baby fall asleep independently
• Why overtired babies often sleep worse, not better
• Toddler sleep challenges and toddler night routines
• Relationship strain from parenting and sleep deprivation
• The impact of poor sleep on marriage, work performance and wellbeing
• Building resilience through motherhood
• Coping with overwhelm, exhaustion and identity loss after becoming a parent
• Parenting after infertility and the pressure to feel grateful despite strugglingSheila shares powerful insights into the reality of becoming a parent after infertility, why sleep deprivation can affect every aspect of life, and how improving baby sleep transformed not only her son's wellbeing but also her marriage, mental health and ability to function.
If you're navigating IVF, infertility, donor egg conception, newborn sleep, baby sleep problems, postpartum anxiety, maternal mental health struggles or the overwhelming exhaustion that comes with parenting, this conversation will leave you feeling understood, validated and far less alone.
Follow Awake at 3am for honest conversations about parenting, baby sleep and the stories ( and tips) nobody tells you before becoming a parent!
To learn more about Sheila, follow her @sheila_v__
-
Libby made a decision that many mums are scared to say out loud.
She chose not to breastfeed.
After becoming a solo mum by choice through IVF, Libby knew she wanted to protect her mental health as much as her baby's wellbeing. That decision came with judgement, questions and a lot of opinions, but she has never regretted making the choice that was right for her family.
In this episode, Libby shares what really happened behind closed doors. We talk about IVF, solo motherhood by choice, choosing not to breastfeed, sleep deprivation, sleep training and why motherhood doesn't have to look the way everyone expects it to. Libby started looking into newborn sleep and started her daughter on a routine from a young age, a decision that helped set her up for success with her sleep training journey.
This is an honest conversation about trusting yourself, letting go of guilt and making decisions based on what's best for your family, not everyone else's expectations.
If you've ever searched for choosing not to breastfeed, solo mum by choice, IVF, sleep deprivation or wondered whether it's okay to do motherhood differently, this episode is for you.
Follow @awakeat3am.podcast and @sophiassleepschool for more real stories of motherhood, sleep and survival.
-
TRIGGER WARNING: This episode discusses postpartum psychosis, suicidal thoughts, intrusive thoughts and thoughts of harm towards a baby.
Emily never imagined she would develop postpartum psychosis.
She had no history of mental illness. She loved her baby. She desperately wanted to breastfeed. But as severe sleep deprivation and overwhelming breastfeeding pressure took hold after a traumatic birth, her mental health began to unravel in ways she never thought possible.
In this episode, Emily shares the story nobody saw behind closed doors. We talk about postpartum psychosis, sleep deprivation, breastfeeding pressure, suicidal thoughts, intrusive thoughts and the warning signs she wishes every new parent knew.
After repeatedly asking for help, Emily was eventually admitted to a specialist Mother and Baby Psychiatric Unit in Sydney, a decision she believes saved her life.
This is an honest conversation about postpartum psychosis, maternal mental health and why these illnesses don't always look the way people expect. Many women continue caring for their baby while silently becoming more unwell.
If you've ever searched for postpartum psychosis, postpartum mental health, sleep deprivation after having a baby, breastfeeding pressure or wondered how to recognise the warning signs of severe maternal mental illness, this episode is for you.
Support is available
🇦🇺 Australia
PANDA – 1300 726 306
Lifeline – 13 11 14
Emergency – 000🇺🇸 United States
Postpartum Support International – 1-800-944-4773
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Samaritans – 116 123
Emergency – 999Australia
PANDA: 1300 726 306
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Emergency: 000
United States
Postpartum Support International: 1-800-944-4773
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
United Kingdom
Contact your GP or local Perinatal Mental Health Team
Samaritans: 116 123
Emergency: 999
-
"I know it sounds terrible... but for a little while, I almost felt free."
When Gabriella's marriage ended, she wasn't just navigating divorce. She was trying to parent a toddler who was still waking multiple times a night while rebuilding an entirely new life.
In this episode, family lawyer, author and mum of two Gabriella Pomare shares the story nobody saw behind closed doors. We talk about divorce, co-parenting, sleep deprivation, blended families, parenting after separation and the complicated emotions that can come with sharing your child.
Gabriella also opens up about introducing a new partner, becoming a step-parent, raising two very different children and why guilt follows so many mums long after a relationship ends.
This is an honest conversation about divorce, motherhood, co-parenting and discovering that life after separation can still be full of hope.
If you've ever searched for divorce after having children, co-parenting, blended families, sleep deprivation or wondered how other mums survive separation, this episode is for you.
Follow Gabriella here: @thegabriellapomare
Grab Gabriella’s book here: The Collaborative Co-Parent -
Sleep training is one of the most debated topics in parenting, but what does the scientific evidence actually say?
In this episode, GP, mum and sleep consultant Dr Francesca Brewer separates science from social media. We unpack the research behind infant sleep, sleep training safety, attachment, cortisol, responsive parenting and maternal mental health, and why so many exhausted parents are left feeling terrified to make any changes.
If you've ever wondered whether sleep training is harmful, whether responding differently at night could affect your bond with your baby, or how to separate evidence from opinion, this episode is essential listening ( you might just pick up some valuable baby sleep tips along the way)!!
Find Dr Francesca:
@thebabysleepgp
www.thebabysleepgp.comFor more real stories of motherhood, sleep and survival, follow @awakeat3am.podcast and @sophiassleepschool
-
Megan’s baby woke every single hour… for a full year.
Then at 12 months… he suddenly slept through.
She went from a career woman to completely exhausted, isolated, and questioning everything she ever thought to be true about being a mum.
In this episode, she shares what that year really looked like… and why, the second time around, she did things very differently. She engaged Sophia and got her second son on a routine from very early on and started sleep training him from 4 months of age.
If you’re stuck in hourly wakes right now, this will feel very familiar. This is an episode full of baby sleep tips, where you will learn what to look out for if your baby is waking often!
For more follow @awakeat3am.podcast & @sophiassleepschool
-
If you haven't already, listen to Episode 11 first. That's where Sophia's story begins.
At 21 years old, Sophia became a mum in a brand new relationship. Within a few short years, severe sleep deprivation, relationship breakdown and the reality of single motherhood completely changed the course of her life.
After years of surviving on broken sleep, Sophia developed PTSD and became convinced she would never have another child. It would be another 15 years before she became a mum again.
In this episode, Sophia shares what really happened behind closed doors, how sleep deprivation destroyed her confidence, the impact it had on her mental health and relationships, and how discovering the science behind infant sleep gave her a second chance at motherhood.
We talk about sleep deprivation, PTSD, single motherhood, divorce, rebuilding self-esteem, evidence-based sleep training and why Sophia ultimately became a baby sleep consultant to help other families avoid reaching the same breaking point.
If you've ever wondered whether sleep deprivation can change who you are, questioned your parenting, struggled after divorce or felt like motherhood had broken your confidence, this conversation is for you.
For more real stories of motherhood, sleep and survival, follow @awakeat3am.podcast.
For evidence-based infant sleep advice, follow @sophiassleepschool.
-
This is where Sophia's story begins.
At 21 years old, she unexpectedly found herself pregnant in a brand new relationship. Overnight, her life changed from international flight attendant to first-time mum, completely unprepared for what early motherhood would demand of her.
In this episode, Sophia shares what really happened behind closed doors. She talks about becoming a young mum, postnatal depression, the isolation of early motherhood, losing confidence in herself, and the relationship breakdown that changed the course of her life.
This is an honest conversation about growing up while raising a baby, relying on your village when everything feels like it's falling apart, and the version of motherhood nobody prepares you for. Sophia struggled with her mental health, the reality of being a new mum and her intrusive thoughts that wouldn't go away....
Sophia's baby did not sleep after the 4 month sleep regression and the strain on the relationship from parenting was too much and it broke down. Being a single mum with a toddler who didn't sleep whilst experiencing sleep deprivation significantly impacted Sophia's mental health and she shares honestly about what happened next.....If you've ever become a young mum, experienced postnatal depression, felt isolated in early motherhood, or wondered why everyone else seemed to be coping better than you, this episode is for you.
This is part one of Sophia's story.
Continue with Episode 12 to hear how she rebuilt her life, became a mum again 15 years later, and eventually trained as a baby sleep consultant, to make sure no other mum around her needed to suffer the trauma that is sleep deprivation.
For more real stories of motherhood, sleep and survival, follow @awakeat3am.podcast and @sophiassleepschool.
-
Ep 9: Simone, Second Baby, Colic, Sleep Deprivation & Two Kids Under Two
Simone thought she knew what to expect.
Her first baby woke every two hours for months. There was no routine, no predictable sleep and very little rest. Like so many exhausted mums, she spent her days surviving on broken sleep whilst trying to convince herself things would eventually get easier.
But then came baby number two.
This time it wasn't frequent night waking that challenged her most. It was colic, feeding difficulties, juggling two children at once and the overwhelming reality that every baby is completely different.
In this episode of Awake at 3am, Simone shares her experience of sleep deprivation, early motherhood, raising two young children and the pressure so many mums feel to get everything right.
We talk openly about baby sleep, infant sleep, frequent night waking, colic, feeding challenges, maternal mental health and the reality of caring for a toddler and newborn at the same time. We also explore the emotional side of motherhood, including mum guilt, exhaustion, identity shifts and why having a second baby can feel far more humbling than anyone prepares you for.
This is an honest conversation about survival, resilience and learning that struggling doesn't mean you're failing.
In this episode we discuss:
• Second baby expectations
• Two kids under two
• Colic and unsettled babies
• Feeding difficulties
• Baby sleep and infant sleep
• Frequent night waking
• Sleep deprivation and maternal burnout
• Toddler and newborn life
• Motherhood and mental health
• Mum guilt and parental exhaustion
• Why every baby is different
• Finding confidence as a parent
If you've ever searched for answers about colic, second babies, two kids under two, baby sleep, sleep deprivation, frequent night waking, exhausted mums, maternal mental health or life with a toddler and newborn, this episode is for you.
Follow @awakeat3am.podcast and @sophiassleepschool for more honest conversations about motherhood, sleep and survival.
-
Kate and Jess met in their first mothers’ group when their daughters were just days apart — navigating newborn life, sleep deprivation and the shock of early motherhood side by side.
In this episode, Kate shares her experience with two very different babies and how her mindset around sleep changed dramatically between them. With her first daughter, Isabelle, sleep became something she felt she had to get “right” — often at the expense of getting out, living life and protecting her own mental health. With her second baby, Oscar, she approached things completely differently.
We talk about reflux, tongue ties, dummy runs, split nights, toddler bedtime chaos, and the reality that even “good sleepers” come with their own challenges. Kate also reflects on the pressure parents can feel to control sleep — and how reframing babies as humans (not problems to solve) completely changed her perspective as well as the strain on her relationship from sleepless nights.
This is a conversation about learning as you go, adapting to your child’s temperament, and finding more freedom in motherhood the second time around.
Find us on Instagram: @awakeat3am.podcast & @sophiassleepschool
-
Ep 8: Jess, Split Nights, Sleep Deprivation & The Sleep Advice She Regrets Following
In this episode of Awake at 3am, the tables turn.
Jess, usually the interviewer, shares her own experience of severe sleep deprivation, split nights, frequent night waking and the parenting decisions that still sit heavily with her years later.
After successfully sleep training her first daughter, Jess expected a similar experience with baby number two. Instead, she found herself navigating endless night wakes, conflicting sleep advice, multiple sleep consultants and a level of exhaustion that slowly eroded her confidence as a mum.
Like so many parents experiencing chronic sleep deprivation, she became desperate for answers. Desperate for sleep. Desperate to feel like herself again.
At one point, while following professional sleep advice she believed would finally solve their nights, Jess found herself listening to her baby cry for two and a half hours. It's a decision she still struggles to reconcile and one that shaped the way she thinks about baby sleep, sleep training and motherhood today.
This conversation explores what sleep deprivation really does to parents. The self-doubt. The mum guilt. The strain on relationships. The endless second-guessing. And the desperate decisions that can feel reasonable when you're surviving on broken sleep.
Most importantly, it's a reminder that struggling with your baby's sleep does not make you a bad parent and that even experienced parents can find themselves overwhelmed by frequent night waking and exhaustion.
In this episode we discuss:
• Split nights and frequent night waking
• Sleep deprivation and maternal mental health
• Sleep training and sleep consultant advice
• Mum guilt and parenting regret
• Baby sleep and infant sleep challenges
• Self-doubt in motherhood
• Broken sleep and exhausted parents
• Sleep associations and night waking
• The emotional impact of sleep deprivation
• Trusting your instincts as a parent
• Why every child is different
If you've ever searched for answers about split nights, frequent night waking, sleep deprivation, baby sleep, sleep training, exhausted mums, sleep consultants, maternal mental health or why your baby is awake for hours overnight, this episode is for you.
Follow @awakeat3am.podcast and @sophiassleepschool for more honest conversations about motherhood, sleep and survival.
-
What happens when your baby wakes every hour, you've seen doctors, sleep specialists and even lived in an infant sleep clinic, yet you're still being told, "This is just who your baby is"?
In this episode of Awake at 3am, Maddy shares her experience of raising a baby who woke every hour for the first nine months of life. Like so many exhausted parents, she desperately searched for answers. She sought support from healthcare professionals, explored concerns about tongue tie and feeding, attended an infant sleep clinic and tried everything she could think of to improve her baby's sleep.
Despite the hourly wakes, chronic sleep deprivation and relentless exhaustion, she kept hearing the same message:
"It's normal."
Over time, survival became the focus. More feeding, more settling, more broken nights and less hope that life would ever feel different.
In this honest conversation, Maddy shares the emotional impact that chronic sleep deprivation had on her mental health, her relationship and her confidence as a mum. We talk about what it's like to be repeatedly told your baby is "just a bad sleeper", why so many parents stop trusting their instincts, and how important it is to look at the whole child when persistent sleep problems continue.
Together, Sophia, Jess and Maddy discuss baby sleep, tongue tie, infant feeding, hourly wakes, sleep training and the difference between supporting parents and simply telling them to cope. Most importantly, Maddy shares what finally changed and how her family found hope after months of broken sleep.
• Baby waking every hour
• Chronic sleep deprivation and exhausted parents
• Baby sleep and infant sleep challenges
• Tongue tie and infant feeding concerns
• Sleep deprivation and maternal mental health
• Sleep training and independent sleep
• Frequent night waking and overnight feeding
• Infant sleep clinics and seeking support
• Why some babies aren't "just bad sleepers"
• Finding hope after months of broken sleepWhether you're navigating hourly wakes, wondering why your baby won't sleep, feeling overwhelmed by chronic sleep deprivation or searching for answers after being told everything is "normal", this episode will remind you that you're not alone, and that sometimes there is a reason behind persistent sleep struggles.
Awake at 3am is the parenting podcast where real motherhood stories meet evidence-based conversations about baby sleep, chronic sleep deprivation, maternal mental health and the medical reasons babies don't sleep.
Follow @awakeat3am.podcast and @sophiassleepschool for more honest conversations about motherhood, baby sleep and supporting exhausted parents.
-
For months, bedtime took three hours. Every. Single. Night.
Jacqui had seven-month-old twin girls and every evening felt like survival. One baby would finally fall asleep, the other would wake. Just as she settled one, the other needed her again. Night after night, she wondered if this was simply life with twins.
In this episode, Jacqui shares what those evenings really looked like, the exhaustion, the constant second guessing and the feeling that she was doing everything she could, yet nothing seemed to help.
She talks about the moment she stopped collecting random sleep tips and started understanding what was actually happening biologically. Why babies wake between sleep cycles. Why bedtime had become such a battle. And why having a consistent plan changed everything, even with two babies, and how sleep training them changed her life.
Sophia also shares on this episode about the safety behind sleep training and the impact of sleep deprivation on new parents and their babies. Sophia explains how sleep training a baby in isolation of their routine is often the reason families fail, seeing sleep from a much bigger perspective and working on infant routines is so important.
If you've ever spent hours trying to get your baby to sleep, felt trapped by bedtime battles or wondered why your baby just won't settle, this episode will make you feel a whole lot less alone.
For more real stories of motherhood, sleep and survival,
Follow @awakeat3am.podcast & sophiassleepschool
-
Ep 5: Ash, Reflux, Colic, 45-Minute Wakes & Sleep Training
Ash is a writer, mum to Archie and the voice behind You Wanted This, a platform dedicated to validating the reality of modern motherhood.
In this episode of Awake at 3am, Ash shares her experience of raising a highly unsettled baby whilst navigating reflux, colic, frequent night waking, 45-minute wake cycles and the relentless sleep deprivation that so many parents are told is simply part of having a baby.
Like countless exhausted mums, Ash found herself trapped in a cycle of broken sleep, constant settling and second-guessing every decision she was making. As the sleep deprivation mounted, so did the pressure, the guilt and the feeling that everyone else seemed to be coping better than she was.
We talk openly about infant reflux, colic, catnapping, short naps, sleep training, baby sleep and the emotional reality of trying different approaches when you're already exhausted. We also explore the complicated emotions that can come with motherhood, including identity shifts, mum guilt, returning to work and the tension between deeply loving your child whilst still finding motherhood incredibly hard.
This is a conversation about maternal mental health, trusting your instincts, surviving sleep deprivation and the relief that comes from realising you're not failing, you're simply human.
In this episode we discuss:
• Infant reflux and baby reflux
• Colic and unsettled babies
• 45-minute wake cycles and short naps
• Frequent night waking
• Sleep deprivation and exhausted mums
• Sleep training and infant sleep
• Baby sleep and catnapping
• Returning to work after maternity leave
• Mum guilt and maternal mental health
• Identity after motherhood
• Trusting your instincts as a parent
• Finding a path that works for your family
If you've ever searched for answers about reflux, colic, baby sleep, infant sleep, sleep deprivation, sleep training, frequent night waking, short naps, catnapping, maternal mental health or mum guilt, this episode is for you.
You can find more from Ash at @youwanted.this
Follow @awakeat3am.podcast and @sophiassleepschool for more honest conversations about motherhood, sleep and survival.
-
Ep 4: Amelia, Toddler Night Wakes, Sleep Deprivation & Pregnancy Fatigue
What happens when you're heavily pregnant with baby number two and your first child still isn't sleeping through the night?
In this episode of Awake at 3am, Amelia shares the reality of navigating toddler sleep problems, frequent night wakes, pregnancy fatigue and the relentless exhaustion that comes from growing one baby whilst still caring for another.
Like so many mums expecting their second child, Amelia found herself caught between the physical demands of pregnancy and the emotional toll of ongoing sleep deprivation. Nights were still broken, her toddler still needed support, and the exhaustion that comes with parenting whilst pregnant felt never-ending.
We talk openly about toddler sleep, toddler sleep regressions, frequent night waking, maternal mental health and the mental load that many mothers carry when they are trying to meet everyone else's needs whilst running on empty themselves.
But this conversation is about so much more than sleep.
Amelia shares the perspective, resilience and hope she found during one of the most demanding seasons of motherhood. It's an honest discussion about surviving difficult stages, trusting that hard seasons do pass and finding moments of joy even when life feels exhausting.
In this episode we discuss:
• Toddler sleep and toddler sleep regressions
• Frequent night waking
• Pregnancy fatigue and sleep deprivation
• Parenting whilst pregnant
• Preparing for baby number two
• Maternal mental health and motherhood
• The mental load of parenting
• Exhausted mums and parental wellbeing
• Resilience during difficult seasons of motherhood
• Finding hope when you're running on empty
If you've ever searched for answers about toddler sleep, toddler night wakes, toddler sleep regression, pregnancy fatigue, sleep deprivation, parenting whilst pregnant, maternal mental health or exhausted mums, this episode is for you.
Awake at 3am is the parenting podcast for exhausted parents navigating baby sleep, toddler sleep, sleep deprivation, maternal mental health, sleep training and the realities of modern motherhood.
If this episode resonates with you, we'd love to continue the conversation over on Instagram @awakeat3am.podcast and @sophiassleepschool.
- Visa fler
